Val Caniparoli

A Dancer’s Reflections: COVID-19, Social Media and Art

June 23, 2020 by 4dancers

by Luis Gonzalez

Luis Gonzalez dancing — Luis Gonzales. Photo by Luis Coronas.

It’s hard to put into words how it feels to be an artist during this time. There is so much that we are undergoing that no one was prepared for. Globally people are dying, economies are on the verge of collapse, theatres are closed, ballet companies can’t perform or rehearse, dancers all over the world are going unpaid–with no promise of upcoming paychecks. Careers in the arts are decidedly of an uncertain nature, and so in that sense I suppose the lifestyles we’ve led have in some ways provided insight into what it takes to navigate chaos; and maybe sometimes to even thrive in it.

The enterprise of abrupt change bleeding into our lives can feel like a merciless, consistent and destructive threat as it does to many of our livelihoods and mediums for expression right now. Still all one has to do is look around and see where people are finding shelter from the anxiety and where they find the ability to still be exposed to growth from different perspectives. Art, music, dance, movies, and television shows. Stories are being told through many different mediums that make life within our bland confinements have color. If anything, the global pandemic has shown us all the level of resilience that the art within us can provide.

I am no stranger to anxiety, and as I write I know that this is one of the many generous mediums I frequent whenever I find myself in need of the kind of peace that is only rendered through the process making a thing. I’m sitting at my desk with a cup of hot black coffee, looking out on to a rainy Georgia morning–just trying to process the fact the state of the world as it was when I went to bed just a few weeks ago was stripped out from under us. The one we woke up to was sick and uncertain and lonely, and – although some of them tried to convince us otherwise – no mentor, no politician, no figure of authority had any of the answers.

Luis dancing the Jester in Victoria Morgan’s *Cinderella* for Orlando Ballet.
Picture by Michael Cairns

I remember having the feeling for the first time in a long time of not knowing what to do with myself. My season had dropped off at a time when I was probably in the best shape I’ve been in my entire career. I had come off doing a full length classical ballet where I was pushed to dance dynamic virtuoso steps that were outside of my comfort zone as the Jester in Victoria Morgan’s Cinderella, and we were going full speed ahead into the next triple bill which included Jessica Lang’s Lyric Pieces, Robert’s Visions, and Val Caniparoli’s Lambarena. My body, my heart, and my art felt in sync. In my experience, as well as experiences that have been shared with me, no career gives you that feeling all the time, and some don’t have it at all, but when it happens in dance it’s one of the most euphoric states one can experience. In many ways an abrupt drop-off from that can feel like withdrawal.

[Read more…]

Finding The Right Flow – Choreographer Val Caniparoli

February 26, 2014 by 4dancers

Choreographer Val Caniparoli, photo ©Chris Hardy

As we continue our series on choreographers we are pleased to welcome Val Caniparoli – Resident Choreographer for San Francisco Ballet…

You have had a long and varied career as a choreographer. Can you describe a few of the highlights?

It’s difficult to describe highlights in the years since my first creation in 1979. Many highlights for me are when a dancer that I have chosen gets promoted or gets more attention after they have performed my work. I love to give underdogs a chance in major roles.

The response from the World Premiere of Lambarena from the audience opening night with San Francisco Ballet in 1995 was huge.

Creating two successfully different Nutcrackers for two different Company’s (Louisville Ballet and Cincinnati Ballet) is a highlight.

I guess highlights for me are when I create works that audiences love to watch and dancers love and want to be in them. Also when the work exceeded my expectations and the concept, choreography, design and dancers all synch together perfectly. Ibsen’s House and Incantations are examples.

What comes first for you in the process of choreographing a new dance? How do you begin?

When creating a new work inspiration from the music that I came across is the easiest and the best way to begin. When I am commissioned I first need to know what is on the program with me if it’s not a full length work I’m creating. Does the director want an abstract or a story? How many dancers does he or she want me to use?

Some other questions I ask are: Does it need to fit in the beginning, middle or end of the program? What is the budget? How long is my creation process? Can I pick my own designers? Can I have a set or decor? How long are the stage and tech times before the opening? Can the project fit into both my and the company’s existing schedule?

These (and many more) questions need to be resolved before I can even begin working on the artistic side of the new creation.

What is your process like when you are making dances?

