‘The Hip Hop Nutcracker’ transports the traditional holiday tale in time and space
“The Hip-Hop Nutcracker,” a mashup of the holiday tradition making its Olympia debut Monday, Nov. 15, is head spinning.
An impressive head spin is among the moves in this contemporary adaptation, which switches up the fantastical story of a young girl’s holiday gift from Germany to New York City, and from 1800s Christmastime to present-day New Year’s Eve.
In its seventh year of touring, the production opens with a short set by hip hop pioneer Kurtis Blow and then sweeps into the updated story, set to high-energy recorded music accompanied by an electric violinist and a DJ.
“ ‘The Hip Hop Nutcracker’ is basically a hip-hop holiday season extravaganza,” Blow told the Mercury News. “It’s something for the whole family, bringing the family together in that spirit of joy, love and the holiday season. Our theme is love conquers all.”
Blow, an ordained minister, has long been into the winter holidays, as his 1979 “Christmas Rappin’ “ — the first rap song ever released on a major label — proves.
“I’m the guy named Kurtis Blow, and Christmas is one thing I know,” he rapped on that track.
This “Nutcracker” isn’t quite like the ones audiences know — and not only because ballet has been replaced by break dancing. While the first act is roughly similar — with Maria-Clara attacked by dancers in rodent ears and rescued by a nut-seller named Myron — the second finds the couple traveling back in time to help heal the relationship of Maria-Clara’s parents.
Blow isn’t new to “The Hip Hop Nutcracker,” but he’s particularly excited to be on this season’s tour: It’s his first since he had a heart transplant in December 2020.
The production itself is coming back from a pause caused by the pandemic. The tour was originally scheduled to stop at The Washington Center for the Performing Arts in November 2020.
“We are pretty busy during the holiday season, so finding available dates that work with regional routing for artists can sometimes be a challenge,” said Jill Barnes, the center’s executive director. “We are thrilled that we were able to reschedule it for this year.
“Several of my colleagues have presented this show multiple times, and they all rave about it,” she told The Olympian.
Though Blow is the big name, dance is the focus on the show, designed and choreographed by Jennifer Weber.
“There’s an escalating cycle of dance battles throughout each segment, which is a lot of fun to watch,” Basil Considine of the Twin Cities Arts Reader wrote in a 2016 review. “Kids will likely have their favorite characters and scenes, of which there are many to choose from.”
“To see this type of choreography done with this type of music, it tells me that dance is universal,” production stage manager Tracey Wooley told the Atlantic in 2016. “You can take something that’s from the street and put it in a classical, upper-echelon setting, and it still manages to create this beauty.”
‘The Hip-Hop Nutcracker’
- What: In its seventh season on tour, this energetic production updates the Nutcracker with acrobatic dance, high-energy music and a short opening set by MC Kurtis Blow.
- When: 7:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 15
- Where: The Washington Center for the Performing Arts, 512 Washington St. SE, Olympia
- Tickets: $45-$89
- More information: 360-753-8586, https://www.washingtoncenter.org/event/hip-hop-nutcracker/
- Also: Proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID test is required for those 12 or older to enter the center.
Olympia’s Nutcrackers
Local ballet productions of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker also will be back on stage this season.
Studio West Dance Theatre’s “The Nutcracker”: 7 p.m. Nov. 27, 1 and 6 p.m. Nov. 28 and 6 p.m. Nov. 29, The Washington Center for the Performing Arts. $17-$28. 360-753-8586, https://www.washingtoncenter.org/organizer/studio-west-dance-theatre/
Ballet Northwest’s “The Nutcracker”: 7:30 p.m. Dec. 10 and 17 and 2 p.m. Dec. 11, 12, 18 and 19, The Washington Center for the Performing Arts. $14-$35. 360-753-8586, https://www.washingtoncenter.org/organizer/ballet-northwest/
This story was originally published November 11, 2021 at 5:00 AM.