Blog Entry – Jacob’s Pillow 2013

From June 10 – 23, two Houston Ballet II dancers have been invited to participate in the prestigious ballet program at the legendary Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival in Western Massachusetts.

Ballet: Brigade; Dancers: Aoi Fujiwara and Eric White; Photo: Amitava Sarkar

Aoi Fujiwara, an 18 year-old originally from Osaka, Japan who has trained at Houston Ballet’s Academy for two years, was awarded a full scholarship. Mallory Mehaffey, an 18 year-old from Sugar Land, Texas who has studied at the Academy for two years, was selected by the Jacob’s Pillow panel to participate.

Ballet: The Sleeping Beauty; Dancers: Mallory Mehaffey and Joel Woellner; Photo: Amitava Sarkar

Jacob’s Pillow Dance is lauded worldwide as a “hub and mecca of dancing” (TIME Magazine), and “the dance center of the nation” (The New York Times). “The Pillow” is a treasured 220-acre National Historic Landmark, a recipient of the prestigious National Medal of Arts, and home to America’s longest-running international dance festival. Each year thousands of people from across the U.S. and around the globe visit the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts to experience the Festival with more than 50 dance companies

At the Pillow, both Ms. Mehaffey and Ms. Aoi will have the invaluable opportunity to train with stellar teachers such as New York City Ballet Principal Dancer Wendy Whelan and Anna Marie Holmes, director of the program. They will also perform in a world premiere created by the acclaimed dance maker Helen Pickett in the opening gala of the 2013 Festival on June 15.  And on June 22, they will take the stage again as part of the Pillow’s free outdoor performance series.

Making Musical Magic In Peter Pan

Portland, Oregon-based musical arranger Niel DePonte worked with choreographer Trey McIntyre to create the score for Mr. McIntyre’s three-act narrative work Peter Pan, which Houston Ballet will perform June 13 – 23 at Wortham Theater Center. Mr. DePonte used the music of the venerable English composer Edward Elgar (1857 – 1934) to create the score for Peter Pan, including exerts from such compositions as Crown of India Suite.

Ballet: Peter Pan; Dancers: Sara Webb as Wendy and Joseph Walsh as Peter Pan; Photo: Amitava Sarkar

Elgar was arguably the leading English composer of his generation, and a significant figure among late Romantic European musicians. The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music describes Elgar’s contribution to music by saying, “Elgar’s greatness as a composer lies in his ability to combine nobility and spirituality of utterance with a popular style.  Side by side with his large scale works are dozens of lighter pieces distinguished by melodic charm and fine craftsmanship.”

In this blog entry, Mr. DePonte talks about his search to find compositions by Elgar that were beautiful and evocative, but not necessarily widely known by American audiences, for the Peter Pan score.

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In Peter Pan, you will hear all or part of 22 pieces by Elgar including Wand of Youth, Suites 1&2 for the opening scenes of Act I; and In the South Overture for Peter’s victory over Captain Hook in Act III. There is very little music in the ballet that was not composed and orchestrated by Elgar.

Ballet: Peter Pan; Dancers: Derek Dunn as Michael and James Gotesky as Hook; Photo: Amitava Sarkar

It should be said that a conscientious musical arranger does not alter even a single phrase of a master composer’s music capriciously when creating a score like Peter Pan. The arranger’s responsibility, therefore, goes beyond honoring the choreographer’s vision for a ballet. He must also fairly represent the melodic, harmonic, and formal integrity of the music he is arranging to the greatest extent possible, thereby honoring the music itself, its composer, and the music’s role in the ballet.

In creating the compilation score for Peter Pan, I specifically avoided using the most familiar Elgar melodies. Accordingly, you will not hear excerpts from either the Enigma Variations, or Pomp And Circumstance March #1. The reason for this is twofold.

First, an audience might already associate this music with specific visual imagery, and I didn’t want those associations to transfer over to Peter Pan. Second, I wanted an opportunity to introduce to American audiences the “other” Elgar–  the one whose violin solo from the Crown of India Suite (heard during Peter and Wendy’s 2nd Act pas de deux) is breathtakingly, achingly, beautiful.

