Review: Ballet Jörgen Canada's "The Nutcracker, a Canadian Tradition"

[shanmonster]

Although I appreciate the concept of "Canadianizing" the tale, the performance seemed more like an uninspiring game of charades than a ballet. I do not fault the dancers, as they were following direction. But the sort of folksy dancing done on stage is far more fun to do than it is to watch. It is more like memorized movement than dance, to me. I was a bit horrified to see a clogging interpretation of the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies. Although I think folk dance can be entertaining for an audience, I think the chosen choreography fell short of that. I enjoyed the ballet done toward the end of the first act, but it was too little, too late, and my companion and I left during intermission.