“I’ve always wanted to choreograph my own ‘Nutcracker,’” Ragland said. “It’s a ballet that’s always been on my radar due to a combination of the story and the music. I love the music, which has some of the best and most beautiful music to dance to. I also enjoy the multiple performances the ballet allows.”
Credit: ron valle
Credit: ron valle
Ragland’s desire to bring his own distinct flavor to the classic work will be showcased Dec. 13-22 at the Schuster Center in the Dayton Performing Arts Alliance’s world premiere of the Dayton Ballet’s all-new presentation. It’s the first to be conceived and conceptualized by the company with a fresh artistic vision in choreography, sets and costumes since 2013.
Growing up in Birmingham, Ala., Ragland, 40, recalls embracing “The Nutcracker” during high school. He maintained an affinity for it when he began dancing professionally with Alabama Ballet and ultimately Louisville Ballet, where he spent 13 years as a leading artist performing featured roles in classical, neoclassical, and contemporary works prior to his arrival in Dayton in 2023.
“Ideas would pop into my head about how I would choreograph or stage ‘Nutcracker,’” he explained. “When I decided to retire from performing and focus on my teaching, choreographing and directing, ‘Nutcracker’ was one of the big shows I wanted to propose to different companies. It’s a pretty big step for a dance company to present your version of ‘Nutcracker.’”
Credit: Russell Florence
Credit: Russell Florence
A colorful, whimsical and romantic two-act ballet, “The Nutcracker” tells the story of young Clara journeying through a magical land. The work premiered in Saint Petersburg, Russia in 1892 choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov with a glorious score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The libretto is adapted from E.T.A. Hoffmann’s 1816 short story “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King.”
“Everyone knows the ‘Nutcracker,’ everyone is familiar with the story and probably seen multiple performances of different versions,” Ragland said. “It’s always something that families do together during the holiday season so it carries a lot of weight because it’s something people want to see. It also needs to be something that stays just as engaging for the Dayton Ballet for the next 10 years.”
Patrick J. Nugent, DPAA president and CEO, is eager for Dayton audiences to see Ragland’s concept come alive, even in terms of generational change.
“The Dayton Ballet’s new production of ‘Nutcracker’ is an exciting and pivotal moment in our artistic history,” Nugent said. “Brandon Ragland’s choreography and designs are fresh and crackling with new excitement yet grounded in the classical ballet and holiday setting that make ‘The Nutcracker’ a beloved holiday tradition.”
‘A fresh perspective’
Knowing his version would be on display for a decade, Ragland immediately knew he wanted Dayton to be central to the framework. In particular, Drosselmeyer, Clara’s godfather, is a toy maker creating Gem City treasures.
“I wanted to make this ‘Nutcracker’ unique to Dayton so that Dayton feels a part of this production, tying it into the local community,” Ragland said. “I wanted to focus on Drosselmeyer being more of a tinker or a bearer of gifts. So, there will be elements throughout Act 1 in which the audience will see a cash register or the Wright Flyer as a nod to Dayton’s history of invention.”
Credit: DPAA
Credit: DPAA
Efforts were also made to ensure this version was less stereotypical and more culturally mindful, particularly in Act 2 when Clara is entertained by a variety of global influences. The Land of Sweets has been updated to The Land of Time with Mother Time replacing Mother Ginger. Act 2 essentially takes place inside of a clock as Clara transforms into or perhaps dreams of her older self.
“Recently there has been talk among the dance world about the portrayal of the different dances and how some of that can be problematic,” Ragland said. “I wanted to change some perceptions of those dances. Instead of the dances trying to represent other cultures, I decided to let the atmosphere and the dynamics of the music lead me through the choreographic perspective.”
Credit: ron valle
Credit: ron valle
The atmospherics rely on foreshadowing, providing a bridge between both acts.
