DANCE REVIEW : LONG BEACH BALLET DOES SHOW AT OCC

Apologies for the Long Beach Ballet production of “The Nutcracker” at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa began even before the curtain opened on Saturday:

The performance would be, announced the anonymous voice over the public address system, “a pre-season presentation . . . specifically tailored for the intimate Robert B. Moore Theatre” on campus.

Translation: Don’t get your hopes up: This may be just a stripped-down dress rehearsal.

The warning was appropriate.

Gone were the flying sleigh, kiddie cart, real horse and overwhelming transformation of the Christmas tree (it didn’t even light)--those magical theatrical effects presented when the company dances the work at home.

The change in scale helped reveal how empty the hoary, unmotivated rituals of the party scene were. It led to a number of unhappy dramatic compromises, worst of which was Clara’s “dream” coming to an abrupt end with the curtain simply drawn between her and the Palace of the Sugarplum Kingdom. (Her return home and cradling of the nutcracker doll made an emotionally inconclusive ending.)

But above all, there was no hiding how greatly taxed the dancers were by the choreography, now credited to three people--artistic director David Wilcox, Terri Lewis and associate director Christopher Tabor. Many of the youthful company members looked strained and insecure, and particularly daunted by the speed at which they were required to execute steps and combinations. And virtually every man partnered effortfully and clumsily.

Fortunately, there were some exceptions: Helena Ross danced both the Snow Queen and the Sugar Plum Fairy with cool elegance, and Cynthia Strang made a poised Dewdrop Fairy. Ed Coyoli was a hypnotic Drosselmeyer.

Even on this scale, the production had some of its original opulent look, however. Elliott Hessayon’s abstract scenic designs were still striking, and Nancy Jo Smith’s costumes, particularly in Act II, were delicately colorful and tasteful. The performance was danced to taped accompaniment.