Nutcracker Nation: How an Old World Ballet Became a Christmas Tradition in the New World

Jennifer Fisher's 2004 dance history takes on a pretty daunting task: to explain the Nutcracker ballet's current status in North America as not only an entrenched Christmas tradition, but also everyone's favorite classical ballet. To accomplish this Fisher did her own field research, somewhat anthropological in nature, spending time with both a major professional company, the National Ballet of Canada, and a much smaller company, the Loudon Ballet in Leesburg, Virginia. (Since Fisher's work covers both the United States and Canada, the title of the book is mildly misleading.) She weaves excerpts from interviews and anecdotes from her time with these companies through and around a historical narrative of the original conception and production of Tchaikovsky's and Ivanov's ballet in St. Petersburg in 1892 (like many works that have become beloved classics, it opened to a mixed reception), followed by a chronicle of its gradual importation and proliferation across the Atlantic. George Balanchine and the New York City Ballet, as one might suspect, play an important role in this latter part of her tale. Along the way the author makes frequently telling points about the neat dovetailing of the ballet's scenario with American traditions and values, and how its appeal to children both as performers and audiences has bolstered its popularity. However, there are also digressions into such topics as the sociological import of the various national dances in the second act and how they have been staged (including in Walt Disney's film Fantasia), diverting but not particularly relevant to the central topic. This impression of looseness is also underscored by the rather casual way in which excerpts from Fisher's own research with the ballet companies are dropped into the narrative. Ultimately, Nutcracker Nation reads like a doctoral dissertation interleaved with popular history. As such it is consistently interesting, but a little disheveled in feel.

"Nutcracker Nation" is a fascinating examination of a much-loved, much-performed, but little-analyzed ballet. Fisher examines the question of just why American loves "The Nutcracker" so much, and what the ballet can teach us about ourselves. Fisher finds real meaning in the seemingly simple (and admittedly rather silly) story of Clara, her mysterious godfather, and the nutcracker prince. Rather than stop there, though, Fisher also examines the impact "The Nutcracker" has had on American culture, and vice versa. She interviews parents, dancers, technical crew, artistic directors, and other workers from 2 productions of the ballet, one amateur and one professional. We learn their opinions on performing the same ballet Christmas after Christmas, their ideas about where the Sugar Plum Fairy is from, and the joys of moving up the ranks from mouse to snowflake to Sugar Plum. Fisher also analyzes many serious issues related to the ballet, such as the controversial second act divertissments and their characterizations of various ethnic groups. "Nutcracker Nation" is an insightful, entertaining book and is highly recommended to both ballet enthusiasts and the uninitiated.