Becoming the Sugar Plum Fairy with Yu Kurihara

News & Stories 2 Nov 2026

News Story

With this special film, we revisit Principal Dancer Yu Kurihara's Sugar Plum Fairy debut in 2021, back when she was a First Soloist with the Company.

This is my time, this is my dream role, and I can't wait to shine on stage.

Yu Kurihara

Click on the video below to hear Yu describe her journey and watch the transformation from studio to stage unfold.

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Find out more about The Nutcracker

  1. The Nutcracker: children's colouring sheets, wordsearch and maze!

  2. How do dancers train for The Nutcracker? Rehabilitation and Conditioning Lead Esther Parton on her go-to conditioning exercises

  3. First time at the ballet? What to expect at The Nutcracker

  4. The characters of The Nutcracker

  5. The history of The Nutcracker: Conductor Thomas Jung on the origins of Tchaikovsky's magical score

  6. The story of The Nutcracker

  7. WATCH: Sofia Liñares rehearses the Sugar Plum Fairy solo

  8. The Nutcracker 2026 Principal Casting announced

  9. Gallery: The Nutcracker at the RAH, 2025

  10. Meet Rupert – one of our youngest stars in The Nutcracker!

  11. Heavenly tunes of The Nutcracker

  12. The Nutcracker: A view from the wings

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  3. How do dancers train for The Nutcracker? Rehabilitation and Conditioning Lead Esther Parton on her go-to conditioning exercises