The Nutcracker – The Waltz of the Snowflakes (The Royal Ballet) - YouTube The Nutcracker – The Waltz of the Snowflakes (The Royal Ballet) Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on Feb 6, 2015 The Royal Ballet performs the Waltz of the Snowflakes in The Nutcracker, with Meaghan Grace Hinkis as Clara, Ricardo Cervera as the Nutcracker and Gary Avis as Drosselmeyer, recorded in 2012. Find out more at: Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without this seasonal favorite, in which a young girl's enchanted present leads her on a wonderful adventure.

In this recording The Royal Ballet performs the Waltz of the Snowflakes in The Nutcracker, with Meaghan Grace Hinkis as Clara, Ricardo Cervera as the Nutcracker and Gary Avis as Drosselmeyer, accompanied by the London Oratory Junior Choir and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, conducted by Koen Kessels, recorded in 2012. Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker score was commissioned by the director of the Russian Imperial Theatres, following the resounding success of Sleeping Beauty in 1890. Marius Petipa created the scenario – based on a fairytale by E. T. A. Hoffman – and Lev Ivanov provided the choreography. The Nutcracker was first performed in 1892 at the Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg. It initially had a poor reception, but its combination of enchanting choreography and an unforgettable score have since made it one of the best-loved of all ballets.

In Peter Wright's classic production, the stage sparkles with theatrical magic – a Christmas tree grows before our eyes, toy soldiers come to life to fight the villainous Mouse King and Clara is whisked to the Land of Sweets on a golden sleigh. Tchaikovsky's score contains some of the best-known melodies in ballet, from the flurrying sounds of the Waltz of the Snowflakes to the dream-like Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy and the vigorous Russian Dance. Julia Trevelyan Oman's designs draw upon 19th-century images of Christmas, making this a classic production for the festive season. Category The Nutcracker trailer (The Royal Ballet) - YouTube The Nutcracker trailer (The Royal Ballet) Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on Sep 15, 2015 A young girl’s enchanted present leads her on a wonderful adventure in this classic ballet, danced to Tchaikovsky’s glittering score.

Find out more at Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker score was commissioned by the director of the Russian Imperial Theatres, following the resounding success of The Sleeping Beauty in 1890. Marius Petipa created the scenario, which is based on a fairytale by E.T.A. Hoffmann, and Lev Ivanov provided the choreography. The Nutcracker was first performed in 1892 at the Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg. It initially had a poor reception, but its combination of enchanting choreography and unforgettable music has since made it one of the best-loved of all ballets. In Peter Wright’s classic production, the stage sparkles with theatrical magic – a Christmas tree grows before our eyes, toy soldiers come to life to fight the villainous Mouse King and Clara is taken to the Kingdom of Sweets on a golden sleigh. Tchaikovsky’s score contains some of the best-known melodies in ballet, from the flurrying sounds of the Waltz of the Snowflakes to the dream-like Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.

Julia Trevelyan Oman’s designs draw upon 19th-century images of Christmas, making this a magical production for the festive season. Category BBC - Music - Review of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - The Nutcracker Charlotte Gardner 2010 Simon Rattle has produced a conception-buster of a disc here. As a general rule, The Nutcracker feels like the comfort blanket of the ballet repertoire: a much-loved, known quantity of solid, 19th century sumptous prettiness. However, Rattle has taken his expertise in early 20th century music and brilliantly applied it backwards to Tchaikovsky. The result is enlightening. You clearly hear how Act I inspired Stravinsky when writing Petrushka, and there's also more than a whisper of Ravel in the overall tone of bright, nostalgic modernity. The Nutcracker's action is set on Christmas Eve, when Clara is given a nutcracker toy by her mysterious godfather. At midnight the toy comes alive.

After Clara helps him to conquor the evil Mouse King in battle, he turns into a prince and leads her to the Land of Sweets, where the Sugar Plum Fairy treats them to a series of fantastic dances. These dances make up one of the few balletic divertissements (diversions from the main plot) that is indisputably integral to the evenings enjoyment, rather than the cue for non-hardcore ballet fans to start clock-watching. The reason is that they include many of the most memorable and popular pieces in the whole classical canon, such as Waltz of the Flowers and Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy. It's so infectiously, festively fun that even the Berlin Philharmoniker, famed more for their rich, smooth perfection than for letting their hair down, has fallen into party mode, albeit of the cocktail rather than the student shin-dig variety. The Battle crackles brightly with military tension, half-aware that the most deadly weapon will turn out to be a thrown slipper. Later, in the smouldering coffee dance, the clarinet langourously rises and snakes over the orchestra like an exotic swirl of steam rising up from the dark spiciness of the cup beneath. The recording is released in three editions.

Whilst the single-CD edition contains musical highlights, this performance is worth owning in full. Of the two double-CD, complete-work options, there is a Standard Edition or an Experience Edition, the latter of which includes a larger hardback book, greater online content, and a free 24-hour pass to the Berlin Philharmoniker's online concert hall. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Licence. If you choose to use this review on your site please link back to this page. Tracks Review/Dance - It's 'Nutcracker' Season, And the Joffrey Is First - NYTimes.com Review/Dance; It's 'Nutcracker' Season, And the Joffrey Is First By JACK ANDERSON Published: November 26, 1989 ''The Nutcracker'' is back. This year's first production of the winter holiday classic was that of the Joffrey Ballet, which danced it Friday afternoon and evening at the City Center Theater.

Conceived and directed by Robert Joffrey, who died last year, this delightful ''Nutcracker,'' which received its premiere in 1987, has attractive new choreography by Gerald Arpino for the ''Waltz of the Snowflakes'' and ''Waltz of the Flowers.'' The staging for the rest of the work is by George Verdak and Scott Barnard, and some of it was inspired by the popular 1940 production by the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. The Joffrey ''Nutcracker'' tells the familiar old tale of how, after a Christmas Eve party, a little girl named Clara helps a magic nutcracker battle some wicked mice, after which she journeys to an enchanted realm ruled by the Sugar Plum Fairy. But this ''Nutcracker'' also has special touches of its own. Instead of being set in 19th-century Germany, the Joffrey production, with settings by Oliver Smith and costumes by John David Ridge, takes place in an American city sometime in the 1850's. The first-act parlor calls to mind a Currier and Ives print of a cozy family party.

