San Francisco Ballet Performs Sensory-Friendly ‘Nutcracker’ To Be Enjoyed By All
There are many things that make the perfect holiday: a scrumptious feast, a well-decorated tree, Christmas lights, kissing under a mistletoe, and enjoying a breathtaking performance of the Nutcracker.
However, this year, as the San Francisco Ballet went about its annual festive stages, there was one difference that would allow the classic performance to reach an even wider audience—a special, sensory-friendly version of the play.
For the first time in its history, the troupe presented a version of the Nutcracker that could be enjoyed by children and families with special needs, in collaboration with the Autism Society San Francisco Bay Area.
The partnership first began in 2015, when the two joined efforts to specially curate workshops and relaxed dress rehearsals for viewers with autism, sensory sensitivities, and other cognitive, physical, or developmental disabilities.
This time, the entire play was recalibrated to suit the audience better, with the removal or modification of potentially startling moments that could cause special needs attendees discomfort, such as axing an explosion from the canon during the battle scene.
According to CBS News, other measures included keeping the house lights on throughout the show, allowing guests to move freely and dance, and designating movement areas, quiet spaces, and kindness ambassadors to make the experience more welcoming.
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Dancer Pemberley Ann Olson said that the overarching idea was to create a relaxed, shush-free, and shame-free environment. Visitors were not only allowed to use fidget objects or noise-reducing headphones, but they could also opt to take a break or watch via a live stream within the theatre.
In addition, families were given access to social stories and resource materials beforehand to help prepare special needs audience members for the experience before they even entered the theatre.
Despite this heartwarming move to bring the Nutcracker to a more diverse audience, the troupe has recently drawn gripes for a different component of its performance—the posters—when it was revealed to have tapped on Midjourney, instead of an actual artist, for its promotional material.
As per Artnet News, the San Francisco Ballet drew the ire of artists online, who took its decision to go with an AI image generator as an endorsement of the theft of intellectual property upon which it is built.
In response, the company said it worked with “nearly 30 designers, producers, and creates” from an advertising agency on its campaign, and that its stages featured “hundreds of San Francisco artists” every season.
[via CBS News and The San Francisco Standard, cover image via DanDave Alba | Dreamstime.com]
