Nutcracker Reviews, 2006

[sz]

I'm surprised at what was reported about Veyette, because last year I thought he did a really nice job as a partner with Scheller (in Tchaik pas) and Borree in Donizetti. .....

But the Nutcracker pas is probably a different story for the man, fraught as it is with many difficulties.

Dale,

Nutcracker grand pas wasn't a disaster or awful with Hyltin and Veyette.... It was just bumpy, bumpier than I think a *grand* pas such as this one ought to be.... It looked much more of a pretty good rehearsal... in progress for a performance one day.... Maybe the next perf will be better. This one just wasn't a finished product yet. It was a pas with high, nervous energy but it wasn't grand.

[carbro]

I attended Friday night, and I apologize for posting so belatedly.

I write, because I hope others will too....

pushed my guilt buttons. So . . .

Ashley's first entrance was marred just a bit by indulgent phrasing. I think this may be a bit what sz was referring to in her initial post on this thread. Ashley also had a little bobble in the diagonal of turns -- not quite even a fall out, but an unintended step out. However, the little stag leaps hung in the air so long, they looked like poses. Her grand pas and coda -- with mostly good support from Benjamin Millepied -- were extraordinary. Completely devoid of mannerisms and a perfect example of what Balanchine meant when he said, "Don't think, just do." We saw the choreography in its own right, unembellished, but given so much joy, such apparent spontenaiety. Nearly perfect -- well, better than perfect, which is actually boring -- except that I really like when the pirouettes open into into the backbends On The Music, BLAM! Of course, it takes perfect coordination between the ballerina, her cavalier and the conductor, but I remember Maria Calegari hitting that with uncanny consistency. I missed that on Friday

Ben's coda was a bit on the sloppy side -- maybe due to the (admittedly) superfast tempo he was getting from the pit. Yet meeting the demands of the music was no challenge for Ashley, and it probably added sparkle to her coda.

Tess Reichlen's Dewdrop came right to the edge of control, which is how I like to see this role. Her great long legs gave it an extra edge of excitement. She looked like she might not get her feet in place in time. But fear not! Her technique is so solid, and it's rare that we get a Dewdrop with both such exceptional jumps and turns.

I want to praise Rebecca Krohn's Coffee, too. She starts the variation full out, and over its course gradually tones it down (including the sound of the finger bells), so at the end it feels very intimate, and very, very seductive. Beautifully done. I did not notice whether, in the finale, she did the bent-knee turns.

I was slightly disappointed by Ana-Sophia's Marzipan. Her attack seemed exaggerated and strident (same with the foursome behind her), robbing both her and the dance of their inherent piquancy and lyricism. Or maybe sz got to the essence of the problem -- that it's just plain miscasting.

Act I of Balanchine's Nutcracker is so fully crafted with character details. . .

Not only details of character, but finally, finally I "got" the bunny. I used to think it was just a delightful bit of whimsy to dress one of the soldiers in a bunny outfit. But what kid hasn't lost pieces of a multi-piece toy??? Game pieces, erector bolts, toy soldiers? And we needed a stand-in to replace the lost soldier!

I think I've seen a good lot of ballet and dance in general, but (just to get this out of the way in advance) I never have seen a 'Nutcracker' in person! Completely ridiculous, and I hardly even was aware of Act I. So I'll see it at long last at NYCB on Dec. 20 matinee. No cast announced till Monday, I think, but there's no Clara mentioned, so maybe it isn't like the Royal Ballet video I watched sometime this summer. That's all I've even ever seen except in the childhood days of Pat McBride and Edward Villella on TV and a little bit of Baryshnikov and Kirkland video.

NYCB's Nut (available -- at least at one time -- on video with Kistler, Woetzel and Nichols) uses for the children's roles actual children. I personally prefer this approach. Marie (not Clara here, although on Friday the girl's name was actually Clara ) is on stage for the whole of both acts -- except for a quick costume change in the entr'acte and the Snowflakes -- so she must be an incredibly disciplined 9-, 10-, or 11-year old. And I've never seen one who wasn't. I'll be looking for your reactions, papeete.