The Sugar Plum Fairy's palace in the second act resembles a park pavilion. The sense of period is also strengthened by some charming ensembles in the first act that are inspired by 19th-century ballroom dances. There are many surprises. Dancers emerge from a cabbage, a pie and a teapot. Mice pop out of a fireplace. Tiny children hide beneath the skirts of an enormous giant. And Clara sails home from the Sugar Plum kingdom in a balloon. Some dancegoers might quibble over other aspects of the production. There is now so much stage business in the first act that details are blurred. It seems odd that, although most of the children on stage are youngsters from the Joffrey Ballet School, the three most important children's roles are danced by adults. Such a division, of course, allows these major roles to be technically complex, but the generation gap remains obvious. Nevertheless, at both performances, Mary Barton was a sweet Clara who avoided simpering. At the matinee, Carl Corry, as her mischievous brother, Fritz, was prankish without being obnoxious. Edward Stierle, in the evening, was too self-conscious in his naughtiness.

But when transformed into the Snow Prince in the ''Waltz of the Snowflakes,'' both Mr. Corry and Mr. Stierle rushed and soared excitingly as if driven across the stage by winter winds. Tyler Walters, in the afternoon, was especially convincing as the young man who eventually becomes the Nutcracker Prince. Appearing to be several years older than Clara, he was exactly the sort of handsome and confident yet unpretentious youth she might admire. Yet he looked somewhat hesitant in his variation in the pas de deux. In contrast, Tom Mossbrucker, who took over the role in the evening, was at ease in the pas de deux but slightly bland in the party scene. At all performances this season, Drosselmeyer, Clara's eccntric godfather, will be played by Alexander Grant, a former principal dancer with England's Royal Ballet who is now senior principal dancer with the English National Ballet. A distinguished mime and character dancer, Mr. Grant made Drosselmeyer a portly, dignified and slightly mysterious figure. The choreography for the ballerina in the adagio of the climactic pas de deux for the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Nutcracker Prince emphasizes balance.

On Friday night, Tina LeBlanc made exquisite shapes in space with her movements, looking simultaneously delicate and in absolute control. Jodie Gates, the afternoon's Sugar Plum Fairy, successfully emphasized the choreography's dignity. In this version, Clara's parents reappear as the Snow Queen and Snow King. Deborah Dawn and Douglas Martin, in the evening, were such elegant grown-ups that one suspected they might not be averse to putting on airs and doing a bit of social climbing. Charlene Gehm and Daniel Baudendistel were much more genial and relaxed in the afternoon. All these parents became suitably stately in the snow scene. Beatriz Rodriguez was a fiery Spanish dancer at both performances. Valerie Madonia and Peter Narbutas, in the afternoon, and Julie Janus and Mr. Martin in the evening, gave sinuous accounts of the Arabian divertissement. Cameron Basden and Mr. Corry, in the afternoon, and Cynthia Giannini and Mr. Stierle in the evening, were dainty in the Chinese variation. And the robust Russian divertissement was led by Johanna Snyder in the afternoon and Linda Bechtold in the evening.

Tchaikovsky's deservedly popular score was conducted by John Miner at the matinee and Allan Lewis in the evening. The Boys Choir of Harlem sang the vocal passages in the snow scene. ''Nutcracker'' remains at the City Center (131 West 55th Street) through Dec. 2. Tina LeBlanc as the Sugar Plum Fairy in the Joffrey Ballet production of ''The Nutcracker.'' (Herbert Migdoll) The sweets of The Nutcracker | The Australian Ballet The sweets of The Nutcracker 25 September 2014 | By Caitlyn Lehmann The Nutcracker is the Christmas ballet that everyone knows and loves. But it’s also the ultimate foodie’s ballet. Its fantastical second act – a confetti of divertissements – is a homage in dance to the 19th century’s most precious foodstuffs. Today, those divertissements may seem random, but look a little closer and you’ll find they’re united by a whimsical, rather scrummy theatrical plan. Long before the days of supermarkets and café bars, the creative team behind The Nutcracker had a fondness for the same victuals as we do.

Imagine Lev Ivanov hankering for his morning coffee, Piotr Tchaikovsky balancing a cup of tea, and Marius Petipa scraping a little chocolate into a saucepan of warm milk. Conjure, if you will, an image of the first Sugar Plum Fairy, the Italian ballerina Antonietta dell’Era, rummaging for a sugary cough drop. Just at that moment her Prince Coqueluche wanders into the rehearsal studio … Forget cheap imports, plastic wrap and barcodes. This was the age when great wooden chests of tea swung over the bows of ships from China, when the aroma of coffee evoked dreams of Arabia, when candies were bestowed on only the most fortunate of Russian children at Christmas time. In 1892, when The Nutcracker premiered and the curtain lifted on the Kingdom of the Sweets, these were some of the gastronomic wonders that the Imperial Ballet brought to life. Inspired by Hoffmann’s tale, the Kingdom of the Sweets was formed as a lusty representation of the toys and treats that every affluent St Petersburg family knew and loved.

Food was the theme that the divertissements brought to life, beginning with the Spanish “chocolate” dance, which recalled the introduction of chocolate beans to Europe following the Spanish Conquest in South America. The sultry strains of the Arabian dance follow, evoking the warmth of the Middle East, where coffee was cultivated for centuries. Tea – represented by the sprightly Chinese dance – was traditionally the most recognisable victual in the ballet, was several choreographers incorporated tea-drinking gestures or even gigantic teapots into the variation. Charles Thompson, Benedicte Bemet and Rohan Furnell in Sir Peter Wright’s The Nutcracker. Photography Jeff Busby Interrupting the banquet was originally a buffons or jesters dance (set to the stirring Russian trepak) and the Dance of the Mirlitons, with its delightful scoring for flutes. And well you may ask, what is a mirliton? Are those stripy sticks grasped by the dancers meant to be candy canes? Or are they some kind of reed pipe?

Confusingly, a mirliton is both a small sweet French cake and a type of musical instrument that produces “a coarse, reedy sound.” (It’s also another name for the vegetable that in Australia we call a choko!) Actually, it was the popular toy instrument that the ballet’s creators originally had in mind, though at an early stage, according to author Robert Greskovic, Marius Petipa considered identifying the number with “cream pastries”. Seen less often nowadays is the first sweets divertissement, featuring Mother Ginger (Mere Gigogne) and her clutch of playful Polichinelles. A character with roots in the commedia dell’arte, Mother Ginger usually appears in a comically oversize skirt from under which young children emerge to dance the part of the Polichinelle candies. The divertissement took inspiration from a well-known candy tin that sold in Russia in the 1890s, formed in the shape of a woman wearing a large skirt. Naturally, the tin opened at the bottom to reveal the bonbons inside. Mirlitons: Eloise Fryer and Jill Ogai in Sir Peter Wright’s The Nutcracker.

