As the holiday season approaches, the promise of familiar traditions return. One of these timeless traditions is the “Nutcracker,” a ballet that is as quintessentially Christmas as Santa Claus.
Returning every year, this Christmas story ballet follows a young girl, Clara, who befriends a nutcracker that comes to life on Christmas Eve, later waging a battle against the evil Mouse King.
The “Nutcracker” being associated with Christmas is a uniquely American phenomenon, first introduced in the Bay Area by the San Francisco Ballet at the War Memorial Opera House in 1944, according to Jon Finck, publicist for the Peninsula Lively Arts (PLA).
For many families, holidays are all about tradition, and watching the “Nutcracker” is one of them.
“Every ballet company, whether they are big or small, mounts a production of ‘Nutcracker’ at Christmas time, and it has become a time-honored tradition,” Finck said.
In addition to the classic “Nutcracker,” and the “Nutcracker Sweet,” an abridged family-friendly version, PLA is presenting a hip-hop version of the traditional ballet.
Putting on a show of this magnitude is a labor of love. Berkeley City Ballet (BCB) is proudly presenting its fiftieth annual production of the “Nutcracker” this year, one of the few companies in the East Bay with a traditional, full-length production of the ballet.
According to Tai Vogel, director of BCB, their dancers rehearse anywhere from 2-6 hours per week on top of their regular class schedule, beginning rehearsals in early September.
“Every year, when I hear the music for the first time in September, I get nostalgic, remembering when I was a student performing in ‘Nutcracker,’” Vogel said. “It’s performed by so many dancers across the U.S. and although we might all learn different choreography, the music is the same, and it brings us all together each year.”
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Whether someone is a seasoned ballerina or is enjoying the show for the very first time, this production promises something for everyone. Roxanne Seliger, a dance teacher at Carlmont High School, enjoys watching the “Nutcracker” every year.
“I like the ‘Nutcracker’ because of the music and the dancing. It has widespread appeal across different dancers and non-dancers alike, ages, and cultures. I especially enjoy the hip-hop version because of its music, its creativity, the skill of the dancers, and because it’s so uplifting,” Seliger said.
Forever remaining a staple of the holiday season, the “Nutcracker” never fails to dazzle audiences across generations. Uniting dancers, families, and people alike, this production continues to be a special memory for many.