“I’m not using the Arabian, Chinese or Spanish dance,” Ragland said. “I’m taking different elements of the gifts used in Act 1 and making them come to life in Act 2. For instance, the Arabian Dance is called Timeless Scent, and the costume is based off a perfume bottle (Clara’s mother) Mrs. Stahlbaum receives as a gift from Mr. Stahlbaum in Act 1. The dance represents the fragrance and aroma of the perfume. Also, the Russian Dance has a pirate theme. There is a boat in Drosselmeyer’s shop in Act 1 that will come to life in Act 2.”
Ragland also acknowledged the sheer necessity of looking at the material anew.
“When you’ve watched something for a long period of time, it’s always good to revisit it or see where things need to shift or change if anything,” he said. “And with ‘The Nutcracker,’ even though the storyline is the same, we have a different generation of dancers and I have different ideas. I’m offering a fresh perspective. The dancers are taking to the new choreography very well and it’s been great getting to choreograph on them,” he said.
Embracing Art Nouveau
Another essential component of Ragland’s perspective was to have Dayton natives or current Dayton residents as his chief designers. Art director and concept designer Ray Zupp, a Muse Machine alum, returns as scenic designer having designed the aforementioned 2013 production of the past 10 years. Costumes are provided by Lyn Baudendistel, Dayton Ballet wardrobe supervisor and former assistant to Dayton Ballet’s longtime costume designer Lowell Mathwich.
“Ray designed the previous ‘Nutcracker’ during a different part of his career, and I thought it would be cool for him to come back to the (material) with an opportunity to revisit,” Ragland said. “And I work with Lyn often and enjoy her ideas.”
Recognizing Act 1 takes place in the early 1900s, the trio was drawn to Art Nouveau, an expressive style that emerged in the late 19th century and was popular until World War I. Associated with such artists as William Morris and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Art Nouveau uses soft, slim, undulating asymmetrical lines and curves often depicting images of nature such as flowers, plants, vines and insect wings.
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
The Orlando-based Zupp recalled a brainstorming session about Clara and her journey in which they noticed a connection to L. Frank Baum, author of “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.”
“We thought about Dorothy in ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ and the original L. Frank Baum books were very Art Nouveau-heavy, which is where I pulled inspiration,” Zupp said. “Art Nouveau is a wonderful, beautiful period between Industrial Victorian and the hardness of Art Deco. The swirling, spiral patterns of the period are in the set.”
He also said the production, which features video projections by Daniel Chapman and lighting design by Matthew Benjamin, will have a clock as a focal point.
“Brandon loved the idea of a clock throughout the show,” said Zupp, also inspired by such films as “The Borrowers” and “Bedknobs and Broomsticks.” “When the audience (arrives) they’ll see a clock face on the show curtain. And in Clara’s house, which has Art Nouveau accents and a grand staircase, there is a large, magnificent clock face as its central focus. The things that Clara’s sees in the daytime are the things she’ll think about in her dreams, and the clock is where we go for the Land of Time.”
Credit: RAY ZUPP
Credit: RAY ZUPP
On the fifth floor of the Victoria Theatre, Baudendistel and her assistants have been busily sewing, shaping, sorting, stitching and supervising nearly 200 costumes, including new additions such as butterflies for “Waltz of the Flowers” in Act 2.
”The creativity of this process has been my favorite aspect. I don’t know what I’m going to think about after ‘Nutcracker’ is done because it has occupied so much of my brain for so long now. I’ve been trying to get all of my ideas out of my head and onto people,” said Baudendistel, who chose a few fabrics for “The Nutcracker” while vacationing in Istanbul in 2022.
Credit: Russell Florence
Credit: Russell Florence
Ragland also praised Baudendistel’s collaborative input, particularly the costuming of the Act 1 party at Clara’s house and the desire to have the scene feel like the present within its period setting, which is around 1910.
“The party scene is typically done in a traditional way with formal wear but we looked at images from the early 1900s and saw that men at parties wore suit jackets and the ladies had more formal wear,” Ragland explained. “When you go to a party you’re dancing, laughing and talking so I wanted Act 1 to feature more movement with the dancers engaging with each other. Also, the colors of the party scene contain deep, rich colors such as gold, silver and green and then you’re transported into the Land of Time with vibrant yellow, pink and orange. It really is a contrast in costume, which is purposeful, while also providing the audience with sort of a time lapse.”