Photography Jeff Busby Finally, following Tchaikovsky’s famous Waltz of the Flowers, the Sugar Plum Fairy makes her eagerly awaited appearance. This fairy is no glorified prune. The true sugar plum of yesteryear has more in common with today’s M&M or Smartie. The rounded sweets were a confectioner’s pièce de résistance,consisting of layers of sugar syrup skilfully hardened around a caraway or cardamom seed, or an almond. Confectionary historians have described the process as one of the most difficult and tedious to master – not for nothing does ‘plum’ mean all manner of good things. Amber Scott as the Sugar Plum Fairy. Photography Lynette Wills This is also the moment of the Sugar Plum Fairy’s companion, gallant Prince Coqueluche. His name translated literally as “whooping cough”, but was understood to mean a lozenge or cough drop. Pavel Gerdt, the Imperial Ballet’s leading male artist, danced the role at the premiere. But Prince Coqueluche has since sunk into obscurity, becoming an anonymous cavalier, overshadowed by his celeste-tickling ballerina.

Yet, what a sweet partnership they surely made, the Cough Drop and the Sugar Plum! Kevin Jackson in Peter Wright’s The Nutcracker. Photography Jeff Busby One child who succumbed to the delights of this delectable cavalcade was a young George Balanchine, who danced in The Nutcracker as a student at the Imperial Ballet School. Like so many of his contemporaries, Balanchine grew to appreciate the miracle of sugar. In the heart of St Petersburg stood Eliseyevsky’s emporium, which dazzled the little Balanchivadze with its great high windows, its palace-like halls and opulent chandeliers. It boasted “sweets and fruits from all over the world, like in A Thousand and One Nights,” Balanchine remembered. “I used to walk past and look in the windows often. I couldn’t buy anything there, it was too expensive.” Two World Wars and a revolution later, he also bore memories of the horrors of starvation. Along with fellow Russian choreographer David Lichine, Balanchine would go on to create his own fabulous, mouth-watering vision of The Nutcracker.

His 1955 production for the New York City Ballet replaced the mirlitons with marzipan shepherdesses and turned the buffons into candy cane. In 1958, Lichine, choreographing for London’s Festival Ballet (now English National Ballet) conjured roses atop a Christmas cake for the Waltz of the Flowers, and an interlude for children dressed as little cooks and waitresses. The Nutcracker has since become a journey into all kinds of magical places, revealing ever-changing dreamscapes filled with angels, puppet theatres, icy vistas, garden bugs, glass coaches, hot air balloons and even Fabergé eggs. The Dutch National Ballet currently sets its second act of The Nutcracker inside a magic lantern (an early form of projector). The Australian Ballet’s production, by Peter Wright, sports a flying goose! The food theme is still celebrated too, perhaps most memorably in Matthew Bourne’s subversive Nutcracker! of 1992, with a cast that included Queen Candy, Prince Bon-Bon, King Sherbet, Marshmallow Girls and a trio of yobbish Gobstoppers. So how do you like your Nutcracker? Sweet or savoury?

With lashings of whipped cream or pinnacles of glittering sugar? Clouds of fairy floss or archways of fairy bread? Let your mind go a-feasting on the treats of all seasons. It’s our own Magic Pudding: Nutcracker, the gift that keeps giving! See Peter Wright’s delicious version of The Nutcracker in Sydney this summer – if you’re quick! Tickets are almost sold out. Get yours today The Nutcracker (suite), Op. 71a | Free Music Music Education The Nutcracker (suite), Op. 71a El Cascanueces es un ballet en dos actos, originalmente coreografiado por Marius Petipa y Lev Ivanov y con una puntuación de Piotr Ilich Tchaikovski (Op. 71). El libreto se adoptó a partir de la historia de ETA Hoffman El cascanueces y el rey de los ratones. Se estrenó en 1892 y, aunque no fue un éxito, la suite de 20 minutos a Tchaikovsky extrae de lo que era.

A pesar de esto, la completa Nutcracked enoyed éxito enourmous después, convirtiéndose en una de las composiciones más famosas de Tchaikovsky. El Cascanueces es un ballet en dos actos, originalmente coreografiado por Marius Petipa y Lev Ivanov y con una puntuación de Piotr Ilich Tchaikovski (Op. 71). El libreto se adoptó a partir de la historia de ETA Hoffman El cascanueces y el rey de los ratones. Se estrenó en 1892 y, aunque no fue un éxito, la suite de 20 minutos a Tchaikovsky extrae de lo que era. A pesar de esto, la completa Nutcracked enoyed éxito enourmous después, convirtiéndose en una de las composiciones más famosas de Tchaikovsky. less This piece contains the following parts: The Nutcracker Ballet by Stephens Auditorium - issuu issuu Featuring Joy Voelker Matossian as the Sugar Plum Fairy, and Ramon Gaitan as Her Cavalier.

December 12, 2015 1:30 & 7:30 pm December 13, 2015 7:30 pm Iowa State Center presents Principal Dancers Joy Voelker Matossian • Ramon Gaitan Exceptional Care for Central Iowans  Skilled physicians, nurses and others specializing in more than 50 specialties and sub-specialities, including cancer, heart, obstetrics, orthopedics, surgery, and home health services  Leading technology, including two da Vinci surgical robots  Superior healing environment, including new patient tower with large, quiet rooms  National recognition of quality of care, including Most Wired Hospital status, The Joint Commission Top Performer and eight consecutive ‘A’ grades for patient safety  Expanded Emergency Department coming 2016 ACT I Scene I Overture The Christmas Tree March Children’s Gallop Drosselmeyer’s Presents Godfather Dance Departure of the Guests Dance of the Harlequins The Magic Spell Begins The Battle Between the Nutcracker & the Mouse King Scene II Journey Through the Snow Waltz of the Snowflakes Music Peter I.

