ROYAL BALLET MIXED BILL: CHROMA (MCGREGOR), THE FOUR TEMPERAMENT (BALACHINE) & DGV (WHEELDON) A WORLD PREMIERE [16TH, 17TH, 18TH NOV]
Just some of my personal afterthoughts about the first 2 shows, and a rehearsal, now, i felt thoroughly charged for a new season!
I thought Talbot did a fab job with the score. there was one point in Chroma, he had the majority of the orchestra putting their instruments away, and snapping their fingers away, producing this unique sound to accompany part of the performance. Brilliant idea, I thought.
With these 3 works, it has given me this impression that these 3 works clearly signified the past, present and future of dance in the 20th and 21st Century.
THE FOUR TEMPERAMENT - BALANCHINE
Balanchine's Four Temperaments demonstrate clean classical vocabulary, with nice defined arabesques. Most of the movement vocabulary can be found in the classical terminology dictionary, ranging from poses temp leve, temp de fleche. And of course, a little 'against-the-rules' with the wrist, and some 'turned-in' positions to add some flavour. but i thought, ultimately, its core is still darn classical, i mean, to begin with, the costumes are practice clothes, and dancers were doing grand battements coming on stage, and the male soloists were doing sissonnes, etc. Using Paul Hindemith score, terribly suited for dance of that period.
DGV (Danse à Grande Vitesse) - WHEELDON
With Wheeldon's DGV, it gave me an impression of present. The corp were mainly artists, and they managed all the multiple lifts very very well. It was a delight to finally see most of these artists dancing. It accentuates their strength and also the principals' excellence. Wheeldon is such a wonderful creator with partnering work, with such imaginative forms and shapes; always enjoyable to watch. The dancers seemed to dance with ease and conviction. Michael Nyman's music, which was composed in 1993, was entrancing and captivating..To me, it portrays the 'now' of the company....
Curtain Call from left: Zenaida Yanowsky, Eric Underwood, Edward Watson, Leanne Benjamin, Christopher Wheeldon, Gary Avis, Marianela Nunez. Federico Bonelli [photo by DaveM]
CHROMA - MCGREGOR
Chroma, brought me to a new dimension. It showed me the future. Something attainable in the near future. With White Stripes' music translated in an orchestral version, the minimalistic sets, lighting and costumes, executed and portrayed respectively in an ornamented auditorium, showed the past and what lies ahead was truly a fusion and a 21st Century approach. Not to forget, the choreography for the individuals, and the partnering were tremenduously innovative. Choice of dancers for this piece was almost like striking the lottery (well, almost). Being someone, who do not get the opportunity to watch so many royal ballet productons, to be able to watch Tamara Rojo and Alina Cojocaru sharing the same stage was an excitement. Both dancers usually share roles and rarely seen dancing alongside each other. Chroma also showed off the dancers' hidden talents, to be able to move in such a way, so unique and so individual. Even when they were in unison, doing the same steps, no two dancers moved in exact same way, or the exact same quality. Also, I thought, for once, it was interesting to see Tamara Rojo and Sarah Lamb, letting their fringe out, framing their beautiful face. I realised classical ballet seemed to be the usual 'hair-off-the-face" discipline...
What a tremenduous interesting experience for an audience to see the evolution of ballet/dance in 2 hours 30 mins.
More pretty please Ms Mason.
I thought Talbot did a fab job with the score. there was one point in Chroma, he had the majority of the orchestra putting their instruments away, and snapping their fingers away, producing this unique sound to accompany part of the performance. Brilliant idea, I thought.
With these 3 works, it has given me this impression that these 3 works clearly signified the past, present and future of dance in the 20th and 21st Century.
THE FOUR TEMPERAMENT - BALANCHINE
Balanchine's Four Temperaments demonstrate clean classical vocabulary, with nice defined arabesques. Most of the movement vocabulary can be found in the classical terminology dictionary, ranging from poses temp leve, temp de fleche. And of course, a little 'against-the-rules' with the wrist, and some 'turned-in' positions to add some flavour. but i thought, ultimately, its core is still darn classical, i mean, to begin with, the costumes are practice clothes, and dancers were doing grand battements coming on stage, and the male soloists were doing sissonnes, etc. Using Paul Hindemith score, terribly suited for dance of that period.
DGV (Danse à Grande Vitesse) - WHEELDON
With Wheeldon's DGV, it gave me an impression of present. The corp were mainly artists, and they managed all the multiple lifts very very well. It was a delight to finally see most of these artists dancing. It accentuates their strength and also the principals' excellence. Wheeldon is such a wonderful creator with partnering work, with such imaginative forms and shapes; always enjoyable to watch. The dancers seemed to dance with ease and conviction. Michael Nyman's music, which was composed in 1993, was entrancing and captivating..To me, it portrays the 'now' of the company....
Curtain Call from left: Zenaida Yanowsky, Eric Underwood, Edward Watson, Leanne Benjamin, Christopher Wheeldon, Gary Avis, Marianela Nunez. Federico Bonelli [photo by DaveM]
CHROMA - MCGREGOR
Chroma, brought me to a new dimension. It showed me the future. Something attainable in the near future. With White Stripes' music translated in an orchestral version, the minimalistic sets, lighting and costumes, executed and portrayed respectively in an ornamented auditorium, showed the past and what lies ahead was truly a fusion and a 21st Century approach. Not to forget, the choreography for the individuals, and the partnering were tremenduously innovative. Choice of dancers for this piece was almost like striking the lottery (well, almost). Being someone, who do not get the opportunity to watch so many royal ballet productons, to be able to watch Tamara Rojo and Alina Cojocaru sharing the same stage was an excitement. Both dancers usually share roles and rarely seen dancing alongside each other. Chroma also showed off the dancers' hidden talents, to be able to move in such a way, so unique and so individual. Even when they were in unison, doing the same steps, no two dancers moved in exact same way, or the exact same quality. Also, I thought, for once, it was interesting to see Tamara Rojo and Sarah Lamb, letting their fringe out, framing their beautiful face. I realised classical ballet seemed to be the usual 'hair-off-the-face" discipline...
What a tremenduous interesting experience for an audience to see the evolution of ballet/dance in 2 hours 30 mins.
More pretty please Ms Mason.
posted by dewlyla at 8:55 AM
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