Peek behind the curtain: Wilmington Ballet's 56th annual production of The Nutcracker
Once upon a time, in the alluring world of ballet, an ensemble of talented and imaginative artists came together to stage an extraordinary Christmas show. Their hope was to captivate audiences and the performing arts community. It received a lukewarm reception during its original debut in 1892, but since then, "The Nutcracker" has gone on to capture the hearts of audiences across the globe.
The story of "The Nutcracker" centers around Clara, the enchanted Nutcracker doll given to her family by her godfather on Christmas Eve and the extraordinary world he takes her to. Even if you're not a ballet enthusiast, chances are you've come across references to this enduring production: the graceful Sugar Plum Fairy, the iconic Nutcracker, or perhaps the familiar melodies of legendary composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky's score, which has been used to promote all sorts of products and movies.
The ballet is based on the novel "The Story of a Nutcracker" written by Alexandre Dumas, a Frenchman who was the grandson of an enslaved Black American woman. Dumas adapted his work from the fantastical short story "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King" by Prussian author E.T.A. Hoffman.
Throughout its history, presentations of The "Nutcracker'' ballet have been influenced by critics and the artistic expression of its choreographers, directors and patrons. From the beginning, new productions of the saga introduced departures from the original such as the renaming of Clara to Marie, eliminating the Sugar Plum Fairy or adults assuming the roles of children.
Under the leadership of artistic and executive director Benjamin S. Cannon, this spirit of innovation is embodied in the Wilmington Ballet Academy of the Dance's production of "The Nutcracker'' this season. The Wilmington Ballet's production blends a tapestry of creativity, introducing fresh perspectives to "The Nutcracker'' through collaboration with local talents and area organizations, including:
The Wilmington Ballet Orchestra conducted by Maestro Allan R. Scott
The Choir School of Delaware — an afterschool music theater program for under resourced students in the Wilmington area
Pieces of a Dream, Inc. — a modern dance company
Treinta y Tres leading the performance of rueda de casino
The Voloshky Ukrainian Dance Ensemble of Jenkintown, Pennsylvania
A Russian Cyr wheel artist from the Secret Circus Philadelphia
Philadelphia-based SHARP Dance Company
Richard Villaverde from the Martha Graham Dance Company in New York City
Francesca Forcella of Ballet X of Philadelphia
The Wilmington Ballet Academy of the Dance will present "The Nutcracker'' at The Playhouse on Rodney Square beginning Friday, Dec. 15. But before the patrons are seated, the curtain rises and the audience is transported to a world of wonder, Delaware Online/The News Journal provides an exclusive glimpse into the dance company's 12-week rehearsal period.
New take on the Wilmington Ballet Academy of the Dance
Established in 1956 as the Academy of the Dance by Madame Helene Antonova and James Jamieson, the ballet company quickly gained recognition. Antonova died in 1974, followed by Jamieson in 1993. Victor Wesley, a former student of the Academy of the Dance, took ownership renamed it the Wilmington Ballet and transformed it into a professional company. In 2008, when Wesley returned to Scotland, the school transitioned into a nonprofit organization.
A core mission of The Wilmington Ballet Academy of the Dance is to nurture students' artistic growth and help them pursue their dream of joining professional dance companies through training in classical, modern and multicultural dance. Cannon, a Southbridge native, was one of those students.
After gaining artistic experience in various productions across the country, including a role in "The Lion King'' on Broadway, Cannon returned to Delaware during the pandemic to helm the dance academy. He described his ascension to the leadership role at The Wilmington Ballet Academy of the Dance as pivotal, especially as the first African American to hold that position. "The title is important because you very rarely see an African American man in that position, specifically in this type of organization," Cannon said.
Eager to share his passion and expertise with the local community, Cannon said a major priority for him was to broaden the concept of participation in the arts. He set out to create a ballet that showcases local talent, trained professionals and diverse dance forms.
A challenge to traditional casting and cultural portrayals
"The Nutcracker'' is a story about desire and delight. In the second half of the show, the heroine enjoys sweets from other cultures. While these cultural treats are represented in dance, the people from those cultures were not always invited to perform. Cannon said his industry is now making a conscious effort to promote "anti-racism" and actively challenge the belief that an authentic classical ballet must predominately feature European performers.