Tchaikovsky Choreography, Artistic Direction Robert Thomas Miyoko Kato Thomas ACT II The Kingdom of the Sweets Clara & the Prince Fairy Godmother & the Angels Divertissements Spanish Russian Irish Hungarian Puppets Chinese Flutes Arabian Neapolitan Mother Ginger American Flowers Pas de deux The Prince & the Sugar Plum Fairy Tarantella Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy Coda Final Waltz & Apotheosis Costumes Gene Bliss, Esther Hill, Ann Olson Linda Dawson & Jerri Baumeister Scenery Ronald Steger & Erica Zaffarano Choreography, Puppets Peter Pawlyshyn 3 Act I Scene I Action takes place in Nuremberg, Germany in the 19th century. Chief Justice Silberhaus and his wife are in the ballroom putting the finishing touches on a beautiful Christmas tree before guests arrive for a party. Clara and Fritz, the children, help greet the guests, and the festivities begin with dances for both the adults and children. One guest is late, the children’s godfather, Herr Drosselmeyer. When he arrives he gives gifts to the children, among them a wooden nutcracker in the form of a soldier for Clara.

Fritz wants the doll for himself, and in his struggle to get it the nutcracker is broken. Clara loves and cares for the mended nutcracker. After the guests leave and the children have gone to bed, Clara comes back down to the darkened room to get the nutcracker and falls asleep by her doll. Suddenly, she is awakened as huge mice enter the ballroom. The clock strikes midnight. She is transfixed as the Christmas tree and the entire room magically grow to enormous size. Led by the Mouse King, an army of mice comes out of the shadows to pick up the crumbs of cookies that were dropped at the party. Clara’s nutcracker turns into a handsome young prince, who protects her from the mice. The ballroom becomes a battleground when a brigade of tin soldiers, led by the Nutcracker Prince, confronts the mice. Clara springs to help, and they finally overcome the mice. Clara’s devotion inspires the Nutcracker Prince to invite her to visit the magical Candyland with him. Scene II On their way to Candyland, Clara and the Nutcracker Prince pass through a great snowstorm with dancing snowflakes whirling around them.

Act II The delectable Sugar Plum Fairy, who orders a festival in Clara’s honor because she helped save the Prince, welcomes Clara and the Nutcracker Prince to the beautiful Candyland. With little angels in attendance, the people of Candyland dance for Clara. The Spanish, Arabians, Chinese, Russians, Flutes, Neapolitans, Hungarians, Puppets, Irish, Americans, Mother Ginger and her children perform their own special dances in the grand celebration. Even the flowers dance for the delighted children in this enchanted fairyland. The festival concludes with the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier paying homage to Clara and the Nutcracker Prince. Epilogue Back in the ballroom, Mother and Father find a sleeping Clara and carry her back to bed. It has all been a dream...or has it?

MARTHA-ELLEN TYE PERFORMING ARTS INSTITUTE • FOR PRE-KINDERGARTEN–GRADE 12 2015–2016 Youth Matinee Series THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR HARRIET TUBMAN AND THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD FEBRUARY 1 The World of Anne Frank SYMPHONY ADMISSION ONLY 4 IN ADVANCE OR 5 DAY OF SHOW $ $ Register today at center.iastate.edu/education or call 515-294-3347 4 5 Cast SaM = Saturday Matinee, SaE = Saturday Evening, Sun = Sunday’s Performance ACT I, SCENE I Justice Silberhaus Timothy Bergin Frau Silberhaus Ellen Mullen Clara Roni Ben-Shlomo, SaM Michelle Osanya, SaE Haileigh Patton, Sun Fritz Adam Wolf Maids Amy Diekmann Jeni Grimmius, SaM Sharla Matthys Sylvia McGee, SaE/Sun Crystal Nelson, SaE Paige Nieland, SaE/Sun Nichole Rusnak, SaM Jessica Ward, SaM/Sun Clara’s Little Friends Erin Barnes, SaE Morgan

 Damge, Sun Maria Dobrovitskaya, Sun Addison Downs, SaM Kenna Jack Foley, SaM Emma Kisgen, Sun Bella Nelson, SaE Vienna Rossmanith, SaM Emma Schmitt, SaM Madison Stott, SaE Harmony Wong, SaE Grace Wu, Sun Clara’s Big Friends Noam Ben-Shlomo, SaM/Sun Abbi Brown, SaM/SaE Sofia Dobrovitskaya, Sun Anna Dodd, SaM/SaE Maggie Jacobson-Fisher, SaM/SaE/Sun Evy Nelson, SaM Rylee Rash, SaE/Sun Autumn Rettig, SaM/SaE/Sun Kendall See, SaE/Sun 6 Fritz’s Friends Caleb Biensen Laiken Buss Neely Ferguson Benjamin Jacobson-Fisher Matthew Jacobson-Fisher Ian Kumsher Anton Ludes-Bedell Theo Westort, SaE/Sun Hendrix Widner Will Williams Female Party Guests Cathlyn Anderson, Sun Lisa Banitt, SaM/SaE Melanie Bretey, SaM Angela Erickson, SaM Jane Esterly-Rettig, SaE/Sun Ann Gansemer-Topf, SaM Molly Neal-Wong, SaE

 Sara Nelson, SaM/Sun Amie Rockow-Nelson, Sun Nichole Rusnak, SaE Barbara Steiner, Sun Kristin Peyton Strohman, SaE Male Party Guests Bill Barry, SaM/SaE Allen Beck, SaE/Sun Alec Gansemer, SaM Jeni Grimmius, SaE Daniel Kellen, SaM Erich Ludes Jim Nelson, SaM/Sun Chris Rettig, SaE/Sun Brandon Windus, Sun Drosselmeyer Nils Krumnack Indian Boys Jewels Buss Justice See Ballerina Dolls Amy Cyr, SaM Beth Cyr, SaE Madaline Patton, Sun Raggedy Ann Dolls Evan Bay Brakke, SaM Lola Campbell, SaM Alissa Hoover, SaE/Sun Marika Kisgen, Sun Sierra Mitchell, SaE Erin Murphy, SaM Catherine Pollard, SaM Taylor Povah, Sun Lily Rettig, SaE Sadie Straub, Sun Halle Walker, SaE Moor Dolls Molly Bagnall, SaE Chloe Barry, SaM Madison Moody, Sun Harlequins Lily Angus, SaE Leah Biensen Evie Christenson Camryn Damge, SaM/S

un Evelyn Damge, SaM/Sun Meredith Frandsen, SaE Natalie Haila, SaM/Sun Blair Hibbing Noelle Johnson, SaE Kaley Lancaster Riley Lempiainen, SaE Lydia Leptien LilyAnna Loveland, SaM/Sun Jillian Mallas, SaE Irisa McCracken, SaM/Sun Lily McCracken, SaM/Sun Alexa Nelson, SaE Brooke Nelson, SaE Anja Peck Aliyah Sanchez, SaE Maycin Sansgaard Hailey Schneider, SaM/Sun Alexandra Severe, SaM/Sun Samantha Smith Greta Stecker, SaE Allison Stott Sarah Stott Dinah Tritle, SaM/Sun Josie VanGorp, SaM/Sun Maia Westort, SaE Cast SaM = Saturday Matinee, SaE = Saturday Evening, Sun = Sunday’s Performance Mice Hannah Acton Savannah Buys Kilei Gunderson Kelli Helmer Alexus Keister Tara Myers Dylan Oldenburger Noelle Oldenbuger, SaE/Sun Libbie Peel Annika Rice Skylar Rippke Tiaurra Sickerson Carissa Stalzer Brianna Stott Avery Wirth Nutcracker Hunter Glenn,

