We all know the timeless story of “The Nutcracker” well.
But in case you need a refresher:
“The Nutcracker and the Mouse King” was written in 1816 by E. T. A. Hoffmann and thanks to Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and two choreographers who turned it into a ballet in 1892, the story has now quickly turned into a cherished Christmas favorite.
The traditional ballet storyline shows Clara Stahlbaum on Christmas Eve with her favorite toy, the Nutcracker. As mice begin to fill the room, Clara starts to shrink and the Nutcracker comes alive, thrusting Clara into the midst of a huge battle between gingerbread soldiers and mice, who are taking orders from a Mouse King. The Nutcracker, who is leading the gingerbread soldiers, ends up triumphantly defeating the Mouse King and then transforms into a Prince. He introduces Clara to a magical world where, among other enchanting events, they perform the beloved “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.”
Sure, we all know the story well, but what if it had an even more whimsical twist?
That’s exactly what Dance Wisconsin will be doing with their performance of the “Nutracker Fantasy.” Jo Jean Retrum is the artistic director for Dance Wisconsin and a UW-Milwaukee alum with degrees in dance, music and theater, and opened the Monona Academy of Dance with her mother in 1973. Since then, the dance-obsessed family has kept “The Nutcracker” ballet alive in the Madison area for decades.
“I started doing ‘The Nutcracker’ in 1977 when there was going to be no ‘Nutcracker.’ Several studios got together and we put on a ‘Nutcracker’ and we’ve been doing it ever since,” Retrum said. In 1999 Retrum revolutionized the show into what is now “Nutcracker Fantasy.”
Retrum is well qualified for the job. She studied at the American Ballet Theatre and the Harkness House in New York City and was also a soloist with the Milwaukee Ballet Company in addition to the Ruth Page Company in Chicago.
Dance Wisconsin’s “Nutcracker Fantasy” veers away from the traditional rendition of the ballet with a different variation of the plot (the first act takes place in Uncle Drosselmeyer’s Toyshop rather than the Stahlbaum house), as well as caroling, waltzing, acrobatics, jazz, music from a live orchestra and even an ice skating number are added into the show. The ballet will have original music composed by Taras Nahirniak and local Monona Grove High School singers will brighten up the stage by accompanying several orchestral pieces.
Because of these additions and changes, Retrum believes that “Nutcracker Fantasy” offers a more family oriented performance for the audience because of its entertainment value and accessibility for all ages.
“It is actually more entertaining than the traditional ‘Nutcracker’ because of the singing and the carolers and the diversity of pieces,” Retrum said. “It’s more family friendly and a little easier to sit through.”
The members of Dance Wisconsin are all local dancers from local ballet schools and only face one restriction: They must be signed for dance lessons. Beyond that there are absolutely no age restrictions, with dancers ranging from children as young as 7-years-old to grown adults.
In addition to local talent, a few notable and noteworthy dancers will be moonlighting on stage, including Sascha Radetsky and Stella Abrera of the American Ballet Theatre, as well as Justin Bohan, a former student of Retrum.
“This year, my favorite part is going to be watching the snow pas de deux because I am bringing back one of my former dancers,” Retrum said describing the French term for when ballet dancers perform a duet together. “He started dancing with me when he was 8-years-old and now he is a professional dancer with the Milwaukee ballet,” Retrum said.
So if you’re feeling nostalgic for the traditional “Nutcracker” but are looking for a fresh, fantastic twist, come see this weekend’s performance. Retrum promises a ‘lively’ performance.
“We bring the stories alive through dance,” Retrum said.
Dance Wisconsin will be performing “Nutcracker Fantasy” on Saturday, Dec. 4 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Dec. 5 at 2 p.m. at the Wisconsin Union Theater. Tickets start at $20.
