{"id":33207,"date":"2022-11-26T14:05:50","date_gmt":"2022-11-26T22:05:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.haunting.net\/?p=33207"},"modified":"2022-11-27T12:23:53","modified_gmt":"2022-11-27T20:23:53","slug":"acb-nutcracker-suite-ballet-2022","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.haunting.net\/acb-nutcracker-suite-ballet-2022\/","title":{"rendered":"The Nutcracker Suite Ballet is an Incredible Immersive Treat"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Note: The Nutcracker Suite ballet by the American Contemporary Ballet<\/a> is my second favorite ballet (just under American Contemporary Ballet<\/a>\u2019s Inferno and Burlesque<\/a>). The opening and article contain minor spoilers to the immersive portion of the show, so if you want to be fully surprised, stop reading now and just purchase tickets<\/a> for this holiday season. Yet, if you need further convincing or want to set better expectations, then please, read on.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the door. It should mysteriously open.\u201d A man proclaims confidently to a mass of people crowded in the small hallway of an 28th story office building. \u201cI know this is the right door.\u201d Yet, a distant ding proves to be a harbinger of more people, as elevator doors open, releasing more ballet aficionados into the florescent lit hallway. An impatient woman knocks on the door, but no one responds. \u201cAre you sure we\u2019re on the right floor?\u201d \u201cDoes anyone know where the ballet is?\u201d \u201cWhat\u2019s even going on?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"American<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Nutcracker Suite ballet is the winter experience by the American Contemporary Ballet<\/a>. Running at nearly two hours and completely family friendly, the experience consists of three parts: the enigmatic immersive opening meant to confuse and delight guests, a snow-filled party with champagne, sweets, and wind-up toys to interact with, and a narrative-less ballet themed around various treats. While most other ballets force audiences into large auditoriums or performance halls, The Nutcracker Suite ballet immerses audiences into the experience, with the first two acts allowing for engagement and interaction; and when the ballet begins, audiences are placed within three rows, ensuring that everyone has a perfect view of the stage.<\/p>\n

\"American<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Immersive Opening:<\/h2>\n

Last year<\/a>, The Nutcracker Suite ballet welcomed guests to an unfinished space of a high-rise with two desks and two ballerinas placed behind them. The women played on their phone, answered phones, and basically failed to appropriately answer a single question asked to them by the audience. This year, Director Lincoln Jones elevates this \u201cprank\u201d on his audiences by informing them to go to one door (after trapping them on a non-descript 28th floor) and then leaving audiences to congregate in front of said door. The jingle of music down the hall\u2014in another office room\u2014provides a clue, as a receptionist (played amazingly by Brittany Yevoli) for a law firm plays blissfully ignorant to any ballet questions.<\/p>\n

For those in on the joke, such as immersive veterans or ballet regulars, it\u2019s my favorite treat of the year to watch frustrated ballet goers try to maintain a polite fa\u00e7ade when asking a clueless receptionist if they\u2019re in the right room. Yet, as her phone rings, and Yevoli descends into the absurd, the audience slowly realizes the joke\u2014especially when Yevoli climbs onto the desk to answer the phone, yelling out to the crowd, \u201cdoes anyone know an Art?\u201d<\/p>\n

It’s absurd and surreal and an incredible joke that will make anyone in the know laugh hard. Yet, the misdirection may not sit well with all (and those people likely aren\u2019t reading this site), and we did hear a few people gripe about it as we walked to a door labeled \u201cIt\u2019s This One\u201d, after the receptionist kindly directed us to the correct entryway.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"American<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Pre-Show of The Nutcracker Suite<\/h2>\n

Contrasted against the mundane office hallways, the door opens to gorgeous space, with snow falling from above, frost coating all windows, and the floors blanketed in a soft white layer of snow. Production Designer Max Jezek continues to impress as this space has been transformed from the dark, hazy inferno just a month prior.<\/p>\n

A young girl roller skates across the stage, designed to look like an ice rink among the snow; champagne, popcorn, and chocolate await guests on the other end, and a live orchestra of nine plays beautiful renditions of classical music. This is a multisensory delight, designed to engage people beyond their eyes.<\/p>\n

