You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. Psalms 30:11
New York City Ballet with the School of American Ballet
In 1993 the New York City Ballet produced The Nutcracker movie. It is a phenomenal production that brought a professional ballet company to life for people all around the world! I am lucky enough to have seen many different versions of the Nutcracker performed on stages around the country, but most people aren’t and this wonderful performance brought the Nutcracker to an audience that might never get to see a professional ballet company dance. There are so many rules and temperaments behind the scenes of a ballet performance. It is a miracle that this movie was ever made! I ‘m so thankful that it was!
Macaulay Culkin had just finished his Home Alone movies when he was cast in the Nutcracker. He doesn’t really dance in the movie, but does walk gracefully and was the perfect Nutcracker prince. I have to admit I was skeptical when he was cast in the role…a non-dancer, dancing such an important role, but he was perfect. He added the star appeal that the movie needed to make it successful for a larger audience than just the ballet world.
The ballerinas in the movie were actual members of the New York City Ballet. The children in the party scene and sprinkled throughout were students at the School of American Ballet. It was said that ballet schools around the country and probably around the world were filled with children that wanted to dance just like these beautiful ballerinas did. My two ballerinas watched the movie over and over again and we even made a trip to New York to contemplate becoming a professional ballerina! Movies, especially well made movies, can be true motivators for good!
If you’ve ever been to the ballet, you know that there is no talking during the performance. The dancing is supposed to tell the story. In the Nutcracker movie, there is a little bit of narrating, done by Kevin Kline to help the audience know what is going on in the story. I really love the traditional way to watch the ballet, but Kevin did the narrating so beautifully that it worked! He made his voice very soothing and it flowed so nicely with the music that it didn’t interfere with the music or the dancing. Evidently the producers weren’t sure about the narration, but it worked! I’m so glad they left it in!
This Christmas season, with all of the Nutcrackers on sabbatical due to COVID, I am so thankful that I can watch and rewatch The Nutcracker movie! It is available on several different streaming services. Right now it is on Amazon Prime for free. I hope you make it part of your holiday tradition, enjoy the beauty and grace that is the ballet!