The response above answers the first part. The next part is to solidify the music choice, pick the design team and get to work. I collaborate with all the designers from the very beginning on concepts and vision. I’m not one to create the work and then paste on the designs.

We all start work on each project at least a year in advance. Many meetings and telephone calls. Now we have the advantage of Skype. I try to include the Artistic Director in my progress as much as possible.

What role does the music play for you? [Read more…]

Review: Ballet West – Mixed Repertory Program At The Auditorium Theatre

October 8, 2013 by 4dancers

Artists of Ballet West in Val Caniparoliís ìThe Lotteryî based on Shirley Jacksonís ìThe Lottery.î Set and Costumes by Sandra Woodall. Lighting by David Finn. Photo by Luke Isley. — Artists of Ballet West in Val Caniparoli’s “The Lottery” based on Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery.” Set and Costumes by Sandra Woodall. Lighting by David Finn. Photo by Luke Isley.

by Catherine L. Tully

Ballet West whisked in and out of Chicago in a weekend—and they left behind quite an impression.

Sleeping Beauty was on the bill for Friday and Saturday night, and Sunday offered a mixed rep program with two Balanchine pieces, one from Val Caniparoli and a new work by Nicolo Fonte.

The Utah-based company made an immediate impact with George Balanchine’s dazzling Rubies. With a 1920’s vibe and music by Igor Stravinsky, this piece is typically known as the star of the three “Jewels” that the famed choreographer created in the late 1960’s (Emeralds, Rubies, Diamonds).

Beckanne Sisk was the dancer here with the most sparkle, and her exuberance and youth were matched nicely with a sure-footed performance in a role that demands both stellar control and clean technique. Her vivacious spirit was the perfect fit for this high-energy ballet—and it showed. Expertly partnered by a very able Christopher Ruud, this dynamic couple held nothing back for later. Elizabeth McGrath gave a very capable performance as well with clean pirouettes and an effortless execution overall. Live music by The Chicago Sinfonietta added energy to the lively performance.

Rubies was followed by a world premiere, choreographed by Ballet West’s resident choreographer Nicolo Fonte. Danced by two women and two men (Katherine Lawrence, Jacqueline Straughan/Tom Mattingly, Adrian Fry) the devilishly complex choreography in Presto was punctuated with unusual, almost “bird-like” postures that added both interest and shape. Throughout the work there was a stop-and-go feel that teetered on the edge of lasting too long—but didn’t actually go over.

Much like the music by Ezio Bosso, the movements here varied between jarring and melodic. The dancers did an admirable job of performing this piece, with only a moment or two of uncertainty throughout—and the breathtakingly fast end sequence is simply brilliant.

Rubies is attention grabbing and showy, but the pas de deux from Balanchine’s Diamonds displays all the class and elegance associated with this coveted gemstone. The pace of this piece remains fairly slow throughout, but with Christiana Bennett’s laser-focused precision and grace and Beau Pearson’s confident partnering, attention never wanes for a moment from the dancers on stage.

Either you show up with every ounce of your technique to dance Balanchine’s choreography—or it will dance you. The lovely Bennett was definitely in charge here—with achingly magnificent arms and regal carriage. Traditional white costumes and Tchaikovsky pair with the dancers for a purely enjoyable pas de deux.

The last piece of the evening was Val Caniparoli’s The Lottery. Based on the short story by author Shirley Jackson, his interpretation offers the audience an interesting twist—dancers draw from a black box on stage to find out which of them will “win” each time the piece is performed. No one knows who will take the spotlight and perform that final dance.

The costumes and scenic design by Sandra Woodall evoke a simple but powerful sense of Americana. Picket fences and benches. Suspenders and plain, button down sweaters. This could be “any town” U.S.A. many years ago.

As the piece unfolds, dancers pair up and present themselves to the audience in a series of dances that give the impression of the day unfolding gradually. The mood is initially light, but begins to shift as the black box starts to take the focus—and then the ritual begins.

Caniparoli creates suspense masterfully here. Each person comes up to take a piece of paper from the box. The tension is palpable as the audience waits to see who holds the “winning” piece. One by one dancers open their paper, blank ones fluttering to the floor like wounded butterflies.

Finally, the “chosen one” is revealed, and then is ostracized and circled, reminiscent of Nijinsky’s Rite of Spring. The delightful Katie Critchlow was the one selected Sunday afternoon, and she first cried out, and then began her dance.

