Jump to content
This Site Uses Cookies. If You Want to Disable Cookies, Please See Your Browser Documentation. ×

Atlanta Ballet Nutcracker


mom1

Recommended Posts

Is anyone going to see Atlanta Ballet's Nutcracker this year? I have not been for many years, so was looking forward to today's performance. I love the Fox Theater. It is designed to make you feel as though you are sitting in an outdoor Medeval Theater, complete with turret walls and stars in the sky.

Atlanta's Nutcracker is set in Russia, so costumes and sets are different than any other Nutcracker I've seen. Very unusal, but very beautiful. I have to say, with the exception of Christine Winkler and John Welker, who were beautiful to watch as "Ballerina Marya" and the "Prince", the rest of the dancing was a bit disappointing.

Professionals were cast only in lead dancing roles and corps were mostly students. The little ones, who were cast as soldiers, various roles in the Party Scene, ponchinelles, etc. mostly looked under rehearsed. A number of times they were looking to each other for stage direction and looked a little lost. Jonah Hooper, Mark Kopystianskyj and Tian Shuai were very funny as "Trepak" with all sorts of tumbling and antics. Definitely a highlight of the show.

I was most surprised by Stacey Slichter, a seasoned dancer with Atlanta Ballet, who danced Dew Drop. She is very athletic and very dynamic, but I felt as though I was watching a collegiate gymnast more than a ballet dancer.

I also would have loved to see more of John Welker. He was excellent, but didn't have as big of solo as I would have expected.

I have to say I was a little disappointed. Next year I would love to fly to New York or Chicago and see another version.

Link to comment

Thanks for the review!!! I was wondering if you wouldn't mind telling which company members danced the other lead parts. I know some people who dance there and I was just curious!!!! It's a shame that the production didn't look better, a lot of companies seem to be using more and more students for corps work now!! Cheap labor!!! :wub:

Link to comment

I don't remember everyone. I think Toni Sabreen Doctor danced Spanish and was in corp of snow.

Wei Dongsheng is my favorite dancer with Atlanta Ballet and he did not perform at all.

Another dance that was excellent was the ballerina doll in 1st act. I don't know who danced that, but she was excellent.

I believe Aldawna C. Morrison was Drosselmeyer.

They had a last minute substitution for Arabian and I did not catch the names of the dancers.

Link to comment

Mom1,

don't know if you're still posting here, but keep an eye on the River Center in Columbus for touring Ballet companies like the Russian National Ballet coming May 2 http://www.rivercenter.org/BoxOfficePage1RCPA.htm

They will be performing Sleeping Beauty.

I've learned to check their event calender because they don't seem to do much advertising except an occasional TV and radio spot. The Tchaikovsky Ballet and Orchestra performed Swan Lake here last month and it was wonderful! Yet the place wasn't full . . . maybe 80% capacity crowd. We made up for it in applause, though.

Link to comment
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...