When Christmas parties, yankee swaps, secret santas, maxed out credit cards, boxes, tissue, ribbon and wrapping paper have taken hold of your life, attending a third or fourth holiday performance can seem like a chore.  Even after a Christmas show on Friday, and a family Christmas party on Sunday, the Jose Mateo Ballet Theatre’s production of The Nutcracker was hardly a chore.  While there was talent and excellence in many aspects of this ballet, what was most delectating was that it was primarily a performance of study.  The Core De Ballet was composed entirely of students.  The Ballet Theatre is the only professional production of The Nutcracker in the area that holds open auditions for students outside its own school.  Casting rotations of 200+ Children ages 6-18 hailing from Massachusetts and New Hampshire resonates as a true commitment to ballet education.

This integration of students from different studios may be the explanation for the lack of cohesion in the execution of the choreography.  On the note of execution, there seemed to be a lack of commitment in the performing the steps. Ching Hosier, a former ballet instructor at the Hartt School of Music, would say that the energy should start at the center and radiate through and beyond the ends of the extremities.  While the dancing was quite lovely, it seemed at times as though the energy was cut short at the knees and elbows.  There were times when some dancers almost appeared to be marking it.

Most impressive, however, was Nicole Finken in the role of Clara.  Her arms moved with a grace and delicacy beyond her years.  Finken filled the role sur les pointes, the untraditional choice, however, executed excellently.  Madeleine Bonn and August Pozgay took the Coffee/Arabian Divertissement, one I have never really enjoyed, and created something captivating.  Bonn was also quite brilliant, both in color and dance, in the Waltz of the Flowers. Despite some trouble with his tour en l’aire, Henoch Spinola performed strappingly as the Cavalier. Spinola also demonstrated fine coupé jetté en tourment manàges.  Spinola, most importantly, truly filled the primary job of the Cavalier; showcasing Sugar Plum Fairy, Elisabeth Sherer, who danced the role decorously.  Gloria Benedikt performed dulcetly as the snow queen and Jacob Hoover was a technician in his grande pirouette à las seconde as both Harlequin and the Russian in the Trepek/Russia Divertissement.   A special tip of the hat must go to the mice.  I was tickled to death by the pot bellied little rodents frisking about.

The stand out performer of the evening was Jose Mateo himself.  Mateo did indeed perform in the role of Drosselmeyer, yet what stood out more was his choreography.  Notwithstanding minor problems in execution, the movement of this piece was beautiful and engaging.  By employing sequences of layered combinations, as in the Waltz of the Flowers, like harmonious counter melodies, each stratum of steps complemented but never detracted from the others.  The only critique being offered by way of the choreography would be that at times, though inspiring and innovative, the it did not suit the strengths and abilities of some of the dancers.  Quite pleasing was the choreography for Coffee/Arabia.  Too often it seems as though this divertissement is choreographed like the fashion at H & M.  It’s almost always as though someone had taken some choreography from the women’s section of the store, and simply put it on a man.  I’ve seen many men work hard to bring masculinity to such choreography. Mateo, however, confounded this expectation.  He appeared to have designed this piece with a man in mind.

The Jose Mateo Ballet Theatre’s Production of The Nutcracker was terrific. Mateo’s choreography combined with the work of some wonderful dancers brings to life this holiday tradition.  The inclusion of many students of many levels of experience presented a sort of “progression of man” of ballet education; an inspiring image.  I will certainly be keeping my eye on the upcoming season of the Jose Mateo Ballet Theatre.  If this piece is in any way a representation of the company caliber, there are great things to come.

Clara (Nicole Finken) receives her beloved gift.