In this episode, Jared Redick sits down with Dr. Jennifer Fisher, renowned dance scholar, cultural critic, former dancer, and author of Nutcracker Nation and The Routledge Introduction to Ballet. With her signature blend of insight, humor, and cultural analysis, Dr. Fisher unpacks why The Nutcracker has become one of America’s most enduring secular rituals.

She reflects on the ballet’s evolution from its Russian roots to its distinctly American identity, why Act II still casts an irresistible spell, and how the annual production shapes dancers, audiences, and ballet companies alike. Jared and Dr. Fisher also explore issues of representation, cultural shifts within the ballet world, and the often-overlooked emotional power of Tchaikovsky’s score.

And, in true Fisher fashion, the conversation ends with a delightfully unexpected question: as ballet’s self-appointed “coroner,” will she someday conduct an inquest into the untimely demise of the Mouse King?

A thoughtful, spirited, and deeply human look at the ballet that returns, ritually, every December.

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