"More Heat, Less Suite," is the motto for the Keshet Dance Company's rendition of "The Nutcracker."
"Nutcracker on the Rocks," a modernized version of the seasonal ballet, breaks all the rules and then some. Most of the ballet's original score has been exchanged for rock and jazz, costumes are revamped and little traditional ballet makes it to the stage.
Choreographer Shira Greenberg uses dozens of dancers in the first act, lending power to the show's routines, but making the in-between action confusing. When they all come together, the Keshet dancers are a force to be reckoned with, but too many people on the stage often creates a sense that everything is foreground and it's difficult to know where to look.
Still, the creativity in this show establishes a lot of energy. "Nutcracker on the Rocks" is anything but boring.
After launching a lively mood in the first act, the show really gets its footing in the second act. A new vision of the rats brings the audience into Marie's dream - no, Clara isn't in this one - and silvery alien-looking dancers take the stage. The contemporary rodent costumes make no real attempt to represent fuzzy whiskered creatures. Instead, translucent unitards and shimmering head coverings coat the dancers' bodies who, using unearthly gestures, establish a sense of otherworldliness.
This very daring performance even re-interprets some aspects of the traditional "Nutcracker" plot. One of the most stellar scenes in the on-the-rocks version does not really exist in the original, and its success is a testament to Keshet's unconventional ideology and brave imagination.
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Dancers with varying levels of physical disability from the mixed-ability dance program at the Keshet school join able-bodied dancers in a choreographed exploration of physical expression. Though this scene had an opportunity to become perhaps a tad too sweet, the focus on discovering all possibilities for movement prevents the work from becoming a degrading exercise. In fact, these added scenes are anything but.
This section is followed by dances out of the '20s, '50s and '60s. The most expressive of these time capsules is the '60s dancers - women throwing their hair around suggestively and powerfully to Janis Joplin tunes.
Though it appears the entire Keshet crew participates in the show, a few performers really stand out. Kirsty Mackellar plays the rat queen and is perhaps the most notable. Her movements are clean and animated and always executed with a lot of attention to character.
Kyle Sheldon plays the nutcracker with admirable strength and grace. Sheldon seems to have a discreet awareness of when the focus is on him and when it belongs elsewhere - a remarkable quality usually found only in seasoned performers.
Ultimately, cast members of this year's "Nutcracker on the Rocks" gives the impression they are having a blast, and this definitely rubs off on the audience members who cheer their way through the performance.
This show is likely more fun than any traditional "Nutcracker."
The Who, When and Where
Who: Seventh Annual "Nutcracker on the Rocks"
When: Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 and 6 p.m.
Price: $20 adults and $18 students, seniors and children
Where: Rodey Theatre
Tickets and info: 851-5050
tickets.com
