Summary: <br> As Nutcracker performances return to stages around the world, we decided to celebrate the return of the beloved classic by chatting with friend of the pod, Alastair Macaulay. As a historian of the performing arts and the former Chief Dance Critic of the New York Times, Alastair has a wealth of information to share with us about the history of this ballet that has become a staple for schools and companies across the country. We chat about the ballet’s origins, elements of the production that have been lost over time, different versions Alastair has reviewed, and finally, he tells us which production he finds to be the best. For his current musings on dance and performing arts history, visit alastairmacaulay.com, or click the link in the description of this episode. <br> <br> <br> <br> _______________________________<br> <br> <br> <br> LINKS:<br> <br> <br> <br> • Conversations on Dance Reading List, our favorite dance-related reads: <a href="https://amzn.to/3jRuILP">https://bit.ly/3GFVWi8</a><br> <br> <br> <br> • Shop <a href="http://juledancewear.com/">juledancewear.com</a>. Use code: HOHOHO15 for 15% off your entire order.<br> <br> <br> <br> • Trey McIntyre Project new website: <a href="http://treycool.com/">Treycool.com</a><br> <br> <br> <br> • Photo credit: Maria Tallchief, a famed Native American dancer, as the Sugar Plum Fairy in a 1954 production. George Balanchine designed the choreography of the Sugar Plum Fairy for Tallchief. Fred Melton / Jerome Robbins Dance Division. See more historic photos <a href="https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/piapeterson/nutcracker-ballet-photos-archive">here</a>. <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> Join our email list: <a href="https://bit.ly/3basX5g">https://bit.ly/3basX5g</a><br> <br> <br> <br> Instagram: <a href="http://facebook.com/conversationsondance">instagram.com/conversationsondance</a><br> <br> <br> <br> Facebook: <a href="http://facebook.com/conversationsondance">facebook.com/conversationsondance</a><br> <br> <br> <br> Facebook Group: <a href="http://facebook.com/groups/conversationsondancefriends">facebook.com/groups/conversationsondancefriends</a><br> <br> <br> <br> Twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/convoondance">twitter.com/convoondance</a><br> <br> <br> <br> <a href="http://conversationsondancepod.com/">conversationsondancepod.com</a><br>
