That’s Nutscracker
Holiday jeers for WH vid
O Come, All Ye Haters. The White House’s annual Christmas video, featuring an avant-garde tap dance performance of a timeless ballet, has been panned by critics for its “Hunger Games aesthetic,” as well as called “tacky” and “tasteless.”
First Lady Jill Biden (inset below) on Wednesday posted a 2½-minute clip of New York City tap company Dorrance Dance’s take on Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn’s interpretation of Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker Suite.”
The video features sequined dancers in elaborate headdresses tapping their way through a White House hallway festooned with candy cane columns to the Blue Room, which is decked out with Christmas trees in both white and colored lights alongside Nutcracker-inspired décor.
The wild artistic statement, which the first lady said contained “magic, wonder and joy,” left many commenters’ heads spinning, with several pining for the patriotic-themed Christmas video posted in 2020 by then-First Lady Melania Trump.
“How utterly tacky, tasteless and ANTI Christmas. Melania’s was tasteful, seasonal, appealed to everyone and was absolutely breathtaking and gorgeous,” said one commenter.
Others compared the technicolor visuals to a dystopian film.
“Disney presents Clockwork Orange,” one person commented. Federalist Editor-in-Chief Mollie Hemingway panned the first lady’s “Hunger Games Capital District Christmas approach.”
Some wondered if mind-altering substances were involved in the production, referencing the bag of cocaine found in the West Wing last summer. “Looks like the WH switched from cocaine to acid,” one jokester said.
Some did appreciate the artistic merit of the video, which did not feature either Jill or President Biden.
“Totally love it, Ms Biden as much as we have showed the love for your playful creative side and arts,” one opined.
Though Dorrance Dance’s routine appeared apolitical, the troupe’s website is anything but — promoting far-left policies that are even out of step with the Biden administration, endorsing discredited “antiracism” activists Robin DiAngelo and Ibram X. Kendi and radical left-wing causes such as prison abolition and defunding law enforcement.
The comprehensive “antiracism” section of the site includes links to numerous far-left organizations such as Black Lives Matter and INCITE! Women of Color Against Violence — the latter group trumpets the antisemitic slogan “From the River to the Sea, Palestine Will Be Free!” on its website.