Catch a Free Boston Ballet Performance at International Place

A scene from Boston Ballet’s The Nutcracker / Photo by Liza Voll, courtesy of Boston Ballet

The downtown lunch break is getting an upgrade on Wednesday, December 9, when dancers from Boston Ballet II take over the courtyard at International Place for a pair of free performances.

Hosted by the Chiofaro Company, the real estate firm that owns International Place, the group will perform selections from some of Boston Ballet’s renowned shows, including the holiday classic The Nutcracker.

Boston Ballet II is the Boston Ballet’s second company, made up of dancers in a two-year program that serves as a gateway from formal training to a professional career. The group performs with the main company at the Boston Opera House, as well as in their own local touring engagements.

The back-to-back, hour-long performances at International Place, taking place at noon and 1 p.m., will be attended by students from Robert F. Kennedy Children’s Action Corps, but are also open to the public. Boston Ballet’s artistic director Mikko Nissinen and executive director Meredith Hodges, the Chiofaro Company’s founder Don Chiofaro, and the Dancing Bear from The Nutcracker will be there as well.