Mime Time

Jerimy Rivera, School of American Ballet Student. Photo © Tobias Everke

One of the oldest and most traditional portions of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™ is the tale that the Nutcracker Prince recounts in mime.

Balanchine himself performed this role as a boy in the original production of the ballet, which premiered in 1892 at St. Petersburg’s Maryinsky Theatre.

The scene begins when the Nutcracker Prince and Marie arrive in the Land of the Sweets. The Sugarplum Fairy asks what has happened. The prince escorts Marie to the side of the stage and proceeds to explain. He announces that, if everyone will listen, he will tell them everything.

Follow along as School of American Ballet dancer Jerimy Rivera shows us how it’s done.

 

 

 

Mime Time, written by Pia Catton and photographed by Tobias Everke, appeared in The New York Sun Weekend Edition, November 26-28, 2004, and is used with permission.  New York City Ballet gratefully acknowledges their consideration.