Ballet in Indy: Another nut to crack.

For a town where dance lovers are still mourning the 2005 loss of Ballet Internationale, Indy seems to have an overabundance of sugar plum fairies this season, with Butler U.’s, Gregory Hancock’s, and the Indiana Ballet Co.’s   all going toe to toe to toe.

And that’s not all. This weekend, the Cincinnati Ballet brings to town its “Nutcracker”—a version some hope will soon become our version.

In a, well, nutshell, there’s talk of this becoming a regional company—a joint venture between Cincy and Indy. 

Which begs the question: No matter where the money comes from or who is working behind the scenes, can a company of dancers based across state lines still be “ours”? And does that matter if what they produce is strong and audiences are satisfied? Thoughts?

News Note from IBJ reporter Jennifer Whitson: The Indianapolis School of Ballet just announced what it hopes will be a leg up in the war of The Nutcrackers – the downtown-based school now has permission from the George Balanchine Trust to use Balanchines’ pas de deuz in its production. Trust representatives review a production before giving the OK for it to use the choreography. The Indianapolis School of Ballet’s “Nutcracker” is being produced at the Scottish Rite Cathedral with two performances – Dec. 21 at 7:00 p.m. and Dec. 22 at 3:00 p.m. It is the first production of a full ballet by the school that opened in August 2006.