I have no choice. It's inevitable. Each December, my family drags me to the theater and forces me to witness one of the most uninspired spectacles I have ever seen. I'm talking about The Nutcracker, of course. I don't know about you, but watching grown men in green tights and red ruffles prancing around a Christmas tree is not my idea of a good time. Now, don't misunderstand. I enjoy ballet but I simply haven't found a production that actually seems worth my time — until now. Tampa Ballet Center's Spring Concert, which features classical and contemporary pieces showcasing the choreography of some of the area's most talented dancers, seems right up my alley.
The concert promises "Something Exotic, Something Tragic and Something Magic," with each program following its theme accordingly. "Something Exotic" features the garden scene from La Bayadere, which is set in India and celebrates the betrothal of a noble warrior and the daughter of a influential rajah; and from Alexander Borodin's opera Prince Igor, about a sultan and his mesmerizing harem, the fast-paced "Polovetsian Dances." "Something Tragic" includes the pas de deux and waltz from Swan Lake (about an enchanted maiden and the prince who falls for her), while "Something Magic" consists of original pieces by Victor Barauskas (Night Waters and Gemini) and Lea McGowan (Journey to Escape).
So I think I'll skip the next Nutcracker outing and bring my family, friends and an open mind to this show instead.
Tampa Ballet Center's Spring Concert, Sun., May 28, 3 p.m., USF College of Visual and Performing Arts Theater I, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, $15, 813-831-9660.
This article appears in May 24-30, 2006.