What
is it that makes The Nutcracker so
enduring? Is it the story? Is it the music? Is it the dancing? Or is it simply
a holiday tradition? Having danced in
the show, learned variations in ballet class, and seen multiple productions
since my first, at the age of four, I have always wondered what brings people
back to the show and how it has turned into a special holiday tradition for so
many. In an effort to discover why this ballet continues to be such a popular
holiday tradition, I conducted a six question survey at a few local dance
studios in addition to polling friends and family on social media. While some
answers were expected others surprised me.
The Nutcracker
ballet is based on the rather dark story entitled “The Nutcracker and the King
of Mice” written by E.T.A. Hoffman in 1816. A lighter revision written in 1844
by Alexander Dumas, the well-known French author of “The Three Musketeers” is
the version that most closely reflects what is now seen on stage. The famous
music of the ballet entitled “The Nutcracker Suite” is by composer Peter Ilyich
Tchaikovsky. The Nutcracker was first produced as a full length ballet at the
Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg, Russia in 1892. Since then, companies
around the world have made it their own and added it to their repertoire. It is
one of the most famous, if not the most famous, ballet in the world. Even if
people have not seen a production of it, they have heard the story or know a
little about the ballet.
For
those readers not too familiar with the ballet, it is the story of a young girl
named Clara, or Marie depending on the version being produced, whose family
throws a holiday party for their family and friends at their home in Germany on
Christmas Eve. The girl receives a special Nutcracker doll and later that night
she dreams the Nutcracker comes to life, defeats the Mouse King, travels with
her through an enchanted forest of snow to the wondrous Land of Sweets where
they are greeted by the Sugar Plum Fairy. There they enjoy a magical
celebration of dances performed by various sweets. Just as choreography may
change depending on the company, other details vary within each production. Some
change the names of the characters, while others vary the story itself to guide
the audience into believing it was all a dream or that the young girl’s adventures
did actually occur. Most do, however, continue to spark imagination, the thrill
of movement and music, and the belief in holiday magic.
The
first question I asked audience members was: What is your favorite part about
attending The Nutcracker during the
holiday season? The top response was tradition and dancing. Coming in a close
second is that the ballet evokes for many that Christmas spirit feeling. Others
love getting dressed up, seeing different dancer’s interpretations of the
characters and listening to the rich music. Secondly, I asked how many times
over the last fifteen years have they attended a production of The Nutcracker. Fifty percent of those
surveyed have seen a production between eight and twenty or more times over the
past fifteen years. An additional twenty five percent have attended a
production between three and seven times. I then asked who they attend the
production with and what the age range of the group is. The majority of people
attend with family, while many others attend with friends. The age range of
audience members attending, based on my survey, is between five years old and
all the way up into the nineties.
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| Snow Scene of Boston Ballet's Nutcracker ©Liza Voll |
The
fourth question in the survey was: What is your favorite part of act one and
why? Over fifty percent of people chose the Snow Scene at the end of act one.
They described the scene as relaxing, sparkly, bright, beautiful, magical and
powerful; with glorious music and stunning dancing. This scene has always been
one of my favorites for all of the reasons described, but also because of its
delicateness as the snow falls covering the stage and as the dancers turn and
float across it. In addition, the Pas de Deux between the Snow Queen and King
is simply mesmerizing to watch. The fun party scene at the opening of the act
was a close second. The fifth question asks: What is your favorite part of act
2 and why? These answers were a bit more varied, but the top choice was
predictably the Sugar Plum Fairy. This role is often labeled as an ultimate
goal for ballerinas participating in a Nutcracker production. This dance was
described as pretty, graceful, gorgeous and “such a coveted role that you
really paid attention to her”. Other favorites in act two include the fluid
Arabian, the powerful Russian, the funny Mother Ginger and the graceful Waltz
of the Flowers and Dew Drop. Many audience members had a difficult time
choosing just one routine because they enjoyed them all so much.
The
sixth and final question was: What is the number one reason you return to The Nutcracker year after year? The top
response was “it is a tradition I look forward to every year” and the dancing,
of course, was another top reply. One answer that I believe ties them all
together is: “To me, The Nutcracker
has become a Christmas tradition. It is something that I share with family at
the holidays and the show is a beautiful piece of art.” Another response which
I received a number of times was, they like to support the performing arts and
seeing talented dancers perform, all while spending time with their family
during the holidays.
Both
professional ballet companies and local dance studios put on yearly productions
of The Nutcracker which makes it relatively
easy to find a production nearby that fits your budget. Whether you’re a major
ballet fan or a ballet neophyte, The
Nutcracker is a great introduction into the ballet world; especially for
young dancers. It is there they often fall even more in love with the artistry
of ballet and their own dreams of dancing in the production begin. So this
holiday season, if you’ve never seen a production live or you have a young
child dancing around house I encourage you to find a production of The Nutcracker on a stage near you. You
may once again believe in the magic of Christmas or even start a new tradition
with your family and friends. ©
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| GEORGE BALANCHINE'S THE NUTCRACKER at The New York City Ballet. Photo © Paul Kolnik |
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