Tradition, and sugar plums, too

BY JUDITH H. BERNSTEIN | STAFF WRITER

November 25, 2005

From the grand traditions of the New York City Ballet to an innovative rendering by a Great Neck troupe; with versions that boast salsa or klezmer tunes; and those geared to toddlers, senior citizens and everyone in between, there's a "Nutcracker" for every taste this season.

The venerable New York City Ballet production at Lincoln Center, now in its 51st year, as always features a Christmas tree that grows to 40 feet before your eyes and an onstage snowstorm. And this year, two young local dancers return in major roles in one of the production's two casts: Isabella DeVivo, 10, of Great Neck dances Marie (known as Clara in other versions of Tchaikovsky's classic), and Ghaleb Kayali, 12, of Long Beach as the Nutcracker Prince.

If you're looking for something a bit different, though, check out "Holiday Heaven," from the American Ballet Russe/the Great Neck School of Dance. Artistic director Roberta Senn not only aims to make "The Nutcracker" more relevant to 21st century American kids, she also recognizes the heritage of many in her local community with an original Hanukkah ballet, "The Feast of Lights."

"Our 'Nutcracker' is very different," says Senn, pointing out that in traditional productions, the Land of the Sweets is inhabited by marzipan, coffee and tea. "A candy land is supposed to be a candy land," she says, so her version is danced by treats more familiar to local kids -- ice cream sundaes, chocolate-covered nuts and layer cake -- as well as a slew of bakers and confectioners and a flock of cotton-candy sheep.

The Hanukkah ballet is something Senn, who is Jewish, has always wanted to do. "It's not a ballet about dreidls or a party." Her choreographer, Osamu Uehara, who says he has worked in Great Neck for 15 years, where he became familiar with Jewish culture, says he researched the holiday's history and set the dance to Handel's "Oratorio Judas Maccabeus," one of the few works in the classical repertoire that tackles Hanukkah. "There's no potato latkes here," he says, "because they wouldn't be historically accurate."

But if your tastes run to the more traditional, you have plenty of productions to choose from.

Here's a sampling of Long Island, Queens and Manhattan performances of "The Nutcracker."

"George Balanchine's The Nutcracker," New York City Ballet, tonight-Dec. 30, New York State Theater at Lincoln Center. $99-$15, Sweet Seat VIP package is $185. 212-721-6500, 212-870-5570, NYCBallet.com.

"The Nutcracker," Ballet Long Island, tomorrow-Dec. 11 in full-length and 50-minute versions at 1863 Pond Rd., Ronkonkoma, and from Dec. 13-17 at Islip Town Hall West, 401 Main St., Islip. $16, $6 for students, seniors and children, discounts for groups of 15 or more. For days and times, www.expage.com/longislandballet or 631-737-1964

"A Klezmer Nutcracker," Amy Marshall Dance Company, Sunday, 2 p.m., Queensborough Performing Arts Center, 222-05 56th Ave., Bayside. $10, 212-352-3101, 718-631-6311.

"Clara's Dream -- The Nutcracker," American Dance Theatre of Long Island, Dec. 3, 2 and 7 p.m.; Dec. 4, 1 and 6 p.m. Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts, 71 E. Main St., Patchogue. $22, $18 for children and seniors. 631-472-3455.

"The Nutcracker," Leggz Ltd./Rockville Centre Guild for the Arts, with the South Shore Symphony Orchestra. Dec. 2, 8 p.m., Dec 3 and 4 at 4 p.m. Southside High School, 140 Shepherd St., Rockville Centre. $22, $18 seniors and students. 516-766-7171.

"The Nutcracker," Harbor Ballet Theatre, Dec. 2, 8 p.m; Dec. 3, 3 and 8 p.m., Dec. 4, 3 p.m., Earl L. Vandermeulen High School, 350 Old Post Rd., Port Jefferson. $20, $18 seniors; discounts for groups of 10 or more. Call 631-331-3149.

"The Nutcracker," plus holiday reception with refreshments after the performance, Ballet Long Island, Dec. 3, 10 a.m., $30 admits one adult and one child, Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor, 516-484-9338, NassauMuseum.org.

"The Nutcracker," New York Theatre Ballet's 1-hour production, Dec. 3, 11 a .m.; Dec. 9, 10 a.m. and noon; Dec. 4, 10, 11, 17, 18, 11 a.m., 1 p.m, 3:30 p.m. Florence Gould Hall, The French Institute, 55 E. 59th St., Manhattan. $30, $25 for children 12 and younger; group rates available. 212-307-4100, 212-355-6160 or NYTB.org.

"The Nutcracker Suite," Ovations Dance Repertory Company, Dec. 8, 1 p.m., 45-minute version for senior citizens; Dec. 10, 1 and 7:30 p.m.; Dec. 11, 1 p.m. Patchogue Theatre, 71 E. Main St., Patchogue. $20; $10 for Dec. 8 performance. 631-218-0315.

"Latin Dance & Fiesta." Urban Ballet Theater's salsa-flavored "Nutcracker" party, Dec. 9, 8 p.m., Queens Theatre in the Park, Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, $22-$27. 718-760-0064.

"The Nutcracker," abbreviated, narrated for younger children, Huntington Ballet Theatre, Dec. 10, 1 and 3 p.m., Jeanne Rimsky Theater, Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. $20. 631-271-4626.

"The Nutcracker," Seiskaya Ballet, Dec. 10 and 17, 2 and 7 p.m.; Dec. 11 and 18, 1 and 6 p.m. Staller Center for the Arts, Stony Brook University. $34, $29 seniors and children, discounts for groups of 20 or more. 631-632-ARTS, 866-NUT-TICS or Nutcrackerballet.com

"A Holiday Dream Show, featuring The Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty," New American Youth Ballet, Dec. 10, 10:30 a.m. and 4:40 p.m. PS 89, second floor auditorium, 201 Warren St., Manhattan. $15, $8 seniors and children, younger than 2 attend free. 212-945-2926, NewAmericanYouthBallet.org.

"The Nutcracker," New York Dance Theatre, Dec. 16, noon and 8 p.m.; Dec. 17, 2 and 7 p.m.; Dec. 18 1 and 6 p.m. John Cranford Adams Playhouse, Hofstra University, Hempstead. $34, $30 and $25 for seniors and children; group rates available. Call 631-462-0964

"Holiday Heaven, featuring The Nutcracker's Land of the Sweets Ballet and The Feast of Lights Hanukkah Ballet," American Ballet Russe/Great Neck School of Dance, Dec. 17 and 18, 3 p.m., Great Neck South Middle School, 349 Lakeville Rd., Great Neck. $20, $40 priority seating, discounts for groups of 10 or more. Call 516-466-3515

"The Nutcracker," Huntington Ballet Theatre, Dec. 17 and 18 at 1 and 4:30 p.m. Walt Whitman High School, 301 West Hills Rd., Huntington Station. $28, $23 seniors, $18 children. 631-271-4626.

"The Nutcracker," The Eglevsky Ballet, Dec. 23, 5 p.m.; Dec. 26, noon, 5 p.m.; Dec. 27, noon and 5 p.m., Tilles Center, C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University, Brookville. $45-$25. 516-299-3100 or TillesCenter.org