Nutcracker number 21 this evening and we’ve got photos of Robert Barnett who originated the Candy Cane role in Balanchine’s 1954 production. I came across this excerpt of an article where Bobby recently (2019) spoke about his role as Candy Cane:
“I was cast to dance the role of the Candy Cane [to the same choreography Balanchine had danced at the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg, Russia] when the ballet premiered in New York,” says Barnett. “Jumping through that damn hoop at breakneck speed was not easy. I was trying to do it academically when Mr. B said, ‘Bobby, you just have to attack it . . . make it happen.’” Barnett still takes pride in recalling the maestro’s post-performance remark that, “Nobody’s ever danced it like you did!”
O’Neill, Gail. “From Balanchine to Atlanta Ballet, Bobby Barnett casts an influential shadow” ARTS ATL. 2019.
(left)Photo by Frederick Melton, 1954.
(center) Photo by Radford Bascome, 1954.
(right) Photo by Frederick Melton, 1954.
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