Why the Snow Scene from ‘The Nutcracker' Reigns Supreme

Date

Category Inside the Studio

Joffrey Artists Cara Marie Gary answers the burning questions about dancing the Snow Scene from The Nutcracker.

When it comes to The Nutcracker, Snow reigns supreme.

But it‘s not all glitz and glam. Snow, as it‘s more colloquially known in the field, is also one of the most technically demanding, exquisitely intricate sections of any Nutcracker production, especially so in Christopher Wheeldon’s reimagined holiday classic, choreographed for the Joffrey in 2016.

Wheeldon’s intricate geometry is a whirlwind of movement and shine, a section where technique and spatial awareness matter most. 

Joffrey Artist Cara Marie Gary knows. Having worked with Wheeldon on several ballets, it was a foregone conclusion that Wheeldon‘s new Nutcracker, set in Chicago during the 1893 World‘s Fair, would muster the magic of the season and give the artists something to think about.

“It took a lot of rehearsal and practice to get the final version,” Gary says, noting that Wheeldon at one point used pennies to sort through the formations. “But it was a lot of fun.”

In this episode of Stage Notes, Gary takes you through the iconic moments of Snow that make it memorable, gloriously beautiful, and the epitome of magic on stage.