The story is familiar to many fans of New York City Ballet: In 1954—a mere six years after the launch of the company—Morton Baum, a co-founder of New York City Center, then NYCB’s home stage, asked George Balanchine to choreograph a new evening-length story ballet. Balanchine looked to his roots, drawing on Lev Ivanov’s 19th-century footwork and memories of tinsel-covered pine trees and holiday delights, and crafted his version of The Nutcracker. As then-company dancer Patricia Wilde recalled for a 2018 Vanity Fair feature, “What I heard him say a number of times [was that] he was thinking of it as a gift to American children.”
More than 70 years later, that spirit finds increasingly inclusive expression in NYCB’s annual Sensory-Friendly Performance of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker® on January 4, 2026. Initially launched in partnership with the Theater Development Fund in 2022 and now presented independently during NYCB’s run of The Nutcracker and NYCB’s Spring Season, the company’s Sensory-Friendly Performances are designed to welcome neurodiverse audience members who may have sensory processing challenges, including autism, providing a safe space to enjoy the ballet. Some of the adjustments made are environmental, from low-level house lighting during the show to designated break areas—with bean bags, noise-canceling headphones, and fidgets—throughout the theatre. Additional staff, some of whom are trained educators, are on hand to assist with way-finding and any questions that may arise, and ushers, dancers, musicians, and all personnel present are briefed on what to expect and how best to be of assistance, including with the relaxed entry/exit policy unique to these performances.
Other significant changes come in the form of unique communications, like the social narrative sent to ticket holders that lays out what they can expect from the moment they approach the theatre to the run of the show itself. Each Sensory-Friendly Performance also begins with an announcement reminding the audience that this will be a judgement-free, “no shushing” presentation. “I’ve been in the theatre and seen a mother with her child, and when that line was said, her shoulders just dropped, as if to say, ‘It’s going to be okay,’” shares Meghan Gentile, Associate Director of Education at New York City Ballet. Beyond these accommodations, Gentile emphasizes, “The artistic integrity of the ballet is not changed. Audiences at Sensory-Friendly Performances are seeing the same dancers, hearing the same orchestra. It’s not watered-down. It remains the best of the best.”
Gentile manages the Education department’s Access programs, which specifically serve children, teens, and adults with disabilities. In its 11th year, NYCB’s Access programming has expanded to include experiential movement workshops; partnerships with children’s hospitals, medical and rehabilitation centers, and special education schools and camps; and the Sensory-Friendly Performances. “At our first Spring Season Sensory-Friendly Performance in 2024, we found that over half of the audience were first-time audience members at New York City Ballet—what an incredible way to welcome people into our theatre,” says Gentile. “We’ve also had long-time subscribers and donors come to these performances; as one subscription holder told us, ‘I’m a huge fan of the ballet and have been coming for years, but I’ve never felt like I could bring my child with me. And now we can have this full experience as a family.’"
Cornelia Peckman echoed these sentiments in an interview with her and her 28-year-old son, Julian. “They’re incredibly accommodating and giving, asking us, for example, what seats would make us the most comfortable,” she says. “We finally found the ideal seat for Julian, and we stayed the entire performance. He was fascinated, because we were so close that he could see the dancers and the orchestra. And he loved that.” Taking in a full performance of The Nutcracker, an experience Julian described as “magical,” further enriches his long-standing engagement with the art form; he’s been participating in Access workshops since 2022. “The classes, it just blows me away,” Peckman says. “And others can attest to the progress he’s made, from his first class, when he was very tentative, to now, when you can see pure joy on his face. He views himself as a member of the corps. It’s absolute, pure joy to see him now.”
Gentile notes that families who hadn’t previously been aware of the company’s Access programming have newly taken advantage of these movement workshops and more after attending a Sensory-Friendly Performance. Juliana Prates, whose 4-year-old son Nicholas has been taking part in Access workshops for almost two years, has seen the benefits of this community-building firsthand: “I was able to connect to other families of children with neurodiversity or medical conditions,” she says. “I’ve also invited a lot of my friends and family, and it’s a moment that we can all share together. I feel it’s a place where we can connect.” These performances and workshops have even encouraged her and her family to engage more deeply with Nicholas’s passion: music. “Everyone is trying to become more familiar with and understand music better, because it’s something that he excels at. It’s incredible to see how he can be himself during these presentations, and how he can engage with everyone.”
In this way, the Sensory-Friendly Performances have further developed the community of families New York City Ballet is able to reach, and remain a powerful experience for performers, staff, and audiences alike.
Upcoming Sensory-Friendly Performances at NYCB include George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker® on Sunday, January 4, 2026 and Balanchine’s Divertimento No. 15 and Alexei Ratmansky’s Concerto DSCH on Sunday, May 17, 2026. For tickets and more information on NYCB’s Access programs, click here.
