The Nutcracker ballet was first introduced in Moscow, Russia in 1892 according to the Moscow Ballet website. Based off of the original story, “The Nutcracker and the King of Mice” by E.T.A. Hoffmann, the adaptation from Alexandre Dumas Père was set to music by Tchaikovsky and quickly gained popularity in both Russia and vastly spread to the western world. After premiering in Europe, The Nutcracker travelled overseas to America, the first showing in San Francisco, California in 1944. But it wasn’t until coming to New York about 10 years later that the ballet turned into a hit for years to come. Today, The Nutcracker is performed worldwide and holds as a tradition and anticipated winter delight for many people.
For those who don’t know The Nutcracker very well, it is a coming-of-age story of a young girl, Clara Stahlbaum (German version), who is trapped in a magical dream with an enchanted nutcracker (the prince). As she travels through her journey she meets numerous people and enjoys lavish dances and parties. This story is more focused around the dancing and music (which is why it’s a ballet) than the plot and aimed to create a sense of awe and enchantment. Different adaptations to the original have been made over the years but every ballet consists of the same music and dances.
The original inspiration for Hoffmann’s story and later for the famous ballet was, in fact, a nutcracker. Magic of Nutcrackers describes the history of the nutcrackers and how they came to be so popular. Nutcrackers are a German creation and used to be given to families as a token of protection and luck. Germans believed that nutcrackers represented power and strength and that they watched over the family and protected them from evil spirits and danger. They were supposed to embody the cycle of life from a seed growing to a tree and becoming a nutcracker. And when Hoffmann found out about the legendary characters he decided to write “The Nutcracker and the King of Mice” around 1816. Nutcrackers became popular in the U.S. about 60 years ago as the ballet gained acclaim. Now they are just as well known and enjoyed as the ballet.
The Downtown Fort Collins website provides information about The Nutcracker performance held every year at the Lincoln Center. For 32 years in Fort Collins, Colorado, the Canyon Concert Ballet has hosted The Nutcracker at the Lincoln Center. Almost every year they have a new director who brings unique choreography and thematic touches to the production. “I am extremely honored to be working with such talented artists at Canyon Concert Ballet. I believe that this years’ Nutcracker will be stronger than any other in the past and will rival that of any organization our size in America,” new Artistic Director Richard d’Alton said. This year they have professional dancers from Lithuania and Cuba to perform in the show. There were performances in two places: the Rialto Theater Center in Loveland and the Lincoln Center in Fort Collins. The Canyon Concert Ballet puts on both of The Nutcracker performance and a spring show every year, working almost the entirety of each and every year.
The performance this year was a hit. Nearly each of the four shows sold out. Fossil Ridge High School senior Nicole Ferreri has been in the Canyon Concert Ballet performance of The Nutcracker for 10 years, ever since she was 7 years old (the age children can first audition). For this performance she played two parts: the Snowcorps and the Spanish Soloist. She has played all but two parts in the ballet and enjoys it every year. “It makes the whole experience worth it to hear the applause at the end and see how you’ve improved over the time we’ve been working on it.”For The Nutcracker, Ferreri practices 25 hours each week from the beginning of the school year. Show week is a total of 30-40 hours of practice.
Another ballerina in the performance, Fossil Ridge sophomore Mykaila Blumhardt, has also been in The Nutcracker and played most parts since she was 7. Her favorite part of the entire production is similar to Ferreri’s, but she also enjoys “all the family that comes to see you perform.” This year she played the Rat Queen and Dewdrop fairy in the performance which added a dynamic in characters as the rat is usually a Rat King played by a male dancer.
It was not only the dancers who were celebrating this year’s performance. Audience members enjoyed the classic and the new take this season’s director d’Alton focused on with a lighter touch as far as the storyline is concerned. “I really enjoyed seeing the show again because I was able to absorb more of what was occurring because I am much older now than I was when I originally saw The Nutcracker,” Fossil Ridge senior Cassia Fremit said. Another audience member, Joni Baker, said, “I liked this version of The Nutcracker because it had a much lighter outlook on the ballet you don’t usually see.”
Whether performed in Moscow or all the way over in Fort Collins, The Nutcracker ballet is a classic winter show that holds dear to many audiences and has spurred numerous traditions such as nutcracker collecting or a family outing for some historic culture. It has spread from overseas and landed a place in many American’s hearts and will be one of the most well-known ballets for years to come.
