WOW. The Carolina Ballet's Nutcracker was not very good at all. I grew up going to see the Nutcracker at the Boston Ballet, so I know my standards are high. But this show felt like a dance school recital, not a performance by a professional company. There really wasn't any ballet for the first 30-40 minutes! The Nutcracker prince was a kid! Clara wasn't on pointe! Mother Ginger had a big skirt, but no kids came out from or went back underneath it, that really annoyed me!! The dancers in general did not have good precision or timing. Most of the choreography was very boring. I liked the pas de deux with the Sugar Plum Fairy and Prince Coqueluche, that was lovely. But geez, what a disappointment. I can't see myself going back anytime soon.