The Knotcracker: Boldly Breaking with Traditions
Laura
Salinger is a
freelance
writer based
in Madison,
Wis.

By Laura Salinger

      Renowned choreographer and dancer Li Chiao-Ping stayed true to her usual bold style recently and put her own spin
on the usual holiday traditions. While a traditional performance of “The Nutcracker” can be a holiday institution for some, try
on “The Knotcracker” for size. Li Chiao-Ping Dance showcased this evening-length event with Chiao-Ping’s usual creative
flair from Dec. 3-5 at the Promenade Hall of the Overture Center for the Arts.
      “The Knotcracker” follows the story of Little Miss Steps (Kenna Titus), a young girl determined to dance who is faced
with bullying and other challenges. The story also follows her adult counterpart (company member Liz Sexe). While playing
on a few Nutcracker themes, the show was decidedly Li Chiao-Ping’s style, blending dance and storytelling with visual
creativity and athletic prowess. Features of the evening included a duet where dancers spun from colorful ribbons hanging
from the ceiling and a Chinese dragon dance, performed by guests from the Zhong Yi Kung Fu Association. The ultimate
moral: don’t give up on your dreams, learn to love yourself, accept others' differences, and simply, hope.
      “More than seven months ago, I toyed with the idea of making my own “Nutcracker,” but quickly changed my mind after
listening to a recording of a “Klezmer Nutcracker,” deciding that I was much more interested in creating my own story
altogether rather than re-creating someone else’s,” explains Li Chiao-Ping. “The title came later when I found my subject.
As a dance educator, I find myself in the role of sleuth at times, trying to untangle the knots of my students’ bodies and
movement patterns. My own visits to my favorite chiropractor likewise added to my sense of us as puzzles. After hearing a
friend’s story about her daughter’s problems at school, followed by more recent tragedies about bullying, I discovered that
my small story had farther-reaching connections and so, with this new work, I offer you a message of hope. Wrapped up in
this program meant to delight and entertain is a wish for mutual respect and acceptance of differences.”

About Li Chiao-Ping
       Since 1993, renowned dancer, choreographer, and producer Li Chiao-Ping and her dance company, Li Chiao-Ping
Dance, have made Madison, Wis. their home. A professor in the UW-Madison dance program, Li’s work has been
described as athletic, emotionally charged, and visually stunning. As a Chinese American, she has often explored culture
and identity in her charged performances. She has produced and performed over 60 works for the stage and screen,
including “Yellow River” and “Odyssey,” and continues to use her visionary dance style to create unique and powerful
performances.
      Having traveled worldwide to perform, she is a much decorated dancer and choreographer. In 2001, she was named by
Dance Magazine as one of the 25 “we’ll be watching in 2001 and for years to come!” She has received first place awards in
Choreography and Performance for the Los Angeles Arts Council, has been twice nominated for a Bonnie Bird
Choreography Fund North American Award, and has received numerous other awards, grants, and commissions.