Fabrice Calmels & Victoria Jalani in Joffrey Ballet’s The Nutcracker
[Photo: Herbert Migdoll]
The Joffrey Ballet presents Robert Joffrey’s The Nutcracker in Chicago from December 9 through 27. From the company announcement:
“The curtains rose on The Joffrey Ballet’s The Nutcracker on December 10, 1987…at the University of Iowa, with the production then embarking on a national tour. Since then, The Joffrey Ballet has maintained the most Nutcracker tour dates of any major ballet company in the country, easily making it America’s #1 Nutcracker. The year marks the launch of the 25th anniversary of Robert Joffrey’s The Nutcracker, culminating in 2012 with an official Silver Anniversary celebration.”
Nutcracker Promo Video [Source: The Joffrey Ballet]
“When Robert Joffrey choreographed The Nutcracker with the help of his Co-Founder Gerald Arpino, he replaced the traditional European setting common in other Nutcracker productions with a 19th century American home, populating it with toys from his own childhood.”
Anastacia Holden & Matthew Adamczyk in Joffrey Ballet’s The Nutcracker
[Photo: Herbert Migdoll]
“The full Joffrey company is joined onstage by 118 young dancers from Chicago and beyond…In addition to the young dancers, young vocalists from five different local children’s choirs will perform the choral parts from the magical Snow Scene throughout the run of The Nutcracker…The Chicago Sinfonietta provides live accompaniment of the classic score by Pyotr Illyich Tchaikovsky for every performance.”
Ashley C. Wheater on The Nutcracker [Source: Dance Channel TV]
The Joffrey Ballet’s Artistic Director Ashley C. Wheater shares some history and personal insights regarding Joffrey’s Nutcracker.
Official Site: Joffrey Ballet – The Nutcracker
Available at Amazon:
Robert Joffrey and the Making of an American Dance Company, An Excerpt from the Upcoming The Nutcracker [Kindle Edition]
The Joffrey Ballet Dances the Nutcracker at the Kennedy Center, Photographic Poster Print by Sisse Brinberg, 18×24