Advertorial BY ANGELA WADE Butterfly collars, bellbottoms, and…ballet? Forget everything you’ve come to expect from a performance of The Nutcracker. Long Island City School of Ballet’s “This‘70s Nutcracker” is unlike any interpretation you’ve ever seen. Set in the 1970’s, the ballet opens with a family hosting their annual holiday party. The siblings argue over toys—but here the sister, angry that she got a Barbie, fights her brother for his G.I Joe. After the party, an unusual relative, Chick, transports the brother to the Land of Television, where he is introduced to ballet for the first time. The show was inspired by Eric Ragan’s own colorful family parties growing up in Texas. Ragan, founder and artistic director of LICB, is a child of the ‘70s. He has distinct memories of his long-haired uncles, including Uncle Chick, who was an unemployed conga player. Ragan turned him into the show’s Drosselmeyer. He watched The Nutcracker for the first time at one of the Ragan family holiday parties. “I’ve molded those stories together of how I experienced ballet for the first time,” Ragan said. “Dance is such an evolving art. I think that sometimes we get trapped doing the same thing, the same way, all the time. I’m still using the score in the premise, I’m just giving it my own particular twist. I’ve always loved that evolving aspect of ballet.” The cast of 80 to 90 dancers ranges in age from 6 to 16. Inclusion is a distinguishing feature of Ragan’s approach to his ballet school’s shows. “I think a lot of times we ballet dancers get hung up in exclusionary things, especially if people don’t fit the mold,” he said. “If people want to participate fully, my rule is that they participate. If they come and put in the time in classes and work hard and come to the mandatory rehearsals, they should be included. They should be able to show what they’re capable of. Every one of them have something to offer the production.” Throughout the year at LICSB, technique, as well as physical conditioning, are the twin areas of focus. The school offers ballet for students at all levels, as well as a unique SportsDance program for boys, specialty dance classes, and weekend workshops. LICSB also offers summer ballet, a summer arts camp, and evening ballet classes for adults. “Ballet is so good physically, mentally, emotionally,” he said. “Dancers are all striving for unattainable perfection, and if they’re all doing that together as a team, the striving teaches them about life.” Catch LICSB’s “This ‘70s Nutcracker” on December 10 and 11 at Queens Theatre in the Park (14 United Nations Avenue South in Flushing Meadows Corona Park). Tickets are $30 and available at queenstheatre.org Groovin’ at LICSB’s “This’70s Nutcracker”
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