Yet, there\u2019s also room to play. Two women are wheeled in as wind-up toys, giving adults and children alike an avenue to engage and interact. One of the dolls has a key in her back that can be wound, allowing her to come to life. The other has a button on her tray that distributes cards that are selected for you, akin to a ballet tarot reading. I received the card for Skater, which held one of the most beautiful poems I\u2019ve read on the back (by Jessica Piazza):<\/p>\n

Here be the key. Here be the door. Your name called out from a frozen sea. Or not your name, but a deep command. The river of your youth writes eulogies. The ice you see is clear and mirror both. Your body longs to slide, to float. You imagine each moment the water might hold you up as prayer, as shock. Perhaps it is not your name called out, but another that sounds like yours. It sounds like ours. We are mostly water, but we pause on glass-like surfaces, tight as a lock, afraid of how we year. If you\u2019ve forgotten, return.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"American

Photo By Anastasia Petukhova<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Nutcracker Suite Ballet<\/h2>\n

The Nutcracker Suite Ballet is composed of 11 dances, each ranging in length, number of ballerinas, and stylistic presentation. Lasting nearly forty-five minutes, the ballet still maintains a level of immersion with the audience: ballerinas toss snow onto the first rows, hand out candy to the audience, and provide enough eye contact to ensure guests feel seen.<\/p>\n

I love that the ballet is themed as a menu, offering each dance up as a treat, with names like hot chocolate, coffee, tea, candy canes, marzipan, and mother ginger. Yet, those names are bright to life as ice cream is distributed with chocolate, coffee, and green tea flavors. Later, rock candy and marzipan is handed out to the audience—and finally, the experience ends with golden bags of gingersnaps awarded by Mother Ginger\u2019s prot\u00e9g\u00e9. As mentioned above, I love how The American Contemporary Ballet engages all senses with this experience.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"American<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

While the immersive elements are entertaining and engaging, the heart of this experience is the ballet\u2014and American Contemporary Ballet are experts of their craft. We\u2019ve praised their technical prowess before, but it bears repeating: this is the best ballet I have seen. Each year, we return, and are impressed seeing the dancers only improve year after year.<\/p>\n

Our favorite dance this year was Coffee as Brittany Yevoli and Thel Moore III create the darkest and hottest dance of the night, keeping us spellbound in their movements. Another favorite was Tea, in which Hannah Barr infuses her movements with a fairy-like playfulness and bounce that will leave the entire audience smiling. Mother Ginger is another memorable dance, in which Paige Wilkey takes a junior ballerina under her wing, and as young girl mirrors Wilkey\u2019s moves. It\u2019s a tender moment of mother and daughter, and a passing of the torch as new generations are empowered by their predecessors.<\/p>\n

The experience ends with a finale in which the entire ensemble come together in their various costumes throughout the evening, showcasing how this ensemble is truly more powerful together than separate. Their strengths showcased, highlighting each other, and providing a diversity in skill that is truly impressive.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"American<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Lighting, Sound, and Costumes<\/h2>\n

One of the defining aspects of The American Contemporary Ballet<\/a> is their use of live music, and it would not be an appropriate review without a callout to this incredible ensemble. This is the largest musical cast I\u2019ve seen from ACB, with two violinists (Xenia Deviatkina-Loh and Enosh Kofler), a viola (Corinne Sobolewski), a cello (Allan Hon), a clarinet (Sergio Coelho), a flute (Emma McCartney), a piano (Brandon Zhou and Morgan Jones), and even two singers (Anastasia Malliaras and Charlotte Bash). The musicians are incredible, and having live music allows audiences to feel the experience so much stronger. The notes hit harder and the dances are elevated (higher than the 28th floor). It wouldn\u2019t be the same without the music.<\/p>\n

As we noted in Inferno and Burlesque<\/a>, American Contemporary Ballet has elevated their lighting experience, with Zach Titterington and Payton Jane impressing audiences with perfectly timed lighting effects that both enhance and elevate the ballet. While the lighting here is more elegant than bold, relying less on reds, oranges, and yellows, The Nutcracker Suite ballet does a fantastic job of highlighting the dances and directing the audience\u2019s viewpoint. Further, we attended the daytime performance in 2021<\/a>, so seeing it at night in 2022, with the lighting, made it feel that much more cinematic.<\/p>\n