[Sonora]

I was impressed with Alina Dronova's lead Marzipan on Sunday night (12/10), including her quadruple pirouette to the knee. She was clean and confident, lovely. I'm sorry not to have been impressed with either Megan Fairchild or Sterling Hyltin in the same cast. Megan Fairchild is full of talent, but so lacks coaching that might coax from her some kind of artistry and maturity in a role such as Sugarplum. And my companion and I must not have seen the same Dewdrop (Hyltin) witnessed by Gia Kourlas. Both of us found Hyltin dry and punchy and lacking in femininity. Her musicality and phrasing were rushed, even forced in places. This was our first Nutcracker of the season, so perhaps we don't have a baseline comparison.

[perky]

Nearly perfect -- well, better than perfect, which is actually boring -- except that I really like when the pirouettes open into into the backbends On The Music, BLAM! Of course, it takes perfect coordination between the ballerina, her cavalier and the conductor, but I remember Maria Calegari hitting that with uncanny consistency. I missed that on Friday

Ms. Tallchief likes the "BLAM!" too! In the Interpreter's Archive video where she is coaching Damian Woetzel and Wendy Whelan in the pas de deux from The Nutcracker that is the one thing she points out constantly. She also keeps reminding Wendy "no bent wrists!".

Regarding Tess and her mile long legs, Dewdrop must be a challenging role. It's swift and all those jumps and changes of direction! I wonder if a shorter dancer would find it a more natural fit.

[Dale]

Regarding Tess and her mile long legs, Dewdrop must be a challenging role. It's swift and all those jumps and changes of direction! I wonder if a shorter dancer would find it a more natural fit.

That might be true, but the role was made on Tanaquil LeClercq (tall, long legs).

[Michael]

Dale,

Nutcracker grand pas wasn't a disaster or awful with Hyltin and Veyette.... It was just bumpy, bumpier than I think a *grand* pas such as this one ought to be.... It looked much more of a pretty good rehearsal...

The level of a Student Performance is what I'd compare it to. I thought I was suddenly back at the Youth America Grand Prix and not watching the winning couple either. Very tense, very rocky. But gosh, it's just one performance, it's no huge knock on anybody. I agree with Gia Kourlas that Sterling Hyltin is a superb dancer with an unquestionably successful future in this company, she's shown so much already that one rocky pas de deux can make no difference. Another clear thing from watching her on Saturday is how tough a performer she is: to get this far at NYCB she's already shown that she can step up to the plate in the big leagues night in, night out.

[papeetepatrick]

Thanks so much, carbro! I erased most of my post, because I thought it was a bit too excited and poorly-written, but this was very useful reply, so I'm glad you caught it. and I think I want to check that RB DVD again, because it may be very different, and I remember it completely surprised me--all that dancing in the first act.

Will try to find the Kistler one and am looking forward to seeing what cast I'll get to see when they announce on the weekend or Monday. I'm sure to love it with anybody, though, because there are a lot of things there.

Thanks for cheering me up so that I can now have a nice Christmas (I chose that performance so it would be as close to Christmas as I could fit in), and hope you and other BT people will too!

[AmandaNYC]

Everyone has their opinions-- as we well learn on this board. My experience of Hyltin's debut was more in line with Kourlas's experience than other BTers. Besides the difficulty with that notorious turning sequence with which most have troubles, I didn't really notice what the others noted. Some of that may just be that everyone looks at different things during a performance. My eyes are usually drawn just to the ballerina and her upper body, so blips in partnering go less noticed.

I enjoyed Hyltin, as I expected. For such a tiny dancer (though she has the proportions of a tall girl), she covered a LOT of space during her final solo. I think she still has room to grow in the romantic pas de deux department, but then she hasn't had that many roles like that yet.

I am not generally a Reichlen fan (I like small girls), but I do quite enjoy her Dewdrop. There's nothing quite like seeing Reichlen and those legs as she does the diagonal sequence moving downstage right. She really flies. When I saw her do it last year (her debut maybe), the audience applauded, which I had never seen.

I agree that Scheller seemed miscast in Marzipan. All small girls are not meant for that part. She was too harsh and not delicate in that part. It requires a certain amount of delicacy in bearing.

I understand all the comments about Bouder's Dewdrop. I have only seen her Sugarplum this season, and she did what I now call "a Bouder". No, she didn't fall. That's a Bouder debut. She pushed boundaries. In the part where she is pulled across in arabesque-- the trick part-- she turned it into a penchee (sp?). I know she likes seeing what she can do. And she's experimenting. But, that was so unneccesary. There's a beauty in seeing NO movement except the being pulled along. That the ballerina can be so still despite being 'pulled'. With her approach, she was being pulled and she was dipping herself at the same time. To me, she missed the point of that part of the pas de deux. I love watching her most of the time, but her Dewdrops do worry me too--Not remaining musical is a no-no to me, and she sometimes pushes it too much. Sometimes she turns movements into poses and sometimes she doesn't. It's those latter performances that I love.

