Act 2 Opening 🌟 Ballet DECONSTRUCTED | Balanchine Nutcracker | New York City Ballet | Kathryn Morgan

[@frojo9]

These videos are single-handedly holding my Holiday Season together. My only source of consistency right now.

[@kathryn_morgan]

Awww sending you love!

[@sonjatoutenhoofd8696]

Love your commentary. I won't be seeing it live this year so getting to watch this is filling in the joy for me! As someone who is part Chinese, I appreciate your sensitivity. That part always made me cringe in a way I didn't even fully understand when I was a child. No shade on the dancers - they are amazing! Times just change (and ever will). If art doesn't get reinterpreted it will become obsolete and we don't want that for ballet! Your explanations are SO helpful and will help introduce a new generation to ballet who are not used to pantomime.

[@ChuckSmallvilleLOTR]

"Somewhere in the woods she acquired this outfit" lol!

[@kathryn_morgan]

Haha 😂❤️

[@zajitheartist]

Thank you for your acknowledgement of the Chinese variation! I can't believe it took this long to be updated, but I am so glad it was.

[@eslolin]

Loved Katie laughing about the group sigh of relief after the story. I love that ballet dancers don’t take themselves too seriously

[@xMia311]

Loving these videos, and good call on the Chinese!

[@emilys.6199]

01:32 I got the impression after watching the Disney+ docuseries, that the angels are the youngest kids in the production. I think I remember Dena saying that. But even if she didn't say that, I remember the auditions. Party scene was mostly students in girls 3 and only a few girls 2 made the cut (the two Marie's were in girls 4) and angels were mostly from girls 2 and some from girls 3. But maybe it was different back when this performance was filmed.

[@bethanneblack]

Katie, it’s amazing how magical Megan looks in one moment, and how regal she looks moments later when greeting each of the divertissements! Your videos have made my Christmas season so much brighter. Thank you for doing this- the videos are the highlight of every morning! 🩰 ❤️

[@kathryn_morgan]

Yes, I couldn’t agree more! And thank you! ❤️

[@kariballote8953]

Thank you so much for doing these. It is wonderful to hear all of the insights details and I don’t think you’re ruining the magic! It makes it more magical to me to know the clever tricks and hard work that come into making these productions. It’s an masterpiece that deserves to be looked at in careful detail.

[@chloepoorman740]

The only thing getting me through a long weekend full of snow and flowers corps are these videos, thank you!!!❤

[@agr1323]

I somehow missed these but now I binged them all!! 😊😊😊

[@RomeoNJulietLostTheGame]

This series is making my holidays feel so special, thank you so much! Also, good call on not showing Tea/Chinese ❤ Makes me wonder if Coffee/Arabian is appropriate too…

[@vivianleenet]

Balanchine's Coffee is actually on the better side. There are definitely some companies that make it strangely sexual. At least with Balanchine's it's just a female solo and more about her movements. There are still some racial motifs in it that could be better updated, but certainly better than the companies that have the duo in minimal clothing and bodily contact half the variation.

[@penelopepolinsneemeyer4757]

Thank you, Katie! I’m loving these videos as a 60 year old student. We learned the Royal Ballet version of Marzipan this term, so your explanatory videos have really helped xxxxxx

[@lvcarlton]

What are some ways they have updated it in for NYCB Nutcracker? I saw that some productions do a ribbon dance and one had a Tea Cricket character. The ballet near me (Nashville) has a male dancer (minus the wig/fu manchu) with a Chinese dragon he interacted with, along with jumps, etc.

[@zyxw2000]

When I was in high school, in the early '60's, Melissa Hayden and a few other dancers visited to talk about ballet. Then I got to experience "The Nutcracker" with the NYC Ballet, and I was hooked for life. Classical ballet is still my favorite kind of dance.

[@jeffnelson4175]

Kathryn, I'm the commenter that told you about my guesting in Miami, Fla, where Marzipan won an award and some love! My roles for that show were the Nutcracker Prince, and Chinese. I was concerned going in to do Chinese for the same reasons you outlined here, But: Thanks to a Cuban emigre choreographer who refused stereotypes and created an absolutely wonderful, athletic solo for me, a costume designer who exhibited the same originality, and my refusal (and the two young women I danced with) to paint ourselves with ridiculous makeup and wigs, we created a dance that stole the show and got me nominated for an award (along side Julio Bocca, thankyouverymuch). It's a good thing those changes were made, too, because who came to see me backstage but none other than the great Yoko Ichino, who's boyfriend at the time was dancing Cavalier in that production. We knew each other a little from Ballet Theater, and I would have hated for her to see me do something offensive in front of her. All of this happened over forty years ago, and just goes to show that some self esteem, and a willingness to stand up for oneself goes a heck of a long way! Happy Holidays, everyone.

