Toying with dance: A medievalist interprets The Nutcracker ballet

This article draws attention to elements of medievalism in The Nutcracker ballet, which premiered in St. Petersburg in 1892. I argue that medieval tropes of sacred play are embedded within this postmedieval work of art. Interpreting medieval toy culture alongside Western classical dance, this articl...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Postmedieval a journal of medieval cultural studies 2023-09, Vol.14 (2-3), p.457-485
Main Author: Dickason, Kathryn
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Attention
Ballet
Cultural and Media Studies
Culture
Digital Humanities
Historical text analysis
History of Medieval Europe
Literature
Medieval Literature
Medieval period
Special issue: Legacies of medieval dance
Tropes
Citations: Items that this one cites
Online Access:Get full text
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Description
Summary:This article draws attention to elements of medievalism in The Nutcracker ballet, which premiered in St. Petersburg in 1892. I argue that medieval tropes of sacred play are embedded within this postmedieval work of art. Interpreting medieval toy culture alongside Western classical dance, this article articulates how medieval religiosity informs aesthetic production and perception today. In conclusion, I touch upon a more disturbing side of ballet medievalism, which contributes to the otherization and racialisation of non-Christian dancers. In sum, this article suggests that premodern cultures can lend layers of significance to artistic creations of the modern era.
ISSN:2040-5960
2040-5979
DOI:10.1057/s41280-023-00269-z