NUTCRACKER DOLL CONTEST

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In 1972 the Philadelphia Recreation Department was invited by Pennsylvania Ballet to participate in a Nutcracker Doll Contest based on The Nutcracker Ballet. This grew into an extremely successful annual event.

Recreation Leaders in playgrounds and recreation centers throughout the city tell the story of The Nutcracker to the participants in their neighborhood. The participants then envision one of the characters and create a drawing of how they see the character.

From that drawing, with guidance from the leader, they determine the best way to build a doll of their concept through sculpture, scrapcraft or sewing, or a combination of techniques.

The contest stimulates participants to picture the story in their imaginations and to develop the imagined figure into reality.

The dolls are created in neighborhoods all over the city. The top ten dolls are on display in the Academy of Music. Other dolls chosen as district level winners are displayed in the Children's Section of the Free Library and the Recreation Department?s home office at 1515 Arch St..

Every participant who has a doll on display received a pair of tickets to see The Nutcracker Ballet.

The ten winners of the citywide contest received a Certificate of Award from the Recreation Department, and tickets to see the real live Nutcracker Ballet, performed by the Pennsylvania Ballet!