4dancers – Page 52

Hubbard Street’s Summer Series – Complex and Sublime

June 1, 2012 by 4dancers

by Catherine L. Tully

After a strong spring program, expectations ran high for Hubbard Street Dance Chicago’s Summer Series at the Harris Theater. The line-up features three pieces—an unusual collection of choreography that takes the audience on a journey that they are certain to remember for a long time to come.

Choreographed by Alejandro Cerrudo, “Malditos” was originally a collaborative effort between Hubbard Street and Nederlands Dans Theater. Set to music from the film, The Beat My Heart Skipped (composed by Alexandre Desplat), one of the most striking features of this piece is the lighting design by Tom Visser. At times it barely illuminates the dancers—the visual equivalent of a whisper, making the viewer almost lean forward in their seat to watch the movement. Indeed, nothing about Cerrudo’s choreography shouts; it’s not showy even when it’s infused with energy. Instead it melts and dissolves through space, much like the dancers that come and go seemingly out of nowhere from the back of the stage.

Featured next is William Forsythe’s “Quintett” – and Hubbard Street has the honor of being the first American company to perform this work, first created in 1993. Set to U.K. composer Gavin Bryars’ composition “Jesus’ Blood Never Failed Me Yet”, it opens with five dancers, a stark white set–and a palpable feeling of discomfort.

HS12530_169 — Hubbard Street Dancers Penny Saunders and Jesse Bechard. Photo by Cheryl Mann.

In an unapologetic fashion, the audience is quickly pulled into this private, intimate setting. Dancers offer brief moments of tenderness, surrounded by explosive, sometimes unsettling sequences of movement. “Quintett” isn’t a passive piece where the audience gazes upon the dancers as they entertain. In fact, giving in to the uncomfortable feelings generated by the droning loop of the soundtrack and the unexpected movement patterns is almost a requirement if any sense of connection is to be found within the piece. This acceptance doesn’t come easily, but with it “Quintett” begins to transform, rewarding the viewer for the struggle.

“THREE TO MAX” is the final piece, originally created for Hubbard Street as a collage of Ohad Naharin’s works over the last decade. From the sensual hip circles seven women perform from a seated position on the floor to the “snapshot” movements that pulse out from a counted vocal rhythm, this is a piece that truly lets the company shine. Jeans, t-shirts and tank tops outfit the dancers in simplicity as they perform movements that range from clock-like ticking of the limbs (complete with vocals) to arabesques with arms that float skyward like a long swath of ribbon suspended in the air.

HSD110310_106 — Hubbard Street Dancer Robyn Mineko Williams in Ohad Naharin’s THREE TO MAX. Photo by Todd Rosenberg

Although the collection of his works here are each quite different they are blended together well, and selecting “THREE TO MAX” as the final piece is a fitting end to a wonderfully executed program. Chicago should be proud—there’s nothing quite like Hubbard Street—and this is a program to prove it.

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago is at the Harris Theater through June 3^rd, which will also be Robyn Mineko Williams’ final performance after 12 years with the company.

Breaking Pointe: Behind The Scenes Ballet?

June 1, 2012 by 4dancers

by Catherine L. Tully

Dance lovers everywhere have been anxiously awaiting the debut of the CW’s new series, Breaking Pointe, but the opening episode appears to be more of an introductory piece, rather than a true insider look at the ballet world. As part of the set up, viewers are taken into the studio at Ballet West in Salt Lake City to meet all the players and define their roles.

Looks like we’ll have to wait a little bit longer to get that glimpse…

Adam Sklute is the Artistic Director who decides the fate of the ballet dancers, and as he evaluates them in class and rehearsal, we see much of the dancing that takes place in this episode—which is minimal compared to time spent outside the studio. Despite this, the timing immediately creates drama, as dancers are in the process of finding out whether or not their contract with the company will be renewed for another year.

In-between time spent in the studio, the show follows dancers as they go shopping, sip coffee and dance at a club–all done in a style that is reminiscent of The Hills. It’s polished and well-shot (if a little close up on the dancing at the studio), but a bit light on substance. Still, with this being the first episode a certain amount of back story is necessary, so as the series moves forward, hopefully there will be more depth–and more dancing.

Relationships between the dancers run from the expected (the Principal Artist who is keeping close watch on a talented 19-year-old moving up the ranks) to the less common (two brothers who are in the company together). Viewers go into Sklute’s office and share the joy as one dancer gets promoted—and watch the tears as one is let go. Friendships, dating drama and the “pecking-order” hierarchy are all established here, undoubtedly setting up the storyline for future episodes.

This is a wonderful opportunity for Ballet West to tell the real story of ballet and share what it is like to be a dancer; both personally and professionally. Thus far the show has taken the higher ground for the most part; opting out of the typical reality television ploys of endless petty fights, jarring cuts and senseless banter. Mix in the fact that Ballet West has some top-notch ballet talent and an Artistic Director who is well-respected in the field and the stage is set for something that could be truly spectacular.