Robert Moran’s music is somewhat less powerful than Stravinsky’s in Rite of Spring—less able to sustain the tension needed for a truly wrenching result, but Critchlow danced through a myriad of postures and complex emotions admirably.

Caniparoli’s choreography was solid throughout the piece, but the crafting of this powerful short story into dance is where he excels here. The Lottery is compelling because it taps into basic human themes of ritual and violence, displayed superbly by Ballet West—a dramatic ending to an engaging program.

10 Questions With…Ikolo Griffin

September 10, 2012 by 4dancers

I met this lovely man at Dance USA when he came up to talk to me after the panel on Dance Writing–he had a pretty cool idea that he wanted to share–and now I’m pleased to be able to share it with you…

1. What is your dance background?

When I was in third grade, San Francisco Ballet’s Dance In Schools Program (led by Charles McNeal) came to my school, and following the residency I received an outreach scholarship. I started training at the San Francisco Ballet School from the age of eight until I graduated at eighteen. After ten years in the School, I became the first outreach student to get into the professional company as an apprentice in 1993. At that time SFB was becoming a world-class company, and I was very blessed to grow up watching and then performing with some of the best dancers from all over the world.

In 2001, after seven years performing professionally with the San Francisco Ballet, I moved to New York to join Dance Theatre of Harlem as a soloist. Under the guidance of Arthur Mitchell, I felt myself become more than just a dancer, but a true artist. I felt real satisfaction and fulfillment as I was promoted to a principal dancer and given the opportunity to dance leading roles in many iconic neoclassical ballets. For two weeks we performed at Lincoln Center, the heart of dance in America, and I felt I had reached a very high point in my career.

Unfortunately, after only four years dancing with DTH, the company closed its doors. I was blessed enough to join the Joffrey Ballet in Chicago and landed nicely on my feet (as always!). After my experiences in San Francisco and New York, I felt confident in my abilities as a technician and as an artist. One of the highlights of my two years at the Joffrey was working with Sir Antony Dowell on the role of Oberon in Frederick Ashton’s The Dream.

My time in Chicago was short and sweet, and in 2006 San Francisco called me home again. This time, I had the fortune to dance with Smuin Ballet. Michael Smuin was one of the best artistic directors I have worked with. He had a way of bringing out the best dancing in me and giving the audience a really great show. Mr. Smuin had been the director of San Francisco Ballet when I was just a kid, and we had worked together at Dance Theatre of Harlem as well. It was great to work with him on a full time basis because I felt he appreciated me as a dancer and as person. Up until the day he died in the studio, my experience with Smuin was marked by some of the best dancing I’ve ever done.

Since I left Smuin in 2008, I’ve been freelancing around the Bay Area. I am currently working with the San Francisco Opera as a resident corps dancer. One of the best things about working with the Opera is being back on the War Memorial Opera House stage. This is the very same stage where I did my first Nutcracker as a Mother Ginger kid. It feels like home, and the opera singers are amazing too…

2. What is “Just Turns” and why did you decide to found it?

Just Turns is an interactive classical ballet workshop. The two-hour Just Turns workshop is designed to focus the student’s approach and maximize turning technique in order to increase confidence and ability in all kinds of turns. The class structure and progression are designed to break down every part of turning technique— training spot, balance, force control, and placement from the ground up. Students are encouraged to ask questions, experiment, and take notes throughout the workshop in order to realize their ideal turning method.

My inspiration for Just Turns is in helping dancers with one of the hardest and best parts of ballet technique. While I was dancing in New York, I would take class at Steps on Broadway with Willy Burmann. In his class I really started to develop a great turning style. My turns were always good, but with the Mr. Burmann’s help they became great! When I returned to San Francisco, dancers would frequently ask me for help working on their turns after class. One day I was talking with my friend Vanessa Zahorian (principal dancer with SFB who is a great turner as well), and I thought, “How great would it be to bring back the ‘turning class’ that we would take during summer sessions?” That thought brewed in my head for a while, and when I started teaching ballet two years ago, it was time for Just Turns to be born. Now, as I am moving toward the next phase of my career as a teacher, I am finding my specific niche as a turning coach. Just Turns is my way of reaching the broader dance community and using my passion and specific expertise with turns to help dancers everywhere.

3. Who can benefit from the “Just Turns” approach? [Read more…]

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