It is impossible to think of the holiday season without mentioning The Nutcracker.
This quintessential holiday production has been featured all over the world since its 1892 debut. The scoring by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky is iconic, with each choreographer lending their own unique interpretation of the story.
The production presented by madame Valia Seiskaya is no different in terms of memorability. Seiskaya’s performance includes a wide age range of ballerinas working in seamless unison to put on one of the region’s most famous re-editions of The Nutcracker. At its 27th season, the production has drawn over 100,000 visitors cumulatively. And, in doing so, it is undisputedly the Island’s largest production of The Nutcracker.
The ballet was hosted at the Staller Center at Stony Brook University. Drawing from a wide pool of talent, the ballet had guest artists and well-renowned talent along with rising stars of ballet. Take Dr. Sergey Butkevich, for instance, who gave a heart-warming performance as Herr Drosselmeyer. Butkevich is a decorated mathematician who plainly loves the arts.
Then juxtapose Butkevich with Max Lippman and Seiskaya Ballet veteran Brianna Jimenez, who spent formative time under the direction of Seiskaya. Both Limmpan and Jiminez are accomplished in the field.
With a cast that is diverse, containing many younger and first[1]time performers of The Nutcracker, the show is only enhanced through a magical je ne sais quoi. The performance was professional, tasteful and entertaining, full of well-done acting, facials, dancing and beautiful costumes. The performers epitomized synchronicity and thoughtful movement.
Through a series of arabesques, bodmas, leaps and pirouettes, these dancers successfully told the story of The Nutcracker, with elegance, grace and ease.
If you were unable to catch this performance this year, then certainly set a reminder for yourself ahead of next year’s performance. You won’t walk away disappointed.
