Think of The Nutcracker, the classic holiday ballet set to music by Tchaikovsky, and you likely don’t conjure booming drums, colorful dragons wiggling down the aisles, or the Nutcracker Prince’s army wielding toilet plungers.
But a rethink of the classic was a “non-negotiable” for Quynh Mai ’25 when she cofounded the Brown Ballet Company in 2022. The company’s cocreators were determined to stage a Nutcracker free of some of the “exotic” ethnic stereotypes of traditional productions. For example, for the “Coffee” number, Mai eschewed the usual mimicry of Middle Eastern dance and costume. The production also included cameos from other student dance groups such as Brown Ballroom Dance Team, OJA!, a modern African dance team, and Brown Lion Dance.
“We had the flexibility to incorporate forms of movement that aren’t ballet,” which made for “a more vibrant performance,” says Emma Brignall ’27, who codirected with Mai.
Some students said it was thrilling to play main roles like the Snow Queen, Dew Drop, and the Sugar Plum Fairy after spending childhoods as star-struck extras in professional productions.
The show’s creators laughed when recalling last year’s “Snow Dance,” which ends the first act. Instead of glittery snow falling from above, dancers grabbed handfuls of torn-up printer paper from Trader Joe’s bags and threw them in the air as they danced. They’d sweep up the bits at intermission and reuse them the next night. “After the second or third show, there were hair clumps in the snow,” says Elise Petit ’25, a codirector. “And dust,” Mai adds.
The production also reflected the company’s commitment to inclusion. “If we were to develop a company that was highly proficient in ballet, we wouldn’t be able to include a vast majority of dancers,” said Benjamin Rozea ’27, a codirector.
Hence, the first act’s “Party Scene” includes the troupe’s “demi-company,” dancers with less classical ballet training or different dance backgrounds. “We’re trying to push the boundaries of ballet,” added Rozea. This year’s Nutcracker, the club’s third annual performance, is set to be performed Dec. 5, 6, and 7.