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Ballet: Peter Pan; Dancers: Sara Webb and Joseph Walsh; Photo: Amitava Sarkar

From June 13-23, 2013, Houston Ballet presents Trey McIntyre’s Peter Pan. Based upon the popular story by Sir James M. Barrie, Peter Pan is a magical ballet set to the music of Sir Edward Elgar in an arrangement by Niel DePonte and features spectacular flying sequences, swashbuckling swordfights, giant puppets, colorful masks, as well as costumes inspired by punk fashion. With elaborate, magical sets by Thomas Boyd and imaginative costumes by Broadway designer Jeanne Button, the production reinterprets the classic story with verve and wit. Houston Ballet will give seven performances of Peter Pan at Wortham Theater Center in downtown Houston.

Tickets may be purchased by calling 713 227 2787 or by visiting http://www.houstonballet.org.

Dancing Balanchine

Houston Ballet is presenting the company premiere of George Balanchine’s 1941 masterpiece Ballet Imperial through Sunday, June 9 on the program Journey with the Masters. Performing the works of George Balanchine presents special stylistic challenges for a dancer, especially those who didn’t grow up training in a school heavily influenced by the Balanchine style.

Principal dancer Connor Walsh has performed many ballets by George Balanchine.  In this blog entry, Connor shares his experiences of finding the correct musicality of Balanchine’s works and the impact of the coaching of two highly regarded répétiteurs of Balanchine’s work, Victoria Simon and Merrill Ashley, who coached and staged Ballet Imperial for Houston Ballet.

1. Which ballets choreographed by George Balanchine have you danced the lead in?  In what ways did they push/develop you as a dancer and an artist? 

Connor:   I’ve been fortunate enough to dance the lead in Apollo, Tchaikovsky Pas de deux, Ballo Della Regina, Theme and Variations, Western Symphony, Symphony in C, Rubies and Diamonds. Each ballet presented its own set of challenges for me that has helped me improve and approach my work in a different way.

Ballet: Apollo; Dancers: Connor Walsh and Artists of Houston Ballet; Photo: Amitava Sarkar

2. What are the particular challenges of dancing the Balanchine style for a dancer who didn’t grow up training in the Balanchine style?

 Connor: As I mentioned before every ballet is filled with its own challenges. But when it comes to Balanchine’s style, I would say it is in his musicality. The musicality his steps require is both his ballet’s biggest challenge, but also the key to mastering them.

When first approaching his work I tried to give equal effort to every step that I did, but I was finding that even with all of my effort, something was missing. I didn’t feel as if I was dancing poorly but I wasn’t quite getting the correct style.

Since Balanchine’s work is so classically based, it is hard not to approach them with the same technical emphasis as other classical ballets. But once I began to open my mind about why Balanchine dancers dance with a slightly affected style, I started to realize that it wasn’t without reason. More often than not, it is to get the most out of a step within the musicality that is required.

So now when approaching Balanchine’s work, I try to find the correct musicality before anything else in hopes of understanding what part of the step is the most important — and will clearly allow the audience to see the music coming through the steps.

 Ballet: Apollo; Dancers: Connor Walsh and Artists of Houston Ballet; Photo: Amitava Sarkar

3. How is Balanchine’s legacy transmitted through stagers such as Victoria Simon and Merrill Ashley who taught and coached Houston Ballet dancers in Ballet Imperial? What special nuggets of wisdom have they shared while working with Houston Ballet’s dancers that have resonated with him/stayed with him?

Connor: It’s very special to work with people who performed for Balanchine himself and have danced and seen his works performed at their best. It  is important for dancers to bring their own imagination to their dancing. But it is equally important to hear exactly what Balanchine had in mind for certain sections. Or there may be some underlying symbolism that may not be obvious, but is incredibly valuable.

 Courtesy of Houston Ballet

4. You did extensive research on the great Balanchine ballerina Merrill Ashley and her work with Balanchine to interview Ms. Ashley for Dance Talks sponsored by Houston Ballet on April 15 at the Center for Dance. Did you come across anything in your research that was particularly impactful?

I had a blast doing research and eventually interviewing Merrill. She made my life extremely easy for two reasons. One, she had a very rich career. Two, she was a real pleasure to talk to.

