This season is your last chance to see Joffrey Ballet's 'Nutcracker,' a 28-year tradition

For so many, the arrival of the Joffrey Ballet's "Nutcracker" at the Kennedy Center is a warm hello from an old favorite. A regular visitor since its 1987 premiere, this production is beloved for its 19th-century American setting and its Currier & Ives-style décor, which includes wooden hobbyhorses, antique dolls and kites. The ladies wear antebellum hoop skirts. Never overcrowded or overthought, it is a cheery affirmation of moral and artistic values.