INTERVIEW: Visit Olde New York in ‘Yorkville Nutcracker’
Photo: The Yorkville Nutcracker is an annual tradition for Dances Patrelle. Photo courtesy of Eduardo Patino / Provided by Michelle Tabnick PR with permission.
The Nutcracker is a holiday favorite that plays in almost every city in the month of December. New York, for example, has a wide variety of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s ballet on view, everything from George Balanchine’s version at the New York City Ballet to The Hip Hop Nutcracker taking place Dec. 14 at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, New Jersey.
The Yorkville Nutcracker, which plays Dec. 6-9 at The Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College on the Upper East Side, sets itself apart because this staging is set in Olde New York, circa 1895. Audience members will be whisked away to enjoy a Christmas dinner at Gracie Mansion, dance at the Crystal Palace of the New York Botanical Garden and even skate in Central Park. The Big Apple’s historic offerings are on full display in the lavish production, which comes courtesy of Dances Patrelle and its artistic director, Francis Patrelle.
Dances Patrelle has built a long history over its 30 years of existence. Patrelle has choreographed some 50 ballets, spanning dances set to the American Songbook to Madame X to Macbeth, and everything in between.Recently, Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with Patrelle about his unique adaptation of Tchaikovsky’s classic. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
What sets this Nutcracker apart from other productions?
When I was asked to create a Nutcracker by the director of the Danny Kaye Playhouse, I thought he must be crazy. How can you create a Nutcracker opposite City Ballet’s gorgeous production? But I kept thinking about it and wondered if there was a way to make a Nut that was site specific.
The school where I teach, Ballet Academy East, sits in the heart of Yorkville, so I began my research there. It was invigorating! Eventually I chose a year when I thought we could populate a new Nutcracker with historical characters that would lend color and fascination to a sort of living Christmas card from Olde New York. 1895.
Mayor [William Lafayette] Strong was in office and related to the Babcocks — then residents of Gracie Mansion. And the city had recently hired a new commissioner of police, the young New Yorker and western hero Theodore Roosevelt. Now I felt I had to do The Yorkville Nutcracker.
And what settings! Gracie Mansion for the party. For snow, we would have ice skaters on the lake in Central Park. And finally, away to the Crystal Palace at the Bronx Botanical Garden for a glorious kingdom of sweets. It is the glory of New York that makes The Yorkville Nutcracker special.
How difficult is the rehearsal process with so many dancers?
It is always difficult. This year we have more than 150 performers! But after 22 years, we have also developed a special organization. Our ballet masters have three studios going simultaneously, shuttling the young dancers from rehearsal to rehearsal, making sure everyone is being taught, coached and helped to further their dancing.
We have a coordinator — Maureen Duke — who tirelessly pours over all the personnel and their schedules to make sure that not only do we get the show on the stage, but we put it on great! Still, every year there comes a moment of fear and trembling. We only ever put it all together the last weekend before we load into the theater! But it always turns out.
What are the qualities you’re looking for when considering your lead dancers for the production?
One of the beauties of our production is that because we have the resources of New York City, we have access to the best performers for every level of the production. The student dancers can look at those performers and dream wonderful dreams of their own dancing futures, and because we are so dedicated to the education of young dancers, we look for dancers who are not just exquisite in their craft, but who will be generous and wonderful with children and teens.
Would you say Dances Patrelle has accomplished its major goals, or do you keep shooting for higher and higher achievements?
This being our 23rd season of The Yorkville Nutcracker, and the 30th year of Dances Patrelle, I have to admit that we achieved pretty much everything we ever imagined doing back in 1988. But as you grow and mature, your goals change. No sooner do you climb one mountain than you see that there are so many more!
We continue to strive to introduce audiences to dramatic ballet and the American Songbook. We are committed to bringing student dancers and world-class talent together so that future generations can continue the love affair with ballet.
When did you first fall in love with dance?
I first learned to love dance in the ’50s, by watching Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, both in the movies and on television programs like The Bell Telephone Hour. And then one day, Rudolph Nureyev exploded onto my television, and instantly I fell in love with ballet.
For a young man growing up in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, opportunities to learn ballet were not so plentiful, but I was lucky. My mother and father encouraged and supported my dreams, and you know, at 71 years of age, I am still following my dreams!
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Dances Patrelle presents The Yorkville Nutcracker Dec. 6-9 at The Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Click here for more information and tickets.