[@ivylin5960]

If you want a recent Tea, they filmed it in 2019 with Maria Kowroski as SPF.

[@drumandeebass797]

I really want to see the updated Chinese! I'm hoping I can dig up some footage or pictures somewhere.

[@user-el2nh5uo1w]

Some little points. I just had this thought this morning, the mice are giving me serious fun uncle vibes. They have to be mature but they still want to play so they pop on the mice suits just so they can play war one more time. And now I’m not so anti mice. The more of these videos you do, the more impressed I am with the young prince. He’s doing a phenomenal job. I just watched a video yesterday of the costumes department of NYCBallet which contained a clip of the new Chinese dance. Thoroughly enjoy these breakdowns.

[@kathryn_morgan]

Yes- the nephew is amazing! Such a bit part for a young boy. And love your take on the mice!

[@SanguineAmaranth]

The choreo and costumes for the angels are clearly inspired by Beryozka dances. The women who perform these make it look like effortless gliding as they make different formations - there are a number of performances on YT which are so mesmerising!

[@crystaliclake]

Great video! Also The Nutcracker Prince has more than one costume - party costume, nutcracker costume then his pink Prince costume .

[@julieeisen1340]

These videos make my day. Thank you!!!

[@artboxfashion4042]

Thnx for posting Sugar Plum link! I always wanted to figure out that dance 😊

[@jennyanne]

These young dancers as angels are "shuffling their feet?" That is truly extraordinary. I was never certain exactly how they "glided" across the stage. Thanks, Kathryn, for your marvelous explanation! 🎄

[@jessaglenny]

There's a recent video elsewhere on KZbin in which Mark Happel, head of costume at NYCB, talks about the costumes for The Nutcracker. There are hoops in the bottom of the dresses which prevent the fabric from moving and help to give the impression of gliding. Have a look for it. It's really interesting.

[@jennyanne]

​@@jessaglenny Thank you. Checked out the video. It was awesome!

[@alexandraweiss5771]

former SAB student here! i was in the same classes as these girls and most of them did both party scene and angels!

[@asiasia]

Thank you for this, so much work we appreciate it ❤

[@kathryn_morgan]

My pleasure!

[@lucyfletcher3752]

Absolutely love this series ♥️

[@whitneycurtis-archer9730]

I love your commentary. Your experience and expertise makes in so interesting and informative. Just out of curiosity, what was offensive about the Chinese dance?

[@zyxw2000]

Stereotyped gestures, exaggerated makeup and wrong hairdos.

[@Julie2116-v6f]

I LOVE IT!!!!!!!❤❤❤❤❤❤😻😍🥰

[@philzmusic8098]

About the gliding angels: the court ladies in 18th century Versailles did the same thing, so that it looked as if they were rolling on little wheels. I wonder if that's where Balanchine got his inspiration from.

[@Chocobo0Scribe]

I've been looking for a proper breakdown of the prince's recap! I was always able to guess a little bit though from the variations where the motion for "I was a nutcracker" is used (usually in the productions where the nutcracker actually is drosselmeyer's cursed nephew.)

[@effeemme96]

Kathryn I could listen you for hours💞can you please do Aurora's entrance and Rose adagio?

[@kathryn_morgan]

Thank you! And yes- I will DEFINITELY do that one ❤️

[@juliannasheeran7644]

Were yo uin this recorded version? If so which part(s) were you?

[@kerriemckinstry-jett8625]

I'm so glad someone is addressing the Chinese dance. About 3? years ago, my dance studio was doing a holiday show, so we were learning random chunks of the Nutcracker. Our ballet teacher for that was an 80-something year old Asian guy and we, a bunch of extremely white girls, were learning the Chinese dance. Our teacher was having fun. Most of the girls in my class were having fun. I was the only student over 18 & I had a huge WTH???? moment the whole time. 😬

[@feministprincess]

Now that I have heard about the disk on stage that during the pas de deux, the Sugarplum Fairy stands on while being pulled by the Cavalier as the stagehand who is in the wings pulls the wire attached to the disk, I am starting to wonder if the disk is already on the stage this early in the act and if so, how does the wire that it is attached to being pulled by the stagehand not present some kind of hazard or be a wire that other dancers could potentially trip over while it is there? I am wondering if any dancers have accidentally tripped over the wire or if is somehow put there later so that the dancers don't have to worry about wires on the floor that people can trip over.

