Advent Calendar, Dec 11, Rudolf Nureyev and Merle Park, Pas de Deux

Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker, 1968

”This original version of The Nutcracker pas de deux by Nureyev may not appeal to every viewer, but it is worth examining because it is exceptional in two ways. In it Nureyev abandons doing the thing that made him famous both in Russia and the west, surrendering his ability to bring intensely emotional and personal interpretations to male roles in classical ballets. Here, he chooses to fulfill the traditional concept of a Russian male partner in a ballet: a man who supports the ballerina and obscures his emotions. Why would he choose to do this? This is not your ordinary project. It may feel strange to the eye, but there is a reason. As a choreographer, Nureyev chooses to stage the pas de deux in a manner characteristic of the 19th Century Russian pas de deux--a spectacle in which the ballerina was presented as a hard-edged, ornate, glittering queen. Regal, confident and in command of her world, her male counterpart carried her in the air, spun her like a top and hurled her about in his arms, never so much as displacing a curl on her forehead. Is it formal? Yes. Is it ornate? Yes. Is it ugly? Absolutely not--if you know your ballet history. This was how they did it up in 19th Century at the Mariinsky. Wearing an extravagant costume adorned by jewels and a tiara the size of a crown, the ballerina represents the power and wealth of Imperial Russia. In service of his overarching design of the ballet, Nureyev faithfully plays his part as an old fashioned danseur noble. Still, he is fully present and never erases himself. His withholding of emotions may feel uncomfortable for some viewers for it's not what we're used to seeing.   Further, Nureyev improves on the extremism of the 19th Century pas de deux by adding components of his unique contribution to the 20th Century pas de deux, something he began to introduce after he began his partnership with Fonteyn. In this pas de deux, we can see his use of parallel movement. It unifies the man and woman and brings them into a more intimate relationship. This was but one component of his innovative concept of the pas de deux as a dialogue between two equals (rather than a conversation in which one person is mute). The parallel movement mirrors Tchaikovsky's use of multi-layered strings, underscoring the intensity of emotions implicit in the struggle of personal transformation, the primary theme of the ballet. Clara is a child in Act I, but by the time she dances this pas de deux, she has undergone the rite of passage from girlhood to womanhood. With the help of the Nutcracker Prince, essentially a construction, not a three dimensional character, she makes the transition flawlessly. (Because he is a construction Nureyev's choice to play him in the traditional manner of the Russian danseur noble works especially well.) By the end of Clara's odyssey, she is a 19th Century Russian goddess--sparkling but remote in her hard-edged glory. Nureyev' choice to idolize her this way is an ironic one, but is consistent with his repeated use of extremes throughout the ballet. In the course of a transformation, one extreme is pulling against its opposite. At the peak of their struggle, something new emerges.  Nureyev's psychological interpretation of the story suggests he was steeped in Freud and familiar with his theory of the Oedipus Complex. Clara resolves her anger over her helplness as a child and a girl (the boys break her Nutcracker!) by latching onto the doll given her by Heir Drosselmeyer. Eccentric, elderly and wise, he is keenly aware that Clara is standing on a precipice. He has the time and wherewithal to take an interest in her happiness. (Parents are too busy keeping their social world afloat and getting the children tucked in.) Clara senses his benevolence and in her dream, Heir Drosselmeyer transforms into a handsome prince. He rescues her from the rats in her parents 19th century home and she goes on a wonderful adventure. Rather than watching a projection of herself as the Sugar Plum Fairy, she becomes all grown up. The Nutcracker Prince helps Clara elevate her image of herself. Within a man at her side, she can magnify her power ten times. This is symbolized by the first step in the pas de deux, when each dancer raises up in arabesque and Nureyev holds Parks hand, enabling her to balance endlessly. Here, he echoes the psychological dynamic of the Rose Adagio. Aurora's test is one of trust; Clara must allow the Nutcracker to help her overcome her fears. Nureyev had great compassion for the character of Clara. Perhaps her fears reflected his fears own fears of the world as a child in Ufa--fear that he would never escape the poverty and limitations of his life, fear that he might never fulfill his dream of becoming the greatest dancer in the world. His vision of Clara's journey is filled with extremes, as was his life. (I recommend watching the other video posted by canal de yupzy, which includes the solos and the finale. This one only has the opening of the pas de deux.)”

—Janet Shannon (YouTube comment)