We’ll see where things go from here…

Did you watch the first episode? What did you think?

Haven’t seen the preview yet? Here it is:

Keeping Dancers Dancing: Outside Conditioning – GYROTONIC® and GYROKINESIS®

May 30, 2012 by 4dancers

by Jan Dunn, MS

Summer is almost here, and if you’re still a student, you’ll be out soon for summer break — and if you’re a professional dancer, you might have at least some time off over the coming months (hopefully!). In recent articles, we’ve been talking about the value of outside-of-class conditioning for dancers of all ages, to help your body stay in great shape for a long, healthy career. Summer is a good time to investigate different forms of outside conditioning that are beneficial for dancers (if you aren’t already doing some!).

The last article I posted on this topic was about Pilates –this time we’ll talk about GYROTONIC® and GYROKINESIS® (G & G, we will call them, when talked about together), exercise forms which are not as well known / widespread as Pilates, but one which many dancers enjoy.

Juliu Horvath, the creator / founder of the system, is a Hungarian “man for all seasons” – a former professional ballet dancer, yogi, and wood sculptor, now in his 60’s. Like many people who went on to develop unique methods to address concerns about the body, Horvath suffered career-ending injuries while performing as a principal dancer with the Houston Ballet. He moved to the Virgin Islands to recover, and began an extensive study and practice of yoga. His experience and research led to developing the G & G system, He states:

“I discovered Kundalini energy through my pain and agony, and somehow that awakened me. Being awakened energetically means that you can read the movement when it is not a movement yet. You are like a little child who is totally unconscious and not prepared to make movement happen. Children move because something moves them from within.”

The G & G movement system gently works the joints and muscles of the body, using key principles which are found in many forms of movement, such as yoga, tai-chi, gymnastics, swimming – and dance. It is an undulating, rhythmic, circular movement form, which is one of the appeals to dancers.

Horvath’s aim is to take the body “beyond its current limitations”. The exercises strengthen, lengthen, and stretch muscles, stimulating the connective tissue around the joints – improving balance, flexibility, coordination, and strength.

The system has two components, mentioned earlier: [Read more…]

Neville Dance Theatre — Contemporary Ballet Infused With World Dance

May 29, 2012 by Ashley David

Today we have an interview with Brenda Neville from Neville Dance Theatre…

Copyrighted Leah Brizard Photography — Photo by: Leah Brizard

1. How did the idea for Neville Dance Theatre come about?

Over the course of my own professional dance career, I had the privilege of studying and performing a wide range of dance styles – from classical and contemporary ballet to musical theatre productions, Argentine Tango, Flamenco, Irish Step dance and many more. I started off in the Milwaukee Ballet School and went on to dance classical roles, modern works, musical theatre roles, and a variety of world/ethnic dances, performing internationally for over 10 years.

I quickly found, however, that when I would be with a company performing, say, world dance, I would begin to long for and miss elements of ballet, or the spectacle and narratives of theatre, and vice versa, etc. So, the longing for a company that could present and bring together all these different styles and elements in theatrical ways was secretly germinating in me for many years before I established Neville Dance Theatre. Eventually, in 2005, the company I was then performing with suddenly closed, and so I felt the time was right to start NDT. Since then, NDT has been creating and presenting a wide array of works drawing from a variety of dance styles in both traditional and innovative ways!

2. How would you describe the company to someone who has never seen them perform?

Theatrical, contemporary ballet with world dance infusions.

3. There is a definite cross-cultural aspect to the company—can you expand on why you decided to focus in on that?

By fostering an artistic exchange of styles, outlooks and attitudes, we gain a deeper appreciation for the similarities and differences of one another’s cultures, nationalities and expressions, as well as for the world in which we live and the beauty, value and significance of dance as a living art form. Who wouldn’t want that?

4. What do the dancers themselves bring to the company?

Copyrighted Dale Langdon photography — Photo by: Dale Langdon

Every dancer has their own unique story, background and especially nowadays, versatility. While all my dancers must have an exceptionally strong, ballet background, I am just as interested in what else they can bring to the company regarding other areas of specialty, whether it be Middle Eastern dance, hip-hop, flamenco or even Capoiera. And then it gets really interesting, cause as we all begin to learn from each other, a very real appreciation begins to take hold, not just for the varying styles of dance, but for each other individually as well as culturally, and THAT is really the heart of it all!

5. What is on the immediate horizon for Neville Dance Theatre?

Right now we are preparing for a ‘sneak preview’ performance & reception fundraiser of some of our newest works at the Manhattan Movement Arts Center in New York City on Saturday, June 2nd.

