“The Nutcracker” is a holiday tradition for dancers from preschool age and up. Audiences often include members who are there as family and not necessarily as fans of ballet.
If that’s you, here are some tips from regional dancers and teachers to help ballet novices get the most from the production.
Get carried away
The Ballet Theatre of Scranton is preparing for its 50th annual free production, which draws crowds on dates around Thanksgiving. The Scranton Civic Ballet Company performs at the Theater at North on Dec. 12-13. The Dance Theatre of Wilkes-Barre’s version will be at the F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts on Dec. 21.
Between the three troupes, more than 200 dancers have rehearsed for weeks or longer. Other schools around the region are doing the same.
“I think the best way to enjoy ‘The Nutcracker’ is to just let yourself be carried by the music and movement,” Ballet Theatre of Scranton dancer Gianna Vachino said by email.
Robert Zaloga and Michael Straub
In the cast of the Scranton Civic Ballet Company: Rachel Stopper as the Sugar Plum Fairy;
Robert Zaloga as the Cavalier and GiGi Ceruti as Clara. (Courtsey of Robert Zaloga and Michael Straub)
“You don’t have to know anything about ballet to appreciate it. The story, the costumes and the energy of the dancers tell you everything you need to feel,” Vachino wrote.
Know the story
Joanne Arduino, artistic director of the Ballet Theatre of Scranton, recommends knowing the story beforehand. There is a synopsis in the program of most productions and many books and videos for all ages.
“It’s a great first introduction to ballet,” Arduino said, “because it’s easily understandable and it’s so festive.”
A very short version: Drosselmeyer, a mysterious uncle, arrives at a fancy Christmas party and brings performing dolls. He gives Clara, the main character, a nutcracker figure, which her brother breaks.
Gianna Vachino, in the upcoming performance of “The Nutcracker” by the Ballet Theatre of Scranton. (Courtesy of the Ballet Theatre of Scranton.)
Courtesy of Andy Molitoris
Olivia Selenski is the Dance Theatre of Wilkes-Barre’s Clara. (Courtesy of
Andy Molitoris)
Dancers will perform the 50th anniversay production of “The Nutracker,” by the Ballet Theatre of Scranton. (Courtesy of the Ballet Theatre of Scranton. )
Andy Molitoris
Some of the young dancers of “The Nutcracker,” by the Dance Theatre of Wilkes-Barre, pose in costume. (Courtesy of Andy Molitoris)
Andy Molitoris
Some dancers of “The Nutcracker,” by the Dance Theatre of Wilkes-Barre, pose in costume. (Courtesy of
Andy Molitoris)
Andy Molitoris
Melina Ospina-Wiese is the Snow Queen in the Dance Theatre of Wilkes-Barre’s upcoming production of “The Nutcracker.”
(Courtesy of Andy Molitoris)
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Gianna Vachino, in the upcoming performance of “The Nutcracker” by the Ballet Theatre of Scranton. (Courtesy of the Ballet Theatre of Scranton.)
When the house is quiet, its mice throw their own party, which gets out of hand. Drosselmeyer creates a full-sized nutcracker, a prince, who battles the Mouse King and defeats him with Clara’s help.
“Everybody has an uncle or an aunt who is kind of their own Drosselmeyer,” said Gina Malsky, director and owner of the Dance Theatre of Wilkes-Barre. “Whether they’re not married or they don’t have kids, they always bring the special gifts.”
She starts each “Nutcracker” season by leading the cast through the story.
Keep your eye on Clara, Arduino said. “Just follow her throughout, because it is her story.”
Vachino is playing Clara for the second consecutive year and enjoys her character’s curiosity and love of adventure.
Enjoy the music
The story is only part of it.
“The other thing is, enjoy the music,” Arduino said. “Because it’s very famous, popular music by Tchaikovsky.”
Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky wrote the music in 1892. He was one of the first to use the celesta, a keyboard instrument with a sound similar to bells. The instrument is recognizable from the theme of “Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood” and “Hedwig’s Theme,” from the “Harry Potter” movies.
The highlight of the ballet? Arduino and Helen M. Gaus, artistic director of the Scranton Civic Ballet Company picked the same thing. The Sugar Plum Fairy and a male dancer called the Cavalier famously dance together toward the end of the second act.
“Oh my goodness,” Gaus said. It’s a technically demanding piece, with lots of lifts, performed together and then in separate variations.
“It’s just the culmination of the ballet,” Arduino said.
Watch for new twists
For those who see the ballet every year, Malsky suggests watching for new twists. This year, her Drosselmeyer is played by a girl, Lilah Hilal.
“So we are adding more dance to the character,” Malsky said.
Vachino suggests honing in on the snow scene.
“It’s truly magical and transports the audience to a whole new feeling,” she wrote. “The synchronization of the dancers creates a mesmerizing kind of beauty, and the individuality of each dancer adds a sense of uniqueness to the moment.”
Creating the snow is expensive, Malsky said, so she doesn’t deploy the full effect at every rehearsal. At one performance, some of the youngest dancers were so entranced by the falling snowflakes that they forgot to dance.
“The little ones looked up and all they did was jump up and down and say, ‘It’s snowing, it’s snowing,’ she said. “And not one dance step.”
No one minded. “The audience was standing and clapping and cheering,” Malsky said.
The dancers can be as young as age 3, so “sometimes it can get comical,” she said. There is always a dancer who waves, and expects a wave in return, Malsky said.
“I always tell everybody sit in the third or fourth row, because the first and second row, sometimes they can’t see you.”
To make sure you wave at the right performer, know where and when they will dance. By design, groups of characters look the same, down to the hairstyles, “so that no one really sticks out,” Arduino said.
Malsky, Arduino and Gaus have all danced or taught “Nutcracker” for decades.
“It never gets old,” Malsky said.
For information
Ballet Theatre of Scranton: balletscranton.org
Dance Theatre of Wilkes-Barre: facebook.com/DanceTheatreWB; tickets: kirbycenter.org
Scranton Civic Ballet Company: scrantonballet.org