Real talk: I could take or leave ballet. I’m just not that into it, although I appreciate the work it takes to become a professional ballerina. But I am 100% into tap dancing. I LOVE tap. I love watching tap performances. So it is very, very cool to me that First Lady Dr. Jill Biden invited the Dorrance Dance company into the White House to do a tap performance of The Nutcracker Suite. Like, when I watched this video, I was like “I can’t believe this is the first time anyone did this in the White House!” It’s magical.
A bit of magic, wonder, and joy brought to you by the talented tappers of Dorrance Dance, performing their playful interpretation of The Nutcracker Suite.
Enjoy! 💕 pic.twitter.com/qXtCm4t37o
— Jill Biden (@FLOTUS) December 13, 2023
The ashy, bitter folks in conservative media are screaming, crying and throwing up about this. How dare Dr. Biden invite a tap dance troupe into the White House? Tap isn’t Christmasy!! How dare Black performers do something cool in the White House? Etc, you get the idea. I love all of the people claiming that this isn’t in the spirit of Christmas. Like, it’s The Nutcracker Suite, a Christmas favorite across all artistic genres. It’s been modernized and reenergized with an exciting tap performance. It’s so cool! I can’t believe people are hating on this.
Photos courtesy of Cover Images.
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- President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden with Prime Minister Narendra Modi arriving on the North Portico of the White House ahead of a state dinner. Biden and Modi announced a series of defense and commercial deals designed to improve military and economic ties between their nations during a state visit today. Featuring: First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, President Joe Biden Where: Washington, District of Columbia, United States When: 22 Jun 2023 Credit: Al Drago/POOL via CNP/startraksphoto.com
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- United States President Joe Biden and first lady Dr. Jill Biden emerge to host a Halloween trick-or-treat event for local public school students and military-connected families on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC on Monday, October 30, 2023. Credit: Bonnie Cash / Pool via CNP Featuring: Joe Biden, Jill Biden Where: Washington, District of Columbia, United States When: 30 Oct 2023 Credit: POOL via CNP/startraksphoto.com
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- First lady Dr. Jill Biden waves before handing out books during a Halloween trick-or-treat event for local public school students and military-connected families on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC on Monday, October 30, 2023. Credit: Bonnie Cash / Pool via CNP Featuring: First lady Dr. Jill Biden Where: Washington, District of Columbia, United States When: 30 Oct 2023 Credit: POOL via CNP/startraksphoto.com
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- The East Room of the White House in Washington, DC decorated for the 2023 winter Holiday, with the theme “Magic, Wonder and Joy,” Where: Washington, District of Columbia, United States When: 27 Nov 2023 Credit: Chris Kleponis/CNP/startraksphoto.com
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- The Grand Foyer of the White House in Washington, DC decorated for the 2023 winter Holiday, with the theme “Magic, Wonder and Joy,” Where: Washington, District of Columbia, United States When: 27 Nov 2023 Credit: Chris Kleponis/CNP/startraksphoto.com
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- The Cross Hall of the White House in Washington, DC decorated for the 2023 winter Holiday, with the theme “Magic, Wonder and Joy,” Where: Washington, District of Columbia, United States When: 27 Nov 2023 Credit: Chris Kleponis/CNP/startraksphoto.com
The haters as always are “idiots”!
They are the same socalled “Americans and Defenders of Democracy” ready to hand over the keys to Putin wannabes — and throw the US Constitution in crisis.
I’m not listening to them.
But… but… does nobody think of the parquet flooring?
I did.
What’s most funny is that this troupe is headed by Michelle Dorrance, a white woman. She’s the Nutcracker in the linked Twitter video. There was some complaining when a white woman won a MacArthur genius award for her tap dance and choreography. I don’t really follow the tap dance scene these days, but I don’t remember anyone bringing up someone who was was overlooked and better deserved the prize.
I would love to see it! I saw the Nutcracker every Christmas when I was growing up.
I saw a reel of it on Jill’s Instagram before seeing this post. It is whimsical, and beautiful. So refreshing in comparison to previous administrations. The White House seems so accessible to the American people because of Jill.
Really cute and fun!
That was amazing. And let’s be honest, if those were all ⚪️ people, no one would complain.
Not … tap … dancers … !
:: faints in 1823 ::
And *gasp*…..Jazz music!!
: : faints in 1930’s : :
I mean, really?? Duke Ellington released a jazz version of the Nutcracker Suite in *1960* for cryin’ out loud.
