The Nutcracker and the Four Realms

[Shiloh Adlar]

Everyone on this site, or mostly everyone, knows that I love ballet. I trained at an elite pre-professional school throughout middle school and high school and The Nutcracker just happened to be something that I auditioned for and happened to perform in every year. It was something to look forward to because it allowed the students to perform with professional ballerinas on a world-renowned stage.

I haven't danced seriously since moving off for college as my career paths changed drastically from wanting to dance for a professional ballet company to being an infectious disease epidemiologist, however, I do go to the ballet as often as I can and especially during the holidays to see The Nutcracker. While The Nutcracker I performed in growing up has completely changed, new choreographer and completely different setting as well, I have heard from my parents that it's not as awful as people said it was. After all, it was choreographed by one of my favorite choreographers. While I prefer the traditional Nutcracker, which I get to see performed where I currently live, I'm all up for adaptations.

So let's talk about this movie Disney recently put out. It is currently in theaters, but I have not yet had the chance to see it. While I have seen the trailer, my hopes for it have not been high. It does have Misty Copeland in it, so on that note, it's a must see. Has anyone else had the chance to watch it yet to give a good review? I know Disney will have taken some liberties with the story which is okay, but my fear is that it will end up butchered and not contain the sense of magic it had for me as a child and even now.