Q&A: Caroline Calouche on her Aerial

Nutcracker
by Larissa Kern
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December 10, 2014

Caroline Calouche is the choreographer or circus conductor behind the
aerial magic in Claras Trip: A Nutcracker Story, which opens its two-day run
(Friday and Saturday, Dec. 12-13) at the Booth Playhouse in the Blumenthal
Performing Arts Center. CC&Co, Calouches Charlotte-based dance company,
has transformed the traditional Nutcracker ballet into a contemporary dance
performance with a blend of aerial silks, trapeze dancers, hip-hop, and flying
animals (of a sort).
In Calouches version, the protagonist, Clara LeBlanc, trips at a holiday party and
is whisked off to the hospital where she learns that her ankle is broken. That
night in her sleep she goes on a different kind of trip, as her friends and get-well
gifts swirl through her dreams. There are nods to the Rockettes, fish on double
aerial hoops, three stuffed monkeys on a double trapeze, and a ballerina on a
bungee cord.
All that fantastical aerial fare is a far cry from the late nineteenth century when
Marius Petipa choreographed the original ballet based on E.T.A. Hoffmans story,
The Nutcracker and the Mouse King. Petipa collaborated with Russian
composer Peter Tchaikovsky to create the celebrated musical score, and in the
1940s George Balanchine brought his version to the stage with the New York
City Ballet. Though the original ballet was initially disliked by both critics and
audience members, its evolved into a beloved holiday tradition.

Todays choreographers often toy with the traditional themes and music so that
even non-dancers and modern dance-fan neophytes can recognize and
appreciate the ballet. While some argue that straying from the traditional is
unacceptable, and others prefer contemporary twists, Calouche believes that
both schools of thought can enjoy her present-day adaptation.
Freelance writer and UNC Charlotte dance student Larissa Kern emailed with
Calouche to get her thoughts on the decisions, challenges, and expectations
behind Claras Trip on the eve of its run.
What challenges did you face converting the traditional ballet into a
present day performance influenced by gymnastics, aerial silks, and hiphop?
Claras Trip: A Nutcracker Story includes a half and half mix of dance and aerial
arts. Growing up, I performed many traditional ballet Nutcrackers at Gaston
Dance Theatre. I think being very familiar with the traditional helped me make a
respectable and witty contemporary version of the show. For example, in the
Party scene I translated the Harlequin, Columbine and Soldier dolls that come to
life into our Party Tricks scene, one with break dancers and this year a Cyr
wheel. Its a similar idea of having entertainment at your holiday party but in a
different way. Also, some versions of the classical Nutcracker have Claras
parents as the Sugar Plum Fairy and Cavalier in Act II. I replicated that in my
version with Mr. and Mrs. Flowers, who are the hosts of the party performing the
lead pas de deux as well. As I become more familiar with other circus arts like
Hand to Hand, I am blending that into my choreography as well as the aerial
arts.
In the promo video you set the party scene in the present can you
explain why you made that decision?
I wanted to make my version of the Nutcracker more relatable to todays
generation. And there was no reason for me to set our party scene in the past
because it would be too close to the traditional, and other companies in the area
like Charlotte Ballet and Charlotte Youth Ballet do it so well.
Some audiences might be offended by a change to the traditional ballet,
while others might appreciate it how do you hope and/or expect the
audience to respond?
I feel that we give the Charlotte community an option that appeals more to your
entire family including your teens, young adults and dads. I remember my
brothers hating to go see me in the Nutcracker growing up. I knew one day I
wanted to create a work that they would enjoy, and (today) they gladly come and
bring friends to my shows. But that is also what is so great about art. People are
going to appreciate different works of art and the traditional is just as important
as breaking away from the tradition.
Why did you decide to base it off the Nutcracker story instead of creating
an entirely new Christmas story with new music, new themes, etc?
I love the music of the Nutcracker and saw how it can really connect with
contemporary and aerial choreography. I think it also freshens up the score to
see something you do not expect like monkeys on a trapeze to the Russian
Trepak. The storyline is original and inspired by the structure of the traditional

Nutcracker.
Can you talk about the Nutcracker themes that you kept alive? Such as the
two-act performance that begins at a party and moves to the dream; how
did you decide what stayed and what you adapted?
My version changes a little every year depending on my dancers and if I want to
freshen up a scene. For instance, last year we had hoop diving as a party trick,
but this year we have the Cyr wheel. I have changed out two of the gifts to
gingerbreads and bracelets, which was inspired by the dancers I have this
year. So our Nutcracker will never be the same year after year like the
traditional. I want my dancers and I to enjoy Nutcracker every year because its
never completely the same which keeps it interesting for us and our audience.
Can you describe the different roles involved in this kind of performance?
Such as how many dancers/stagehands? What kind of behind the scenes
work goes into this performance that might not happen in a traditional
ballet?
There are 25 dancers in the cast. We have been rehearsing since midOctober. The dancers help with the rigging as the show goes through because
they know it better than a stagehand could learn it with the time we have
available in the theater. We have a stage manager, lighting designer who is also
our scenic designer (new flowers drop this year!), sound board operator, and
technical director at the theater. We have two days of load-in and technical
rehearsals before we have our educational show Friday morning of act II. There
is tons of flying and so lighting is different in covering both the air and the
ground. Behind the scenes is a whole dance in itself with quick costume changes
and rigging changes.
This story was produced as part of the Charlotte Arts Journalism
Alliance, with support from the Wells Fargo Foundation.