He explained that is why he addressed the portrayal of traditional Chinese dance.
"There was a very racist piece of choreography that a lot of companies have done in the past, and some still do," said Cannon. "We've discovered that that shouldn't be in the show." Cannon substituted that choreography with Irish dancing performed by the McAleer-Paulson School of Irish Dance.
Another cultural dance innovation Cannon integrated into "The Nutcracker'' is a Cuban salsa called rueda de casino or casino wheel. This Latin style of square dancing will be performed during the party scene. The artistry of rueda de casino was taught by Michael Payne, a Delaware State Police officer who has dedicated himself to teaching others this popular Cuban salsa dance form.
Payne said while ballet dancers may not fully capture the authenticity of this particular dance style, it was still a privilege and honor to incorporate it into "The Nutcracker.'' He explained that as a convention, the ballet features Russian and Irish dances, but the addition of Spanish and Cuban elements demonstrates the diversity Wilmington Ballet strives to embrace. "What the Wilmington Ballet is all about is showing the world, if you will, what dance really looks like and it comes from all over the world," Payne said.
Inside The Nutcracker's wardrobe closet
At an arts nonprofit this small, everyone must take on multiple roles. Karen Hostler teaches most of the adult classes and is the academy's wardrobe mistress. After casting, the countdown to opening night tests Hostler to meet the demands for necessary costume alterations: the growth of child dancers, the addition of new dancers, missed fittings and trips to fabric and crafts stores like Joann or Michaels.
Each task consumes more time than expected, stretching the hours needed to attend to costume changes beyond the studio. Extra moments spent on alterations mean household tasks — cooking, laundry, cleaning — have to wait. "My house looks like crap," Hostler said.
Every character's portrayal demands meticulous adjustments and inventiveness to ensure performers are ready for their on-stage appearances. For instance, the dancer who plays the Mouse Queen will double as a maid. She will need to immediately change out of one pair of dance shoes and into laced ballerina slippers before returning to the stage. With no time to tie the lace around her legs, Hostler remedied the predicament by sewing ribbons onto the mouse costume.
Backstage is a world of quick changes and improvisation where incredible agility and precision are required by both performers and crew. The dancer playing Clara must swiftly transition from a party dress to a nightgown in a mere 45 seconds.
And then there's the costume change for 14-year "Nutcracker'' veteran Alfred Lance Jr. Not only is he balancing dual roles, but he also must balance on stilts while wearing a hoop skirt as Mother Ginger. The backstage coordination is as intricate as any on-stage performance. A team of three, including Hostler, must safely guide Lance to a ladder to remove the stilts. After the quick transition, he'll return to the stage as Herr Drosselmeyer.
The rhythm of custom preparations during these times is demanding. Yet, these unseen efforts are a testament to passion and commitment that breathe life into the stage, making every costume a display of dedication.
Preparing the props to set the scene
Setting the stage for "The Nutcracker'' means creating a visually captivating experience for the audience. During rehearsals, the person managing props must adapt them to the director's artistic vision. The week before the show, set accessories will get loaded onto a truck and transported to the venue. During the performance, prop hands must troubleshoot on the spot and work in the backstage frenzy to ensure that the show can go on, flawlessly.
The effort demands resourcefulness, careful preparation and lifting. It's typically in the hands of a team of professionals. However, there is no team of professionals on the job full time at the Wilmington Ballet. The company primarily relies on volunteer Charlie Dougherty.
In addition to his full-time job at Incyte, Dougherty said he spends many hours acquiring and modifying the props.
For this year's production, Dougherty sourced two armchairs from a second-hand store. "We don't need a recliner on the stage," Dougherty explained. "All that we need is a straight-up chair. So I took all the guts out." He removed the metal parts and mechanisms to make the furniture stable and lightweight for use in the show.
When it comes time to move the props, the costumes and the Wilmington Ballet's "Nutcracker'' merchandise, a little extra manpower is required. Most of the time Charlie Dougherty has help unloading the truck but, "there's been years that it just me, unloading, which is not fun." However, things are different under Cannon's direction. "Benjamin gets some volunteers and it's a lot of fun," he said.
