Anna Langlois

Kim Whittam
Intro to Ballet II
December 4, 2016

On November 30, 2016 at 7:00 pm, I attended a performance of ​George Balanchine’s

The​ Nutcracker done by the New York City Ballet at Lincoln Center. This ballet was performed

in two acts with 4 scenes and a prologue comma and it was based on E.T.A Hoffman’s tale, ​The

​ King (1816). Under musical direction of Andrew Litton, 65 orchestra

Nutcracker and the mouse

members were conducted by Andrew Sill to play the music of Peter Ilyitch Tschaikovsky, The

ballet’s founding choreographers were George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins, while the NYC

Ballet’s resident choreographer was Justin Peck. The ballet’s company was large and featured

both adult and children of great talent alike. Scenery was done by Rouben Ter-Arutunian,

costumes were done by Karinska, and light was done by Ronald Bates and Mark Stanley. As

someone who saw this production frequently growing up, I to this day remain impressed by the

quality of it. The talent and professionalism of the entire company is remarkable, and paired with

the impeccable technical elements of the show, this production brought me back to the

overwhelming feelings of joy I had for it as a child.

To begin my review, I would first love to discuss the David H. Koch Theater, which was

​ the venue for ​The Nutcracker. The architecture of the building is elegant and spacious, and

provides a very upscale and fitting setting for this ballet. According to my research, this venue

“​features one of the largest interior event spaces in New York City” with “a 7,875 square foot

promenade area that features inlaid Travertine marble floors, forty-foot gold leaf ceilings,
dramatic spiral staircases and balconies overlooking the fountain in the Plaza of Lincoln Center.

The auditorium seats 2,586 with a continental style configuration on the orchestra level, five

Ring levels studded with jewel faceted lights, and an immense spherical chandelier as the

centerpiece of the ornately paneled gold ceiling”. I was also impressed to discover their use of “a

full rigging system, state of the art computer lighting and sound control systems, a stage that has

an integrated permanent sprung dance floor, and a movable Orchestra pit accommodates up to 90

musicians”. I was sitting in the Fourth Ring on the right, in seat BB6, and my view within the

theatre was excellent. My view of the stage was complete, and I felt closer to the action than I

feel I would’ve been sitting in the center. ​The theater had great acoustics that carried the sounds

of the live orchestra, which sounded incredibly dynamic and beautifully complemented what was

happening on stage. There were moments where just hearing the music made my heart swell and

brought tears to my eyes over feelings of nostalgia and joy. Overall, their presence and partaking

in the production had a huge effect on my experience of the performance.

This production of ​the Nutcracker opened with an overture that had me bouncing from

excitement in my seat, and was followed by the infamous party scene that occupies most of the

first act. I observed some very realistic acting during this scene and paid special attention to the

specific interactions between both the children and adults of the company as they expressed

excitement over Christmas eve celebrations. Most of the choreography during this dinner party

featured partnering, rather than heavier ballet, with the children often mirroring what the adults

would be doing. This all occurred within the set of a Victorian aged living room, which featured

a majestic Christmas tree surrounded by presents, a paned-and-draped window, and a love-seat.

There was a use of screened backdrops to imply changes between different rooms within the
house, which was clever and effective in my opinion. In addition, there was also an effective use

of lighting to convey different moods and time changes within the show. For example, the

lighting would dim for the entrance of more ominous characters or to signify the transition to a

later time of night. These technical elements matched perfectly with the exciting score and the

onstage action.

One of my favorite moments within the first act was during Marie’s, otherwise named

Clara in other versions of the show, dream, when the Christmas tree in the background began to

grow. Music swells and it is truly a sight to see as it is “awakened by Tchaikovsky, that thrilling,

climbing theme—tumescence mixed with transcendence—hung like garland after garland as the

tree grows higher and wider, taking the little girl Marie through fear, sleep, and snow into a

realm of unreality, a heavenly pleasure dome of sweetness and light”. I can only say that the

sight brought tears to my eyes and gave me goosebumps, it was such an electric moment. In

addition, a scene that is very special to me is the Waltz of the Snowflakes. That number is

visually stunning, with snow drifting to the floor as the dancers glided across the stage in quick,

fleeting movements, similar to that of a snowflake. I wondered how they didn’t slip in the

process, but took notice of their windblown crossings patterns and grand sweeping formations. In

addition, I also began to see a choreography technique that was reoccurring throughout the show.

There were certain moments where I witnessed what I can best describe as a “ripple effect”,

where dancers would execute choreography in a consecutive order that would showcase different

levels. This technique showed up in many of the group numbers in the second act, but I found it

to be visually appealing and was pleased every time I took notice of it.
 During intermission, I took the opportunity to discover online that there were never really

any major updates or alterations made to the choreography, and that it had remained the same

over the many years since when Balanchine first staged it himself. When reading about some of

the younger dancers in the production, they said that they keep the choreographer heavily in

mind while they’re dancing, even without knowing him because “he’s [their] boss” and “he

taught a lot of [their] teachers and they pass on what he said”. So it is apparent that Balanchine’s

style and aesthetic are still very much prominent within the production, as he is a figure that is

highly revered in the ballet world.

