The Nutcracker Suite: 'Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy'

Lily Hurt

Mr. Kramer

IB Theory of Knowledge B3

Extended Essay Body Paragraphs The Nutcracker Suite first starts out on Christmas Eve with two children, Fritz and Clara Stahlbaum. They are anxiously waiting for their friends and family to arrive for their annual Christmas party. When the guests arrive, the party starts and there is lively dancing and celebration. A mysterious being in dark clothing arrives and scares Fritz but not Clara. Clara knows it’s her godfather the toymaker. He is welcomed into the celebration but once he announces he has gifts, the girls get china dolls and boys get bugles. Fritz receives a drum while Clara is given the nutcracker. Fritz grows jealous and snatches the nutcracker and starts a game of toss. But by accident

Rhythm is the systematic arrangement of musical sounds, principally according to duration and periodic stress. Articulation is to the musical direction performance technique which affects the transition or continuity on a single note or between multiple notes or sounds. One rhythm pattern that comes up often in Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy is … (Refer to Score). The articulation is staccato which are very separate and detached notes. The dance itself is very precise with the music so the movements of the dancer are very short and light with the music. The dance can be portrayed as delicate and pretty as the scene changes from a battle scene with mice to a Land of Sweets and a Candy Castle. In the Waltz of the flowers the rhythm pattern that often comes up is … (Refer to Score). The articulation of the waltz is legato which are smooth and connected notes. With the connected notes it gives the dancers a fluid feel to the dance which makes the overall scene elegant and graceful. In most of the more joyful scenes of the ballet tend to follow a pleasant and soft tone that builds into a dynamic climax towards the end of the scenes. With the gentle style in both the Waltz and dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, it can affect the audience by making them feel content and