What I found most impactful was that Balanchine’s style and approval did not seem to come easy to her, so throughout her career she had to work extremely hard. Through her hard work and dedication she gained a true understanding of what she was doing. Some dancers have such natural gifts that they often never have to learn what makes them great. But Merrill’s greatness came from hard work and gaining knowledge that she can now pass on to other dancers.

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From May 30 – June 9, 2013 Houston Ballet offers up a mixed repertory program titled Journey with the Masters featuring the company premiere of Ballet Imperial, George Balanchine’s tribute to Marius Petipa and Peter Tchaikovsky, alongside revivals of Jirí Kylián’s exuberant and joyous Sinfonietta (not seen in Houston since 1997) and Jerome Robbins’s The Concert, a laugh-out-loud ballet depicting a group of concertgoers at a performance with keen insight to human behavior.

Tickets may be purchased by calling 713-227-2787 or by visiting www.houstonballet.org.

Ballet: Ballet Imperial; Dancers: Artists of Houston Ballet; Photo: Amitava Sarkar

Pink at the Brown: Saving Lives and Making Art

Houston Ballet Artistic Director Stanton Welch serves as artistic chair of this year’s Pink at the Brown, a glittering one-night performance bringing together Houston’s leading arts organizations on Thursday, May 16 at 8pm at Wortham Theater Center. The event benefits the Pink Ribbons Project, which saves lives and enhances the lives of those touched by breast cancer.

Dancers: Jessica Collado and Ian Casady; Photo: Leonel Nerio

In this blog entry, Stanton talks about plans for the event, and the new work that he has created especially for the performance, Nocturne Op. 15 No. 1.

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I’ve really enjoyed serving as artistic chair of Pink at the Brown. What I love most about Pink at the Brown is that it brings together all the arts in one performance.  On one stage in one night, you get Houston Symphony, Houston Grand Opera, Stages, DaCamera, Houston Ballet and Society for the Performing Arts.

Jane Weiner, the founder and artistic director of Pink Ribbons, is very talented.  She’s instrumental in putting together a very interesting evening of programming. At our initial brainstorming session for Pink at the Brown, after much discussion, we settled on the concept of using umbrellas as a motif throughout the performance. Everyone performing in Pink at the Brown is photographed with umbrellas. The umbrellas speak to a very basic question: How do you protect yourself? How do you find a safe space in a sometimes dangerous world?

Oliver Halkowich, a soloist with Houston Ballet, is very clever at exploring motifs, and I knew that I wanted him to choreograph a work for Houston Ballet II, our second company, to perform at Pink at the Brown.

I initially started out thinking that I might want to create a work to Coldplay’s Fix You. After much reflection, I settled upon Chopin’s Nocturne Op. 15 No. 1. It is soft, sentimental and touching.

I wanted to take two of my favorite dancers Ian Casady and Jessica Collado – and make this piece for them. Ian Casady was in my first work for Houston Ballet, Indigo, in 1998, and I’ve worked with him for 15 years. So my artistic relationship with him is one of the longest that I have had in America. And Jessica is in every ballet that I make.

They are two of the most musical dancers I’ve ever worked with in my life. Throughout this process, I’ve been so impressed with their musicality and ability to find very subtle nuances in the score.

Houston Ballet Pianist Katherine Burkwall-Ciscon is one of our company’s jewels, and I was so glad that she could join us in this collaboration to play the Chopin for Pink at the Brown.

 I think that it’s going to be a very special night.

-Stanton Welch, Artistic Director

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Pink at the Brown will be performed on Thursday, May 16 at 8:00 pm at Wortham Theater Center. It will feature performances by The Alley Theatre, Da Camera of Houston, Houston Ballet, Society for the Performing Arts Houston, Houston Grand Opera, Meta-Four Houston, Wrtiers in the Schools, and Stages Repertory Theatre. Tickets start at $25.  http://www.pinkribbons.org/pinkatthebrown/

Dancing The Rite of Spring

On Friday, May 17 from 6:30 – 8:00 pm at 601 Preston Street, join Houston Ballet Artistic Director Stanton Welch, and Shen Wei Dance Arts Company Manager Stephen Xue for a free group discussion on the 100th year anniversary of The Rite of Spring as they share insights into the Houston Ballet’s and Shen Wei Dance Arts’ productions of Vaslav Nijinsky’s seminal work.