[bobbi]

Last night I saw Ashley Bouder's Dewdrop for the first time this season. Boy!! It sure worked for me!! I have no objection to any dancer dancing full out according to his/her ability. That is what Ashley did last night. She even turned in three perfectly executed turns in attitude that were spectaular. There was nothing vulgar, nothing forced about any of her dancing; it was all wonderfully musical. Her sense of rubato is a joy to witness. You go, girl!!

By the way, Jeny Ringer turned in another very satisfying Sugar Plum; the lady just seems to get better and better in this role.

[SingerWhoMoves]

Bobbi, I had so hoped to get to see Jeni Ringer's SPF... Ah well.. tomorrow night I shall see Jennie Somogyi- with whom I went to school when she was a tot- what a joy to watch her as such a beautiful dancer now.

I'm really excited to see Ashley Bouder's dewdrop, and Sterling Hyltin's Marzipan..oh, and Melissa Barak's coffee... I thought Faye Arthurs danced this beautifully, but I felt she was pushed by the orchestra in the parts where she has to cover ground flat footed- and that it was not as slinky as I would have liked.

I'm in the club of those who loved Sterling's dewdrop- I found it abandoned,exciting and really amazing to watch.. I felt like I was watching a true star... something I was missing in Megan Fairchild's SPF... she was technically perfect, but I felt no passion there...

I'll report after tomorrow night!

Did anyone here see Hyltin's second SPF today?

Sandi

[jimmattimore]

Thanks so much, sz, for getting the ball rolling. I haven't been to a Nut yet, but I was sure some of our members have, and I'm glad to have gotten such a fine double report.

I am one of the great Bouder fans on this board, but I can see how she may have overdone it. She never dances a role the same way from performance to performance, and much of the excitement of watching her is seeing the chances she takes. Of course, taking chances can be -- well -- chancy.

I attended the Friday 12/15 performance and loved seeing our injured Kristin Sloan as a guest at the party. I thought that both Tess and Miranda danced wonderfully, but Hanna was wobbly and uncertain.

I could live without ever seeing a "Nutcracker" Act I except for the Snowflakes, but I love Act II and get really nervous at the very difficult pas.

I am home and on Long Island and warm and about to sleep and dream of Sugarplum fairies. Mister B.:Thanks and Merry Christmas to all of you brilliant balletomanes.

[bobbi]

The 1 p.m. Sunday, December 16, Nutcracker was awash in debuts, all of which were very respectable and some even more than that. First off, Ana Sophia Scheller turned in an extremely polished, poignant and delightful SPF. She is an incredibly musical dancer who has an excellent sense of drama and all of this made her debut exceptional. Her partner was Tyler Angle, who too was making his debut. He is a very attentive partner and the two of them together make a delightful pairing -- their body types, heights, stage presence and musicality make for an ideal pairing. Tyler's own solo work started out very nicely indeed; his menage around the stage were high and wide. In the scherzo section, his turns a la seconde needed more stamina. Whether that was a matter of nerves or energy level only time will tell. But in any event the cure is for him to be given more such assignments. Sara Mearns debuted as Dewdrop. She showed off some stunning stage pictures in various spots, but she too may not yet have enough stamina for this role. I say that because some of her jumps were beautifully done and yet in others you saw the effort, with the top of her body pushing forward first. But a very nice first effort.

Other debuts were Suehara as Candy Cane, and he too did a fine bravura display and managed not to get caught up in the hoop. Although Carrie Lee Riggins did a fine lead Marzipan, I was disappointed that Stephanie Zungre -- who was supposed to debut -- did not show. The other debutante was Pazcoguin in Coffee. She went for the sultry angle, and it worked; she even did the bent knee turn that had been missing from other Coffees. Very nice indeed.

All in all a delightful afternoon.

[Dale]

Bobbi, thanks for reporting on this performance -- one I wanted to go to if not for work (I'm still debating to sneak out on Wednesday to catch Act II of this cast). Scheller and Tyler Angle were partners at their SAB workshop, so I guess that chemistry is still evident.