 SaE John Topf, SaM/Sun Mouse King Hunter Glenn, Sun Daniel Kellen, SaE Adam Wolf, SaM First Lieutenant Cassidy Peterson Soldiers Leola Almquist Brealyn Anderson Haylie Bryant Hope Burch Lydia Cook Serena Cross Ali Frandsen Bailee Hansen Josie Johnson Libbie Johnson Cadence Lilla Louisa Ludes-Bedell Bronwyn McKee Kyla Perkins Katrina Wiech Grace Wirth ACT I, SCENE II Snowflakes Molly Bagnall Chloe Barry Madeleine Bretey Ellie Conrad Amy Cyr Beth Cyr Julia Hansen Anna Holly Danilea McKee Madison Moody Cari Naanep Miranda Oldenburger Madaline Patton Kaitley Peterson Carlie Seuferer Alissa Watters 00 PPMM 3 3 : : 6 6 • • 3 3 Y Y MAA TTUUEESSDDAAYY,, M Stephens Auditorium Ticket Office ticketmaster.com | 1-800-745-3000 Ticketmaster Outlets 7 70 Years of Barjche Modern Dance Through the Ages Cast SaM = Saturday Matinee, SaE = Saturday Evening, Sun = Sunday’s Performance ACT II, SCENE II Fairy

 Godmother Madeleine Bretey, SaM Wendy Kepley, SaE Leanna Mullen, Sun Angels Willow Anderson, SaM Sara Brown, SaM Catherine Cave, SaE/Sun Katie Delaney, SaE/Sun Lily Ferguson, SaE/Sun Alessandra Hall, SaE/Sun Payton Hauersperger, SaM London Hibbing, SaM Alexus Hildebrand, SaM Lily Klindt, SaM Gabriella Lempiainen, SaM Reese Pederson, SaE/Sun Skyla Steffen, SaE/Sun Allison Tjaden, SaM Spandhana Venkat, SaE/Sun Madison Vogel, SaE/Sun Spanish Chloe Barry Madeleine Bretey Julia Hansen Cari Naanep Miranda Oldenburger Alissa Watters Neapolitans Molly Bagnall Amy Cyr Beth Cyr Kaitley Peterson February 5 and 6 • 7:30 pm February 7 • 2 pm OrchesisIModernDanceCompany 8 PHONE 515-294-7838 Puppets Ireland Buss, SaM Corinne Colburn, Sun Julia Divine, SaE Delaney Eickert, Sun

 Amelia Gogerty, Sun Emily Helmer, SaM Jenna Hoskins, SaM/Sun Lillian Hovar, SaM Hallie Johnson, SaE Emma Lewin, Sun Eliza Loecke, SaE Julia Marks, SaM/SaE Puppets, continued Alyson McLaughlin, SaE Cassie Molitor, Sun Kathleen Murphy, Sun Mirabella Oldenburger, Sun Ava Reason, SaE Grace Schmitt, SaM/SaE Angelia Sharar, SaM Kaitlyn Smith, SaE Jayden Ziesman, SaM Chinese Elena Andrews Ellie Barry Sophie Barry Natalie Bretey Anna Holly Isabel Polashek Arabians Alexia Baker Kaitlyn Baker Joscelyn Buss Eva Kellen Lily Rettig Sadie Straub Arabian Men Tristan Frantum Hunter Glenn Daniel Kellen Zach Scholten John Topf Adam Wolf Flutes Danilea McKee Madison Moody Allie Mullen Madaline Patton Russians Alexia Baker Makayla Beisel Joscelyn Buss Kayden Lindahl Erick Rivera-Pillot Ally Scholten Tori Scholten Zach Scholten Hungarians Kaitlyn Baker Madeleine Bretey Teagan DiSalvo Liz Mullen Hungarian

 Men Hunter Glenn John Topf Irish Dance Kate Bergin Sara Bergin Evan Bay Brakke Eva Kellen Tara Mina Allie Mullen Erin Murphy Madaline Patton Mother Ginger Alec Gansemer Mother Ginger Big Kids Ella Bates Logan Ferriss Eva Kumsher Alina Markutsya Riley Nelson Mirabella Oldenburger Isabel Wolf Mother Ginger Little Kids Sydney Dodd, SaM Morgan Erickson, SaM Riley Ferriss, SaM Victoria Huss, SaE/Sun Autumn Little, SaE/Sun Aurelia McKinney, SaE/Sun Everlie Mitchell, SaE/Sun Madeline Schonhorst, SaM Anika Shrotriya, SaM Sahaana Venkat, SaE/Sun Natalie Westort, SaE/Sun Kaydi Zoske, SaM 9 Cast SaM = Saturday Matinee, SaE = Saturday Evening, Sun = Sunday’s Performance ACT II, SCENE II (cont.) Americans Kaitlyn Baker Chloe Barry Ellie Barry Sophie Barry Natalie Bretey Natalie Helland Bailey Hergenreter Alexis Johnson Eva Kellen Madison Moody Mackenzie Mosher Isabel Polashek Lily Rettig Carlie Seuferer Sadie Straub Amanda Watters Flowers Emily Bowden, SaE

/Sun Shria Chug, SaM/SaE Gabrielle Cole, SaE/Sun Isabel Crosby Genesee Diggins-Kennedy Tessa Frederick Lauren Hansen Sara Joerger, SaM/Sun Jenna Kauble Grace Nelson, SaM/SaE Kate Nelson, SaM/Sun Elanna Neppel Jane Ragland Alyssa Waddell Flower Soloist Molly Bagnall, SaE Ellie Conrad, SaM Anna Holly, SaE Cari Naanep, Sun Alessandra Oldenburger, Sun Rachel Tucker, SaM Dew Drop Fairy Wendy Kepley SaM = Saturday Matinee SaE = Saturday Evening Sun = Sunday’s Performance Unless stated otherwise, dancers participate in all three performances.

