#The Nutcracker Chronicles

[tikitania]

Nutcracker Nirvana

I'm a fan of ballet reconstructions. I enjoy peeling back the layers of choreography and discovering what was jettisoned and what endures. It's always a process of seeing ballet from a new perspective. While some reconstructions are more successful than others, I've recently come across this Yuri Burlaka & Vasily Medeydev reconstruction of The Nutcracker for the Stattsballett Berlin featuring Iana Salenko and Marian Walter. It's enchanting! But this has to be prefaced with my relationship to The Nutcracker and how it's changed recently. For most of my life, I simply considered it a treacly moneymaker. It was a cynical take and one based on absolute ignorance. I have been schooled and that started last year when I watched Alastair Macualey, the esteemed ballet historian and former NYT Dance Critic, lead a step-by-step demonstration of the Act 2 PDD with NYCB dancers at NY City Center. It was a comparison of the original Ivanov choreography as danced by Fonteyn in the 1950s (it had already changed somewhat from the 1892 original) and Balanchine's version. It was a revelation. This supposedly treacly ballet was about something far more moving and mysterious. It's a ballet about childhood and imagination, and the fleeting nature of wonderment. It's utterly soaring at times, the crescendos in the PPD keep building and building — but there's an underlying melancholy girding this PDD, reminding us that this world of imagination will all come to an end — the predominant minor key down scales following those soaring crescendos….I learned that Tchaikovsky's beloved younger sister died a year prior to writing this score, and I cannot help but think this ballet is a tribute to her in a way. I was lucky enough to see Sarah Lane and Chun Wai Chan perform the PDD recently with a local ballet company and it brought me to goddamn tears. I'm not ashamed to admit it. That demonstration at City Center is no longer available on YouTube, but you can hear Alastair Macauley talk about the connection between Balanchine's Nutcracker and the Ivanov version that premiered in 1892 in this podcast: Conversations on Dance.

But what I enjoyed so much about this Burlaka-Medyedev reconstruction is that it's not really a step-by-step reconstruction at all, but an homage to the original Imperial libretto and staging. The one that Balanchine grew up with, performed in as a child, and it's the inspiration for the NYCB's version. You can see Ivanov's fingerprints all over Balanchine's Nutcracker. Pointe Magazine wrote about the comparison back when it premiered, noting a couple similarities and differences.

This reconstruction is gorgeously lush. I love the transformations from the parlor into the wintry landscape, the swan sleigh, the pageantry upon entering the Kingdom of Sweets, the focus on Clara/Marie as the central character….and the costumes! The costumes are all based on the original sketches, which were also documented in photographs. The ornate details are what pull me in and I would love to return to this ballet over and over again. I think the only part that really falls short for me is the scarf trick in the PDD. NYCB now does this with a floating disk and even now, it's an aspect of the ballet that still feels disjointed and out of place. Here's a link to the ballet via the TG Channel, the King Dancers. It's a Chinese streamer with the fussiest interface. But you can also stream it via Belaireclassiques for a small fee.

And if you've made it this far, here are some photos from the original 1892 Imperial St. Petersburg Ballet premier also courtesy of the TG channel, the King Dances.

[inkabelledesigns]

Happy Nutcracker Season! Here's my piece for this year's art challenge, run by the ravishing @artsynoova. Designing ball attire for Auran and Loraine was so much fun. I really ought to put them in these colors more. XD Auran looks surprisingly good in red. These two haven't been to a ball in a while, I think they've forgotten some of their etiquette. ^^''' But that's fine, this is an event surrounded by friends, it's okay to let loose. They're gonna have such a good time dancing with everyone.

Thank you again so much for having us Noova, this was a delight!

[beth-purcell]

I am in a crossover meddling mood lol Other Characters belonging to

@theevilemster

@artsynoova

@inkabelledesigns

@shinyzango

[dearabsolutelynoone]

Films You Kind of Have to Watch During the Holidays Because They’re Technically Christmas Movies (No I Won’t Elaborate)

Sound of Music (1965) dir. Robert Wise

Quote: “After all, the wool from the black sheep is just as warm.”

While You Were Sleeping (1995) dir. Jon Turteltaub

Quote: “I've had a really lousy Christmas, you've *just* managed to kill my New Year's, if you come back on Easter- you can burn down my apartment.”

