A Fort Vancouver “Nutcracker”
“The Nutcracker” ballet originally performed in 1892, surprisingly, was a flop. Yet, today it is considered a cardinal winter tradition by many. The music composed by Pytor Ilyich Tchaikovsky, follows the storyline of “The Nutcracker and the MouseKing”written by Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann. Hoffmann’s story surrounds a young girl named Clara and the fantastical adventures she goes on with her nutcracker; a toy that was given to her by her uncle, Herr Drosselmeyer.
Becky Moore, Director of Columbia Dance in Vancouver, shared that her dance company has been performing a traditional “Nutcracker” for 22 years. Now, they are in the process of reimagining the classic to take place at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, with funding grants from the City of Vancouver’s Culture, Art and Heritage Grant, and Clark County’s Historic Promotion Grants Program. In 2020, due to the pandemic, the show did not go on as planned. Instead, Columbia Dance continued preparing a unique “Nutcracker” with their own twist, mixing the classic story with the local history of Vancouver, particularly Fort Vancouver in the 1840s when it was a Hudson’s Bay Company trading post. “We formed partnerships with numerous community organizations surrounding our new historically inspired ‘Nutcracker,’” Moore said.
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Columbia Dance’s performances of “The Nutcracker” are scheduled to be held at Skyview High School in Vancouver on December 18-19, with a special matinee on December 17 for students in the third grade. *Please note* the day, date, time, and location of all performances and programs are subject to current COVID guidelines. Go here for up-to-date information.
Go to our community calendar of events to find more local productions of “The Nutcracker.”
Watch the Fort Vancouver “Nutcracker” preview trailer here:
