Pulse Dance Company's new take on Nutcracker opens December 7

The Nutcracker is a beloved holiday tradition. Even those who do not make it part of their own activities know of the classical ballet. This year Pulse Dance Company of Anchorage is taking the classic and putting their own twist on it, with Nutcracker Redux.

This isn’t the first time that Pulse has decided to take a classic and turn it into something fresh and exciting. In 2015 the company staged a contemporary retelling of Cinderella, and while their focus and passion is creating artful, original dance works, they may dabble in other classics in the future. Pulse Dance Company is currently in its ninth season as a non-profit performing arts organization. The company itself is made up of ten artists, and the professional performing division makes up the backbone of the company. From there, youth and adults alike who audition are coached and directed by, or dance alongside members of the company.

For this telling of the Nutcracker tale, there are a total of seven choreographers lending their talents to create the piece. Director and house choreographer Stephanie Wonchala told me “This production utilizes local talent to both create and perform the Nutcracker, which is really wonderful.” It even includes work from guest artists Alice Bassler Sullivan of Eagle River Ballet and Mikal Preston of Studio 49. When I asked about the cast of dancers, she told me “Our cast of about 55 community members ranges from ages 7 through adult. It's the largest scale production with the widest range of ages Pulse has ever staged, which is exhilarating.”

She added that “Local dance students and adult dance enthusiasts have this awesome opportunity to participate in a huge production together, and the sense of community that develops from that, along with the collaboration between choreographers, makes the whole project feel even bigger and more far-reaching.”

Beyond stretching what is standard for the company, they have also added some new elements when it comes to the style of costumes that will be on stage. They have updated the Nutcracker’s traditional Victorian look. While some of the costumes in Act 2 will remain true, or at least like what audiences know and love, the production will be a “colorful, funky revamp.” There will also be projections by Ruby Kennell as an added contemporary twist. Wonchala says that the projection mapping will have audiences “surprised and delighted by the way Ruby adds life and depth to the scenes.”

One of the other aspects of the Nutcracker is that it is usually a ballet. Wonchala informed me that this was also going to be tweaked in the Pulse reimagining.

“One of the reasons this rendition of the Nutcracker so special is that is steps outside of the traditional ballet aesthetic. Audiences will experience elements of contemporary dance, contemporary ballet, modern dance, pointe work, acro, a bit of tap and some hip-hop flair. There are several styles of dance woven together in a cohesive way.”

This could also be exciting for younger audience members who can be engaged in the cherished story with a dance style that may be more familiar to them. Wonchala also said that this type of collaboration excites the younger students and dancers as well.

“You can see and sense the revelations our youngest dancers make when they are exposed to more virtuous dancing,” Wonchala said. “It motivates them and provides them a broader picture of the dance world outside of their classes. In this way, it's the most exciting part of staging a community production - we collectively move forward in our passion for dance and our ability to produce all-local concerts that positively impact the city in which we live.”

Nutcracker Redux is just one of the projects that Pulse has in the mix for the next few months. They are currently accepting applications for BLOOM, an artist-in-residence program that will provide selected Anchorage dancers and emerging choreographers with free rehearsal space, casting assistance, mentorship, costuming stipends and performance opportunities. Wonchala is also choreographing a gripping new work, CARAVAN, that will immerse audiences in a topsy turvy world that’s part macabre carnival, part comedic parade, and entirely spellbinding. CARAVAN will be entertaining audiences March 1-3.

For those who are tempted to get involved there are classes available at the Studio Pulse Center for Dance or participate in one of the pre and post-show talks that occur. The company is also known for its quarterly free community classes. For more information about everything that Pulse is doing locally for contemporary concert dance, or for information on tickets to Nutcracker Redux, visit: www.pulsedancecompany.org