David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, New York, NY.
December 12, 2024.
The Nutcracker, one of the most beloved ballets of all time, first premiered in 1892 in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Since then, and especially since the 1960s in North America, the ballet commands robust audiences and accounts for roughly 40 percent of companies’ yearly revenue. The New York City Ballet (NYCB)’s production appeared to follow suit, because the large house at the David H. Koch Theater was nearly full on a Thursday night, two weeks before Christmas.
The classic story is of a girl who receives a gift of a nutcracker for Christmas, only to have it broken by her brother and then come to life after she nurses it back to health. As repayment, the nutcracker turns into a prince and takes her on a magical adventure. It was NYCB’s first full-length ballet, premiering in 1954.
George Balanchine’s version differs from some productions in the second act – the Land of Sweets – but is fun, whimsical, exciting and extraordinary. Balanchine smartly used a robust cast of children for his production, making it both enticing for parents and a constant source of dreams for many young dancers.
As far as story ballets are concerned, it’s a palatable fairy tale with only mild forays into the mystical – the growing Christmas tree, a ferocious battle between oversized mice and undersized soldiers, and a random layover in a snowy location with dancing snowflakes en route to the Land of Sweets on a flying carriage. The recognizably familiar music by Tchaikovsky carries us through it all.
As someone who has danced many a Nutcracker performance and (for better or worse) has it embodied in my spirit, watching it again was a nostalgic treat – as I imagine it is for many. The charm of community during the holidays and the wonder of life seen through the eyes of children is hard to argue against.
This performance was made even more dazzling by the dancing of Tiler Peck as the Sugarplum Fairy, Roman Mejia as her Cavalier, and Ashley Hod as the Dewdrop Fairy. The ladies, in particular, danced with a clarity and musicality every bit as shining as the ubiquitous sparkles in their costumes. The choreography is far less virtuosic than many other Balanchine works (perhaps by design), but certain moments of technical brilliance prevail, reminding us why NYCB is one of the best in the world and why the magic of Christmas still delights.
By Emily Sarkissian of Dance Informa.
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