Today’s the first day of Kwanzaa, the seven-day festival that black nationalist Maulana (Ron) Karenga started back in 1966. Each day celebrates a theme, and today’s is umoja, unity.

Karenga founded the US Organization in the wake of the 1964 Watts riots to build a positive, independent self-identity for African-Americans; the seven-point Nguzo Saba value system that Kwanzaa reflects was meant to help achieve this end.

Kwanzaa has a definite Afro-centric political bent (the Nguzo Saba principles are Swahili words), and Karenga designed it specifically as a secular cultural celebration that African-Americans could observe in conjunction with any religious holiday (it’s a common misconception that Kwanzaa is tied to a religion).

Across the US, a number of organizations are marking the start of Kwanzaa: in Charlotte, the Harvey B. Gantt Center has events planned from 1-5 PM; in New York City, the American Museum of Natural History, from 12-5 PM.

In an article for the Huffington Post, Jennifer Edwards helps to explain why Alastair Macaulay’s Nutcracker review–with the uncalled-for crack about two dancers’ weight–was worse than just rude:

While Macaulay clearly knows his history, taking 13 paragraphs to extol the magnificence of Balanchine’s vision and Tchaikovsky’s musical genius, this Perez Hilton-esque comment degrades not only the work of the dancers, but the art of cultural criticism. Commentary of this nature does nothing to educate, inspire, or bring about innovation in the field. 

Edwards also cites critic Eva Yaa Asantewaa, who seems to have already given up on the Times as a source for intelligent, insightful dance coverage:

Since Times arts editors apparently condone or encourage snarky writing in its dance reviews–and since Times reviews, regrettably, are crucial to the careers of artists and survival of arts institutions–we will have to push on and create viable, respected alternatives. Most of all, we will have to teach young performers to respect their bodies, care for their health, and be happy in their dancing.

Now we’re getting somewhere, to the heart of the matter. Macaulay’s brand of childish, decadent criticism–by an insider for other jaded insiders–just doesn’t cut it anymore (if it ever did).

(My initial reaction is here.)

From the San Francisco Ballet’s 2007 production:

It’s impossible to know everything about every art form that enriches our culture. We all have blind spots, and filling those in for us is where a critic can be most useful.

Alastair Macaulay failed in this role when, in his now much discussed review, he said this about Jenifer Ringer and Jared Angle’s performances in the New York City Ballet’s Nutcracker:

Jenifer Ringer, as the Sugar Plum Fairy, looked as if she’d eaten one sugar plum too many; and Jared Angle, as the Cavalier, seems to have been sampling half the Sweet realm. They’re among the few City Ballet principals who dance like adults, but without adult depth or complexity. 

Because Macaulay didn’t explain to us how Ringer’s and Angle’s weight related to the superficiality of the dancing, we can only conclude that he was taking a cheap shot at dancers he just didn’t like. (Ringer went on the Today Show to defend herself.) Macaulay missed an opportunity to explain the connection between body image and movement in ballet (as opposed to other forms of dance, for example).

I certainly would welcome that deeper critical discussion; I suspect most reasonably intelligent people curious about dance would. But, having read Macaulay’s follow-up defense of his review, I doubt he has the capacity to give us this anyway. Best just to move on. (See, anyone can sucker punch.)