Moscow Festival Ballet Presents TICKETS START AT $25! FRIDAY, JANUARY 22 • 7:30 pm BUY YOUR TICKETS TODAY! Stephens Auditorium Ticket Office ticketmaster.com | 1-800-745-3000 | Ticketmaster Outlets 10 11 Artistic Directors & Choreographers Miyoko Kato Thomas received her extensive ballet training at the Tachibana Ballet School of Tokyo in her native Japan. In 1964 she came to study at the American School Of Ballet (School of the New York City Ballet). A year later she signed with the Harkness Ballet Company and was promoted to the rank of Soloist in 1969. With the Harkness Ballet, Ms. Kato performed at the White House and toured Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and throughout the United States. Ms. Kato joined the Joffrey Ballet in 1974.

She has performed leading roles in works ranging from classical ballets such as Swan Lake, Coppelia, Giselle (Queen of the Willies), The Nutcracker, Don Quixote, Les Sylphides, Raymonda, Pas des Quatre, and The Firebird to modern ballets and jazz. She has worked with numerous choreographers including Antony Tudor, Jerome Robbins, Agnes DeMille, Alvin Ailey, Twyla Tharp, Robert Joffrey, Gerald Arpino, and Jack Cole. Among the highlights of her career was a performance for President Johnson at the White House in 1965. In 1966 Kato toured Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East under the sponsorship of the U.S. State Department. Miyoko Kato Thomas has been married to Robert Thomas since 1971. Robert and Miyoko opened the Ames Dancenter in 1978. Robert and Miyoko own and operate the Robert Thomas Dancenter in Ames (two locations). In more than 30 years of dance instruction, Robert Thomas Dancenters have trained more than 10,000 young dancers.

Robert and Miyoko are producers of the award-winning Dancenter Dancers and artistic directors of the Iowa Youth Ballet. Robert Thomas, an Iowa native, studied dance in Iowa until 1964. In the summer of 1964 Robert received a dance scholarship to Ted Shawn’s Jacob’s Pillow in Lee, Mass. From the summer of 19641967, Mr. Thomas retained a position in the highly competitive Harkness Ballet trainee program in New York City. 12 In 1967, Mr. Thomas joined the Harkness Ballet of New York. With the Harkness Ballet, Robert toured the United States, Europe, and the Middle East. When the first Harkness company disbanded in 1969, Mr. Thomas was offered a position with the Stuttgart Ballet, the National Ballet Contemporair, the Joffrey Ballet, the Geneva Ballet, and the second Harkness company. Accepting a position with the Joffrey Ballet, Robert performed in New York, throughout the United States, Europe and Russia. Mr.

Thomas has been guest artist with the Andre Eglevesky Ballet Co., Lar Lubovitch Dance Co., Jack Cole, and Stuart Hodes Ballet Close-Ups. Robert has performed in more than 70 major works which include ballets by choreographers such as Ailey, Arpino, Balanchine, Boris, Cole, Cranko, Folkine, Harkarvey, Hodes, Joffrey, Lubovitch, Massing, Neumeier, Petipa, Rivera, Saddles, Sappington, Severs, Van Dancing, Walker, and Willed. Mr. Thomas has appeared in a variety of media from opera and stage to television. From 1984-1986 Mr. Thomas was Assistant Ballet Master to the Joffrey Ballet. In 1981, Robert and Miyoko choreographed and assisted in the creation of the Iowa State Center’s Nutcracker Ballet. They have served as artistic directors each year. 13 Ballet Mistress – Act I Janice Baker has served on the dance faculty at Iowa State University for the past 32 years. Her teaching responsibilities include all levels of ballet, Janice Baker jazz, tap, and social dance.

She also specializes in methods of teaching dance for public education, dance in the private sector, and adaptation of dance for special populations. the project coordinator for the 16th Anniversary of Iowa Dance Theater’s production of “Dracula, Revamped.” She has been a judge for the Bill Riley Talent Search for 20 years. Her work has appeared in the American College Dance Festival and she is also Ms. Baker also is director of The Dance Place, a center for traditional and creative dance for children and adults in Des Moines. Ms. Baker has represented VSA of Iowa at the International Festival in Washington, DC and the New Visions Dance Project, sponsored by Very Special Arts Iowa, is a favorite aspect to her teaching. Here able bodies and special bodies are paired to create a dance where, “all shoes are dancing shoes, all clothes are dancing clothes, and all bodies are dancing bodies.” As a choreographer, Ms. Baker’s work has been seen at Adventureland, the Ingersoll Dinner Theater, and in numerous high school, university, and community productions in addition to the annual Nutcracker Ballet at Stephens Auditorium.

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR: Serkan Usta IN COLLABORATION WITH THE Des Moines Community Orchestra March 26, 2016 DES MOINES CIVIC CENTER TICKETS AVAILABLE AT DesMoinesPerformingArts.org, the Civic Center Ticket Office or all Ticketmaster outlets 14 Principal Dancers Sugar Plum Fairy & Her Cavalier Joy Voelker Matossian spent most of her childhood living in Ames where her parents grew up and her grandparents still reside. Locally she studied dance at the Robert Thomas Dancenter, Beth Clarke Studio, and Lind Dance School in Des Moines. Graduating high school from the acclaimed Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan, Joy received the highest honor given, a Young Artist Achievement Award. At that Ramon Gaitan time she was invited to perform for the Governor Ramon Gaitan is a native of Nicaragua, He of Michigan. She earned her Bachelor’s of Fine started dancing at the age of 18 at the Academy Arts from the Purchase Conservatory of Dance. of Movement and Music. He attended Northern During the summers she trained with The Juilliard Illinois University where he earned a BFA with an School, The Joffrey Ballet and Paul Taylor Dance emphasis in Dance performance.

Mr. Gaitan joined Company. While living in Amsterdam, Joy worked Richmond Ballet as a second year apprentice and with Dutch choreographer Anouk van Dijk who went on to dance with Ballet Theatre of Maryland is currently the Artistic Director of Chunky Move where he performed lead roles such as Cavalier Dance Company in Sydney, Australia. During the in “Nutcracker” and Ichabod Crane in “ Sleepy eleven years that Joy lived in New York City she Hollow”. Ramon had the privilege of working with performed with companies such as CorbinDances, choreographer Wayne McGregor during a short Lane & Co, Artichoke Dance, 360° and at venues engagement at the Lyric Opera of Chicago for the such as Jacob’s Pillow, the Metropolitan Playhouse, production of “Midsummer Marriage”. Mr. Gaitan Dance Theater Workshop, the Alvin Ailey was also a member of the Dayton Ballet where he CitiGroup Theater and others. In addition to her danced many leading roles. He had the pleasure of performing career Joy has had a diverse career in dancing the lead in Burklyn Ballet “Beauty and the teaching dance of all ages and many genres. She Beast” at the Fringe Festival in Scotland.