As prop master, Dougherty ensures that all the show accessories are stage-worthy and available for the performers to use during the show. It's also a job that demands quick reflexes, according to Dougherty.
Describing what happened backstage about three years ago, when a wheel popped off a prop item, Dougherty said, "I knew I had about 30 seconds or so. And I went and I got my drill." He said he fixed the wheel and the show continued with no mishaps.
Dougherty and his family have been involved in The Wilmington Ballet's "The Nutcracker'' production for almost 20 years. When his daughters were children, they danced, and Dougherty played roles both on stage — a big mouse and a party scene parent — and off stage.
Despite his children being adults now, Dougherty continues to volunteer as a prop master. However, he will not be able to take on the role during this year's performance. His daughter is now a professional dancer in the Roanoke Ballet in Virginia, and he will be visiting her during the same weekend as the show.
In his absence, Kyle Montanez, a recent graduate from the University of Delaware, will be in charge of managing the props backstage.
Flexibility is important in dance and life
The goal of the practices, he explained, was for them to fully embody the movements in the show, allowing them to effortlessly adjust to unexpected situations or mistakes without the audience noticing. In the event something occurs, they'd be able to carry on as though it were a deliberate part of their performance.
A lesson that had to be applied during the rehearsal process.
The Wilmington Ballet's "Nutcracker' production was to feature Kamani Abu, a talented young dancer from Delaware, as the Snow King. Abu, who had trained at Pieces of a Dream, Inc., recently earned a scholarship with the renowned Alvin Ailey Dance Company in New York City. He opted to perform with Alvin Ailey instead of the Wilmington Ballet's production.
The unforeseen turn of events forced the director to adapt the storyline of the show.
Unfazed, Cannon said needing to pivot and adapt comes with the profession. "It does prove challenging when the production has to make changes, but the Wilmington Ballet is very malleable."
Once a young dancer with a scholarship opportunity, Cannon quickly added that it is important to support dancers in pursuit of their dreams and shared his belief that all dancers should strive for commendable accomplishments.
However, he cautioned against confusing this pursuit with the idea of striving for perfection. Cannon said in today's perfection-obsessed society, he would like to see the value of failure instilled in more young people. The process of learning and experiencing setbacks stimulates growth and offers insights that prepare us for future trials, he said.
Wilmington has room to grow in arts and culture
In the final rehearsal stretch, Cannon gathered the cast. The weekend practices greatly improved and refined the dancers' skills. Speaking before them, Cannon said he recognized their growth as an ensemble and encouraged them to strive for greater.
According to Cannon, the Wilmington Ballet Academy of Dance remains a professional dance company with "phenomenal teaching artists [who have] phenomenal careers and phenomenal experience," whose artistry and expertise are as invaluable as any other professional dance company.
Given its potential, the ballet company is growing out of space. The popularity of various ballets and diverse types of dance has made its prop room and wardrobe closet insufficient to accommodate their performance needs.
Yet, the Broadway theater veteran worries about declining turnout to performances. "The challenges that we have are the same challenges as most black, BIPOC-led art organizations in that we're underfunded because people don't see our programs," Cannon said.
The director said he would like to see increased financial support from city leaders.
The academy already offers financial aid to individuals interested in dance training. Cannon said the extra funding would help promote the nonprofit's visibility among city residents, encouraging more people to benefit from their offerings and attend performances in greater numbers.
Cannon stressed that Wilmington's investment in the ballet company fosters more than the development of the nonprofit. According to Cannon, the grandson and nephew of Wilmington jazz legends, its sponsorship also provides a platform for unity, celebration and a sense of pride among Delawareans.
"The Nutcracker'' by the Wilmington Ballet Academy will be presented at the Playhouse on Rodney Square. Ticket prices range from $30 to $55. Showtimes are as follows:
Friday, Dec. 15, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 16, 2 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 16, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 17, 2 p.m.
Contact reporter Anitra Johnson at ajohnson@delawareonline.com. Join her on the Facebook group Delaware Voices Uplifted. Support her work and become a subscriber.
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This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Wilmington Ballet spends months creating magic of The Nutcracker