We praised Ruoxuan Li last year for her costumes, and with Yasamin Sarabipour joining her this year, the costumes felt equally as impressive. The dresses of Mother Ginger showcased the unity of the two girls, but their costumes were distinct, revealing a distinct individuality maintained in the passing of generations. Hannah Barr\u2019s hoop skirt in Tea perfectly bounced with each movement, only elevating the whimsical nature of this dance. And Brittany Yevoli\u2019s dark straps provided a mystery that kept us guessing during her dance in coffee.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"American<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Improvements<\/h2>\n

My only area of improvement for The Nutcracker Suite ballet would be the airflow in the room. While it definitely looked like a Winter Wonderland inside, with snow falling and flocked windows, the temperatures did get toasty inside. We were able to cool down with a chilled glass of champagne, but over time, with the strong lights, the temperatures were noticeable. We understand that The American Contemporary Ballet is in a space that they may not have full control over, but this is an area to pay attention to in the future.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Conclusions<\/h2>\n

The American Contemporary Ballet<\/a> is absolutely incredible and deserving of your attention. Whether you\u2019re a fan of the ballet, or just an immersive fan, The Nutcracker Suite ballet should be on your radar. With an amazing prank opening that leads into an exceptionally designed and elegant winter wonderland complete with drinks and treats, all fans of immersive entertainment will fall in love with this. And then the ballet itself showcases such incredible technical prowess and expertise that you\u2019ll find yourself amazed at how fluid and graceful the human body can be.
\nBring your parents, bring your kids, this is an all ages experience that invites you into the experience. Last year<\/a>, we said we would make ACB\u2019s The Nutcracker Suite ballet a Christmas tradition, and we are proud to say, we\u2019re upholding that promise. Won\u2019t you join us too?<\/p>\n

For more information on American Contemporary Ballet and The Nutcracker Suite Ballet, checkout their Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a> and website<\/a>. For information about similar events, check out our Event Calendar<\/a>.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]

MORE ABOUT HAUNTING<\/span><\/h1><\/div>
[vc_empty_space height=”42px”][vc_column_text]Haunting is a resource for immersive theater and horror fans in Los Angeles and across the world, promoting art and community. Want to help us reach even more people, and get some cool perks and experiences? For as little as $1 a month, you can join our Patreon<\/a> and help us keep bringing content to life.<\/p>\n

If you like the above article and want to find more like it, make sure to join our community. If Facebook is your favorite, follow us there<\/a> and become a part of our groups for Immersive Horror fans<\/a> and\/or Immersive creators<\/a>. We\u2019re active on Instagram, posting evocative imagery and informative stories to promote our reviews and recollections; follow us there<\/a>. You can even find us on twitter; click here to follow<\/a>. And subscribe to our event calendar<\/a> to get emails for all or specific events (look for the link right under the calendar<\/a>)! Finally, we have a newsletter that comes out once a week; click here to sign up<\/a>.
\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/section>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Note: The Nutcracker Suite ballet by the American Contemporary Ballet is my second favorite ballet (just under American Contemporary Ballet\u2019s Inferno and Burlesque). The opening and article contain minor spoilers to the immersive portion of the show, so if you want to be fully surprised, stop reading now and just purchase tickets for this holiday […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":33212,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[19888,11843,80],"tags":[19892,26491,27459,130,142,27458],"yst_prominent_words":[1837,13033,188,246,22576],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/American-Contemporary-Ballet-Immersive-Nutcracker-Suite-Ballet-2022-Los-Angeles-CA-Immersive-Theater-Performance-Theater-3.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p89hUA-8DB","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.haunting.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33207"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.haunting.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.haunting.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.haunting.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.haunting.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33207"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.haunting.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33207\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":33217,"href":"https:\/\/www.haunting.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33207\/revisions\/33217"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.haunting.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/33212"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.haunting.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33207"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.haunting.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33207"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.haunting.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33207"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.haunting.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=33207"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}