Ballet: The Rite of Spring; Choreographer: Stanton Welch; Dancers: Artists of Houston Ballet; Photo: Amitava Sarkar

In March 2013, Mr. Welch choreographed a highly lauded new production of The Rite of Spring featuring Houston Ballet’s entire company. On Saturday, May 18 at 8:00 pm at Wortham Theater Center, Society for the Performing Arts will present New York-based Shen Wei Dance Arts, making its Houston debut performing two of its most celebrated works: The Rite of Spring (2003), coinciding with the 100th anniversary of Stravinsky’s famed musical composition; and Folding (2000), a highly stylized piece performed to the melodies of Tavener and Tibetan Buddhist chants.

Shen Wei Dance Arts; Photo by Christy Pessagno

Shen Wei was the mastermind choreographer behind the stunning 2008 Olympic Opening Ceremonies in Beijing – featuring 16,000 performers right in the heart of The Bird’s Nest. The company itself is devoted to the creation of innovative dance forms for the 21st century. A seamless fusion of Chinese opera, painting, dance and music with Western performance arts, Shen Wei’s works are “visual feasts” (The New York Sun) that transfix audiences.

For more information on the May 18 performance by Shen Wei Dance Arts and to purchase tickets:

http://www.spahouston.org/show?ShowId=59

Houston Ballet Helps Miller Theater Celebrate Its 90th Anniversary In Grand Style

From May 10 – 12 at 8pm, Houston Ballet celebrates Miller Theater’s 90th anniversary by performing three stellar works in three free performances. The evening will open with two short, dazzling pieces: the duet from the 19th century classic Flower Festival in Genzano and the exquisite classical set piece Grand Pas Classique, set to music by Daniel Auber and showcasing the virtuosity of two superb classical dancers.

Dancers: Artists of Houston Ballet; Photo: Amitava Sarkar

The program concludes with Stanton Welch’s signature work Madame Butterfly, the story of a beautiful Japanese geisha who gives up her faith and her family to marry an American naval officer. Set to Puccini’s powerful score with lavish costumes and sets by Peter Farmer, Madame Butterfly is at once compelling and heartbreaking. It is a stunning achievement in neoclassical ballet that has been an international success, with performances on three continents.

Free tickets to these performances are available (4 per person over age 16 while they last) at the Miller Outdoor Theatre box office the day of the performance between the hours of 10:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. If tickets remain at 1 p.m., the box office will re-open one hour before show time to distribute the remaining tickets. As always, open seating on the hill. This is a ticketed event for the covered seating area.

Houston Ballet at Miller Outdoor Theatre; Photo: Nerio Photography

Houston Ballet II Steps Center Stage in Toronto

From April 28 – May 4, the dancers of Houston Ballet II will tour to Toronto to appear in the prestigious international ballet festival Assemblée Internationale 2013 (AI13) in the Betty Oliphant Theatre at 404 Jarvis Street. Houston Ballet II dancers will appear along side other young dancers from some of the world’s most elite training institutions, including Paris Opera Ballet, the Royal Ballet of London, the Royal Danish Ballet, the National Ballet of Cuba, and The Australian Ballet.

Ballet: Fingerprints; Dancers: Artists of Houston Ballet II; Photo: Amitava Sarkar

Hosted by Canada’s National Ballet School (NBS), the AI13 will bring together students and artistic staff from eighteen international professional ballet schools for an intensive seven days of classes, performances, forums and professional development. Former Houston Ballet dancer Garrett Smith is choreographing a new work that will premiere at the festival. Houston Ballet II will also perform the first movement of Stanton Welch’s work Fingerprints, inspired by the music of the famous Kronos Quartet’s Pieces of Africa.

Tickets to four public performances can be purchased by calling the box office at 416-964-5148 or by email at boxoffice@nbs-enb.ca. For more information, visit Assemblée Internationale’s website. 

We are so proud that Houston Ballet II has been invited to Toronto to participate in the prestigious Assemblee Internationale 2013, the international ballet festival April 28 – May 4. Learn more about this innovative program that brings together the best young dancers from all over the world for an incredible week of classes, professional development and performances.

FROM CONCEPTION TO CREATION: THE COSTUMES FOR MURMURATION AND THE RITE OF SPRING

Houston Ballet’s veteran wardrobe manager Laura Lynch collaborated closely with two of three choreographers featured on Houston Ballet’s The Rite of Spring mixed repertory program March 7 – 17 to help them realize their visions for the costumes for their works.

