New York City’s The Bang Group brings a wild remix of the holiday classic to student dancers.
All the way from New York City, David Parker and Jeffrey Kazin of The Bang Group visited Manhattan, Kansas, for K-State’s QuVee Mock Masterclass Series. They taught students for eight hours a day in a six-day intensive dance residency. The result is a 21st century reinvention of “The Nutcracker” called “Nut/Cracked,” with K-Staters performing alongside the New York pros.
One of the student dancers, Stevie Winter, said the demanding hours of practice from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. were worth the effort. The Bang Group explained professional techniques that aren’t usually addressed in a fundamental dance class, like noting the way breath can change the shape of movements and coordinating breath helps create unity among dancers. The group also gave detailed critiques and encouraged students to express their freedom and personality in the dance.
“I think it’s a phenomenal opportunity to not only get to know a world-class company that’s based in New York, but also to be able to perform alongside the company members,” Winter said.
To prepare for the “Nut/Cracked” performance, students even attended practices on Sundays to keep their skills and routine knowledge primed.
Performance prediction
Parker reimagined the famous Christmas ballet as a festival of dance set to the classic Tchaikovsky score and additional music. “Nut/Cracked” is percussive dance theater with humor, singing and exemplary pointe shoe tap-dancing.
The dance has a basis of ballet below the waist and incorporates different styles with the arms and torso. Students had a lot of freedom to make it their own and let their personalities shine through.
K-State’s Quvee Mock Masterclass Series connects students with world-class artists and trains them to participate in professional performances. Face time with these revered performers helps students improve their skills — and potentially launch their careers.
By Kate Ellwood