'Nutcracker' delightful

With Christmas quickly approaching, this weekend marked the occasion with a perennial favorite, Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker" performed by the IU Ballet Theater at the Musical Arts Center. With four performances, the ballet gave everyone a chance to get in the holiday spirit with the retelling of a magical story. \nThe first act shows the main character, Clara (sophomore Julie Brumfiel on Friday night and Saturday matinee, junior Dori Goldstein on Saturday night and Sunday), receiving a nutcracker from the eccentric Dr. Drosselmeyer (Thor Lok Johnson) at her family's holiday party. But this is no ordinary gift, and so, as Clara falls asleep she enters a world of enchantment. \nIn her dream, Clara witnesses a battle between the now life-size Nutcracker (sophomore Scott Harris) and the Mouse King (sophomore Jermaine Miles). It is eerie how real the fight seems, even to adults, thanks to the superb acting by the dancers. In the end, good triumphs over evil as the Nutcracker kills the Mouse King. The Nutcracker turns into a prince, and he and Clara ride off to a wintry forest.\nHere, snowflakes come alive, seemingly floating and twirling though the air, with the help of Tchaikovsky's score. The dance features the Snow Queen (seniors Amanda Jesse or Amanda Callison) and King (freshman Addison O'Day) as the IU Women's Chorus created a backdrop of what could be the sounds of snowflakes peacefully falling from the sky.\nAct II finds Clara in the Land of Sweets where she is greeted by the Sugar Plum Fairy and her angels. Friday and Saturday night, the Sugar Plum Fairy was played by Julie Kent (a guest dancer from the American Ballet Theatre, who also played Kathleen in the film "Center Stage"). Kent was so thin that she airily moved across the stage without the audience noticing that she had to use her muscles to do so. And the young angels were literally adorable with their big wings "fluttering" and their candles lighting their faces.\nAs a reward for Clara's bravery, the Sugar Plum Fairy next invites her to watch an assortment of entertainers in the colorful setting of the fairy's candy castle court. Among the dances, a few stood out. \nFollowing the Spanish Dance, the Arabian Dance was disappointing. Of all the dances where being graceful is of the utmost importance to believability, this was near the top because it features a snake being charmed. Snakes are supposed to glide with ease, but the snake seemed strained in her movements as she tried unsuccessfully to "slither." And on several occasions, it seemed the charmer almost dropped her, certainly distracting the audience.\nBut with the Chinese Dance and Russian Dance, things picked up. The children in the Chinese Dance were fantastic, shuffling in as part of the dragon, then flipping lightly across the stage. The music in the Russian Dance is some of the most exhilarating in the entire ballet, and one could not help but smile watching the dancers kick and spin. Both dances regrettably ended too soon.\nFinally, the Sugar Plum Fairy returned to the stage, this time with her cavalier (José Manuel Carreño/ O'Day/junior Stefan Calka). The pair pronounced the climax of the show, as their dancing was extraordinary both as individuals and together. The music in this scene is always moving, but with the addition of these dancers, the scene was stunning. After the rest of the cast joined them on stage as the finale to this spectacular, and Clara was seen back in her bedroom affectionately cradling her special gift, the Nutcracker, these two justifiably received the most thunderous applause.\nThis presentation of "The Nutcracker" was more than entertaining and gave audience members a warm feeling with which to kick off December.