I could not shake two truths from Westside Ballet of Santa Monica’s 51st annual production of “The Nutcracker”: There are some rising stars studying with the Westside School of Ballet and Tiler Peck is proof. This was Westside Ballet’s ‘all star alumni cast’ that was only for this night with alumni Adrian Blake Mitchell, Lucia Connolly and Lyrica Woodruff. Otherwise the cast is the same with Tiler & Roman, the resident guest artists, and pre-professional casts all other nights.
It is the season of “The Nutcracker,” an annual tradition known by every dancer. As one of the first productions to start the SoCal wave of balletic rats, soldiers and candies, Westside Ballet takes a big swing — as is their tradition. The company brought in alumni like Peck, Lucia Connolly and Lyrica Woodruff, and paired the New York City Ballet’s longstanding principal dancer with a newly appointed one, Roman Mejia. Despite the star-studded lineup, some of the best moments come from seeing how the students approach the work and light up the choreography with a fresh perspective.
Westside Ballet – “The Nutcracker” – Photo by Sarah Madison Photography.
The production has fun taking time to create small glimmers of humor and exciting detail. At the party, the maid (Eleanor Smith) joins in on the fun for a brief moment and takes the opportunity to drink as much as she can before returning to duty. The result is a rambunctious interpretation of the choreography. She spins faster, stumbles to her mark and tosses the drink back. It is a well-choreographed comedy. In another surprising glimmer, after the big fight between the soldiers and the mice, a lone mouse sits downstage, crying and wiping away their tears with its tail.
Westside Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” keeps the classic interesting and eye-catching with its innovative set design collaboration between backdrop designers (Jennifer Dorame, Adrienne Kinsella and Ian Lovel Design) and scenic elements designer/constructor Andy Bogart. The tree grows a few more feet high, the chaise slides to the wings and forest trees flow out of the edges of the proscenium view. It all makes room for the students to shine.
In the land of the snow, the snowflakes and snow royalty enter. The snowflake ensemble made up of the Westside School students commanded the stage with a unified voice. They were incredibly in sync, weaving in and out of their clumps like locking fingers. The same kind of magic occurs just before this moment when students don mice costumes and soldier uniforms. The fight has a lot going on: Soldiers hold guns and ride horses while the mice scurry. They move like a hurricane, swirling around the leading Soldier General (Ulysses Grullon) and Mouse King (Topher Smith). It is the kind of organized chaos that makes you genuinely question the outcome, even when you have seen the show a million different times. The staging and coaching team made up of Martine Harley, Michele Bachar Mendicelli, Aimée Gaudio, Sophie Monat and Adian Blake Mitchell steer a tight ship and ensure every moment is filled with movement.
Westside Ballet – “The Nutcracker” – Adrian Blake Mitchell and Lucia Connolly in Arabian – Photo by Sarah Madison Photography.
My personal favorite of “The Nutcracker” is the Arabian Coffee section. Connolly and Mitchell weave through the stage gracefully, even in intense moments of effort. Connolly’s performance is particularly moving. Her ability to smoothly transition from one position to the next reveals she has immense control over the nearly acrobatic choreography.
Aside from the memorable dazzle, if I were to leave this production with one takeaway, it would be that there is a young star in the making: Spencer Collins. This 11-year-old dancer performs the Russian dance in the Kingdom of the Sweets. He jumps as high as he is tall and glides through the air as he leaps around the stage. It is like he is floating. Despite his small stature, he commands your attention. His performance alongside someone like Peck, the prized alum, is like watching the next generation bloom in the footsteps of Westside Ballet’s predecessors.
Westside Ballet – “The Nutcracker” – Roman Mejia and Tiler Peck as Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier – Photo by Sarah Madison Photography.
Watching Peck work is always a gift. She and Mejia enter the ballet with memorable fluttering arms and hands. They move with intent, grabbing the ensemble’s attention with a stretched arm or swirling finger. In the grand pas de deux, they build chemistry with Tchaikovsky’s composition. They play with the tempo of their own movement to highlight an accent in an instrument. For example, Peck speeds up a turn and lands precisely alongside a melodic flare in the music, guiding the audience through her interpretation of the orchestration. She accents certain portions at the right time to show you things in the music only she can see. Mejia matches her energy, supporting her in the collaborative investigation of the music. They seal the deal with their immersion in the fairytale world. It is visible in their eyes, how they interact with the space and each other. When they believe in a land made of sweets and magic, so do we.
Westside Ballet – “The Nutcracker” – Roman Mejia and Tiler Peck as Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier – Photo by Sarah Madison Photography.
Westside Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” is a magical experience made possible by merging veterans with new talent. Viewing the work from both ends of the experience spectrum, there is more discovery and play for the audience. It is a Christmas miracle.
Westside Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” runs through Sunday, December 8 at BroadStage in Santa Monica. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit their website. Although the performances are sold out, one might be able to get tickets at the box office before the show.
Written by Steven Vargas for LA Dance Chronicle.
Featured image: Westside Ballet’s The Nutcracker – Roman Mejia and Tiler Peck as Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier – Photo by Sarah Madison Photography.