Ramon was a staple faculty member at Mark Morris Dance is currently an independent Guest Artist and has Group in NYC and has taught workshops and performed for choreographer Ron De Jesus for master classes in numerous states and countries a Joyce Soho season in NYC, with John-Mark including traveling to Africa doing arts outreach. Owen at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, a Japan tour In the past year Joy has relocated to Madrid, Spain. with Ballet Grandiva, as well as other companies Twenty years after performing the role of Clara throughout the US, including Delta Festival Ballet, in The Nutcracker at Stephens Auditorium, Joy is Island Moving Company, Festival Ballet, and most thrilled to be a part of the 35th Annual performance recently made a guest appearance with Jose Mateo and her sixth year as the Sugar Plum Fairy! Dance Theatre. 15 Dr. Sonya M. Stoltze Newstrom History  the Nutcracker Ballet The Nutcracker Ballet is a classical ballet in two acts. Many classical ballets created during the 19th century have become mainstays of dance companies today. The classical age of ballet focuses on the spectacular collaborations of Marius Petipa with the music of Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky.

Providing comfort, health, and beauty for your smile. 511 Duff Avenue, Suite 200 • Ames, Iowa 50010 • 515.233.3797 Directly West of Bandshell Park NAME A SEAT in Stephens Auditorium or Fisher Theater Find us on Facebook A seat plaque at Stephens Auditorium or Fisher Theater is a truly unique way to honor someone. Contact Patti Cotter at 515-294-1238, toll-free at 1-877-843-2368 or pcotter@iastate.edu. Download an order form at At first Tchaikovsky was not inspired by the story of The Nutcracker, but he ended up writing a brilliant score. During preparations for this ballet, Petipa had fallen ill and entrusted much of the work to his assistant Lev Ivanov, which is why Ivanov is credited as the choreographer. The Nutcracker Ballet was based on E.T.A. Hoffmann’s book, Der Nüssknacker und der Maüsekönig (The Nutcracker and the King of the Mice).

The ballet was first presented at the Maryinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg on December 17, 1892. Antoinetta Dell-Era and Paul Gerdt were featured dancers as the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Prince, respectively. In London on January 30, 1934, the ballet was performed by the Sadler’s Wells Ballet troupe. The Nutcracker Ballet finally made its way to the United States in an abbreviated form performed by the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo at the Fifty-First Street Theater in New York on October 17, 1940. In 1944, the San Francisco Ballet performed the first full-length version of the ballet. The New York City Ballet presented The Nutcracker 16 Ballet, choreographed by George Balanchine, on February 2, 1954, a production which has become an annual tradition in the Big Apple. A sign of how popular the ballet has become is the large number of companies that perform The Nutcracker Ballet annually. The Iowa State Center celebrates the 35th year of its production. It has become an annual holiday tradition not only in Ames, but in many American and Canadian cities.

People once called this ballet “The Nutcracker Suite” because they knew the music better than the ballet. 17 About the Composer Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky was born May 7, 1840. The son of a mining inspector, Tchaikovsky was brought up well. He received music lessons as a child, but none of his teachers discerned any signs when he gave a concert of his own works. The next year of genius. he embarked on his first foreign tour as conductor. His fame followed him Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky to America where he conducted a concert to dedicate the opening of Carnegie Hall in New York, followed by concerts in Baltimore and Philadelphia. As a young man, he studied law and entered a civil service position with the government. Tchaikovsky did not take up music seriously until the age of 22. He entered the newly opened St. Petersburg Conservatory as a student of Zaremba and A. Rubinstein. He resigned his government position and supplemented his finances by teaching ill-paid music lessons. Tchaikovsky composed his first work in 1865, an overture to Ostrovsky’s The Storm.

From there, he went on to teach at the new conservatory established in Moscow and his creative career progressed rapidly. He traveled extensively composing operas, symphonies, and ballets. He made his first appearance as conductor in 1887 Learning never ends! OLLI at ISU is open to anyone 50+, and classes are offered three times a year. A year after he composed The Nutcracker Ballet, Tchaikovsky fell victim to the cholera epidemic that swept through St. Petersburg; he died November 6, 1893. This eminent Russian composer left a legacy of music that commands a deep and permanent hold on music lovers everywhere. 515-294-3192 isualum.org/olliatisu Like us on Facebook at olliatisu WITH YOU, THE ARTS COME TO LIFE! Invest in the arts with a sponsorship or donation. Benefits include Donations bring great (varies by level): performances to Ames • Highest priority seating with wonderful GIVE TO • VIP parking benefits for donors THE ARTS • Meet-the-Artist receptions and sponsors. TODAY!

FEBRUARY 11 APRIL 5 Assistant to the Producer......................................................................................... Missy Borton Name............................................................................................................................................ 3 Artistic Directors.........................................................Robert Thomas & Miyoko Kato Thomas ADVERTISER......................................................................................................Page Number Assistant to the Directors.................................................................................... Kimberly Kellen Choreography, Act I............................................................................................. Robert Thomas Choreography, Act II & Snow................................................................... Miyoko Kato Thomas Act I to Snow Staged by............................................................................................. Janice Baker Choreography for Flowers.............................................................................Lisa Luiken-Woxell Choreography for Irish................................................................................................. Tara Mina Choreography for Arabians & Americans...................................................... Maureen McGrath Choreography for Russians..................................................................... Katherine Lundberg Choreography for Puppets.................................................................................. Peter Pawlyshyn Ballet Mistresses..................................................................Ellen Mullen & Lisa Luiken-Woxell Assistant Ballet Mistress .......................................................................................Teagan DiSalvo Costumer..............................................................................................................Jerri Baumeister Costume Assistant............................................................................................Christi Baumeister Studio Cast Coordinator...........................................................................................Ellen Mullen Backstage Coordinator.................................................................................................. Lisa Davis Technical Directors.................................................................... Stephen Harder & Mike Broich Stage Manager............................................................................................................ Darren Geil Lighting................................................................................................................

