As someone who’s had dance be a part of my whole life, spending this Nutcracker season from the audience instead of the stage was nothing less than a challenge. However, taking on an observational role this time around let me gain a new perspective on my own dancing as well.
Classical ballet academy’s Nutcracker is performed at Portland State’s Lincoln Hall, and instantly, I noticed the overall professionalism. It felt like a mini version of Oregon Ballet Theatre’s Nutcracker at the Keller. We were given very well-designed programs featuring a cast list for all the shows, advertisements for their other performances, and a page dedicated to headshots of their highest-level dancers (level 10). After just a few minutes, the performance began.
Instantly, the stage filled with a beautiful set featuring a classic huge Christmas tree, lavish furniture, and enough presents to fill a room. As the kids filed in, the party scene began. The party scene is crucial to the overall story of The Nutcracker, introducing our main characters: Clara, the Nutcracker, and Drosselmeyer, Clara’s uncle.
If these roles don’t sound familiar and you’re new to the world of the Nutcracker, here’s a summary. The Nutcracker is a popular Christmas ballet by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, first performed on December 18th, 1892, at the Imperial Mariinsky in St. Petersburg, Russia. It follows Clara on Christmas Eve, when her nutcracker doll comes to life and takes her on an adventure after battling the Mouse King through the snowy forest to the land of the sweets.
The party scene is known for being notoriously long in the ballet world. Still, CBA was able to do it in a captivating way where even my mom stayed engaged the entire time, due to the multiple storylines and a plethora of characters you’re almost forced to pay attention to. The snow scene featured a beautiful pas de deux, a French term that means “dance of two,” that had the audience in the palm of the dancers’ hands.
Act II, which is the “land of sweets” part of the Nutcracker, featured the Spanish dance, which is one of my personal favorites with the fast-paced, springy nature, as well as the Arabian dance, which is an acrobatic routine that requires a great deal of flexibility.
Overall, the performance blew me away, from the set to the advanced level of dancing, making it a must-watch pre-professional student Nutcracker. The number of dance performances and the number of students that attend Classical Ballet Academy is astonishing, showing just how prestigious this ballet academy is. They are located right on SE Foster. I highly suggest you check out their future performances as well as their classes!
