Queering the Second Act: The Nutcracker Ascends

One of the things I never particularly liked about the ubiquitous holiday affliction known as The Nutcracker is how unabashedly self-aware it is. There is never a point in which the dancers aren’t acutely aware of the fact that a) they are dancers, and b) they have an audience.

The second act, in particular, plays out like an ornate variety showcase, highlighting dances from different countries before finally focusing back on the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier. This is where Dark Circles Contemporary Dance departs from the original, choosing instead to focus fully on the scenes featuring the main dancers.

Okay, that’s not entirely true. The video bypasses most of the confection, but begins with an unusual rendition of Mother Gigogne, in which Vanessa Owen as the eponymous Mother G. prances about the darkened stage dressed as a dancehall floozy, her steps lively and brightly comic. She exudes sass, but even the posturing is rendered with grace, which gives a glimpse into the power and precision Ms. Owens possesses as a dancer. It’s a lovely aperitif for what follows.

Cast as the Fairy-free Cavaliers, Chadi El-Khoury and Gavin Stewart give bravura performances worthy of any world stage. Their command of the performance space is instantaneous, beginning with an athletically romantic version of the Pas de Deux.

Yes, romantic. Whereas there never appears to be anything but vapid smiles and polite bows between the Fairy and the Cavalier throughout the second act of most productions, in this version that is not the case. One can almost feel the yearning and passion of the characters, which in turn informs the graceful movements of the dancers themselves. Their eyes lock, time and time again, and each time they take the audience with them, deeper, into the poetry of intertwined fates.

This number is ascendingly followed by solo turns from the dancers – first the Tarantella by Stewart, followed by the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy by El-Khoury – before they are reunited for the final number, the lively Coda.

As a choreographer, Artistic Director Joshua L. Peugh cobbles together moments which soar with an effortlessness that surpasses most big city offerings. The simplicity of his staging lends a feeling of vastness to offset the intimacy.

This mastery is backed by the costuming of Euginia P. Stallings, which runs the gamut from the garishly sumptuous (see Mother Gigogne, above), to exquisitely embellished restraint. Her attention to detail and dynamism adds a gloss of sophistication to the proceedings.

Gone, too, are the lush orchestral arrangements of Tchaikovsky’s sprightly emissions, replaced here by the adroit virtuosity of Marco Jimenez on piano. His prowess lends a more intimate flavor to the dance of the Cavaliers.

At a quick 15 minutes, the story told here is one of power, romance, and graceful acceptance. No pomp, no circumstance, just lively dancing on an expert scale. It’s not the first time we’ve seen men dancing together in Las Cruces, but it is arguably one of the best performances I have seen. It might even make me like the Nutcracker again. Maybe.

‘The Nutcracker: Queering the Second Act’ is available for streaming on demand now thru 1 a.m. on Jan. 3, with access for unlimited screening available on a pay-what-you-can basis by registering online at DarkCirclesContemporaryDance.com.