The Cutler Majestic Theatre, Boston, Massachusetts.
December 1, 2017.
By and enormous, we stay in a tradition with an overarching message of “extra is healthier” – greater, quicker, brighter, louder. Some Nutcracker shows go proper together with this ethos (granted, with pleasing concord of aesthetic components) – large leaps, a booming rating, ornate costumes, dazzling technical results. Some productions focus extra on candy moments amongst characters, grace over flash, and providing of sensible (versus ostentatious) design components. José Mateo Ballet Theatre’s The Nutcracker this season did simply this.
José Mateo Ballet Theatre’s ‘The Nutcracker’. Photograph by Gary Sloan.
The end result was straightforward smiles and laughter for all, and strolling away stuffed with the true spirit of the season. Huge technical methods, flashy costumes and blindingly-bright lights may need simply drowned out the genuine pleasure and magic on the root of the manufacturing, and within the vacation season general. This take started with the opening of huge, lengthy white sheets draped from the ceiling (scenic design by Laura McPherson).
Dancers in white moved with them and created completely different shapes. The backdrop sparkled. All of it constructed a stunning (but not over-the-top) white/silver colour scheme and aesthetic. Clara (Amy Chan) entered, providing a straightforward, joyful lightness. At one second, dancers hid beneath the sheets peeked out – a candy second bringing a small chortle.
Then to Drosselmeyer’s toy store, a scene not at all times included in Nutcracker productions. Harlequin (Junichi Fukuda) and Columbine (Magdelena Gyftopolous) danced solos and a pas de deux, with delicate but exact execution. The colour scheme right here was fiery, with yellows and reds, in surroundings and costumes (costume design, and choreography, by José Mateo).
The scene closed with a second each touching and distinctive – Harlequin pushed Columbine’s field offstage whereas in relevé perspective. This sense of motion segued properly into the celebration scene, in a splendidly embellished (however not ostentatiously so) grand ballroom. Ladies wore large hoop skirts that felt traditionally genuine quite than meant for a “wow” impact (though it did provide that as properly!).
Drosselmeyer (Jim Banta) entered, and all froze! He mimed and all watched, clearly with a mysterious energy to regulate the house and all these in it. Along with his presence, Harlequin and Columbine made their re-appearances, with energy and panache. They ate up stage house in intricate turns and leaps, but stored the important motion traits of their characters (Columbia’s doll double-bounce, the angularity of Harlequin).
Drosselmeyer had that ominous mysteriousness, but the mice have been humorous and cute. A couple of instances, they lay on their again and kicked with legs as much as the sky. The viewers giggled in easy, pure delight. The troopers moved in crisp traces, stepping and turning with swords prolonged or swooping. Clara killed the Rat King (Jean Robens Georges) with a sword, quite than a shoe, as is conventional. This variation empowered her as a younger woman nonetheless with the energy to bear a sword.
José Mateo Ballet Theatre’s ‘The Nutcracker’. Photograph by Gary Sloan.
The menace gone, the tree behind them grew, but not a lot that it couldn’t nonetheless be an actual tree. This added to the nice and cozy realism of the entire efficiency. The beautiful Snow Scene then emerged, the sleek Snowflakes shifting in circles and contours throughout the stage house. 4 danseurs allowed for partnering, which added to a three-dimensional image of the stage house. There was generally sloping inward towards, generally outward away from, heart stage.
Even when the music picked up velocity, the Snowflakes didn’t miss a beat, and demonstrated simply as a lot ease. There have been distinctive and compelling signatures to the motion as properly, similar to gentle wrist flick with the arms in “V” or fifth place en haut. This was a easy contact however added one thing to make these characters extra than simply clean objects that transfer. Snow Queen (Angie DeWolf) led all of them – with grace, but additionally braveness and daring. She let the motion be what’s was, but with steady energy beneath it.