Dancers: Karina Gonzalez and Simon Ballet; Photo: Amitava Sarkar

For Edwaard Liang’s ballet Murmuration, Ms. Lynch served as costume designer, along with Mr. Liang. For Stanton Welch’s world premiere of The Rite of Spring, Ms. Lynch realized the costume designs conceived by Mr. Welch.

Here is her journal of how she worked with the choreographers to realize their different visions.

CHOREOGRAPHER EDWAARD LIANG’S MURMURATION

Guest Writer:  Laura Lynch, Houston Ballet Wardrobe Manager

Edwaard Liang and I met via email. We then had a couple of phone conversations. He sent me a video of “murmuration.” (a phenomenon in Europe where starling birds flock together and make beautiful shapes and patterns in the sky), filmed in the wild. We discussed the simplicity he wanted in the design.

Edwaard was concrete in his decision that all women would have one look and that all men would have one look. The shop then took direction and created mock-ups for Liang to look at his first day here. Edwaard is a true collaborator. He thrives on hearing others’ opinions as well as seeking guidance when he is stuck.

Although he knew he wanted the ladies in a leotard, he wasn’t sure about the drape he wanted to soften the look with. After looking at the first round of mock-ups, we determined that a flat tab of fabric would better serve the simplicity he was looking for.

Dancers: Christopher Coomer and Karina Gonzalez; Photo: Amitava Sarkar

The leotard color also changed as we discussed the color of the birds.  Black leotards became gray leotardss and the chiffon tabs were shortened and the hem angled. We also decided to hombre (gradation of color) the chiffon tabs to better show the body. For the men, a simple pair of pants.  The decision together came in the discussion of using different fabrics to achieve the gray color for the women’s leotards. The decision was made to layer black mesh over white lycra.

The next decision was to determine the best width for the legs. A mock-up went into rehearsal so Liang could see the garment move. Changes were communicated and we were ready to purchase show fabrics and begin the build.

CHOREOGRAPHER STANTON WELCH’S THE RITE OF SPRING

Stanton created a design book with research pictures and information sketches of members of indigenous tribes charting what each character track would wear.

Dancers: Artists of Houston Ballet; Photo: Amitava Sarkar

Stanton presents his ideas, and then I ask questions to clarify.

We shopped fabrics and trims together early in the process because we had an upcoming season brochure photo shoot. I have the shop go straight to fashion fabrics when we have a definitive decision about the costume. We knew we’d use circle skirts and loin cloths – so those go right into production.

I draped all the North and South tribal women’s bras using the discussions with Stanton as my guide. Costume shop supervisor Sara Seavey draped the tribal men’s loin cloths, and incorporated the shop to assist. The tattoo mesh work was done by Monica Guerra using the research and discussion from Stanton.

Dancers: Nozomi Iijima and Artists of Houston Ballet; Photo: Amitava Sarkar

The shop follows direction from both Stanton and me as we construct all the other costumes and details. Amanda Mitchell and crew created all the wigs. All North and South tribal women have wigs, the “religious” have wigs, and everyone has some type of make-up. The tattoos are mostly created by painted mesh costumes.

Stanton Welch’s The Rite of Spring and Edwaard Liang’s Murmuration continue in performance with the company premiere of Mark Morris’s Pacific through Sunday, March 17 at Wortham Theater Center.  www.houstonballet.org.

The Corps de Ballet Takes Center Stage in La Bayadère

Principal ballet mistress Louise Lester and the female dancers of the corps de ballet have been very busy lately, preparing for one extremely challenging undertaking: dancing  La Bayadère, which opens next week (February 21) at Wortham Theater Center.

La Bayadère’s third act, the famous Kingdom of the Shades section, showcases 24 female dancers in white tutus, executing 38 synchronized and seamless arabesques while descending onto the stage, and is one of the purest forms of ballet-blanc, or white tutu ballet.

Artists of Houston Ballet; Photo: Amitava Sarkar

“The Kingdom of the Shades is a challenging segment because it requires such control and precision from the corps de ballet women,” says Mr. Welch. “There are few works in the classical repertoire that require more precision from the corps de ballet.”

