For many, The Nutcracker Ballet is as much a part of the holiday season as gift giving and lights. Maybe it’s been on your radar lately too – our area is fortunate enough to have had several productions each year. Or, maybe you saw the news that the NYC Ballet cast their first African-American Clara ever, 11 year old Charlotte Nebres.
The inspiration for the Nutcracker Ballet that we all know and some of us love (more on that soon) – was an 1816 fairy tale written by German Gothic writer E.T.A Hoffman. Around 30 years later, it was adapted by French writer, Alexandre Dumas that would become the inspiration for the third Tchaikosky ballet (1891).
Surprisingly – the ballet did not find success in it’s own time. Not until the 1940s, when some of the score was used in Disney’s Fantasia – did the music and ballet being to gain popularity. (source)
I’m sure you’re thrilled to now be so well versed on the background of this Christmas classic – I’m afraid I must pair this newfound knowledge with a confession.
I don’t actually like The Nutcracker. It’s weird.
It’s creepy and it’s weird and I don’t love it.
I’ve said it and I’m not taking it back.
Before you light your torches and dust off your pitchforks, dance lovers, hear me out –
I am PRO kids, theatre, dance, and music. I am PRO costumes and holidays and any chance to get a little fancy. And still, I’m not a fan.
The majority of the story line is a sugar induced dreamscape where the heroine kills a rat with a slipper. A slipper seems an ineffective tool, no? Sure the little dancers are cute in their mouse ears and knickers – but this scene always leaves me asking, “What did I just watch?”
Next our protagonist and slipper slayer, Clara, moves on with a mysterious handsome man that pre-infestation was a nutcracker. This guy then takes her to his kingdom? A kingdom? Somewhere. Mamas, raise your hands if you want your daughters to run off with the first cutie they meet that tells them he’s a “prince”. No takers? Same here.
Next comes the cultural dances – spanish, chinese, russian – my brain works hard trying to figure out why this is happening. Is this kingdom just that multicultural? Are the dances supposed to match up with desserts? (I take full responsibility for my own ignorance here and acknowledge that the most likely scenario is that I’m missing something.)
I tried again last year(2019) hoping that by going with my daughter, I could watch with the fresh lens of youth and imagination. The reality was that the dancers, choreographers, and parents worked really hard and did a fine job. Let me also say that I very much appreciate dance as an art form and know that I am quite incapable of doing anything graceful on stage at all.
And I still didn’t love it. Mea culpa, guys.
Obviously, I’m no Sugar Plum Fairy – but if a kooky storyline is the price to pay for supporting the local arts and quality time with my daughter, giving her the chance to see some incredible athletes and role models, count me in.
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