The Wilkins legacy lives on. But the times, they are a-changing.
The always anticipated “Nutcracker” opens Olympic Ballet Theatre’s 31st year and the first year of newly appointed artistic directors Oleg Gorboulev and Mara Vinson.
Former artistic director Helen Wilkins still contributes as Ballet Mistress, and her son Daniel acts as Ballet Master.
The choreography for the party, transformation and battle scenes is still the work of Wilkins and her late husband, John’s.
The Wilkinses’ legacy shows in the classical influence you can’t miss.
But the at first startling, more abbreviated, athletically streamlined influence is that of Gorboulev and Vinson. They choreographed the Snow Scene and all of Act II.
A standout Clara and Nutcracker Prince pas de deux with Vinson, and guest artist Le Yin demonstrates precisely what Gorboulev and Vinson are introducing into OBT’s repertoire. Her spins, his leaps, their poise, their prowess and their accent on control is all absolutely spectacular and exciting to watch.
Ezra Dickinson’s Russian Cossack displays the same thing, but perhaps even more gymnastic.
Vinson, Gorboulev, Yin and Dickinson, all influenced by their time with Pacific Northwest Ballet, amount to a clear indication of exciting changes to come.
However, this “Nutcracker” definitely registers Clara’s trauma and healing in a familiar, all-is-as-it-should-be way. The formalized character of upper class, 19th-century Europe, comes through. The Battle Scene’s nightmarish realism scares. The dream’s fairytale qualities fit clearly with Clara’s childlike imagination.
The color, the fanfare, the surprises little student dancers invariably come up with and all that goes with them are present and accounted for. Families and kids of all ages won’t be disappointed.
I was thrown a little. But the recovery wasn’t too painful. I am confident the Wilkinses’ legacy is too genuine to go by the wayside.
Comments? Reactions? Email Dale Burrows at grayghost7@comcast.net or entertainment@weeklyherald.com.
‘Nutcracker’
WHEN: Dec. 16-18, although Dec. 18 is shown online as sold out at present
WHERE: Edmonds Center for the Arts, 410 Fourth Ave. N, Edmonds
TICKETS: Call 425-774-7570 (Tues.-Fri., noon-3 pm) or go to www.olympicballet.com
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