Inside the music
Tchaikovsky’s gorgeous score, filled with wondrous waltzes and effervescent energy, debuted 16 years after his equally iconic and illustrious “Swan Lake.” Dayton Philharmonic Artistic Director Neal Gittleman has conducted “The Nutcracker” since 2013 and enjoys the thrill of live accompaniment, especially as a benefit to the dancers.
“Sure, with recorded music, dancers know exactly what to expect, but with live accompaniment there’s the possibility of a natural responsiveness by the conductor and players to the dancers’ needs from show to show and moment to moment,” Gittleman said. “That’s why in ballet performances my eyes are glued as much as possible to the stage. That way I can try to sense if all is well, accompaniment-wise or if the dancers might need a little tweak in the tempo one way or another. Live music lets the performance be flexible and, well, alive and always in the moment.”
Credit: CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Credit: CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
He is also retiring at the end of this season.
“Every year I get a little wistful at the last show, as we play each dance for the last time until 50 weeks roll around,” Gittleman said. “So, I imagine I’ll be ‘wistful-plus’ at this year’s last performance. But honestly, there’s no time to wallow in that wistfulness. I’ve got dancers’ feet to watch and musicians in the pit to serve and that’s where I’ll really be focused.”
Company dancer Erin Blair, a southern California native performing in her second season with Dayton Ballet, acknowledges the variety and familiarity of the music.
“The music is so fun and exciting,” Blair said. “Everyone knows the music, especially during the (holiday) shopping (season). And the choreography allows you to really be able to play into the characters by listening to the music.”
“Usually the rehearsal process (rehashes) some of the things you already know but because we’re making a new ‘Nutcracker’ with new people, it’s a different vibe, which is fun,” echoed company dancer Nicolas Bierwagen, an Oregon native also performing in his second season with Dayton Ballet. “I hope people take away the joy and fun of going to the ballet and watching the ballet. It’s going to be a really good time.”
‘Building new memories’
In addition to 20 company dancers, the production will feature more than 120 young people portraying such roles as party guests, soldiers, angels, clouds and butterflies.
“I want to provide more opportunities for our young dancers to be a part of a professional production,” Ragland said. “I really tried to make this ‘Nutcracker’ a robust ballet that can attract many people to enjoy the experience.”
The show is the single highest-earning production the DPAA presents every year.
“We are on track for its all-time highest ticket sales,” Nugent said. “It’s the most expensive production we do. Designing and building the new production costs around a half million dollars. That funding has been provided by generous sponsors, including the Kettering Family Foundation, and the Miriam Rosenthal Foundation for the Arts, and the Olive Kettering Fund. We expect this production to enthrall Dayton audiences for another 10 years, and we expect this year’s ticket sales to be well over a half million dollars.”
Credit: ron valle
Credit: ron valle
Fully prepared to hear all perspectives about his vision, Ragland approaches the world premiere confidently content that art is fueled by conversation and debate.
“I think this ‘Nutcracker’ will (remind) audiences that the Dayton Ballet continues to push forward and offer fresh takes on classic ballets,” he said. “The Dayton audience has seen the same production of ‘The Nutcracker’ and grew to love it so when something new and different comes along there’s always a possibility people start to compare or not everyone may grow attached to it. But there is a boldness to asking an audience to try a new idea, a new perspective. I want to create buzz that gets people talking about the production and its differences.”
Blair is among the dancers hoping audiences are receptive to the show being reimagined for a new generation.
“We’re building new memories with this ‘Nutcracker,’” she said. “I think people are excited to see something new.”
HOW TO GO
What: “The Nutcracker”
When: Dec. 13-22; 7:30 p.m. Fridays, 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays, and 2:30 p.m. Sundays
Where: Schuster Center, 1 W. Second St., Dayton
Cost: $8-$108
Tickets and more info: 937-228-3630 or daytonperformingarts.org
Credit: RAY ZUPP
Credit: RAY ZUPP
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