The Kingdom of the Shades is so popular it is often performed on its own. Houston Ballet first performed The Kingdom of the Shades scene, staged by Ben Stevenson after Marius Petipa, in March 1994 and revived it in 1998.  In 1963, the celebrated English dance critic Clive Barnes famously observed, “If you don’t enjoy La Bayadère, you really don’t enjoy ballet “.

The Kingdom of the Shades_ Martha Butler and Carlos Acosta and Artists of Houston Ballet

Houston Ballet will give 7 performances of La Bayadère February 21 – March 3 at Wortham Theater Center.  Tickets start at $19, and may be purchased at www.houstonballet.org

A Look at Nutcrackers Past: Houston Ballet Celebrates 40 Years of Holiday Magic

During 2012, Houston Ballet celebrates its 40th anniversary of performing The Nutcracker. Very few dancers have appeared in all three of the different stagings of this work that Houston Ballet has performed. Jeanne Doornbos, a former principal dancer, who appeared with Houston Ballet from 1973 to 1988 is one. In this blog entry, Jeanne shares her memories of each of Houston Ballet’s three different productions.

Houston Ballet first performed The Nutcracker in 1972 in a production designed by Peter Farmer.  The snow scene is featured in this image.

Most former dancers, whatever their post-performing path, never completely lose the feeling of “being a dancer,” even if it isn’t always, or even often, uppermost in their minds. I’m no different, and although I danced my last Nutcracker with Houston Ballet in 1987, and retired after 15 years with the company in 1988, I am inevitably transported backstage each holiday season when I first hear the strains of Tchaikovsky’s beautiful Nutcracker music around me, usually as I am walking down a grocery store aisle. Feelings of both panic and joy rise immediately in me, and for a brief moment I worry if my pointe shoes are broken in properly, if my partner is waiting in the wings, if I’ll manage all the pirouettes in the Waltz of the Flowers.  Phew!! I quickly come to my senses and realize that, back here on planet Earth, I don’t have to worry about that anymore. I can just enjoy the music.

The program cover for Houston Ballet’s new production of The Nutcracker, debuting in 1987, featuring a costume sketch of the Nutcracker by Tony Award-winning designer Desmond Heeley.

I felt more than a little geriatric when Andrew Edmonson asked me to reminisce about the three Nutcracker productions that Houston Ballet has presented so far, after determining that I am the only surviving dancer who performed as a professional in all three. He may or may not be right about that, but I know that some Houston Ballet Academy students who started out as children in the original Frederic Franklin Nutcracker went on to perform as adults in the two Ben Stevenson productions, including the current one, first presented in 1987, with beautiful sets and costumes by Desmond Heeley. In fact, when we danced together with Houston Ballet, Lauren Anderson used to occasionally call me “Mom,” to remind me that she had been a party child when I was playing an adult in Act I. So, I admit that I may have a “historic” view.

Frederic Franklin’s Nutcrackerwas being presented for only the second time during my first year with Houston Ballet, in 1973. I’d never been in a Nutcracker before, and was very excited to become part of a holiday tradition. I danced many corps de ballet roles in this version:  parent, snowflake, flower, Spanish dancer, Mirliton. Clara’s family in this version was wealthy, and I remember the women in the Act I party scene wearing elegant décolleté gowns festooned with pearls, feathers in our hair, and lots of jewelry. The men wore velvet tailcoats, and the Dance of the Parents in Act I was quite stately. The uproar caused by the riotous boys (often played by girls dressed in long pants in those days, because of a dearth of boy students in the Houston Ballet Academy) was calmly dealt with by regal parents. In the later Stevenson versions, set in a less formal household, Fritz and his band get pretty wildly out of hand, which is funny and memorable, but surely causes parents of small children in the audience to grind their teeth and shift in their seats. It certainly did me when I began to take my son to see The Nutcracker, though I must admit he loved it, and laughed delightedly as he followed the boys’ exploits.

The snowflake scene in Houston Ballet’s first staging of The Nutcracker (circa 1975), with choreography by Frederic Franklin and designs by Peter Farmer.

