'THE NUTCRACKER' Program infuses show with jazz

By L. CROW
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
YOUNGSTOWN -- Ballet Western Reserve, YSU Jazz Ensemble and the YSU Performing Arts Series are teaming up to present a program celebrating the music of Duke Ellington with a holiday twist. The second half of the program will be a performance of the Ellington/Billy Strayhorn arrangement of "The Nutcracker."
In the first half of the program, the Jazz Ensemble, a 17-piece "big band," will play seven pieces by Ellington, all dating from the mid-'30s to '40s. "These were written while the Duke Ellington Orchestra was in residence at the Cotton Club in New York," said Kent Engelhardt, director of the Jazz Ensemble. "They accompanied singers, dancers, comedians and floor shows. Each of these pieces is a miniature -- Ellington was known as the master of the 'three-minute masterpiece.' Each piece evokes its own mood and has its own personality."
Collaborative project
Two of the pieces will include dancers from the YSU Dance Ensemble, directed by Christine Cobb. "Rockin' in Rhythm" is a Vaudeville-style tap number. "Ko-Ko" will be danced by seven women wearing "zoot suits" in what Cobb describes as a "gangster theme."
"Billy Strayhorn was a composer/arranger who worked hand in hand with Ellington throughout his career," Engelhardt said. "They were presented with the idea of a project to do a jazz arrangement of 'The Nutcracker.' Ellington didn't give it much thought and was touring at the time. Meanwhile, Strayhorn was intrigued with the idea and completed most of the arrangements. Eventually Ellington did a few of his own. They were written in 1960."
BWR artistic director Anita Lin is excited to do this presentation, which was premiered last year and sold out for two performances. She says that although the dancers will be doing ballet, each dance is infused with jazz. "There are nine selections, and it will be narrated by Jane Hill," Lin said. "It begins with the 'Overture,' which is the party scene, and the introduction of the main characters, followed by the 'Entr'acte,' Clara and her friends dancing with their dolls and 'The Nutcracker.' "
Movements renamed
Ellington and Strayhorn also renamed the dance movements of their suite to reflect the jazzy influence. "Sugar Plum Fairy" became "Sugar Rum Cherry." "The music is very seductive," Lin said. "It is slinky -- the dancer will be wearing a red flapper dress, with a red boa.
"And the 'Dance of the Reed Pipes' is 'Toot Toot Tootie Toot.' The dancers will be in unitards, which are half red and half blue. The steps are so targeted to the music. A lot of times I'm choreographing a story, but this time, I'm choreographing the music, with lots of footwork, hands, torso -- to interpret the exact notes. I think in this one, they were really trying to emphasize the jazz aspect of the music, so I wanted to do it justice." Lin said she spent the most time choreographing this particular piece.
The Russian Dance was renamed "Volga Vouty" and includes one female and two male dancers. Lin describes it as flamboyant and said she wanted to make it as grand as possible, which includes the guys "throwing the girl all over the stage."
The Chinese dance, "Chinoiserie," is played much more slowly than the traditional version, and the dancers will be using huge body-sized fans. The Arabian dance, or "Arabesque Cookie" has interesting instrumentation. "It will begin with flute alone, then flute and string bass," Engelhardt said. "There will also be a section with clarinet and bass clarinet in extreme ranges." The dancers will be in harem costumes, doing a sort of belly dance.
XPerformances will be in Bliss Hall, Ford Theater, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 2 and at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 3. Tickets: (330) 744-1934.