Anastasia (1997) dir. Don Bluth & Gary Goldman

Quote: “There was a time, not very long ago, where we lived in an enchanted world of elegant palaces and grand parties.“

Barbie in the Nutcracker (2001) dir. Owen Hurley

Quote: “There's a world full of wonders out there, Uncle, and Clara deserves to experience them.”

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001) dir. Chris Columbus

Quote: “Now if you two don't mind, I'm going to bed before either of you come up with another clever idea to get us killed - or worse, expelled.”

Mean Girls (2004) dir. Mark Waters

Quote: “Raise your hand if you have ever been personally victimized by Regina George.”

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (2005) dir. Andrew Adamson

Quote: “Once a king or queen of Narnia, always a king or queen of Narnia. May your wisdom grace us until the stars rain down from the heavens.”

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 (2011) dir. Bill Condon

Quote: “My life as a human was over, but I've never felt more alive. I was born to be a vampire.”

Little Woman (2019) dir. Greta Gerwig

Quote: “Just because my dreams are different than yours, it doesn’t mean they’re unimportant.”

[levieri]

which ballets are the favorites of the lunar chronicles characters

i dont think all the characters like ballet, but if they'd to pick one it would be these:

Scarlet (and wolf): La bayadère

Jacin: Romeo and Juliet pas de deux

Winter: The nutcracker (especially clara's solo or maybe the mouses scene)

Cress: The sleeping beauty

Thorne: Caravaggio

Kai: Cinderella; Cinderella pas de deux

Cinder: Don Quixote

Iko: Swan lake

[belacottie]

Tom as the snow king in the nutcracker

[kpopandbookschild]

Books pool round 1 #2

[space-station-nursery]

◜ 🛷𓂃 Childsafe Holiday Movies ‧ 🦌◞

⁺　　◍ 　 . 　 ⁺　　☆　　⁺ 　 . 　 ◍　　⁺

Hello stardust babies ! As the holidays creep near, i decided i would make another movies list similar to this , just for Christmas! We hope you all enjoy, and remember.... These ages are just suggestions, you can enjoy these movies a younger/older age

⁺　　◍ 　 . 　 ⁺　　☆　　⁺ 　 . 　 ◍　　⁺

⧼ 🎄 ⧽ Ages 0-2

Elmo Saves Christmas Sesame Street: A Sesame Street Christmas Carol Frosty the snowman [1969] Jingle Jangle Frozen Klaus A Charlie Brown Christmas The Grinch [2018] Mickey's Once/Twice Upon a Christmas Winnie the pooh: Seasons of giving

⧼ 🧤 ⧽ Ages 3-5

The polar express The grinch [1966] Rudolph the red nosed reindeer The Christmas Chronicles Arthur Christmas Do not re-write and post as own Santa Paws / Santa paws 2 The Santa Clause Mr Magoos Christmas Carol Barbie: The Nutcracker Miracle on 34th street

⧼ ❄️ ⧽ Ages 6-9+

Home alone How the grinch stole Christmas [2000] Christmas with the Kranks Elf A Christmas Carol [2007] National Lampoons Christmas vacation Unaccompanied Minors The Nightmare before Christmas A Christmas story Ernest saves Christmas

⁺　　◍ 　 . 　 ⁺　　☆　　⁺ 　 . 　 ◍　　⁺

18+ blogs // DD!LG, AB!DL and variants [even "SFW"] // 27 and older // DNI

Fact OTD: "Jingle Bells" was the first piece of music broadcast in space, as a prank by two astronauts during the Gemini 6A mission.

[amberkendslacy]

EDIT : Forgot about poor Marie/Clara Stahlbaum from the Nutcracker so edit to update:

[malusokay]

⋆⁺₊❅⋆ My Christmas movie watch list ⋆⁺₊❅⋆

⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅̩̩͙‧͙Romance ‧͙̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆

The Holiday 2006

Love Actually 2003

Love Hard 2021

Holidate 2020

A Castle for Christmas 2021

The Shop Around the Corner 1940

Christmas in Connecticut 1945

Holiday Affair 1949

EXmas 2023

The Holiday Calendar 2018

A Merry Scottish Christmas 2023

The Princess Switch 2018

The Princess Switch: Switched Again 2020

The Princess Switch 3: Romancing the Star 2021

Four Christmases 2008

Last Christmas 2019

⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅̩̩͙‧͙Comedy ‧͙̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆

Elf 2003

Home Alone 1990

Home Alone 2 1992

Noelle 2019

Surviving Christmas 2004

Jack Frost 1998

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms 2018

The Christmas Chronicles 2018

The Christmas Chronicles 2 2020

A Christmas Story 1983

Jingle All the Way 1996

Jingle All the Way 2 2014

Deck the Halls 2006

The Santa Clause 1994

Christmas with the Kranks 2004

Christmas Vacation 1989

⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅̩̩͙‧͙Animated ‧͙̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆

Barbie in the Nutcracker 2001

Barbie in a Christmas Carol 2008

Barbie: A Perfect Christmas 2011

How the Grinch Stole Christmas 2000

The Grinch 2018

The Polar Express 2004

A Christmas Carol 2009

The Nightmare Before Christmas 1993

The Elf on the Shelf: An Elf's Story 2010

The Year Without a Santa Claus 1974

A Charlie Brown Christmas 1965

Arthur Christmas 2011

Frosty the Snowman 1969

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer 1964

I've also put all movies in a Letterbox list --> ˗ˋˏ click here ˎˊ-

If you guys have any more suggestions and/or recommendations (maybe some shows and series as well!!), please feel free to share them with me in the comments!! <33

[deepestdelulu]

⋆⁺₊❅⋆ My Christmas movie watch list ⋆⁺₊❅⋆

⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅̩̩͙‧͙Romance ‧͙̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆

The Holiday 2006

Love Actually 2003

Love Hard 2021

Holidate 2020

A Castle for Christmas 2021

The Shop Around the Corner 1940

Christmas in Connecticut 1945

Holiday Affair 1949

EXmas 2023

The Holiday Calendar 2018

A Merry Scottish Christmas 2023

The Princess Switch 2018

The Princess Switch: Switched Again 2020

The Princess Switch 3: Romancing the Star 2021

Four Christmases 2008

Last Christmas 2019

⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅̩̩͙‧͙Comedy ‧͙̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆

Elf 2003

Home Alone 1990

Home Alone 2 1992

Noelle 2019

Surviving Christmas 2004

Jack Frost 1998

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms 2018

The Christmas Chronicles 2018

The Christmas Chronicles 2 2020

A Christmas Story 1983

Jingle All the Way 1996

Jingle All the Way 2 2014

Deck the Halls 2006

The Santa Clause 1994

Christmas with the Kranks 2004

Christmas Vacation 1989

⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅̩̩͙‧͙Animated ‧͙̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆

Barbie in the Nutcracker 2001

Barbie in a Christmas Carol 2008

Barbie: A Perfect Christmas 2011

How the Grinch Stole Christmas 2000

The Grinch 2018

The Polar Express 2004

A Christmas Carol 2009

The Nightmare Before Christmas 1993

The Elf on the Shelf: An Elf's Story 2010

The Year Without a Santa Claus 1974

A Charlie Brown Christmas 1965

Arthur Christmas 2011

Frosty the Snowman 1969

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer 1964

If you guys have any more suggestions and/or recommendations (maybe some shows and series as well!!), please feel free to share them with me in the comments!! <33

[tikitania]

Nutcracker thoughts continued…

I ravaged Nureyev’s Nutcracker choreography in a prior post, but I came across this rehearsal with Ines MacIntosh and Paul Marque and the dancing looked so much better, at least these brief sections. (there are more that I didn't upload.) It makes me realize just how ill-suited Tsikaridze is for that choreography.

Still not a convert, but this is at least watchable and I dare say….enjoyable! 🎄

Video: TG @Dance Writer's World (Vita Khlopova)

Also, of you’re not following @laurynjohnson20 on IG then hop on it! She's a dancer, dance historian, designer and all around delightful presence at Lincoln Center where she also works as an usher. She posts a trove of images from the NYPL of Performing Arts, NYCB, and the Balanchine Foundation along with brief histories. It’s a great intro to all things NYCB. She’s been doing a deep dive of Balanchine's Nutcracker all month long.

Gelsey Kirkland & Edward Villella. Kirkland's debut as Sugar Plum. Photo by Fred Fehl, 1969. (via IG @laurynjohnson20) Footage of Gelsey Kirkland is rare, but from what I've seen, her technique and expressiveness is on par with top Mariinsky dancers of today. She really was that damn good.