The feeling the dancers get from an audience at The Nutcracker is distinctive because of the presence of so many children. Their reactions to the stage action are free and spontaneous, and you can often feel–and hear, if a little one just can’t keep still–the sense of wonder emanating from the audience. It makes the magic of the tree growing, the Battle Scene raging, even just the Sugar Plum rising onto pointe exciting, even for the most jaded backstage denizen, who has seen it all before, perhaps hundreds of times.

Janie Parker and Li Cunxin starred as the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Prince in Houston Ballet’s 1987 production of The Nutcracker, choreographed by Ben Stevenson and designed by Desmond Heeley. 

The Nutcracker fields a big cast, and several performances, so that opportunities are created for company members to do more important roles than they would normally be given. Dancing up to these challenges often leads to artistic and technical growth throughout the ranks. Nothing concentrates a dancer’s mind, body and soul like having to conquer a difficult series of turns or become a character completely unlike herself. I certainly found that true for myself, as I was given larger roles over the years, and eventually was cast as both the Snow Queen and the Sugar Plum Fairy for several years in Ben Stevenson’s two productions of The Nutcracker. If a dancer does well in Nutcracker roles that have stretched and strengthened her dancing, she won’t be ignored when casting is decided for other ballets, and will be ready for even greater challenges. In this way, The Nutcracker provides a yearly tutorial in pure classical dancing and characterization for all the company members, which has served the artistic growth of the Houston Ballet over the years. It also fosters a sense of continuity and community within the company as dancers observe and learn from each other, and eventually take on roles that they once watched eagerly from the wings.

I postponed my retirement so that I could have the opportunity to dance in Houston Ballet’s first season at the new Wortham Theater. It really was thrilling. I remember making the climb to the highest balcony when we first moved in, and looking down with wonder on the beautiful red proscenium arch, decorated with Texas stars. The dressing rooms were big, the backstage area was huge, the stage floor was springy for ease of jumping, and there was a palpable air of excitement in Houston about the Ballet and Opera moving into a house built especially for them. It gave a solid stamp of approval to those arts that has propelled them forward ever since. The unveiling at the Wortham in December of a new Nutcracker, with Desmond Heeley’s sumptuous–that’s the only word–sets and costumes was the icing on the cake. The previous production had gotten a bit bedraggled after years of service, so it was wonderful to see the elaborate sets for the Party, Snow Scene and Land of the Sweets, and the dancers in their colorful costumes milling around at dress rehearsal. I even had my own mint condition Snow and Sugar Plum tutus!

Dancers: Jeanne Doornbos and Kenneth McCombie; Ballet: Peer Gynt

I have so many memories of The Nutcracker that come to mind each holiday season: Andrea Vodehnal completing a series of fouettés by pulling in for an astounding six final pirouettes in the Sugar Plum coda; a Sugar Plum (not me!) getting her tiara inextricably and horrifyingly entangled in her Cavalier’s tunic during the pas de deux; having to nervously wait during the entire Battle Scene for the Snow Queen’s entrance while remaining concealed in the narrow space behind the Party Scene tree; Ben Stevenson’s ribald humor about the rather suggestive cleft in the giant plum from which the Sugar Plum used to emerge in Act II; the six-pack of Pearl beer that lay on the stage at the back of the Snow Scene one performance, evidence of a stagehand’s hasty retreat as the scene began to change and he was about to be revealed; the ritual dumping of bags of stage snow on the heads of the flittering dancers as the curtain falls on the last Snow Scene performance each year; the darling little children dressed in their holiday best in the Greenroom after performances; and the slips, spills and mistakes that are inevitable over the course of so many performances. I loved every minute of every one.

- Jeanne Doornbos

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Houston Ballet presents The Nutcracker from November 23-30, 2012. A little girl named Clara receives a magical nutcracker on Christmas Eve, and sets out on a wondrous journey to the Land of Snow and the Kingdom of Sweets. Featuring breathtaking scenery and costumes by Tony Award-winning designer Desmond Heeley, The Nutcracker is the perfect yuletide gift: the ideal means of introducing children to the power and beauty of classical dance, and a delightful way for the entire family to ring in the holiday season.

Tickets may be purchased by calling 713-227-2787 or by visiting www.houstonballet.org. Please click here to view, print or download casting.

Dancers: Charles-Louis Yoshiyama and Artists of Houston Ballet; Photo: Amitava Sarkar