By Jennifer Andelin
The Nutcracker began as a ballet over 120 years ago, but for two days this week, Rhythm Nation Tap Company has transformed it into A Very Jazzy Nutcracker: a tap-dancing production you have to see for yourself in American Fork‘s Valentine Theater. Originally composed by Pyotr Ilych Tchaikovsky, The Nutcracker is the story of Clara (danced by Ellie Shields) whose grandfather (Alexis Ziga) gives her a nutcracker for Christmas. The nutcracker (danced by David Muncy) comes to life and battles a Rat King (Topher Hill) and takes Clara to the Land of Sweets where they meet the Sugar Plum Fairy (danced by Madi Nelson) and many others.
A Very Jazzy Nutcracker has the feel of Hollywood’s Golden Age. Shields, Ziga, Muncy, Hill, and Nelson really highlight this through their dance-offs and small group numbers with each other. Costume design and seamstresses Kate Barker and Kimberly Johnson with help from Melissa Stillman,who also designed the set, continue to create this feel with flashy, bright, and colorful costumes, props, and backdrops.Thanks to makeup artist Makenzie Peacock , none of the performers’ faces look washed out in the bright stage lights.
Wendi Isaacson writes and directs this revision production which at times transforms the original songs and at others completely replaces them with more modern ones. “Waltz of the Flowers” is one of the original Nutcracker songs that Isaacson keeps and one that you can hear the tap-dancing already in its composition. Rhythm Nation Tap Company does a fabulous job of gradually adding dancers to the stage for this number to crescendo the tap-dancing effect and sound. Their precise dancing is a perfect partner for Tchaikovsky’s waltz.
The production brings together several guest artists. Many of the children and youth dancers come from Center Stage Performing Arts, The Dance Spot, eMotion Dance, Rhythm Nation 2 Youth Ensemble,and Dance Illusion. They bring gaiety and spontaneity to their performances, reminding the audience why The Nutcracker is so popular with children. Children and adults will enjoy the intermittent humorous moments such as when Rainbow Brite (Elizabeth Leighton) and a Dinosaur (Sofia Kimball) have tap-dancing solos.
One of my favorite dances concludes the scene “Wonderland of Snow”. Foot Poetry Tap Dance Ensemble represent the Snow Corps whose light tapping of their feet slowly grows with subsequent dancers making me hear and feel as if snow is actually falling.
The most popular numbers from The Nutcracker, though, seem to be the ones that showcase different world dances. This is certainly the case with A Very Jazzy Nutcracker as the evening’s highlight is the Irish dance performed by Shelley’s School of Irish Dance. The precision, rhythm, and masterful legwork is an astounding talent that brought the loudest applause from the audience.
The Chinese dance performed by Percussive Footwork Ensemble is another number that allows the audience to hear the incredible feat of rapid tap-dancing in sync. Combined with Rhythm Nation Tap Company, Percussive Footwork Ensemble also performs the popular Russian dance with a dance-off that is uniquely tap-dancesque.
Hi-Light Dance Academy heads the Spanish dance while Madeline Eddington leads Rhythm Nation Tap Company and The Dance Spot in the Arabian dance. Both dances show how versatile tap-dancing can be in its representation of cultural dances.
Unlike the quiet reverence that the ballet exudes, A Very Jazzy Nutcracker invites its audience to a boisterous evening of tap-dancing fun. The performance is incredibly family-friendly even with little ones who like to make their own noise. It runs 90 minutes with a 15-minute intermission. There is only one more night and two shows left to catch A Very Jazzy Nutcracker. It’s a Nutcracker version that you’re not likely to see anywhere else this time of year so hurry and catch it before it taps on by.
Rhythm Nation Tap Company and Utah Tap present A Very Jazzy Nutcracker
Valentine Theater, 839 E 9th N, American Fork, Utah 84003
December 10-11, 2019, 6:00PM and 8:00PM
Tickets: $20
A Very Jazzy Nutcracker Facebook Event Page
Rhythm Nation Tap Company Facebook Page
Photo credit: Elizabeth Leighton Photography
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