There are many things that make Christmas in America special. From the 24-hour TV marathon of "A Christmas Story" to claymation portrayals of favorite wintry characters, the American media knows how to usher in the holiday spirit. Perhaps an even more treasured memory than an awkwardly animated Rudolph leading Santa's sleigh one foggy Christmas Eve is watching ballet dancers move gracefully to Tchaikovsky's magical score.
Since 1940, "The Nutcracker" has been an American institution during the Christmas season. What began as a German folk tale was adapted into a Russian ballet and became a quintessentially American holiday experience. Choreographer Septime Webre brings a new interpretation of this grand old classic to the Warner Theatre. Set in 1882 Georgetown, prominent D.C. residents such as Frederick Douglass enliven the stage. Dances featuring Lady Liberty, John Paul Jones and an Anacostian Indian couple give the ballet a specifically American context.
Webre's new production stays true to "The Nutcracker's" traditional storyline and musical score but steps away from the original in its unique set design and costuming, which are rife with images of Americana. The Mouse King looks remarkably like George Washington, and his nemesis is a crowned rat representing George III. This gives Clara's dream sequence a deeper historical meaning. She becomes an allegory for a young and independent America. The journey she takes in Webre's version from snowy Washington to the banks of the Potomac with cherry blossoms in bloom reflects America's struggle from the cold hands of tyranny to the blossoming of an independent nation.
Though heavy with metaphor, Webre has not sacrificed the holiday charm of the ballet. Costume designer Judanna Lynn created clothes right out of a child's imagination. Lynn's bold colors and flashiness create a sort of fantastical 19th century America, in which the traditional characters of "The Nutcracker" are replaced with clowns, snowflakes, cardinals and frontiersmen. Scenery designer Peter Horne continues in this vein, incorporating iconographic American imagery into his sets. Among other things, a steamboat and Humpty Dumpty make appearances, recalling both American history and childhood lore.
While most dance segments had strong choreography, the opening party scene fell down beneath the weight of its own historical references. Seeing Frederick Douglass waltz across the stage was not only jarring but distracting from the developing plot. The dancer portraying Douglass overemphasized his reactions to the point where he served as comic relief and as more of a caricature than a historical representation.
The most powerful divertissement in the production featured an Anacostian Indian couple. These two muscular, scantily clad dancers performed a highly sensual piece that seemed almost out of place in a child-oriented ballet. The grace and poise with which the pair moved about the stage was not especially Native American in style. However, this segment added much to the Americana theme that permeated throughout the production and was by far the most skillfully choreographed dance in the entire ballet.
"The Nutcracker" adds some magic to the holiday season. With its sugarplum fairies and snow royalty, the ballet witnesses Christmas through the eyes of a child. In doing so, the timeless performance recalls the viewer to his or her youth. For a brief two acts, the audience is reminded of the simpler, less worrisome days of childhood, when the holiday was less about what gifts to buy for whom and more about the mystery and excitement of wintry nights.
Webre's "Nutcracker" is highly appropriate for the holiday season in Washington, D.C. The American aspects of the sets and costume design make this production a splendid choice for The Washington Ballet to invoke the holiday spirit in the nation's capital. Before heading home for winter break, take some time to celebrate the holiday here in D.C. and become immersed in the magic of this Christmas institution.