[inkabelledesigns]

You ever just find a video that perfectly captures the vibe of you OCs, and then you go feral over it? Hi that's me right now. So in the context of Wish, At All Costs is not a romantic love song, it's more of like, a familial love song. But in the context of this animatic, it works very well in a romantic context while still feeling a little familial, and I really love that.

And now I'm using this as an excuse to talk about my nutcracker OCs. Y'all this is so Auran and Loraine it hurts. This is exactly their energy and it's wrecking me AAHHHHHHHH! Like, okay so in the first audio skit I ever did for these two, Auran has specifically learned how to use his magic to make an Aurora Borealis, and he did this for Loraine. I mean it's also for him, but it's very much so he can surprise her and let her relive the memories of their adventure in the Great North together, where the sky was like that all the time. There is nothing these two wouldn't do for each other, and while I think Loraine is the one that starts out as the adventurous, curious one, Auran grows to become just as playful and would absolutely do stuff like this. He is such a gentle Jack Frost and I love that for him. And aaahhhh, the way Loraine craves the freedom of flight, the freedom of getting to choose who she is, it's wrecking me. Just, they are so good and sweet and cute together and aaaahhhh my entire heart. I need them kissing and dancing in the sky stat. AAAAHHHHHH! I don't ever feel this strongly about my OCs romancing, like I am not someone who writes a ton of relationships of this nature but this is wrecking me, hardcore. I'm a cauldron of passion that is OVERFLOWING!

[beth-purcell]

Various doodles over the past few months, involving some character designing, fan stuff, fighting the plot bunny, and various doodles of @inkabelledesigns and @noovamulticolors's characters and the RPs we've been doing lol.

[coqxettee]

How to be a:

Snow Princess 🌬 ⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛🦢 ⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛🤍

How to be a frosty princess this winter:

🦢 Dress in White’s, Grey’s & cream’s

🦢 Coat your eyelids in sparkly, shimmery eyeshadow to give them a frosty look

🦢 Oversized fur coats, knit skirts, snow boots, and white fur hats are a must <3

🦢 Make snow angels, catch snowflakes in your hands and write in the snow

🦢 Drink hot cocoa

🦢Fall in love with Cold weather, this is

🦢 Listen to classical music & soundtracks such as Tchaikovsky’s - “The Nutcracker”

🦢 Wear sparkly lipgloss to make your kisses sparkle

🦢Practice winter activities such as Ice Skating and skiing

🦢Listen to the albums “Ultraviolence” & “COTCC” by Lana del rey

🦢Earmuffs, gloves, oversized scarfs and leg warmer’s make super cute accessories

🦢Silver jewellery>>>>

🦢Take time in nature when it’s cold. Visit the swans by the lake and watch the deer in the woods

🦢Watch movies like “The Chronicles of Narnia” & “Secret of the wings”

🦢Cut pretty snowflakes out of paper and stick them to your journal or hang them in your room

⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚

[fizzigigsimmer]

Very basic, but Nutcracker was the first ballet I ever saw and the love was born. I don't care how many times I've seen it, I get ridiculously excited to watch it, and it feels magical every time.

I think Billy would never admit it out loud, but after his experience at the academy Nutcracker is secretly one of his favorite shows. Because it's the first show he and Steve ever did in school, and the only show they performed together every year thereafter. In a way it chronicled every stage of their relationship from enemies - when he played the rat king an Steve was the nutcracker prince, to best friends and lovers - when they were seniors and it was time to pass the mantle to some of the younger talent in the room. He knows he'll never experience something quite like that again, feeling like just "some kid" for the first time in his life. Where being part of an ensemble wasn't about fighting to be noticed or maintain his status, but enjoying the experience and all the hard work he and his friends put into the show. He remembers all of the jokes and backstage shenanigans he and his crew got up to, and how many times he and Steve had to be shushed for giggling too loudly. He remembers ever silly challenge they came up with in their partnered dances and how each prize for the winner got dirtier and dirtier every show. And yeah, it was even kinda nice seeing all those hours of summer practice pay off for Max. He's biased or whatever, but she made a much better Clara in his opinion than any of the other girls ever did. It's the spunk.

He can't see snow fall without remembering dancing with Steve under falling snowflakes and stage lights. So yeah. It's cliche or whatever but he doesn't actually hate the show the way some dancers do after performing it a gazillion times over their careers. It'll always be just a little magical to him. Don't tell anyone though.