[@roseduste80]

In another video she explained the disk gets put on stage during the pas de deux while the audience's focus is stage right.

[@kathryn_morgan]

It definitely comes on during the pas de Deux. It might be “slightly” earlier than I originally thought- at earliest the pirouettes coming downstage- but it definitely during the pas de Deux! But I do remember watching it come on during the lifts!

[@elizabethjones2377]

Antonio Carmena was one of my ballet professors in college!

[@kathryn_morgan]

Aww I love him! He’s lovely

[@thehomeschoolinglibrarian]

So in the Ballet Arizona Nutcracker Claria and the Nephew are in a carriage that brings them to the land of sweets and this carriage is seen after Snow. Also they don't introduce everyone after the angels.

[@feministprincess]

The first time I ever watched the video of the production where Macaulay Culken was the Nutcracker, I remember my mom saw the angels moving like that and make a comment questioning whether or not they were skating. Right now, the idea of them rollerskating really doesn't make sense considering how people actually move when they roller skate. I have seen the way that people who rollerskate move their arms and go side to side in order to move and get the wheels spinning. There are certain types of motion that don't see that I suspect definitely would be there if they were rollerskating.

[@OofusTwillip]

Those gliding angels were clearly inspired by Balanchine's memories of the gliding dancers of Russia.

[@JGreen-le8xx]

Katie ❤❤❤❤❤❤ 😊

[@suemills5108]

Thank you Katie for not doing Chinese. As much as I love nutcracker, it really makes me feel upset and frustrated when I see a version where they have not updated the choreography. Literally only a couple of days ago I saw a clip of NYCB showing bits of that dance and I was gobsmacked that nothing had been done to take away the racist elements. So, I appreciate that you are talking about this and have a clear view on it. :)

[@rosyface_]

I know many people think that it’s art and therefore you should overlook the racist or otherwise inappropriate elements of older ballets, but I disagree and think it’s great when these things are updated and move with the times, or are taken out of circulation.

[@spookylilqueer]

right? I feel like when we keep examples of such art in circulation with no otherwise commentary, it just proliferates those ideas and glorifies racial stereotypes...especially in this case to children who are taking in everything like sponges and can repeat gestures and ideas innocently but harmfully.

[@kathryn_morgan]

Agreed

[@elliedickson776]

Thank you for another deconstruction Kathryn! And thank you for addressing how the old version of Tea is inappropriate and racist. In terms of Tea staying on throughout the entirety of Act 2 opening, maybe it's to help with symmetry during the Nephew’s pantomime and/or help fill out the stage?

[@kathryn_morgan]

Yes I think so! I think you are correct.

[@lilbatz]

I agree not deconstructing the tea scene. At 56, watching it made me wince. There’s not much dance, a ton of stereotypical movements, and the make up (ugh, sigh). (found it in YT) I’m surprised they didn’t drop it due to length (short) and cringe factor. It would have been an easy cut. Glad they revamped it. I also learned the Tea women’s tunics are still the originals. It’s made of metallic mesh, but the metallic aspect is wearing off. There is a current TY vid explaining the NYC ballet’s nutcracker costumes. Been loving the series ❤

[@kathryn_morgan]

Yes I agree. As to the tunics- I’m not surprised! A lot of costumes were only recently redone! ❤️

[@cathryncampbell8555]

Thank you for an engaging video, Kathryn! In the 1970s Canada's National Ballet had an utterly inappropriate Chinese Dance, which was lambasted by a Chinese-Canadian politician. The choreography was changed for the better, and peace was restored to The Nutcracker. The Golden Idol (from "La Bayadere") likewise had a deeply disturbing sequence, and that, too, has been updated. Such change is a good thing!

[@OofusTwillip]

Good call on the Chinese segment. Like "Gone With the Wind", it's a product of its times, but now, it's very uncomfortable to watch.

[@zyxw2000]

But unlike "GWTW" it can be updated and made no longer racist.

[@MercedesPastoor-q4e]

I feel so earlyyy

[@LeanneRobinson-d1s]

LOVE

[@jilllyd]

Thank you for not deconstructing Tea! I’m glad they have finally updated it but really appreciate you not giving a platform to their racist portrayal.

