Even as our entertainment interests shift.
The excitement of being one of the “little rats” in my former dance studio’s rendition of The Nutcracker is something I don’t think I’ll ever forget.
I have absolutely no photographic evidence of this event (thank God). Our jazz teacher who choreographed the piece, the lovely Ms. A, decided we would be “little rats” who knew how to hip-hop.
This was in 2013, and by no means did my dance studio do the traditional Nutcracker.
All thirteen of us marched proudly onto the stage at the Jewish Community Centre in Vancouver and hip-hopped our little hearts out to some Michael Jackson music.
The audience loved us. And we loved them.
If Michael Jackson’s music wasn’t enough indication already, our studio’s artistic director was “quirky,” so our rendition of The Nutcracker was some botched version of the classic.
Either way, it was a blast, and although I only performed in this botched version of The Nutcracker the one time (I never auditioned for Goh Ballet’s Nutcracker, I was very loyal to my studio), ballet performances hold a very special place in my heart.
Maybe it’s because I have done at least ten year-end recitals in my life or because this particular ballet has become so adjacent to the holiday season.
Although I’m by no means excited for the holidays this year, especially Christmas music, my go-to Christmas playlist is still, to this day, the Nutcracker soundtrack. Big surprise there.
That being said, I have definitely noticed a decline in interest in going to the ballet as a whole, and, now that I’m thinking about it, events like the opera as well.
Our unwillingness to attend these so-called “classic,” high-society forms of entertainment has been influenced by many factors.
One of them is the cultural shift with our evolving entertainment preferences. We seek more accessible and on-demand entertainment, all of which come from streaming platforms, movies, or concerts. As mentioned, there’s a certain elitism associated with activities such as the opera or ballet because, historically, they were performed for and accessible only to people of high society.
Some also may think that the relevance has dissipated over the years since the stories told through these forms of entertainment are from different time periods and have a certain disconnect from today’s life.
The obvious con? Expense. Tickets to see ballet or the opera easily run you at upwards of $120 (although, the Goh Ballet Nutcracker in Vancouver is averaging around $70). This, along with the time commitment, can put a strain on people — it’s so rare for us to be able to truly focus on something lasting a solid two hours, with a short intermission, these days.
As a former dancer, it’s really sad to see such a decline in something that’s so highly coveted and honestly, so classically sophisticated. Ballet and opera have been associated with a very high-brow culture, a culture that tends to emphasize artistic traditions and their historical roots.
Although there’s a significant decline in interest, they still hold such a major cultural and artistic significance, especially to those who are able to appreciate the depth and beauty behind the performances.