BTW, I saw the Stanford production of Balanchine's Nutcracker with SAB students on Saturday. Coffee did attempt the harder version of the coda.

[sz]

I was at the 1 pm Sunday, December 17th performance too!! Wow! Wow! A big, beautiful, joyful, exciting wow! One fabulous debut after another.

And on the top of that list was Ana Sophia Scheller who was all of the above and much more. There is a warm, radiant, yet calm beauty about her. Her musicality runs deep and Sugarplum is a wonderful role for her wherein she can be a woman and mature, and sparkly, and technical, filling the music with her luxurious qualities for drama in the music.

I admit I was a bit nervous about the pairing of Tyler Angle with Scheller, because he is not as experienced yet with NYCB as she is having danced many soloist and some principal roles.... but it was a huge success. Scheller and Tyler absolutely complimented each other. He with his princely, noble yet youthful manner. His long lines with plenty of muscular strength aligned with hers, and gave Scheller's extra length. She with her luxuriously feminine and polished style gave Tyler a mature presence. I didn't know they had partnered together before.... Individually and together, this pair was a wonderful surprise.

Real Princes/Cavaliers are rare in the land of ballet, but Tyler is definitely a fine one. He should be learning all of Peter Martins' old parts, immediately! I can't wait to see Tyler in something like Chaconne. Scheller too for that matter.... I'd love to see her further her dramatic side, her personality and technique and take on even more demanding roles. When are they going to make Scheller a soloist?!!! It's long overdue.... when compared to others already there who dance far less....

Back to Nuts...

Sara Mearns debuted as a strikingly beautiful and glamorous Dewdrop. She will be a stunning Sugarplum one day too when/if NYCB finds a tall enough, manly enough Prince for her. Mearns is not a virtuouso technical dancer, but she has presence and a glam style that sets her apart from everyone else. And technically she managed a totally acceptable performance. I was pleasantly surprised.

Other dancers I loved: Schumacher's debut in Chinese. He's such a youthfully charming male dancer with an abundance of technique and all done with such ease. No hard-selling here... but an easy, genuine joy while taking on all the difficult challenges of being in the spotlight with such a brief solo. I hope Candy Canes is next for him... and soon.

Pazcoguin in Coffee! She not only went for the sultry angle, but gave her part the womanly strength it hasn't seen in awhile with gorgeous jumps and yes those bent-knee turns!

Laracey stood out too as a lovely, fresh, tall and leggy demi-soloist flower.

And it was all happiness for me to see Erica Pereira, dancing with the company.

Yes, it was a greatly happy day at NYCB this afternoon!!!

And what a difference a day made.... partly because the conductor, Fletcher, who was an out of control speed freak the night before, was obviously told by somebody to tone it down so the dancers this afternoon could actually dance their parts instead of chasing after some run away train. Fletcher completely ruined last night's performance.... All I'll say is that Saturday night was a performance I can't wait to forget.... and I missed Alexandra Ansanelli with Millipied badly.....

Fletcher had some poorly dragging times on 12/17th afternoon, unfortunately primarily in those adorable kids' sections which are suppose to be perky and high energy...but at least the overall performance was conducted better.

[papeetepatrick]

Esp. appreciate this review, sz, because this has 4 of the cast/roles I'll see Wed.: Mearns, Scheller/Angle, and Schumacher. I wonder if I'll know whether they do bent-knee pirouettes in Coffee...

[ViolinConcerto]

I was at the Saturday evening performance and will only comment on Dewdrop and the Grand pdd.

I was very, very disappointed in Teresa Reichlin's Dewdrop. To me she seemed to just fling her hands/arms around, and her feet were not very neat either. What's more, for an entire solo section, she was completely off the music.

The first time I saw her, several years ago, doing Rubies, I felt the same and had never understood what the general commotion was about her, sorry to say.

Rachel Rutherford took a real fall at one point, the audience gasped, and she got up and jumped right back in like a trouper. I watched her to see if she seemed as if she was in discomfort, but she did not. I really admired her recovery.

The Grand pdd was Ashley Bouder and Benj. Milliepied. Impeccable musicality, placement and artistry. Sorry if I sound a bit over-wrought, and I know I was gasping and laughing during the performance, much to the dislike of the people around me, but it was just excellent. I don't usually like him (I know, I'm in a minority), but this time he was wonderful and seemed quite warm, which he does't usually.

