DANCE REVIEW : Long Beach Ballet in ‘Nutcracker’ at Terrace Theatre

The Long Beach Ballet production of “The Nutcracker” has begun to look awfully dependent upon big-scale production values and special effects at the expense of engaging choreography or strong dancing.

Seen Saturday afternoon in Terrace Theatre at the Long Beach Convention Center, the familiar production, with choreography by David Wilcox and Terri Lewis, included its customary live horse, flying sled, giant Christmas tree and huge presents.

But now, in the Mouse Battle, we got cannon blasts with cannonballs appearing to land in a blinding shower of sparks.

Yet the fight scene itself made little sense. For a long time, the mice cowered at the side while the soldiers seized the stage. No contest. Moreover, the Mouse King had only a scepter to fight with; the Nutcracker, a sword.

In this and other scenes, whole sections of music passed by with little meaningful action or dancing; and important dramatic events, such as the transformation of the Nutcracker into a Prince, were not well-cued to Tchaikovsky’s score.

Additionally, while the kids participated in virtually everything in Act I, they and the adults appeared to inhabit separate, unbridgeable worlds. One didn’t sense any warmth or emotional connection between the groups, a major fault in any “Nutcracker.”

Tzer-shing Wang, replacing an injured Helena Ross, was a poised, meticulous, but sharp-edged Sugar Plum Fairy. Ake Pakarinen was her conscientious cavalier (and Nutcracker Prince).

Cheryl Dickens was a lyric Dewdrop Fairy; Madelyn Berdes, a slightly stiff Snow Queen.

Francisco Martinez was the avuncular Drosselmeyer, unthreatening Mouse King and drag Mother Ginger (with 17 children).

The other men, who ranged considerably in strength and skill, were frequently cast in multiple roles and taxed to their limits. Daniel Burghart, for instance, was a high-flying Harlequin Doll, unsteady Snow King, routine Toy Soldier, Spanish Dancer and Russian Dancer. No wonder he began to look a little green around the gills, with drifting turns, broken phrases and heavy landings.

The well-drilled corps danced capably.

Zelman Bokser conducted deftly, though often with tempos uncongenial for the dancers.

Performances will be repeated next weekend, with Evelyn Cisneros as the Sugar Plum Fairy.