Ballet Co.Laboratory to Present NUTCRACKER IN WONDERLAND

It's undeniable that the dance world is nutty about The Nutcracker.

 

“It is magical,” Ballet Co.Laboratory Founder and Artistic Director Zoé Emilie Henrot puts simply. “The Nutcracker is often the first dance performance that children (and adults) attend, and one that performers revisit countless times over the course of their training and career. Knowing how transformative an experience ballet can be, Ballet Co.Laboratory aims to elevate this everyday magic with Nutcracker in Wonderland, our reimagination of the classic holiday ballet.”

 

The capital city's only professional ballet company and school will present Nutcracker in Wonderland from December 8-10, 2023 at The Cowles Center for Dance & the Performing Arts. This enchanting twist on a holiday classic weaves together two timeless stories, E.T.A. Hoffman's The Nutcracker and Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland as Clara and Alice join forces on a journey of self-discovery. A cast of over 100 professional dancers and students of all ages will march, waltz, and leap to the traditional Tchaikovsky Nutcracker score with the ballet's familiar characters and scenes like Drosselmeyer, the Rat Queen, and the Land of Snowflakes. For an extra dose of topsy-turvy excitement, Nutcracker in Wonderland also features whimsical Wonderland residents like the eccentric Mad Hatter, mischievous Cheshire Cat, perpetually tardy White Rabbit, and spiteful Queen of Hearts.

 

While the pairing of these tales on the surface may seem unconventional, Director and Choreographer Henrot notes that both tales follow a young woman finding her way in a world that is suddenly not as it seems, which may strike a familiar chord for today's audiences. Intertwining these stories also gave Henrot two important opportunities – to rid the second act of The Nutcracker's harmful cultural stereotypes, and to create the first full-length classical ballet in the Midwest to feature a queer love story.

 

“I thought – there is something enchanting about Clara and Alice finding each other in their parallel adventures,” Henrot shares. “Growing up as a queer artist, it was unheard of to see my love story presented on stage. It is important to me to create this representation for others through my art form.” Henrot hopes that Clara and Alice's budding love story will inspire audiences to see the beauty of human connection, whether they identify as queer or not.

 

Professional dancer Sage Engle-Laird will perform the role of Clara in the upcoming production. She finds this version of the character refreshing. “Typically, Clara's story is rather simple – things happen to her and she often doesn't get to command her own narrative. In Nutcracker in Wonderland, I get to create a more dynamic Clara, who develops over the course of the story. We see her battle with her own inner shadows, ultimately taking agency of her identity. I hope audiences will enjoy the depth our Clara brings to the story.”

 

In addition to non-traditional partnering, many roles in Nutcracker in Wonderland are open to dancers of any gender expression. Historically, ballet has been an extremely gendered art form. In Ballet Co.Laboratory's efforts to make ballet more inclusive, roles such as Drosselmeyer, the Mad Hatter, and the Caterpillar, among others, transcend traditional gender stereotypes and allow any dancer the opportunity to explore them.

 

Taking a page from the pandemic, Ballet Co.Laboratory will offer both in-person and virtual performances for Nutcracker in Wonderland. These ticketing options will gift audience members who may be homebound, live in rural communities, or looking for a more cost-effective holiday entertainment option an opportunity to engage with the performing arts.

 

Managing Director Rachel Koep underscores the importance of supporting one's local ballet company during the holiday season. “While there are a variety of Nutcracker productions presented throughout the Twin Cities, we hope audiences will choose to “shop local” by purchasing tickets to a resident ballet company's show in lieu of a national tour. Each ticket we sell is an investment in Minnesota's community of professional artists – allowing our state's cultural community to thrive,” shares Koep.

 

Each year that Ballet Co.Laboratory performs Nutcracker in Wonderland, the ballet takes a distinct form and this year's production is no different. This year's adaptation features new choreography, costumes, and sets, to keep dancers and returning audience members on their toes. One of the things that will not change? The magic. Ballet Co.Laboratory invites all to join the par-TEA this holiday season.

 

Performances

Friday, December 8, 2023 at 7:00 pm

Saturday, December 9, 2023 at 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm

Sunday, December 10, 2023 at 2:00 pm

 

Location*

The Cowles Center for Dance & the Performing Arts

528 Hennepin Ave / Minneapolis, MN 55403

 

*Virtual performance option offered this year, see ticket information below.

 

Tickets

Tickets begin at $30 and are available for purchase online at balletcolaboratory.org/season or by contacting The Cowles Center box office at 612.206.3600.

 

Virtual tickets can be purchased HERE or by contacting the Ballet Co.Laboratory Box Office at 651.313.5967.

 

 

About Ballet Co.Laboratory

 

Ballet Co.Laboratory is a professional ballet company and school located in Saint Paul, MN which works to re-imagine how ballet is taught, created, and presented.

 

Established in 2018, Ballet Co.Laboratory's professional dancers, students, and staff honor the foundations of classical ballet as they move the art form forward by advancing equity in the classical arts and fostering unique collaborations with their community.

 

For more information on Ballet Co.Laboratory and their programs, visit balletcolaboratory.org.

To get a sneak peek behind the curtain, visit Ballet Co.Laboratory's social media platforms on Facebook and Instagram.

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