Ashley did quadruple turns instead of triple in the supported turns that end with a (very generous) back-bend, and she gracefully played with the timing, coming out right on the target. She was beautiful, and her old flirty self. Boy did I miss her when she was gone!

Someone mentioned a few weeks back that she turned the arabesque while on that little track into a penchee. This time, it was a bit modified, leaning forward, with just a hint of a penchee, but on the whole, lovely. It made me wonder if she will ever do 2nd Movement of Symphony in C.

For the two catches (sorry about my lack of terminology) where the ballerina runs and ends up on the danceur's shoulders, Ashley seemed to just levitate up to his shoulders, as if she was travelling, sitting in mid-air.

More gasps, both times, not just from me. I think she has a beautiful line. I guess I just have Ashley Bouder receptors in my brain.

[AmandaNYC]

I admit I was a bit nervous about the pairing of Tyler Angle with Scheller, because he is not as experienced yet with NYCB as she is having danced many soloist and some principal roles.... but it was a huge success.

sz, T. Angle has actually danced quite a bit of principal roles in the last year or two, many more than Scheller. He has become a sort of go-to partner (both Angle men seem to be spectacular partners).

-amanda

[BW]

Can any of you comment upon Erica Pereira's performance in Spanish on Saturday night? I was not able to attend and am very interested in hearing about it.

[BSS]

Can any of you comment upon Erica Pereira's performance in Spanish on Saturday night? I was not able to attend and am very interested in hearing about it.

BW i was there Saturday night Erica was great in Spanish she was also in Snow you can always pick her out in a group she has an ease about her and she moves like she is floating.

BSS

[BW]

Right she was in Snow as well - I forgot. I'm glad you felt Erica P. did well. I'm looking forward to te Spring season. :grinning-smiley-001:

[sz]

sz, T. Angle has actually danced quite a bit of principal roles in the last year or two, many more than Scheller. He has become a sort of go-to partner (both Angle men seem to be spectacular partners).

Amanda,

Off the top of my head, Scheller has danced several extremely demanding parts such as Marizpan, Dewdrop, Tchai pas de deux, pas de quatre and solo in Swan Lake, soloist in Ballo, ditto in Divert #15, Hippolyta in Midsummer's and of course the very difficult Elo last Spring (Slice to Sharp).

Tyler has danced in Liebeslieder but that is not a classical technically demanding ballet/pas de deux with much dancing at all for the men. The men wear shoes, not even ballet slippers. Fancy Free had no seriously demanding partnering either for Tyler... and again he was in character shoes... I know Tyler danced Lavery's Romeo and Juliet pas (again not the most demanding of parts but yes, a lead), and Tyler danced very recently what I would say was Tyler's most demanding part until Nutcracker and that was in Feld's Intermezzo. But that's not Balanchine, and Intermezzo has none of the complexity and strenuous demands of a huge pas de deux such as Nutcracker's grand pas or Tchai pas.... to mention only two.

I think when a dancer is cast and dances, well, more than one Tchai pas de deux that automatically puts that dancer in a top principal category with NYCB... There are many who could dance Lavery's R&J pas as Tyler and Marcovici have... because they are handsome, they look the part... but no way could either Tyler or Marcovici at this point get through Balanchine's Tchai pas or the equivalent of any of the very technical parts Scheller has danced. That's where my thinking was going re experience.... I hope one day soon Tyler will be ready for Tchai pas de deux too but that is not now.

I do think Tyler and Scheller are definitely on different experience levels at NYCB, but I'm thrilled they looked so great together this past weekend in Nuts. Tyler does need more strength and endurance to complete the entire pas and coda with the authority that Scheller had, but it was a splendid debut.

[support system]

I was looking for an announcement concerning Erica P.s long anticipated apprenticeship. Did I miss it?

[Helene]

I was looking for an announcement concerning Erica P.s long anticipated apprenticeship. Did I miss it?

No, you didn't. We are trying to find any official news or convention about this, but, so far, have found nothing definitive. When we do, we'll be sure it's posted.

[SingerWhoMoves]

I meant to come post about Thursday 12/14's performance.

I don't have my playbill here with me, but the little boy playing Fritz was so great- he got so many laughs and helped tell the story very well. Saskia Beskow was a lovely Hostess, and Rachel Piskin stood out as particularly cute in Dolls.

Adam Hendrickson was very effective as Drosselmeier (sp?). His characterization fills every moment with interest.

