THE CURTAINS ROSE ON THE JOFFREY BALLET’S THE NUTCRACKER ON DECEMBER 10, 1987 AT THE HANCHER AUDITORIUM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA, WITH THE PRODUCTION THEN EMBARKING ON A NATIONAL TOUR. “Mr. Joffrey collected flower prints and the nosegay bouquets each mother carried in the party scene came from these prints. Later in the second act, each flower was replicated in the Waltz of the Flowers costumes. The dolls the girls receive in the party scene become the dancers in the second act. A Chinese doll, a Spanish doll, an Arabian and a Russian doll. Mr. Joffrey wanted that throughline.”-Kim Sagami
“HE FLINGS HIS BLACK CAPE LINED WITH PURPLE SATIN the color joffrey believes protects, heals & radiates hope.” - sasha anawalt
The most contemporary aspect of the Joffrey production is the new choreography by Arpino for the ballet's two celebrated set pieces: the Snowflakes scene & the Waltz of the Flowers. Joffrey asked Arpino to take on these assignments who added men to a scene that traditionally has been danced by women.
“I always heard the north wind in that music and envisioned a Jack Frost figure� -Gerald Arpino
“I want it to look like real flowers, not people dancing to the waltz of the flowers and I wanted to have the men enhance the beauty of the flowers, to give the feeling of real flowers caught in a spray of wind� -Gerald Arpino
KERMIT LOVE ORIGINALLY DESIGNED THE BODY PUPPETS USED IN THE JOFFREY NUTCRACKER. HE ALSO DESIGNED BIG BIRD FOR THE CHILDREN’S SHOW SESAME STREET.