I just love Ballet.  Infact my mum was a ballet dancer.  I remember as a child watching her in The Nutcracker ballet.
What form of ballet is the Nutcracker ballet?
Its a two act ballet originally choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov. Tchaikovsky took "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy", the "Waltz of the Flowers", to form the Nutcracker.
What's the history of the dance?
Well it is a type of dance that originated during the Italian renaissance back in the 15th century would you believe!
What are the techniques?
Im not sure exactly the techniques but I do know that it has been globally influential and has defined the techniques used in many other dance genres and cultures.
Any renowned ballet dancer you know?
An amazing one I know of is Bronislava Nijinska who was a polish dancer and an amazing choreographer.  She was so beautiful to watch, such elegance and grace.