Soon the time came for the second act, and the curtain opened to display a completely

new setting. The stunning set for this act, complete with a “Victorian Gothic colonnade made of

candy sticks and white lace doilies, very airy, which floated in front of a pink cyclorama”

enforces the concept that the Nutcracker Prince and Marie have traveled to a new kingdom,

known as the Land of Sweets. An ensemble of sweet young angels opened the second act with

what can be described as a “ceremony of celestial gliding”, as they moved across the stage in

crisscrossing paths. These angels, along with the Sugarplum Fairy, introduced Marie and the

Nutcracker Prince, who were then also greeted by the rest of the subjects of the Land of Sweets.

These subjects were costumed in color coordinated outfits that represented what “sweet” or

“delicacy” they were. After the Prince recounts how they battled the mice and how Marie helped

him to defeat the Mouse King, they are lead to a throne to be entertained by the subjects. First up

are the Hot Chocolate Dancers from Spain, whose choreography prominently featured partner

dancing to the sound of clicking castanets. Following this performance and another by Chinese

Tea dancers, the lights dimmed for a sultry performance by an Arabian Coffee Soloist. Dressed
in a sheer costume highlighted by the glow of ultraviolet lighting, the Arabian dancer moved

elegantly across the stage in ways that showcased her beautiful extension and clean lines. These

skills were especially enforced by the bells she wore around her ankles, which would ping out

during certain extensions to enunciate the beat of the music. I thoroughly enjoyed this small

detail to her performance, although part of me wished her choreography had been more legato to

even better showcase her lines. After this number came one done by the Candy Canes, which

were reimagined by Balanchine based off a character he once danced as in an older production of

the ballet. The dance of the Candy Canes incorporated the use hula hoops, which the main adult

dancer used for impressive tours en l’air and as almost a sort of jump rope. The children framed

him with their formations as they danced around with their own smaller hoops. Following this

dance was performances by the Marzipan Shepherdesses and Mother Ginger, with her eight little

polichinelles. Then, as the show began to transition to some its final numbers came the Waltz of

the Flowers. Dressed in long, flowing tutus of pastel colors, the dancers portrayed elegant

flowers, even in their opening and closing formations. They dipped and rose and circled around

the Dewdrop Fairy, whom demonstrated beautiful extensions, long lines, and very clean turning

abilities throughout the number. The number again relied on the recurring ripple effect and

partnering, while also featuring crisscrossing, circling, and inverting formations.

My favorite number of the second act was by far the Pas de Deux between the Sugarplum

Fairy and her Cavalier. Both dancers were dressed in mint green costumes, and I could tell very

early on into their performance how committed they were to showcasing each others as partners.

The Cavalier helped her to pull off graceful turns and showcased her gorgeous extensions.

During the first crescendo of the orchestra towards the end of the number, the Cavalier turned the
Sugarplum Fairy to face him and held her so she could completely arch her back and unfold to

the audience. The larger crescendo came with a huge lift that was both beautiful and dramatic,

and it seemed almost effortless as they matched the giant swell in orchestrations. This partnering

of the music and the choreography was truly an incredible sight, and my heart soared as I found

myself with tears in my eyes. There was also an impressive moment where the Cavalier pulled

the Sugarplum Fairy by her hand across the stage while holding her still in an arabesque. As

someone who has had only a very brief experience with pointe in her life, this feat seemed

incredible to me. One of my other favorite parts was at the and of the number when the Cavalier

led the Sugarplum Fairy around in a promenade, helping her to balance in arabesque. As he

lowered down to one knee and kept his delicate hold on her, the music suddenly perked up and

they both released each other with a flare of their arms as if to prove it was truly effortless the

whole time. They ended the pas de deux in a very deep fish dive, and follow it with a

quick-paced coda, rife with turns of many variations. This all leads to the grand finale, when all

the subjects of the kingdom return for a final waltz. They mirror the color coordinated formations

of the opening of the act, and there is partnering involved in their choreography. Each group of

entertainers also get a small chunk of choreography to highlight their performance, and the grand

booming music is perfectly fitting for the final moments in which Marie and her Prince ascend

into the sky in a sleigh pulled by reindeer.

Overall, this performance is one I enjoyed immensely. Every aspect of this show gave me

nostalgia and brought me back to the happy times in my childhood in which it was my family’s

tradition to see this ballet during Christmastime. I was stunned once again by the music and the

show’s technical elements, paired with the sheer talent of the company and the beauty of
Balanchine’s timeless choreography. I noticed recurring styles within his choreography, and I

could see the influences of Balanchine’s own experiences with ​The Nutcracker within many

elements of the show. The performance left me so intrigued and full-hearted, and I would

absolutely recommend this production for anyone who appreciates ballet and the spirit of

Christmas.
 Works Cited

"Hospitality & Rentals." ​David H. Koch Theater - Hospitality & Rentals. New York City Ballet,

n.d. Web. 06 Dec. 2016. <​https://davidhkochtheater.com/Hospitality-Rentals.aspx​>.

"The Nutcracker." ​Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 26 Nov. 2016. Web. 06 Dec. 2016.

<​https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Nutcracker#From_the_Imperial_Ballet.27s_1892_program​>.

Jacobs, Laura, and Henry Leutwyler. "How George Balanchine's Production of The Nutcracker

Became a Ballet Blockbuster." ​Vanity Fair. N.p., 21 Dec. 2015. Web. 06 Dec. 2016.

<​http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2015/01/the-nutcracker-george-balanchine​>.