The Angels opened the second act, a thread from the opening (with the identical music and costuming). Regardless of this connective thread, these Angels aren’t in all Nutcracker productions. They walked, with true poise, candles in hand – a easy but highly effective image of sunshine, heat, and pleasure. The Sugar Plum Fairy (Madeliene Bonn) and her Cavalier (Stephen James) lifted the entire scene by way of their sleek carriage.
Sugar Plum’s attendants executed phrasework anchored in perspective chassé, smiles vast and management spectacular. The Flowers waltzed to assist construct the elegant, picturesque scene. Then to the numerous divertissements of The Kingdom of the Sweets. The sequencing of the Chocolate/Spanish duet (Patricia Chiang and Jean Robens Georges) – two simultaneous solos, then unison work – felt like an genuine interplay between two individuals.
Espresso/Arabian (Angie DeWolf and Spencer Doru Keith) was simply as a lot about energy because it was about flexibility. The variation is usually centered on feats of flexibility to the purpose of contortion, so this was a refreshing change of high quality. It didn’t want methods to make an influence. Additionally fascinating was the air of feminine empowerment, similar to with DeWolf exiting final. That is fairly a distinction to the danseur’s clap for the ballerina in lots of Nutcrackers.
José Mateo Ballet Theatre’s ‘The Nutcracker’. Photograph by Gary Sloan.
Chinese language Tea (Jaclyn Sanford and Kanna Kitsunai) was clean and on level with timing. The motion was exact, however the general variation supplied carriage and showmanship greater than technical feats. There have been flexed palms, aesthetically harmonious with the general choreography, quite than “chopstick” fingers. This selection made clear that there are methods to replace this present, to keep away from cultural insensitivity and nonetheless preserve the magic.
One ballerina and one danseur danced Trepak/Russian (Lauren Ganther and Junichi Fukuda), providing each a way of raise and that of groundedness. Simply as with Tea, there have been technical challenges, but extra significant was that up-down steadiness. Momentum was key, driving the dancers’ energy.
Marzipan/French (Brittany Bush with Betsy Boxberger and Cecilia Zevallos) adopted, a ballerina trio in soothing lavender tutus. This variation is pure classical approach, they usually supplied it with polish; there are nearly no up to date actions or character thrives to cover behind! The ending was picturesque, two dancers kneeling and one on relevé.
Subsequent got here the Polichinelles, youngsters executing elementary however pleasing motion and demonstrating pure professionalism. Mom Ginger was the visible heart along with her huge skirt. Some Nutcrackers embody Drosselmeyer and Clara, however the stage image right here was greater than sufficient to take pleasure in with out them. The Flowers adopted, in shiny skirts and tutus of all completely different colours – identical to how a backyard has flowers of all completely different colours and shapes.
Polichinelles in José Mateo Ballet Theatre’s ‘The Nutcracker’. Photograph by Gary Sloan.
Dewdrop (Haruka Tamura), nonetheless, was in a easy, but very elegant white Empire costume with a pink ribbon on the bodice – the beautiful white lily of the group. Her infinite line and fearless assault have been exhausting to attract one’s eyes away from. Additionally pleasing was the staging and formations – steady shifts of formation, cannon, and different choreographic instruments to maintain all of it shifting. It was all like a delicate breeze shifting a gaggle of flowers all about.
Emblematic of the general present, the primary qualities of the Grand Pas have been beautiful carriage, ballon and clean lifts, quite than infinite wow-worthy methods. There have been these, too, nonetheless; Bonn’s extensions floated for days, James’s turns have been sturdy, and their ending shoulder sit introduced rapid applause. The Finale supplied each group and particular person alternatives for a lot of characters to shine.
The ultimate finish was a hug of Clara and Drosselmeyer, and a wave to the Snow King and Queen. There was a way of continued friendships. With that, allow us to bear in mind what actually issues this vacation season: the corporate of family members may be greater than sufficient, minus all of the glitz, glam and hubbub. Brava to José Mateo Ballet Theatre for making this fact clear, letting magnificence, grace and aesthetic concord shine in an age of idolizing “extra”.
By Kathryn Boland of Dance Informa.