Copyrighted Rachael Neville photography — Photo by Rachael Neville

6. Where do you see the company five years from now?

Continuing to create and present works in the New York area and in theatres and festivals across the country and beyond!

The Value Of Improvised Music In The World Of Ballet

May 28, 2012 by 4dancers

Music and Dance photo — Photo by Alan Crumlish

Today we have a guest post about music from Karen MacIver…

Many years ago my composition-for-film tutor Howard Goodall (the genius behind the themes for BBC British TV hits Blackadder, QI and Mr. Bean) once asked me what exactly makes music so important to the moving image. He was interested that I had come from the world of dance as a musician working in Ballet Companies. This seemingly simple question had a profound effect on me and I spent the rest of my time at film school – and my professional career – defining the answer.

The wonderful psychological impact music makes on us reaches far deeper than mere entertainment. Having returned to the world of Ballet, I now realize the most valuable asset a dance organisation can hope for, is to work with great music and great musicians. For here begins the symbiotic journey for the most elemental part of any dancers’ life – Class.

There is a small but growing army of inspirational musicians who have made it their life’s work embracing the world of music and the moving image. Mastering the art of improvising or recalling music perfectly takes time, passion and most of all comprehension of dancers’ needs during Class. Class is the fundamental ritual that ignites each working day, from beginner to ballet master. And so music nourishes not only the muscular requirements for the sporting qualities of a dancer, but also the emotional depth needed for choreographic demands.

If a musician ‘gets it wrong’ (and I use this term with fear and frustration) they are in peril of causing disruption to Class and at best will be artistically ignored for the oncoming hour. The very conundrum of what is needed to define a “great class” is the starting point of the Masters in Accompaniment for Dance course I am proud to be part of here in the UK.

So where do we find the ley lines connecting music and dance?

Well. There are two definitive structures that lie at the core of all good art and they are both found in the world of architecture. Proportion and tension-release.

Our delight in perfect proportion is embodied visually through classical structures dating back to the time-honored buildings of ancient Greece, balancing the principles of space (silence and stillness) versus material (movement and sound). Coco Chanel herself described her particular art in this simple statement “Fashion is architecture : it is a matter of proportion” and musician Laurie Anderson rather clumsily declared, “Writing about music is like dancing about architecture”. But we know what she was getting at!

And of course the ‘Mozart Effect’ reaches deeper than an educational context which states that our ability to learn and concentrate is refined in the proximity of hearing classical music. No, there are varying ballet structures given daily in class that not only seem to mirror the demands of musical phrasing but actually are the visual representation of great musical themes. The famous Elvira Madigan (Mozart’s piano concerto no.21*) theme embodies all that is perfect in proportionality and therefore complements so many of the dance exercises delivered in everyday Class. Understanding this gives the musician freedom to improvise around the perfect structures already created by the great masters of composition.

Understanding tension and release both physically and musically defines another equally important bridge connecting the two art forms. They are felt universally both in musical chord structures and in anatomical muscle memory. Architecturally it is felt as the invasion of space in the landscape, balanced with the satisfaction of creating man-made structures in apposition to nature.

If the musician thinks like a dancer, they will play music as a dancer – with breath and freedom balanced with strength. Thinking of music ‘anatomically’ – SKIN,MUSCLE,BONE – gives depth and understanding to the response of accompanying the dancer. Let me expand.

A child views her first years of taking Class in terms of skin only . She copies shape only in silhouette form with little comprehension of the underlying meaning of the movement. Similarly, a novice musician will copy the outward shape of movement when first confronted by the demands of ballet class, by making melodic contours that in some way mimic visual shape. Muscular flexibility in dance reflects musical harmony and skeletal shape and form corresponds vitally with musical form and shape.

The learning of an instrument is a slow process, just as the learning of ballet technique. Matching the two takes yet another stretch of time and imagination before they function together as one. And so, the musicians’ journey learning the textural changes and chordal tensions for class accompaniment is a long but ultimately fruitful one.

One more thought. If I think back to all I learned writing for film, there is one odd and unique aspect to film music that differs slightly from dance music. On the surface, both share the need for music’s psychological undercurrent which says so much more than the spoken word. Imagine the famed Underground train scene in Fatal Attraction when Glenn Close tells a handsome Michael Douglas that she truly loves him. Do you recall the music screaming “she’s mad!!!!” Probably not. Why? A good filmscore acts as an unnoticed dramatic colourwash to the action. Rightly so. That’s where its power lies.

However in dance, the presence of music is never ‘inferior’ to the visual impact of dance. It is the support and context in which movement comes alive. In return the music seems to acquire a unique luminosity that, once heard in context of dance, seems to sparkle just that little bit more.

In conclusion. A toast. Long may the marriage of music and dance stay in love!

*have a listen whilst you read the article!

Karen lectures at Scottish Ballet/Royal Conservatoire of Scotland on the Postgraduate Masters Piano in Dance Course.

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