The secret behind New York City Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” costumes

One of the beauties of tradition is consistency. The world keeps turning, but certain beloved habits remain the same. During the holidays, such customs take on even deeper meaning. It’s comforting to know that you can trust that certain rituals will lift you up, no matter what. And for many New Yorkers, tourists, families, and ballet enthusiasts, the epitome of this is George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker performed by New York City Ballet.

This seasonal favorite has changed little since Balanchine added it to his repertoire in the middle of the last century. That includes the dancers’ incredibly intricate wardrobes, designed by Barbara Kalinska, whose 1964 Oscar-winning costumes were designed by Barbara Kalinska.

“Karinska’s legacy will always be everywhere in this store and on stage,” says Mark Happel, the company’s costume director. “She was an integral part of Balanchine’s work. He considered her costumes to be half the success of his ballets.” Kalinska’s work includes costume design for other famous ballets such as Jewels. , both worked with Balanchine for most of their careers.

First introduced in Russia in 1892, the Nutcracker is a ballet rendition of the story of the Nutcracker and the Mouse King. The performance begins with a Christmas party at the Stahlbaum mansion. There, young Marie is presented with a treasured nutcracker from the magician Mr. Drosselmeyer. After the party, Marie falls asleep and is awakened by a battle between the Nutcracker and a battalion of mice. After defeating the Mouse King, the Nutcracker transforms into a prince and takes Marie through the snow to a beautiful fantasy land, the Kingdom of the Sugar Plum Fairies. There, the Sugar Plum Fairy’s subjects entertain Marie and the Prince with a jubilant dance representing various sweets and treats such as marzipan and coffee.

This large, beautiful two-act ballet is performed 50 times each year and requires over 200 costumes. Throughout the performance, what the dancers wear is designed with movement at the forefront, whether it’s the kids skipping at a Christmas party or the cups of hot chocolate that bring castanet-fueled flamenco to life. While there are many small flourishes that the viewer may never notice, they demonstrate the immense intentionality and attention to detail that goes into each piece (for example, Take, for example, the cameo that includes a photo of Balanchine.) Hot Chocolate Principal’s Costume) — This design further shows Kalinska and Happel’s focus on what the audience sees every time the ballerina pirouettes, jumps, or is lifted up in a dance. . air. Plus, it also makes the steps easier for the dancers themselves.

“In many ways, it’s similar to an athlete’s costume,” Happel says. “This move can be quite extreme at times, so it’s really important to think about how you approach this in a stretching way.” The costume department doesn’t design entirely new costumes every year, but more modern Re-create certain aspects to better accommodate the audience or the dancer. For example, our staff recently updated their tutu briefs to be made with stretch netting for more movement. We also developed a new dyeing workflow to ensure all dancers wear tights that match their skin tone. “It’s a kind of science experiment where you think about the color that[the tights]are dyed with and the color of[the dancer’s]own skin and how they combine,” Happel said under the lights on stage. Let me explain.

The team may also rebuild their costumes to keep them looking the same as they did in 1964. This may include replacing fabrics that have faded or discolored over time or reapplying decorations (such as the 65 crystal drops in the Dew Drop costume or the 144 crystal drops in the Dew Drop costume). (drops, etc.) Each Candy Cane costume has a jingle bell) – work that costumers begin preparing in September. “The color palette has changed, and many of the fabrics used at the time, such as antique satin, are no longer available,” Happel says, explaining that maintaining the Nutcracker’s magic presents unique challenges. .

But its magic keeps audiences coming back year after year. And why does this store spend so much time and energy preserving and reconstructing 60-year-old designs? “The bottom line is we want the Nutcracker to look the same as when the little girl went decades ago and now comes back with the little girl,” says Happel. Knowing that your mother or grandmother, just like you today, witnessed a marzipan costume with little fabric carrots around the tutu is as much a gift for generations as the costume itself from decades ago. An irreplaceable connection will be created.