The Beauty of Ballet West - Nothing Better Than a Nutcracker!
Updated: Sep 21
Perhaps the only thing that could’ve calmed my untamed nerves after driving on the freeway for two hours in stop and go traffic was taking a seat in the Salt Lake City Ballet West auditorium and shortly after, beholding one of the most fascinating experiences of my life: The Nutcracker.
As a kid, my attitude was: if a song is too slow, skip it; if an opera is too hard to understand, avoid it; and if a ballet is too supple, don’t go to it. Yep, I’ll admit it right now, growing up, I was clearly one-dimensional. In fact, I don’t think I could’ve ever seen myself at a ballet or an opera because I considered it a waste of time. Flash forward to today and after barely holding in my emotions after watching one, I formally say to my younger self: “how could you be so short-sighted?”
This week I had the privilege of watching Ballet West’s The Nutcracker. This particular ballet, still put on after 80 years at Ballet West, is America’s first Nutcracker—meaning: of all the other productions in America and all the variations of The Nutcracker, this production was the one first introduced to America. How cool is that?
Today, I will highlight a few aspects of the show that I personally found extraordinary; aspects of which you should be aware. Whether it be the interesting facts that serve as roots to the show, the incredible usage of the human body, the diverse environments existing on stage, or just the overall magic behind putting music into action, The Nutcracker has changed my view on ballets forever, and I believe it would change yours too. In all that is said, entertainment on stage is one thing, and the stage that it is put on is another. Ballet West is no exception to that claim. I was thoroughly impressed by their dedication and tribute of authenticity to ballet productions as a whole. For that is the beauty of Ballet West.
Did You Know?
The first time a full-length version of The Nutcracker was performed in The United States was in 1944 and was choreographed by none other than Ballet West’s founder: William Christensen, also known as “the godfather of American ballet.”
Additionally, just this year, the State of Utah officially declared The Nutcracker production a “Living Historic Landmark.” So if you are the tourist type, or even just like to see famous things because you have a fear of missing out, THIS IS A HISTORIC LANDMARK! Click to learn more.
According to Ballet West’s media team, more than 300 children participate in The Nutcracker each season, with 75 children in every performance. In fact, when Founder William Christensen was once asked how long The Nutcracker would go on, his reply was: “It will go on for as long as there are children.”
The Nutcracker was originally a Russian ballet written and orchestrated by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky between February 1891 and April 1892. It was not overly successful initially but as it has aged and the art of the production began to be widely recognized, The Nutcracker is now one of the most popular ballets known to man.
The Implementation of The Human Body
As it is claimed by almost any searchable source, ballet is one of the most difficult and rigorous forms of dance in existence—and for obvious reasons.
Just recently, I tore my meniscus because I twisted my leg the wrong way. I had to have surgery and be on crutches for two months. In my own unique kind of way, I now know what it feels like to lug a heavy leg around everywhere and test my range of motion. This being said, as I watched The Nutcracker, I guess you could say that I was a little jealous. The ballerinas and danseurs were flinging themselves in every direction and twisting their legs as I had done just as I injured myself, but they were not hurt at all. They were even able to hoist each other high into the air with ease with incredible strength while, just hours prior, I struggled to hoist my leg up the stairs! As I continued to watch these dancers in awe, jealous of more than just their flexibility, I couldn’t help but ponder on the beauty of the human body. Some human bodies in our world sadly go to waste on harmful foods, lazy routines, or substance abuses, but the ones that I was beholding at Ballet West were refined and trained. It made me also think about how careful and precise Ballet West is with its auditions, choreography, and rehearsals. In my opinion, the way that the dancers perform is a direct reflection of the authenticity of the production company. And Salt Lake’s Ballet West did not disappoint.
Diversity and Inclusion
As mentioned before, children were an essential part of the production. I particularly enjoyed the scene in Act 2 where a dozen children dressed as bumble bees graced us with their flips and splits. But using children wasn’t the only way Ballet West created an environment of inclusion. As one watches, in just this production of The Nutcracker, they would count around 12 ethnicities. In fact, in the program, many of the dancers highlighted were even from different countries such as: Brazil, Canada, Switzerland, Greece, Australia, Japan, Kazakhstan, and of course The United States. On a personal level, I love to see that a production company in the heart of a predominantly Caucasian region in Utah, is looking for all dancers who simply have talent, not a preferred ethnicity.
Additionally, I spotted someone in the cast that instantly lifted my spirits. Throughout the entirety of the ballet, acting many different roles, there was a particular ballerina who appeared to have been born with an arm defect. Her right arm was significantly shorter than her left, but I didn’t even notice until my wife mentioned it. She was just as willing and just as capable as the other ballerinas and she even played one of the only roles tasked with holding something for a given scene. Once I noticed her, I could not look anywhere else. She was incredible! It gave me hope and lifted my spirits to know that no matter what others may say, you can achieve your goals if you really put your mind to it. That ballerina probably had to work three times as hard as the others, but she was there on that stage that night, and had clearly surpassed many other ballerinas to be there.
I always thought that the mission of Ballet West was to impress at all costs, but as I watched The Nutcracker this week, and witnessed all the effort and intention to include minorities and highlight differences while still impressing the audience, I learned that their mission is actually a lot better than that. According to an educational report in 2023, “Ballet West believes the highest quality of dance enlightens, challenges, motivates and edifies the minds, bodies and spirits of all young people.” Did you catch that? According to Ballet West’s mission statement, ballet is not only supposed to enlighten and motivate the soul performers, but to challenge them! And who should be edified by that process? “ALL” young people.
Magic of Music in Action
One of my favorite things to do while listening to classical, orchestrated music is create a story in my head and watch it play out in my imagination. If you have ever seen Disney’s 1940 or 2000 Fantasia film, you will know exactly what I’m talking about. Music has a way of opening the mind of the listener and enhancing the imagination on its own, but when music is coupled with action and tangible visuals, it allows the viewer to both relax and see their vision come to life. This is why I loved watching The Nutcracker this year. I appreciated how carefully planned out and choreographed every movement was in accordance with every musical element, especially when they could pull that off on stage without ever uttering a single word.
In a way, I now see Ballet West as an environment producing “Fantasias” on stage. I can’t stop thinking about the time and effort it took to bring this production to life, just like turning of The Nutcracker into The Prince.
You see, there was just an indescribable magic about The Nutcracker and Ballet West only provided ample ways to enable it. Perhaps this is why it’s deemed as a “Living Historic Landmark.” For that is the Beauty of Ballet West, and that is why there’s nothing better than a Nutcracker.
Go watch The Nutcracker at Ballet West while you still can. It closes in one week on December 28th!
- Cale K. Montoya
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