“The Nutcracker” Can’t Save Ballet

Shopping malls are already decked out for Christmas and its time for ballet companies to put up their once-a-year profit-making performances of "The Nutcracker." The Washington Post's Sarah Kaufman says, "[these performances] can account for as much as half of a ballet company's total annual performances."

The article also discusses conservative programming stemming from "shaky economics" and general lack of funding., so they are forced to rely on old standbys just to survive.  Kaufman also makes the interesting point that no other art form would be able to exist when offering such a limited selection. Then she goes as far as saying we are producing an "inauthentic domestic art" when so many principal roles are danced by foreigners.

On the other hand, one inspiring production I saw last season was Mark Morris' "The Hard Nut," winner of Ovation TV's "Battle of the Nutcrackers."  The production premiered in Belgium in 1991. You can see some clips here on YouTube.  While "The Nutcracker" alone may not be enough to save an art form, the tradition and the opportunity for adaptation means it will still be around for years to come.

--Leah