Reimagining Tradition: Dance NOW! Miami’s Bold Take on ‘The Nutcracker’

Dance NOW! Miami ensemble performs “Clara,” choreographed by Hannah Baumgarten and Diego Salterini, on Saturday, Dec 21 at Sanctuary of the Arts, Coral Gables. (Photo courtesy of Simon Soong)

Choreographers Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov crafted a ballet of the story of young Clara Stahlbaum’s magical Christmas Eve journey to the Land of Sweets, guided by the mysterious family friend, Herr Drosselmeier from E.T.A. Hoffman’s novella and set to Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s score. In 1892, it made its premiere in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

Though initially panned by 19th-century critics for its child-centric roles, bad pantomime and questionable choreography and in later years by modern critics for its heavy reliance on cultural stereotypes and militaristic themes, “The Nutcracker” remains a financial lifeline for many North American ballet companies generating a good percentage of their annual revenue.

Dance NOW! Miami performers, Julia Faris and Austin Duclos perform, “Clara,” choreographed by Hannah Baumgarten and Diego Salterini. (Photo courtesy of Simon Soong)

In 21st century Florida, the arts face an uncertain future. In June, Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed $32 million in state grants for cultural programs, leaving many organizations struggling to fill the funding gap.

Against this backdrop, Dance NOW! Miami’s co-artistic directors, Hannah Baumgarten and Diego Salterini, see both an artistic and financial opportunity with a redefined version of “The Nutracker.” In 2022, they created a bold, adult-themed adaptation of “The Nutcracker,” presenting “Clara” at the Miami Theater Center in Miami Shores in 2022. Now, it restages the performance at the Sanctuary of the Arts in Coral Gables on Saturday, Dec. 21.

“As a modern/contemporary dance company, we never had the holiday cash-cow of ‘The Nutcracker,’ ” explains Baumgarten. “Two years ago, we were joking with our PR Director Robert Rosenberg about a sexy, spicy Nutcracker. Once the joke was over, we realized it was a great idea, the right time, and the right place to bring this concept to our audiences.”

Their adaptation, “Clara,” presents a one-act reinterpretation of the ballet geared to young adult audiences. While retaining key characters from the original like Clara, performed by Dance NOW!’s Amanda Davis, Baumgarten and Salterini rewrote the theme as a journey of sensual self-discovery where Clara overcomes obstacles placed on her path by sexually conflicted frenemy, Drosselmeier, danced by David Harris.

Notably absent from their adaptation is the role of the Nutcracker Prince.

Dance NOW! Miami performers Allyn Ginns-Ayers, left, and Rae Wilcoxson perform “Clara,” choreographed by Hannah Baumgarten and Diego Salterini. (Photo courtesy of Simon Soong)

“Our version is really about Clara’s loss of innocence and empowerment,” says Baumgarten. “We no longer need the prince by her side to guide her through Candyland. Clara questions what the adults are hiding behind their vanilla veils and discovers that life offers many possibilities.”

In Florida’s politically charged climate, where arts funding cuts have targeted events deemed “inappropriate,” staging an adaptation of “The Nutcracker” that explores non-binary and pansexual identities might seem risky. DeSantis’ veto of state arts grants last summer specifically cited concerns over taxpayer money supporting events he referred to as “sexual festivals”; the four Florida “fringe festivals” he was referencing were influenced by the long running Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland. Fringe festivals have gained traction throughout the U.S. and the world, and feature performances of storytellers, dancers, comedians, theater troupes, and poets, and are not specifically sexual in nature.

Baumgarten and Salterini still see an environment as fertile ground for artistic expression.

“Contemporary art allows the democratization of art,” says Baumgarten. “It provides a platform to respond to social and political climates, to protest, inform, educate, and express the human condition beyond governmental, cultural, and political norms.”

Though traditional versions of “The Nutcracker” typically see theaters packed with children both onstage and in the audience, “Clara” is recommended for audiences ages 16 and older.

From left, Dance NOW! Miami performers David Jewett and Anthony Velazquez perform, “Clara,” choreographed by Hannah Baumgarten and Diego Salterini. (Photo courtesy of Simon Soong)

“While there are no graphic scenes, there are explorations and deeply sensual moments between consenting adults,” notes Baumgarten.

“There are also moments of anger, war, and death. It’s not risqué or violent but is certainly not intended for children.”

The Sanctuary for the Arts for the upcoming performance, offered a distinct staging challenge from the initial production.

“This is a thrust stage with no wings, so we will rely on our ability to create visible and hidden moments on stage,” explains Salterini. The production incorporates “boxography,” a term coined by the duo to describe the use of colored boxes of various sizes to shape different kinds of spaces.

At 50 minutes long, “Clara” includes space for the December program to include additional works. The evening program also features a selection of short pieces ranging from 3 to 11 minutes.

“For our 25th anniversary season, we are revisiting beloved works,” says Salterini. ” ‘Drawing Circles’ was at the top of my list,” adds Salterini referring to his 2007, 11-minute piece for four dancers, set to the music of minimalist composer Philip Glass and performed by Kirsten Velasco, Rae Wilcoxson, David Harris, and Austin Duclos.

In “Drawing Circles,” Salterini presents an homage to the iconic MiMo post-war architectural style of dozens of South Florida buildings from the Miami Beach Bandshell to the Vagabond Motel on US 1.

“The awnings with those holes that allow a tall palm tree to grow right through them,” says Salterini.  “The famous cheese holes and the repetitive designs that those cheese holes create when hit by the sun just at the right time. So much movement in that stillness, already a dance.”

The program also includes two works by Baumgarten that present two different takes on love: her 2006 trio, “Speaking Softly,” set to the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, explores the different phases of falling in love and will be performed by Anneliese Browne, Amanda Davis, and Julia Faris.

From left, Dance NOW! Miami’s Anthony Velazquez, Luke Stockton, Allyn-Ginns Ayers and Benicka Grant perform, “Drawing Circles,” choreographed by Diego Salterini. (Photo courtesy of Simon Soong)

Also included is Baumgarten’s 2018 solo work “All Shook Up,” danced by newcomer Sophia Pfitzenmaier to the 1957 Elvis Presley classic of the same name.

“This piece (‘All Shook Up’) is about not wanting to feel something for someone, but being unable to escape the excitement, terror, and thrill of it,” says Baumgarten.

The evening concludes with an eight-minute excerpt from Baumgarten and Salterini’s celebrated 2022-2023 work, “Gli Altri” (“The Others”), featuring the entire company and an opening solo by Alexander Campbell.

Set in a train station, the work weaves together individual backstories of anonymous travelers, unfolding through vignettes that explore personal moments of connection and separation. The piece highlights the delicate balance between solitude and community in a transient space.

“This piece has become a favorite among audiences,” notes Salterini. “It has narrative depth, fantasy, joy, and a touch of social commentary—everything we value in our work.”

WHAT: Dance NOW! Miami Presents “Clara”

WHERE: Sanctuary of the Arts, 410 Andalusia Ave., Coral Gables

WHEN: 8 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 21

TICKETS: $18 and $28 includes $3 convenience fee.

INFORMATION: 305-975-8489  or dancenowmiami.org/events/clara2024

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