Half a dozen dancers in white leap in unison, twirl, and pause, with tutus lifting and dropping against a backdrop of snow-buried trees. More enter as the storm rises to a cacophony of sound and swirling motion. So ends Act 1. Soon in Act 2 energy explodes as Spanish dancers, costumed in huge red ruffles, radiate warmth and charm.
These contrasts in mood, color, and costuming offer some of the delights found in the original version of “The Nutcracker.” But even for choreographers relying more or less on the same original libretto, sharp variations in style—according to the choreographer’s era—account for different pleasures.
