In December, most people worry about Christmas shopping and maybe dread getting gifts for their office Secret Santa. For dancers, they load up on their vitamins and power bars, as the time period between Thanksgiving and Christmas is their busiest, most punishing time of year. Ballet companies around the world usually schedule a Nutcracker marathon around this time. Nutcracker sells no matter what, and companies charge an arm and a leg for tickets. Companies rely on Nutcracker sales to fund their more, ahem, artistic projects. New York City Ballet puts on a stunning 46 performances of George Balanchine’s Nutcracker every year, and nearly every performance sells out.
But performances like last night’s (press night for critics) were a poignant reminder of just how much hard work it is for dancers. There were three big falls, and several stumbles and slips. One of the falls was a little child (the young SAB dancer playing Fritz fell while twirling the Nutcracker and breaking it). All of the dancers bounced up immediately, utterly professional.
For those who follow the company closely, Nutcracker is also an opportunity to see the newest apprentices, who tend to get thrown into the Snow scene. In former soloist Kathryn Morgan’s YouTube channel, she revealed that apprentices in the Snow scene have to dance every performance of Nutcracker. Last night I saw Kylie Williams, who had made such an impression during the SAB Workshop, bourrée onto the stage as a Snowflake. It is a true rite of passage.
The performance also highlighted why Balanchine’s Nutcracker is 70 years old, but still so timeless and ageless. It has something for everyone, from the tiniest tots in the audience to the most grizzled, hardcore balletomanes. The choreography for the many children is so age appropriate. Balanchine never pushed them to do anything that children of that age can’t do, but at the same time they are never cute props. Their dancing always has a purpose.
Tiler Peck was the Sugarplum Fairy, and I have actually seen Peck in this role for years. Prior to last night, I never thought she was a natural Sugarplum. She is hands down the greatest Dewdrop I’ve ever seen. Her whizzing off-balance turns dazzle no matter how many times I’ve seen her do it. With Sugarplum, she can dance the steps with more precision than anyone else in the company, but the charm and mystery of the role come less naturally to her. Earlier this season, I saw Emilie Gerrity, who lacked Peck’s laser technique, but was exactly the kind of warm, benevolent fairy that every child wants to meet in the Kingdom of the Sweets.