Jennie Somogyi did a beautiful SPF solo and had the stage presence, maturity and star quality I was missing from Megan Fairchild when I saw her... I still wish I could see Jeni Ringer! :-(

Gwyn Muller was very enchanting as Hot chocolate- dancing with great amplitude and style, as well as having a great charming stage presence. I also couldn't keep my eyes off of Kathryn Morgan once again behind Gwyneth..

I LOVED Melissa Barak's Coffee! She really cast a spell, and is a great actress.. the audience was in the palm of her hand and went "ooh" when she finished.. Her finger cymbals were a bit weak though. ;-)

I thought Sterling Hyltin was a perfect Marzipan- she was so demure yet mischeiveous- and her jumps and turns were outstanding- so light and easy for her- I really look forward to watching more of Sterling.

The flowers were lovely- but Ashley Bouder was onstage as the Dewdrop- and she was breathtaking.... So much joy and fun in her dancing ,and her leaps seemed to hang in the air forever.. it really looked like she was floating or wearing a flying harness. The audience gasped several times and cheered- it wasa delight to see. She seems to be having the time of her life every time I see her dance- and it just makes me smile.

Nilas Martins was a wonderful partner and he and Jennie were very secure- His solo however.. he seemed to get a bit dizzy and lose his balance a few times.. when he landed on one kneee, it seemed he didnt know where he was and nearly sat down... and you could see it on his face. But his partnering was so secure that it was forgiven.

All in all, a delightful evening at the Nut. I felt this performance was more fun for both the cast and for the audience than the matinee I saw on Sunday 12/9- of which the highlights were Gwyneth's lead flower, Alina Dronova's Marizipan and Sterling Hyltin's dewdrop.

That's my opinion and I'm stickin to it.

Happy Holidays and Nutcracker Viewing everyone!

Sandi

[papeetepatrick]

Finally seeing my first Balanchine 'Nutcracker' live this afternoon (or any live 'Nutcracker', for that matter), I won't say too much about details that I know nothing about, but am grateful for those in the business for writing about them here. They've enhanced the pleasure of seeing the piece immeasurably.

I like the way the first act opens up slowly into real dance, I think the first time you see what looks to us amateur viewers as traditional ballet movement may be Frau Stahlbahm, but I lost my program. Maybe I like the real children better than what I had seen in the Royal Ballet DVD, where you have teenagers who are already professionals and definitely don't seem like children. I don't know. It's beautiful and enchanting in the NYCB production when it opens up into the Snowflakes. The Miniature Overture sounded perfect.

I thought I'd have little if anything to criticize, but before looking back at some of sz's and others' writing about Karoui, it just seems to me that 'Waltz of the Flowers' is a different, more special and more opened-up sort of thing than Coffee, Candy Cane, etc., and that it was played as if it would be illegal to take a more leisurely tempo. If this is the traditional tempo, I will never really enjoy the 2nd Act, because that is where it seems you ought to take some time, bend things a bit and relax, not just thrust on ahead inexorably; it just does not sound like a waltz like this, but rather just a hasty something-or-other in 3/4 time. Mearns and the rest could do it, but if there are supposed to be nuances and a sense of grace in the form of graciousness and generosity, you don't see them when rammed from beginning to end like this. This then made the Pas de Deux seem too fast (even if it wasn't), and everything then seem to be all of a single piece in the whole Act II--a whiff of automaton about it therefore. To stay in the wonderful mood of everything dispensed with as efficiently as possible, I left after one curtain--worrying about catching the next subway didn't seem to break the mood.

Candy Cane was not too fast, and Sugar Plum was delicious (Scheller is lovely, very light and musical but also, as a nice change from what I'm used to here, rather full-figured too). Tyler Angle terrific too. I think there's something medieval and work-ethic about playing 'Waltz of the Flowers' like that, that's the number that ought to have a whole sense of rubato within the whole bunch of Sweets' dances. It definitely looked to me that Mearns would have liked to expand in places where she was simply forced to fit in the minimum.

Needless to say, I didn't know whether Coffee, Chinese or Candy Canes did any of the things they should or should not have done that sz and Michael and Dale were talking about, although I was impressed with the Arabian. The Ginger Queen is funny being vain, so I neglected to watch the little kiddies much in that scene.

I thought Marzipan (Reed-Flutes) could have relaxed a little too. 'Snowflakes' was probably the high point for me, although I did love Scheller's Sugar Plum.