DANCE REVIEW : 2 ‘Nutcrackers’ Have Cracks but Are Still Worth Savoring

It just wouldn’t be Christmas to many American families without the sights and sounds of “The Nutcracker.” San Diego County will have hosted four full-length versions of this hearty perennial by Christmas Day.

The California Ballet Company, which boasts the city’s longest-running version of the old chestnut, and the American Ballet Ensemble, a young troupe that plays to audiences on both sides of the border, both started 1988 runs Friday night. And both seemed to have survived the “Nutcracker” invasion of the polished San Francisco Ballet.

Cal Ballet’s East County Performing Arts Center staging looked a lot like most of its predecessors--aside from the inevitable cast changes that crop up each year. Considering the frenzy of locating a new leading danseur just a week before, and the last-minute loss of its leading female dancer, it was quite a feat.

However, the production suffers from the same problems that have plagued it on and off for years--lapses in unison work from the corps and mixed levels of ability in roles that require technical assurance and performing brio. On the other hand, the lead dancers seem to be at an all-time high.

The brightest star in this staging is New York City Ballet soloist Otto Neubert, an amazing last-minute replacement, who stepped in after no more than two days of rehearsal to dance a commanding Snow King with Cal Ballet’s own Karen Evans. Neubert should excel even more when he takes on the role of the Cavalier at several Civic Theatre performances.

Another bright spot in this production is Cal Ballet’s prima ballerina Denise Dabrowski, a resplendent Sugar Plum to Mark Lanham’s confident Cavalier. Dabrowski, a vision in cotton-candy pink, was in top form for the opening performance. In fact, the level of dancing by the four principals may be reason enough to sample the company’s wares this Christmas season, although this holiday offering is certainly no showcase for virtuosity.

Patrick Nollet puts more slap-stick in his Drosselmeyer every year. But he still mesmerizes the younger set when he orchestrates the last dream of childhood, and Sylvia Poolos is a jaunty Dewdrop as she picks her way through the waltzing flowers. Ricardo Peralta, a hefty but surprisingly agile flyer in the vigorous Russian variation, evoked some of the excitement inherent in that flamboyant dance style, and Calvin Kitten was no less impressive as the nimble Chinese dancer. Kitten also made an appealing Nutcracker Prince.

Cal Ballet audiences will see more “Nutcracker” magic at the Civic Theatre--where the troupe dances to a live orchestra and the decor is more elaborate--Friday night, where the production will continue through Christmas Eve.

Don’t expect live music or memorable male dancing from American Ballet Ensemble’s “Nutcracker” at City College Theatre this weekend. But the precision dancing from the corps is commendable, and there is more for a serious balletomane to savor in Lynda Yourth’s Balanchine-influenced choreography than typical “Nutcrackers” deliver.

This year, Yourth even inserted a new second act pas de deux for Clara and her Prince, patching up the thrilling Tchaikovsky score with snippets from another piece by the Russian composer. And the Arabian variation has grown into a sinewy twosome.

Most of the company dancers are still in high school and need time to develop, but the attention to detail in their training is starting to pay off. The two 15-year-old budding ballerinas in leading roles were bursting with promise at Saturday’s performance.

A pencil-slim Aura Dixon made a delightfully fragile Snow Queen, even though she received only tentative support from former Dutch National Ballet dancer Peter Schetters. Schetters looked better as the Cavalier, and Claire Taber, his vivacious Sugar Plum, appeared to be on the verge of becoming a ballerina in the best sense of the word.

Philip Hatcher’s commedia dell arte antics and mock frustration as Mother Ginger were true to tradition, but his brood of unruly bonbons was too big to hide under his hooped skirt. And Jon Simonson made Drosselmeyer as mysterious and menacing as he was meant to be. Unfortunately, the small stage at City College cramps the dancers’ style, especially when they bustle around in period finery in the busy first-act party scene.

ABE’s “Nutcracker” will conclude its weekend run after Sunday’s matinee.