LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The Brown-Forman Nutcracker is a holiday tradition each year for the Louisville Ballet.

But this year will be different as budget cuts are changing what has become a large part of the show.

With just one week until opening night, 160 dancers with the Louisville Ballet are preparing for their biggest performances of the year.

"When you get to that first rehearsal and the music turns on your body kind of knows what to do without you having to think as much as maybe something new that we are learning or working on," Brienne Wiltsie, a Louisville Ballet dancer, said.

This year, there will be no live orchestra. According to the Louisville Ballet's Chief Marketing and Development Officer, Regan Nichols, the cost of the orchestra has been subsidized in the past. 

"Instead of charging Louisville Ballet their standard weekly rate, we have received a discount averaging closer to $165k for The Brown-Forman Nutcracker performances," Nichols said in a statement to WDRB. 

The ballet is looking to raise $3.1 million by the end of May 2024 to pay for operating costs and get financial stability. So far, it has $1.6 million as it tries to recover from the last three years.

"The reason for that is we're coming off the pandemic, we were challenged last year with three sold out productions that were canceled during arctic storm Elliot requiring us to refund a quarter million dollars in tickets sales," Louisville Ballet CEO Leslie Smart said.

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Dancers with the Louisville Ballet practice on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023, for the community favorite Brown-Forman Nutcracker. (WDRB photo)

But there are some additions this year. There is now a Christmas eve matinee and a "No-shush show" for kids.

"We understand children are enjoying the production and we want them to feel apart of it and not feel like they are hindered in any way to participate," Smart said.

For many on stage, performances are generational. Some were in the production as children or had parents or even grandparents perform at some point over the years.

It’s that tradition the ballet company hopes can continue provided they reach their financial goal, otherwise the dancing may be put on pause.

"If we don't meet our $3.1 million goal next year then we will have to look at cutting maybe the number of productions that we do," Smart said.

"It is like this wonderful encapsulated little moment where you just really get to feel beauty and art and warmth and community," Wiltsie said. "For me, that is why I do what I do and I feel a lot of my co-workers would feel the same.

There will be 21 public performances of the Brown-Forman Nutcracker from Dec. 8 to Dec. 24. To purchase tickets, click here.

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