Press: Louisville Ballet Joins Nationwide Effort To Address ‘Nutcracker’s’ Asian Stereotypes

By Ashlie Stevens for WVXU

November 29,2018

The Louisville Ballet studios are bustling this week as the company prepares for their 2018 production of The Nutcracker, which premieres next Saturday.

Dancers work through Act II of the production, over and over; it’s the part of the show during which Marie and her Prince enter “The Land of Sweets” and are greeted by a familiar cast of characters: The Sugar Plum Fairy, Candy Canes, Spanish Hot Chocolate, Arabian Coffee.

And the Chinese Tea Dancers.

That particular segment of The Nutcracker has received a lot of attention since last year when the New York City Ballet redesigned the choreography, costumes and makeup in their version of the classic ballet — veering away from the antiquated caricatures often depicted in the scene.

Many companies, even those that are internationally renowned, like the New York City Ballet, would present Asian stereotypes year after year. Male dancers moved with pointy fingers and wore rice paddy hats; the women wore geisha-style wigs and exaggerated eye makeup.

Read More

SWAN LAKE

November 11-14 2021
The Brown Theatre
Choreography by Robert Curran
Music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchakiovsky

This will close in 0 seconds

The Brown-Forman Nutcracker

December 11-23, 2021
Whitney Hall, Kentucky Center
Choreography by Val Caniparoli
Music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

This will close in 0 seconds

ChorShow

January 12-22, 2022
Louisville Ballet Studios

This will close in 0 seconds

Spotlight Series: Impressionism to Jazz

March 3-5, 2022
The Brown Theatre
A mixed repertory evening featuring:

Emeralds

Choreography by George Balanchine

Music: "Pelléas et Mélisande" + "Shylock" by Gabriel Fauré

In G Major

Choreography by Jerome Robbins
Music: "Piano Concerto in G Major" by Maurice Ravel

World Premiere Work

Music by Louisville-based Jazz Composer and Musician, Dick Sisto

This will close in 0 seconds

Sleeping Beauty

March 31 - April 2, 2022
The Brown Theatre
Choreography by Adam Hougland
Music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchakiovsky

This will close in 0 seconds