Mention shchelkunchik and you’ll probably get some blank looks and confusion, but translate that to ‘The Nutcracker’ and the response will likely be warm smiles, memories, and familiarity, even among people who’ve never seen it!
That’s one of the wonders of Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s ballet. It debuted in 1892, loosely based on The Nutcracker and The Mouse King by ETA Hoffman and adapted by Alexandre Dumas to be less frightening for younger children. Nearly fifty years after its debut in St. Petersburg, Russia, the San Francisco Ballet performed its first full-length production under the direction of Willam Christensen, who contributed some of his own choreography as well as pieced-together portions from other sources. In a wartime world, the costumes were mostly sewn by the dancers themselves from materials sourced from thrift shops. The San Francisco Ballet performed The Nutcracker for the second time five years later, and every year since.
Unlike most of the ballets born around the same time, this is not a love story. It’s a ballet about the pure, childlike wonder and belief in the magic of Christmas. The cast can range in size from 17 to 70, and some larger companies, such as the Boston Ballet, have nearly 250 children involved in their annual productions. For many dancers it's both the first production they ever attend and the first they dance in. Ken Ludden, artistic director of the Margot Fonteyn Academy of Ballet, has his own long history with this ballet: “I was first in The Nutcracker when I was ten, and I was in Nutcracker every year until I was 67.”
The story is of a young girl named Clara and her experience on Christmas Eve with a new friend, the titular nutcracker. She receives the nutcracker as a gift from her uncle at the family Christmas party. Clara falls asleep with her beloved new gift amid a brilliant battle between the nutcracker and the Mouse King. In her dreams, he leads her on an epic trip to the Land of Snow, where we meet dancing snowflakes, and on to the Land of Sweets, where the victory over the Mouse King is celebrated with a variety of dances. This dream portion of the ballet is known as The Nutcracker Suite and will be presented as part of the celebration hosted by the Margot Fonteyn Ballet Academy this December. As Ludden happily describes, “Through the magic of snowfall at Christmastime, she imagines this world where all the treats and the gifts from foreign countries come to life and dance for her.”
In addition to The Nutcracker Suite, the company’s celebration will include Frederick Ashton’s Les Patineurs, a lighthearted ballet that tells the story of an ice-skating party, which Executive Director Tara Tate calls “a romp.” In addition to local dance talent that includes students from Lessons by Lexe and Summer’s Dance Works, some of the Academy’s international performers are hoping to be part of the presentation. Principal dancers are Emily Bromberg and Chase Swatosh. Ludden has worked with these dancers for many years, and says, “In my estimation, [Emily]’s one of the ballerinas of the 21st century. Additionally, coming in from the UK is Royal Academy of Music’s director and Elgar-Award recipient Maestro Alexander Walker.
In continuous partnership with the Prescott Unified School District, the Christmas celebration will take place in the newly refurbished Ruth Street Theatre. Although the first night coincides with Acker Night, Tate says, “Hopefully there will be a percentage of the population who’s had enough of Acker Night by then and wants to keep partying, and so come and share The Nutcracker with us.”
Don’t miss this night of celebration with beautiful dancers, singers and music. As Tate says, “It is just one of those things that you know: nobody is ever in a bad mood when they walk out after watching The Nutcracker.”
A Nutcracker Suite Christmas Celebration will play December 8 at 7:30pm and December 9 at 1 and 7pm at the Ruth Street Theatre, 1050 Ruth Street in Prescott. For tickets visit MFAB.org.
