Getty/Jill Biden X Dr. Jill Biden (l) and (r) a scene from the White House Christmas video.
First Lady Jill Biden’s new White House Christmas video has sparked controversy online, with some people mocking the video, which features a twist on the Nutcracker. However, other people defended the artistry in the video, and it’s meant to showcase the wonders of childhood.
Dr. Jill Biden wrote on X, “A bit of magic, wonder, and joy brought to you by the talented tappers of Dorrance Dance, performing their playful interpretation of The Nutcracker Suite. Enjoy! 💕”
Her share of the video has had more than 9 million impressions on X.
Criticism of the video quickly became politicized, with many conservative influencers making fun of it on X. According to a White House press release, the theme of this year’s Holidays in the White House is “The Magic, Wonder, and Joy of the Holidays.”
@FLOTUS This got progressively weirder the longer it went on 😵💫
Others defended the video and the dancers. Opinion was divided on social media about the video. “This is an incredible display of talent with stellar production value! Thanks for bringing a such joy to this Holliday Season!” wrote one man.
@FLOTUS This is an incredible display of talent with stellar production value! Thanks for bringing a such joy to this Holliday Season!
But another man wrote, “THIS IS WHAT YOU’RE DOING WITH OUR TAX MONEY?!” Some people thought the dance video reminded them of the “Hunger Games” movie.
@FLOTUS Panem from the Hunger Games was supposed to be a warning, not inspiration!
Here’s what you need to know:
The First Lady’s Theme for the 2023 Holiday Season Is Meant to Capture the ‘Imagination of Childhood’
A bit of magic, wonder, and joy brought to you by the talented tappers of Dorrance Dance, performing their playful interpretation of The Nutcracker Suite.
Enjoy! 💕
According to the White House press release, “The 2023 White House Holiday Display is designed to capture the pure, unfiltered delight and imagination of childhood, to encourage visitors to reflect on this time of year with hearts open to the magic, wonder, and joy of the season.”
“The 2023 White House holiday theme is inspired by how children experience this festive season: completely present in the beauty and bounty around them, their senses alight, with hearts open to the magic, wonder, and joy of the holidays,” the President and First Lady wrote in a letter, according to the press release.
In addition, according to the press release, “The First Lady invited National Guard families to be the first members of the public to experience the White House holiday decor.”
Dorrance Dance, Which Has a Page Devoted to Anti-Racism Work, Was Founded Out of a ‘Deep Dedication to Tap Dance’ & Artists Who Are ‘Rooted in Improvisation’
Can tap dance change the world? Michelle Dorrance thinks so. @dorrancedance #ArtsEdWeek #becauseofartsed
According to its website, Dorrance Dance “is an award-winning tap dance company based in New York City.”
“Founded in 2011 by Artistic Director Michelle Dorrance, we have a deep dedication to tap dance, its traditions, and its possibilities,” the website says. “Dorrance Dance is made up of truly unique artists; dancers and musicians who are rooted in improvisation with an investment in choreographic exploration and musical composition.”
The page explains, “The company shares the incredibly dynamic range that tap dance has to offer through performance & education. Our goal is to engage with audiences on a musical and emotional level, and to share the complex history and powerful legacy of this American art form throughout the country and the world.”
Some critics have seized on an anti-racism page on the company’s website.
The page asks for “urgent action” in response to the Memphis, Tennessee, police shooting of Tyre Nichols and the mass shooting during the Lunar New Year in Monterey Park, California. Huu Can Tran was accused in that mass shooting.
A statement on a page labeled “anti-racism” reads, “For those who are investigating or have questions about white privilege, systemic racism, white fragility, and anti-racism for the very first time: antiracismforbeginners.com answers all the basic questions in a very straightforward way.”
Another page urges people to join Black Lives Matter and a group called Showing Up For Racial Justice, defined as “a national network that moves white people to act as part of a multi-racial majority for justice.” It also lists a number of petitions on its website, including petitions for defunding the police, stopping ICE “from poisoning immigrants,” and ending “gender-based violence.”
The White House Holiday Decorations Include 98 Christmas Trees & More Than 142,000 Holiday Lights
This year at the White House, you will find ornaments created out of the handprints and painted family portraits of military-connected children, ensuring that military and veteran families see themselves reflected in the magic of the holidays.
Beth, a military spouse who…
The White House press release says the White House holiday decorations use “approximately 14,975 feet of ribbon, over 350 candles, over 33,892 ornaments, and over 22,100 bells.”
In addition, there are “98 Christmas trees throughout the White House complex” and a Gingerbread White House “creation” made up of “40 sheets of sugar cookie dough.
The White House is decorated with more than 142,000 holiday lights and 72 classic wreaths, the press release says.
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