Dance: The Nutcracker

The colorful Blanca Li is a pro at pulling off unexpected twists. The Spanish choreographer is enthusiastic about everything, and nothing seems to deter her. This includes events, movies, fashion, and advertising. Not even the renowned Nutcracker, the fascinating tale by E.T.A. Hoffmann that Nureyev made immortal. The ballet appears to be a cartoon on springs in her hands!

In a version that prioritizes entertainment, Blanca Li imposes her style, which is a fusion of modern dance, popping, music-hall revues, and hip hop (with its robotic and segmented tendencies). After all, we are in the realm of toys as a young Clara falls asleep dreaming of a Prince Charming as charming as her wooden nutcracker one evening around a lit Christmas tree, with a young Clara asleep dreaming of a Prince Charming as handsome as her wooden nutcracker?The production, which is based on a story and significant passages from Tchaikovsky's music and incorporates rap, salsa, and other funky sounds, is a concentration of unrestrained energy conveyed by dazzling dancers.

There are just urban dancing, roller skating, and even acrobatic bicycles here—no tutus or pirouettes! Given Blanca Li's aptitude for fusing music and choreography, which she possesses, plus the fact that the Nutcracker is a lovely, ecstatic playground for her, this is not surprising.