I wonder what made it ok for Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire to tap dance in all those 1950s movies….hmm, what could it have been…..🤔
There’s always a nutcracker in jazz performance where I live, using, I believe, Ellington’s version.
Did they misread it and think she invited lap dancers?
Social media / internet has made things so fast and accessible that there’s an expectation of responding to and commenting on and criticizing everything. it’s a tedious aspect of the online world that I very much dislike. You’re not obliged to give your opinion on everything. show some decorum. Live and let live.
This is exactly the kind of thing the White House -should- be used for. It shouldn’t feel closed off and isolated from the American people. And Fox News hating on it should be a badge of honor, like proof that it’s a good thing to do.
The place does, however, kinda look like a FAO Schwartz now though
I think last year or the year before they had some dancers from ABT perform a more classical version of the Nutcracker at the WH. I love ballet but I actually really like this too! It was really well-done and Dorrance Dance is a very legit and well-known dance company. This is a silly thing for anyone to be mad about even if you don’t like Biden.
“Gasp” Silly you say, well I’m shocked. Next year they’ll probably have a little kid playing a tapping baby Jesus. I feel faint and must lie down now. (Said by conservatives who absolutely ENJOY being shocked!)
Okay this was so cute and cool and made me love this year’s decorations even more. Conservatives like to claim that there’s a war on Christmas, that liberals hate Christmas. Dr. Jill’s festive cute Christmas vibe is messing up that narrative. That and you know the dancers aren’t white🙄. Apparently there’s only certain ways one can appreciate Christmas.
It was an amazing performance. I loved it! Especially since we visited the WH in May and walked through those same hallways and rooms. It’s so Christmasy!
They don’t like anything a democrat does but especially breathing and voting.
No lies detected.
Not to mention tap is a uniquely American art form with roots in West African and Celtic dance traditions. I guess they don’t love America lol.
That gave me chills- imagine being there when it was filmed- the energy, the sound, the colors. Just incredible.
Tap dance originated in the United States.
It’s believed to be a combination of African and Irish dances. And it used to be a very “of the people dance,” performed in traveling shows or even local competitions.
I enjoyed the clip. It was fun, historical and modern, and of this land.
Not a fan of the white house ATM but this skit cheered me up.
It’s festive, clean family fun.
I am guessing the Republicans do not like the ‘inclusiveness’ of the dancers.
Absolutely! The racists cannot stand having mixed dance troops in such an “official” place.
Remember how the Rockettes basically got pressganged into performing at Trump’s inauguration, but a bunch of them refused, and even past members were calling on the then-current ladies to boycott? Yeah, this is just more bitterness and jealousy on the part of conservatives.
This was extremely cool! Thanks so much for sharing it. I haven’t seen it anywhere else but I’ve been needing a little Christmas this year.
I loved it! I had no idea anybody had updated the Nutcracker Suite! This was delightful! And of course conservatives didn’t like it! Tough!
I love ballet, particularly classical ballet–the dance itself, the music–but I gotta telya, those stories are insipid. I could stomach the Nutcracker if this were the version!
It is a holiday version of the Nutcracker.
How does this turn into a gripe about politics?
The hard MAGA crowd is so unbearable, unreasonable.
With all the problems in the world these Tools have time and energy to complain about this?
Go do something useful.
I’d enjoy seeing more ballet on tv, personally.
I’ve been watching Youtube to find Nureyev and Baryshnikov performances.
What terrific grace and power!
@JaneS : Have you seen the movie White Nights — with Baryshnikov and Gregory Hines? It captures two brilliant dancers with two different styles in truly peak performances.
I love the combination of dance and decorations at the White House. Jill Biden has wonderfully and magically tapped into the spirit of Christmas✨ I hope there’s a longer video of the dance performance. This is a Nutcracker version that might pull me back into a theater for a live show.
I have seen White Nights, several times.
GHines and MB are terrific, I wish it had even more dancing in it.
I will happily watch any musical or movie with dance numbers. 👍
I’m guessing that if all the dancers were the same hue as the Nutcracker character, conservatives would not be objecting to this.
It’s really joyful.
Tap dancing in the White House?! Next we will have insurrectionists invading the Capitol. Oh, wait…🤔
I’m struggling to understand how people can get upset over…this. It’s tap dancing, not high voltage geopolitics. Tap dancing is not my favorite, personally, but this was cute, festive, family-friendly, and joyful. These dancers have good energy (can be hard to translate that on camera, with dancing, which is normally a “live” experience), I personally think there’s a bit too much disharmony (themes / colors / patterns) between the costumes but apart from that, why the vitriol?? People are just looking for a reason to be angry.