Stephen Harder Audio.............................................................................................................................. Jake Ewalt Dancenter .25 page ad Set Construction & Painting..........................................................Iowa State Center Shop Staff Technical Support Staff................ Nate Stanerson, Ben Howell, Brad Heaton, Chris Campbell & the Iowa State Center Tech Staff IN or OUT? Iowa State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, sex, marital status, disability, or status as a U.S. Vietnam Era Veteran. Any person having inquiries concerning this may contact the Director of Affirmative Action, 318 Beardshear Hall, 515-294-7612. 20 Sawnee Ballet Theatre Saturday, December 17th - 2:00pm & 8:00pm Sunday, December 18th - 1:00pm & 5:00pm Where: South Forsyth High School Performing Arts Auditorium - Directions The Nutcracker, set to Tchaikovsky’s glorious music, is a heartwarming holiday tradition for every member of the family. It is Christmas Eve and guests are arriving at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Silverhaus.

They are hosting a Christmas party for their children, Clara and Fritz. It is a happy time as the guests arrive. The children wait in the hallway while the adults toast the Christmas tree. At last, the children enter the party and joyously receive their presents. During the festivities Claraï¿½s godfather, Herr Drosselmeyer, arrives at the party. He is a kind, but eccentric old gentleman who makes mechanical dolls. He has a special gift for Clara, a Nutcracker in the shape of a toy soldier. Fritz becomes envious of Claraï¿½s gift, snatches it from her and breaks it. Herr Drosselmeyer mends the Nutcracker for Clara. As the guests say goodnight and leave the party, Clara and Fritz go off to their beds. The house is still, but the restless Clara cannot sleep. Quietly she tiptoes downstairs into the darkened parlor. Finding the Nutcracker under the Christmas tree, she cradles it in her arms and falls asleep. Clara has an incredible dream in which magical things happen. Huge mice, led by a Mouse King, appear to her.

Claraï¿½s precious Nutcracker leads an army of toy soldiers. A battle takes place. Clara distracts the Mouse King by hitting him with her slipper, thus saving the Nutcrackerï¿½s life. Suddenly, the magic spell binding the Nutcracker is broken. He becomes a handsome Prince. He invites Clara to the Land of Sweets. On their way, they travel through the enchanting Kingdom of Snow where the Snow Queen, Snow King and Snowflakes welcome them. When Clara and the Prince reach the Land of Sweets, Angels honor their arrival. Clara meets the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Court. The Prince tells everyone in the palace how Clara so bravely saved his life. An elaborate celebration begins. To show their gratitude, all the loyal subjects appear and perform for Clara. Dancers from around the world entertain her. Wondrous dancing candies and toys delight her. Then all the flowers of the kingdom perform the enchanting Waltz of the Flowers. To conclude the celebration, the Sugar Plum Fairy and Prince give the most beautiful dance of allï¿½the Grand Pas de Deux. The members of the court bid their farewell to Clara.

She leaves on a magical carousel horse as everyone in the beautiful Land of Sweets waves goodbye. Each year, Artistic Director Joan Kall Stewart brings something new to the performance. You will be dazzled by a Christmas tree that grows larger than life, a lively battle between soldiers and mice, falling snow and much more. Sawnee Ballet Theatre’s production of this enchanting full-length ballet brings the magical characters in Clara’s dream to life. If you are interested in Advertising in our 2016 The Nutcracker program, please see our Advertising information page to submit an advertisement, or email advertising@sawneeballettheatre.org for more information about our advertising options. If you are interested in becoming a Sawnee Ballet Theatre Sponsor please see our Sponsors information page. Home ï¿½|ï¿½ The Nutcracker ï¿½|ï¿½ Spring Concert ï¿½|ï¿½ Photos ï¿½|ï¿½ Sponsors ï¿½|ï¿½ Advertising ï¿½|ï¿½ Contact Us Copyright ï¿½ 2008-2016 Sawnee Ballet Theatre. All Rights Reserved.

If you are having problems viewing this site, please contact webmaster@sawneeballettheatre.org The Nutcracker / YMMV - TV Tropes Timeline The book provides examples of: Squick : It's implied that Marie marries the 15-year-old Nutcracker Prince at the tender age of eight, although to be fair, the book doesn't specify how much time passes between certain events. The ballet provides examples of: Adaptation Displacement : Were you aware there was a book before the ballet? Awesome Music : Oh, don't tell me you've never heard the Waltz of the Flowers, Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, or Trepak without liking it... at least before you've gone insane from hearing them in every single Christmas movie trailer . Or Pas De Deux. It's incredibly romantic, and was written on a dare to write a piece of music that played the scale in order. Ballet critic Arlene Croce pointed out the particular chords bear more than a passing resemblance to a very common Russian Orthodox funerary piece. The theory goes it was in part a musical tribute to Tchaikovksy's Dead Little Sister. Big Lipped Alligator Moment : Mother Ginger is very much this.

While the other dances in Act 2 are frequently lovely balletic displays, Mother Ginger and her children are played chiefly for laughs. The 1983 Pacific Northwest Ballet version filmed as Nutcracker — The Motion Picture (1986) had set and costume designs by Maurice Sendak and also takes on coming-of-age themes. Clara is played by a young girl in Act One, and Drosselmeyer is, as Roger Ebert and other critics noted, at least a bit of a Dirty Old Man who plunges her into the battle of the Nutcracker and Mouse King. Once the King is killed, the now-human Nutcracker and Clara are played by adults. They travel to a kingdom ruled by a pasha, played by the same actor as Drosselmeyer, who is jealous of their romance and tries to distract her with his dancing subjects (who replace the Land of Sweets characters). Money, Dear Boy : Despite the objections noted below, there are sound financial reasons for staging it every year, not least because it often draws in audiences who don't normally attend the ballet.

Tastes Like Diabetes : A common criticism from serious ballet fans, especially ones who are tired of seeing companies re-stage The Nutcracker every year rather than embracing edgier (though less commercial ) fare. Give them their due; the entire second half of the ballet does take place in the "Land of Sweets." Thanks to the number of dancers now using social media, it's hard to avoid noticing that they're often not so fond of the ballet, either, especially in companies where they may do nothing else for two months straight. Even Tchaikovsky called it " fluff ". Values Dissonance : Depending on how much the national divertissements in the Land of Sweets play on stereotypes. The Moor in the Baryshnikov version was done in Blackface . Vindicated by History : Although the music was well-liked, the ballet itself was never very popular until the mid-20th century, when it practically became a Christmas tradition. TVTROPES

Question: The Waltz of the Flowers and The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy are from which 19th century ballet?
Answer: THE NUTCRACKER