The Nutcracker has been a classic holiday staple since the 1800s, but for some, controversial elements raise questions of ethnic stereotyping.
Dances such as Arabian coffee and Chinese tea are offensive, said Jaqueline Wu, an advocate for Asia Pacific Americans.
“These images turn into stereotypes that show Chinese as sort of these one dimensional characters,” Wu said.
Other viewers criticized the lack of diversity in the production. Jayla Minnix-Gomez of Seattle said she saw very few black or Asian dancers, and it was “disappointing” not to see a more diverse cast.
Wu said “yellowface” has been especially blatant in productions outside Seattle, but here it’s more subtle, such as casting non-Asians in Asian roles.
“I don't think there's such a thing as being overly sensitive,” Wu said.
Pacific Northwest Ballet says when choreographer George Balanchine stepped away from the original 1892 version, he was ahead of his time, transporting audiences to countries and cultures that weren’t as accessible as today. However, Peter Boal, PNB artistic director, said the ballet has made adjustments over time to become more politically correct, and he wants audiences to feel the production is above barre.
“It's a progressive thing, and I think we continue to look at it,” Boal said.
Some members of the audience agree with Boal that the ballet has made strides to being more inclusive.
“Much, much better than Kent Stowell’s version,” said Betty Lau, an Organization of Chinese Americans-Greater Seattle board member. “They’ve done research for this version. The costuming is more accurate and I like the use of the stylized longevity symbol.”