[@zitronmadchen]

I don't know if you saw this (maybe your audience would be interested) but InStyle posted a video on the NYCB nutcracker costumes yesterday. kzbin.info/www/bejne/hmiziqhjpLxpY7c

[@kathryn_morgan]

Love this! Thank you!

[@MercedesPastoor-q4e]

hiiii

[@awiddy]

Thank you for skipping this version of the Chinese divertissement! Many companies, including NYCB, have pivoted away from this and have come up with clever and meaningful versions such as crickets, dragons, or white rabbits; all still drawn from Chinese culture. Shout out to Phil Chan and the Final Bow movement for bringing up this conversation with so many ballet companies!

[@kathryn_morgan]

Yes! Major shout out to Phil Chan!

[@jassy3881]

I'm not sure why they don't choose dancers to represent their own ethnic background, I'm sure there are Chinese dancer for the company?

[@vivianleenet]

As an ethnically Chinese dancer who was always shoehorned into doing Chinese, I kind of appreciate that they chose a variety of ethnicities to represent each divertissement. It sucks to wait for cast lists and go "welp, guess I'm doing Chinese again for another year because I'm one of three Chinese dancers in this company" lol.

[@user-np6wq1tx9c]

Katie, i love these videos but disagree with your stance on the Chinese dance. I just watched it and there isn't anything "racist" about it. It is a homage to the Chinese culture (where tea was predominantly from) and the dancing is very athletic. It's sad we live in a time of constant offense where none is intended or even there. Nothing at all against you, I know it is a US cultural thing.

[@jessaglenny]

Unfortunately, that isn't the Chinese culture according to Chinese people. It's actually racist stereotypes created by white Westerners. The book 'Final Bow to Yellow Face' explains what real traditional Chinese culture is from an Eastern standpoint.

[@lilbatz]

My kid’s elementary school 2nd grade class wanted to show the Nutcracker for a last day hot chocolate party before school let out for Christmas. This was the version that was to be shown. The two big push backs were Drosselmeyer (?!) and the Tea scene. Drosselmeyer was called “creepy” and worse. The area has a huge SE Asian population, and they asked could they either fast forward through Tea or pick something else to watch. They wound up watching a medley of The Grinch, Charlie Brown Christmas and the stop animation Frosty the Snowman. lol If you grew up with the old school Nutcracker, I get it. You know the story. But these vids (I assume) are for general audience, and not historical dance nerds like me. No reason to deep dive into Tea, that at best is cringe, when the company doesn’t even to that version anymore.

[@jennyanne]

Can't see the difference between Chinese, Arabian, Spanish, etc. The entire Nutcracker ballet is stylized and beautiful.

[@jessaglenny]

@@jennyanne Personally, I think there's an issue with Arabian as well. I'm surprised it hasn't been flagged up more.

[@awiddy]

@@jessaglenny Hong Kong Ballet has a new version of Arabian, drawing on folklore of the White Snake: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oYClnXhvnLN2qdUsi=xlBV7QK-pEAG7p_y

[@spookylilqueer]

Once again, these are such a joy! Besides that, THANK YOU for your approach and commentary about the inappropriate nature of Chinese Tea. It can get so muddled when some stubbornly call for tradition, meanwhile something is so blatantly mocking and disrespectful. I think it is honestly embarrassing when I see productions that have made no effort to modernize...even watching Phoenix Ballet's Nutcrackers of years past, they have doubled down since 2019 and added wigs on the soloists....it feels icky. So again, I appreciate your view and actions greatly!

[@kathryn_morgan]

Absolutely! A lot of people say “oh it’s a tribute to China” but it’s not. It’s the only divert that had blatantly obvious inappropriate gestures etc.

[@Sarzize]

Thank you for this video series!! I've learned so much about the beautiful Balanchine version of the Nutcracker. I've learned so much from these. ✨ 🌍A bit of the Nutcracker around the world trivia: The Royal Swedish Ballet does a reimagined version of the Nutcracker where the story takes place in Sweden of long ago. The nutcracker doll is actually a yule goat made of straw, which historically came to play during Christmas bearing gifts (talking about a Scandi form of Santa of the past). Divertissements also don't follow the usual pattern, for example, the Arabian is a dance of sleepwalkers.

[@kathryn_morgan]

That is so interesting! I would love to see that! ❤️