Music and Dance Reviews : Westside Ballet’s 1988 ‘Nutcracker’

It is ironic that Westside Ballet’s “Nutcracker” has been unceremoniously cut loose from its 9-year Youth Theatre Guild sponsorship, just when the pre-professional company has begun to repair some of the problems that plagued its production of everyone’s favorite holiday ballet last season.

This year, company co-directors and co-choreographers Yvonne Mounsey and Rosemary Valaire made sure that the Christmas tree did grow--albeit modestly. This year, too, the Nutcracker was transformed into a prince on stage--instead of merely walking off and returning without his mask.

Still, without Youth Theatre Guild helping to foot the bill at UCLA, the company--a training arm of the Westside School of Ballet--has had to move its “Nutcracker” to new venues. Even allowing for the inevitable roughness that accompanies settling into a new site, however, the Veteran’s Memorial Auditorium in Culver City proved an inhospitable home on Sunday afternoon.

The stage was cramped. The lighting conditions were primitive. The audience closest to the stage sat on folding chairs on a flat floor, which created ruinous sightlines for small children. Dancing was to recorded music.

While there was no professional level of dancing this year, many of the principals showed promise and the corps looked impressively neat, well-schooled and precise.

Sixteen-year-old Jennifer McDonald (who has just been selected to attend the prestigious Prix de Lausanne international ballet competition) was a light, demure Sugar Plum Fairy. James Dunn was her supportive, underpowered cavalier.

Gianna De Fonte was a slinky, flexible Arabian dancer. Jon Gatyas offered her conscientious support.

Jennifer Newman was a pert doll. Kevin Erway was an alert soldier.

Georges Vargas made an genial, clown-like Drosselmeyer. Harmony Clair showed springy elevation and surprising extension as Clara.

Michele Bachar, the Fairy of the Clouds and Todd Lechtick, her cavalier, danced stiffly.

Lack of boy dancers was particularly acute this year, resulting not only in a number of girls cast in boys’ parts, but also in the wholesale replacement of the Russian Dance by an all-girl “Ribbon Candy Canes” dance. Their ribbon-twirling to Tchaikovsky’s spirited music proved disappointing.

Performances with this and other casts continue Sunday at the Culver City facility and at Reseda Auditorium on Dec. 10 and 11.