OUTPUT #3 DANCE CRITIQUE

Name: Ella Marie P. Lopez Course and Year: BSBA Fin. Mgt 2nd Yr. – 2nd Sem
Submitted on: March 1, 2020 Name of Dance: George Balanchine’s The
Nutcracker-Waltz of the Snowflakes

Based on the dance performance, I noticed that the ballerinas did movements
such as the assemble, grande jete, plie, pirouette and tour en l’air. I actually don’t
have enough knowledge about it. These movements emphasized the dancer’s hands,
arms, legs, and feet. They can be seen in the performance doing the movements of
crawling, leaping and spinning. It is indeed a sluggish yet deliberate dance. The
ballerina’s body form is a long and slender figure.

1. Movement

2. Choreography

Just like a snowflake, lots of the movements in this particular dance are
symmetrical. A symmetrical shape is one which is the same on both sides. You can
tell if a shape is symmetrical when you put a mirror down the center of it, and you
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symmetrical form that can be scene in the beginning of the performance. It is a dance
narrative because of the story it tells while performing. And because it is a story, it
shows a beginning, middle and end. The story goes like these; A flurry of dancing
snowflakes scatters across the stage as Clara and Hans-Peter/the Nutcracker take in
the wonder of a white Christmas in an enchanted forest.

3. Space

4. Performance

It is evident that the dancers are all skilled, they were able to maintain the energy and
mood that is relevant to the theme of the performance. What’s surprising is all of the dancers
were able to have the same or equal energy and emotion delivered in the stage, like they are
just one person in different bodies. A particular performer standout if she were given a
different movement or if she is centered in the stage. In addition, all of the dancers are all
focused and energetic.
 OUTPUT #3 DANCE CRITIQUE

5. Music

The composer of the “Nutcracker” is Tchaikovsky that was used in The Nutcracker-
Waltz of the Snowflakes. The beginning of the ballet dance, the music was slow then ended
with fast rhythm. The music is evocative of falling snow. Flutes trill as the piece opens, like
the first flurries, then slowly the music builds, other instruments and the vocalists come in,
and a blizzard of sound complements the visual effects created on stage.

6. Staging

The costume in the ballet dance is appropriate and attractive. I noticed that the
snowflake costumes are relevant in the theme completed with a tutu, a tiara and a snowflake
wand for each hand. Snowflake wands are carried in each of the dancers’ hands and
choreographed to be used in unison to create the appearance of even more snow. The
lighting in the play is on point that gives a dramatic event to the scene and highlighted the
main focus which is the ballet.

7. Personal Response

I enjoyed every bit of the dance, the effort is evident with all the stage designs,
dancer’s movement, and the choreography. This ballet dance reminds me of my childhood
favorite cartoon movie which is the “Barbie in the Nutcracker”. I am so impressed with the
dance performance because it is made professionally, I can say that everyone played their
part well. I have learned in this dance the essence of coordination; the movements, the
music, the stage design, the dancers, the lighting etc. are all important to develop the desired
mood for the audience impact. The performance doesn’t leave with any uncertainty, the
length of time the performance was played was justifiable to show all the details in the ballet
performance. I have never seen a great dance in real life, they are all skilled. Overall, the
Nutcracker-Waltz of the Snowflakes is great that shows creativity, I’m so touched beyond
words.
 OUTPUT #3 DANCE CRITIQUE

8. Overall Reaction

The Nutcracker-Waltz of the Snowflakes taught me the importance of perfecting every detail
in a dance performance to achieve the portrayal of reality into fantasy. The main takeaway
from the show is the dances, all of which were, for the most part, beautifully performed and
in sync. Each dance clearly had a certain atmosphere that shook the hearts of the audience
members. The vibes from each dance were enhanced mostly through choice of costume and
lighting. In this performance, I learned the ballet dance movements, but most importantly, it
shows that dance is a great way of making used of movement combination to develop
creativity. On the other hand, the presentation is so perfect it didn’t leave me with confusion
or hanging questions.