Review: The Nutcracker
December 9, 2007 by admin
Filed under Arts, Guest Writer: Field, M.R., Reviews
In the program book for Ballet Des Moines‘ performances of The Nutcracker, Todd Elverson, president of Ballet Des Moines Board of Directors, comments on how the ballet has grown over the past six years. This observation was of interest to me because I was told by several local art-oriented people about three years ago not to bother with the ballet. When I attended the December 8th performance of The Nutcracker, I almost got up and left but that was because of the audience not the dancers.
My advice to anyone who might be considering bringing opera to Des Moines is to forget about it. Audiences would clap when a soprano hit high C and not care that the rest of the aria was missed. Ballet is an art form. It is not just about the dancers; it is about how the dance melds with the music. On several occasions I was listening to the music and enjoying the dancing only to be rudely disrupted by the audience clapping for a single feat. There were even times when a dancer was applauded merely for entering the stage. As the dancers appeared on stage for their final bow, the clapping changed from the rapid beat of appreciation to the staccato sound used to accompany a folk song or western dance, or someone chugging a full mug of beer. The ballet did not begin well, either. Audience members were still finding their seats as the curtain rose.
There were a couple dancers who looked overly thin, including one who seemed to be very bony. If Ballet Des Moines does not include a talk on the dangers of anorexia during its auditions, I would strongly encourage such action.
As long as I’m mentioning all the negative aspects of attending the ballet, I must include the lack of bus service as an option for the audience. If people are serious about establishing a quality ballet company in Des Moines, they need to realize that there are people who would like to attend but need transportation..
Now, what did I like about The Nutcracker? The costumes top my list.
Overall, Act Two had better performances than Act One. The size of the stage at Hoyt Sherman Place probably had a role in this. With the stage crowded by scenery and dancers in Scene One, the choreography relied heavily upon movement of arms and hands instead of feet. Such movement effectively kept the story apace with the music, but I found it distracting.
There are a limited number of youth who dance well in a community the size of Des Moines and The Nutcracker requires many young dancers. The result of that equation means there were performances that fell short. There is some talent in the community and in Ballet Des Moines, though. The Spring Show, scheduled for May 30-31, 2008, will be a triple bill of original choreography. There is enough potential to make it worth seeing.
M.R. Field is editor of Leading Voices: Iowa. 
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Who wrote the Nutcracker Ballet review? Ebenezer Scrooge perhaps? Wow, talk about cynical remarks. Not many of which talk about the actual performances of the Nutcracker. Let’s see, why was the audience clapping? Oh, because they were delighted and charmed by the performances. As far as the remark about the audiences clapping in rhythm at the end “sounding like accompaniment for someone chugging a beer”, the dancers were done performing at that time. It’s not a distraction when the dancers are finished with the show. As somone who has been on stage numerous time myself, the rhythmic clapping was a sign of appreciation for a job well done, and I can guarantee that the performers relished such an audience. Thank you Ballet Iowa, for spreading Christmas cheer with your lovely rendition of the Nutcracker. HT
Ideally, when one is sent to review a performance or piece of art, the person in question would know at least a bit about their intended subject. Unfortunately (and very obviously) this reviewer knows almost nothing about ballet performances, and has probably never been to one prior to this Nutcracker show. As someone who has danced since the age of 4 (and has been in Ballet Des Moines’ Nutcracker as well as a multitude of others over the years), every critique M.R. Field had was ludicrous. The audience claps after “single feats” such as fouette turns and well-executed leaps to acknowledge the hours of work it has taken the dancer to achieve. Certain dancers were applauded upon entry to the stage for various reasons: they are returning cast members and therefore audience favorites, they are professionals hired to perform for Des Moines and are being welcomed by our community, or they are dancing leading roles and it is purely ballet etiquette.
As for the weight of several of the dancers…yes, it is important to make sure that the dancers are healthy and understand the dangers of eating disorders. However, it is not up to you as an audience member or reviewer to cast judgements upon those who you assume must be anorexic. Ballerinas dance up to 12 hours a day in class or rehearsal…that’s exercise, in case Field isn’t familiar with the concept.
Finally, as regards Field’s comment about the lack of sufficient talent in the Des Moines community…well, all I can say is that I’m glad this reviewer isn’t on the Ballet Des Moines board, and hopefully is not involved with the Des Moines Arts Center, the Metro Opera, Winefest, or any other remotely creative venture. Des Moines may not be New York City or even Chicago, but it is becoming increasingly clear that it is a city rife with people of many talents and interests that are interested in sharing with the rest of the community. Its comments like Field’s that lead to the blanket and ignorant assumption that a bunch of Midwesterners cannot produce people of ability and talent (isn’t Donna Reed from Denison?)