Ballet’s greatest holiday tradition returns this season with a twist, or should we say, a pirouette. Lake Tahoe Dance Collective is streaming a virtual production of “Tahoe Nutcracker” for free through Dec. 25.
Until Dec. 25 | Free
Virtual | laketahoedancecollective.org
“People’s faces light up when you talk about it,” says artistic director Christin Hanna. “It has a beloved place in our hearts.”
Last year, the Collective produced its first season of the classic Christmas ballet to rave reviews. Set at the historical Tahoe Tavern in Tahoe City in 1919, the story recalls young Clara’s magical journey with a Nutcracker Prince who comes to life after she saves him from a battle with the evil Mouse King. The diverse cast stars Christopher Charles McDaniel as the Prince and Gabrielle Rodda as Clara. Last year’s production will be streamed this year for free for audiences to enjoy.
“Nutcracker is a production that almost every company does and I think it’s important to put a local spin on it,” says Hanna. “I’ve worked closely with [North Lake] Tahoe Historical Society over the years. It was slightly more glamorous then, going from a train to a boat to get to your destination. It’s a beautiful time in costume design, the change in era from Victorian to Edwardian. We’re not quite into flappers yet, but it is the beginning of modern America when people are losing the corsets.”
At the time, the world was also dealing with a pandemic: the Spanish Flu. A century later, coronavirus dashed plans for the 2020 dance season. Yet, true to the inherent grit and optimism of ballet dancers, the Collective has found ways to adapt and keep its passion for the arts alive during uncertain times.
Dancing through the Snow
In lieu of its annual summer festival on the shores of Lake Tahoe, the Collective held a virtual event in July featuring videos of performances and interviews with featured artists. Although the nonprofit raised $11,000 in donations, that pales in comparison to the typical haul of its signature event. Nutcracker is usually the biggest earner of every company’s repertoire that helps pay for more adventurous pursuits and the Collective will be collecting donations for its free stream this holiday season.
Sadly, Hanna lost her longtime mentor, the revered German dance master Wilhelm Burmann, to complications from coronavirus in March.
“As a teacher of dance, I’m always trying to hone and explore new things, just the right way to give a certain correction so it clicks,” she says. “Of course, this is a tradition passed down from teacher to student from year to year. He was very well-known for getting the best out of his dancers. To keep his memory alive and connect my dancers with that lineage is something I feel very responsible for.”
After the initial shutdown, outdoor classes resumed in May at a vacant lot in Tahoma with dancers masked and socially distanced.
“We wear point shoes and our feet bleed,” laughs Hanna. “So, wearing a mask is relatively not that bad.”
Later in summer, the Collective reopened its Tahoe City studio to limited numbers, but that was shut down again in November as virus rates started to rise. Now, they are back to dancing in their kitchens using Zoom.
“We can all take the beautiful parts of our daily lives for granted until they are taken away,” says Hanna. “Those first few classes outside were really magical. It was a real saving grace.”
For many young dancers, it was the only safe social interaction they could have.
“I think they have a greater understanding of how important dance is in their lives,” says Hanna. “Whatever else is going on you can walk into the studio, be prepared for class, focus on your body, your technique, your musicality. Whatever unpleasantries may be going on in your life, that can be avoided for a couple hours while you’re working on an artform. It’s almost like meditation.”
Along with a video presentation of its 2019 production, the Collective’s virtual offering includes artist interviews and an intermission baking class with Chef Zac Young to keep the holiday cheer alive.
“I hope it brings a combination of remembering what we can do altogether on the stage,” says Hanna. “I hope it does make the myth that much more, but also keeps the faith that we will be back. I have a vision of families streaming it, having dinner and making cookies. I hope it brings some joy and beauty into people’s lives … This is the time for the arts to inspire and entertain and to take you to another realm. It’s one of the few escapes we have.” | laketahoedancecollective.org