I agree!!!!! I mean if it were strip tap dancing it’d be one thing but this is mainstream.
Michelle Dorrance isn’t just some tap dancer. She’s a choreographer, teacher, company director, performer who is very worthy of the MacArthurGenius grant she got some years back. Those who are serious about tap as an art form and means of cultural expression are equally serious about making sure that the history of tap does not get lost. Her anti-racism statement on her company page is worth a read.
I love this.
Newsflash: the same ppl who allow Matt Gaetz, Gym Jordan, and Marjorie Taylor Green to have a platform are all up in their fee fees because (audible gasps) some innovative dancing happened at the damn White House. They should indict Jill Biden for creativity while they’re busy attempting to impeach Joe Biden for…ummm…nothing.
Black Clara and Sugar Plum Fairy and the Nutcracker is a girl?!? LOL Dr. Biden is trolling MAGA so hard and I love it. Excuse me, I’m off to google where I can see this troupe do the whole Nutcracker performance…
Awww nuts, I just missed them in Philly and DC and I can’t get down to Charleston on this short notice. This is a group to keep on my radar, though.
Perfection
This is very cool. I was a ballerina and performed in the Nutcracker several times and I adore this! Dance is awesome, in all of it’s forms.
As long as Ted Nugent being allowed into the building isn’t a problem, they can cram it. I love Dr. Biden and I love the fact she (and the President) have brought back the rule of law, happy Christmas decorations, etc.
Side note: I was a White House intern and remember walking in after the decorations went up and bursting into tears that I, a college kid with no $, no connections, and no particular talent or skill, even got to be there. It’s a special place at the holidays, and it is wonderful that they are showcasing it in this way.
Watching that video made my day, I loved it! Nothing more American than tap dancing. I keep on watching it. It’s about the only positive thing that has come from the White House in the last few month, thanks to Dr. Biden.
Fox news called it “prancing” all over the White House, and bizarre, plus not remotely to do with Christmas! It also said Dr. Biden’s decorations were not tasteful like the ones displayed by their predecessor, and that the video was embarrassing and inappropriate for children.
Then, of course, they added news about Biden’s “low” approval and the upcoming investigation by Congress, and the potential cocaine at the White House.
Just plain stupid, and clearly, conservatives who posted these things have never been to a ballet or anything like other forms of dance.
Anything that features women, people of color, or God forbid women of color, is considered “too woke” by conservatives. They would like to see us revert to Jim Crow days where POC weren’t able to work, live, or mingle with white folks, and maybe adopt the radical muslim view of having women confined to the home unless a male grants her permission to leave. I am not exaggerating, I believe this is really what many white males in America want — and some white women would agree with the racial segregation part, and some minority males would agree with the discrimination against women part, and all together they make up the republican party.
Mrs.Krabapple, I agree that the GOP want to put women back in the box. I’m sure they want women to be chattle again. They are very right to be afraid of us. They just haven’t figured out how afraid they should be. If they think we’re going to be jumping into the box, they really need to rethink things.
this is exactly what they want. they say it out loud if you know where to look. I’m related to someone in the political world (on the far white supremacist right) and their public rhetoric is frightening let alone what they say in private. it’s shocking, sad, and most of all scary.
These people are scandalized by wholesome things but will remain quiet when their own people are negating consent, raping, human trafficking, corrupt and caught in lies, as well as generally obviously evil sh!ts. Bravo to all the good things this current administration is doing.
My only problem is that they didn’t show enough of their feet! The dancing was incredible, I want to see what their feet can do!
That was incredible! I love the joy and the artistry, and seeing all of the trees all lit up in the background.
So sad to see the conservative’s War on Christmas is continuing…
The Daily Mail is outraged, saying “First Lady Jill Biden’s efforts at spreading some Christmas joy have been met with derision and astonishment from many who have labeled her celebratory video as ‘bizarre’ ‘freaky’ and ‘absolute garbage.’ ” and also noting SM “photos and videos fondly remembering former First Lady Melania Trump’s Christmas celebrations, despite Melania famously saying on tape: ‘Who gives as f*** about the Christmas stuff and decorations?’ ”
There are 2.8K comments by MAGATs and racist Brits.
Wait until they find out about hip hop nutcracker