“It’s tradition,” a dancer nostalgically proclaims in The Nutcracker at Wethersfield, Anne Sundberg’s documentary film following a Covid bubble turned winter miracle.
The film centers around a group of dancers, almost all from the New York City Ballet, who come together under Troy Schumacher’s leadership (a NYCB dancer and the artistic director of Ballet Collective), to “save the Nutcracker” and reignite tradition during a period where performances were famously snuffed out.
In the winter of 2020, for the first time in its 65-year history, NYCB cancelled George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, amid city-mandated shutdowns. Dancers were already sequestered in their homes, taking ballet class via Zoom in their living rooms with, if they were lucky, a square of marley flooring.
In a time when no one was gathering for classes or live performances, Schumacher’s The Nutcracker at Wethersfield allowed the small group, which included Sara Mearns, Taylor Stanley, Mira Nadon, Ashley Laracey, Erica Pereira, Claire von Enck, Emma von Enck, Gabriella Domini, Malorie Lundgren, Davide Riccardo, Mary Elizabeth Sell, Tyler Angle, and more to keep their annual Nutcracker streak and pilot a socially-distanced immersive experience.
The Nutcracker at Wethersfield Debuts in Theaters
Anne Sundberg’s documentary takes viewers behind the scenes of a bold, socially-distanced Nutcracker produced during the Covid shutdown in the Winter of 2020.
Sundberg’s film reflects the hope, determination, and inspiration that inhabited Wethersfield for five weeks, and the pivotal moments leading up to opening night and the seventeen shows that would follow.
Wethersfield Estate & Garden is a 1,000-acre sanctuary in rural New York State. The performances were anchored in and around the Georgian-Revival house built on the property in 1939. Not only does the location evoke the setting of the Stahlbaum’s iconic Christmas party, Wethersfield Estate’s mission centers on conservation, sustainable farming, and community, which effortlessly aligns with Schumacher’s campaign to conserve The Nutcracker.
“It was illegal to dance. We were doing all our ballet routines in our kitchens, isolated. Through a strange confluence of events, I was able to put together the first full-length Nutcracker performance in the United States during the shutdown.”
Troy Schumacher, Artistic Director of Ballet Collective
On Monday night, a private screening of the film at the Museum of Arts and Design in NYC brought notable dance figures together for a night of celebration as well as several dancers from the film. Everyone wore their holiday best, and after the 85-minute documentary and enthusiastic applause, the crowd enjoyed an early holiday party to commemorate the film.
The film had its world premiere on November 16th in New York City and will have an additional showing on November 20th as part of the Doc NYC Metropolis Competition. Thursday’s screening will include a Q&A with director Anne Sundberg and film participants Troy Schumacher, Mira Nadon and Miriam Miller.
The film will be available to view at screenings across cities in North America in Arizona, British Columbia, California, Connecticut, Florida, Kansas, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, New York, and Texas.
Featured Photo of Ashley Laracey in Ballet Collective’s The Nutcracker at Wethersfield. Photo from the film’s website.
