Video: The artistic director of The Washington Ballet and some of the company’s performers give a beginner’s guide to watching and understanding ballet.
Here’s a simple truth for all the skeptics, the people who have never watched a ballet and have no intention to, or those who went to “The Nutcracker” once and checked it off their list of things to never do again:
Ballet is more than layers of tulle and satin shoes. It’s ripples of muscle, explosive athleticism and inexplicably moving stories.
Ballet is “like the English language, which can be used by Shakespeare and by Emily Dickinson and by Ernest Hemingway, but also by MAD Magazine and ‘Family Guy,’ ” says Washington Ballet artistic director Septime Webre. “It’s very pliable.”
If you’re still not swayed, there are at least four chances in the coming weeks to be convinced. American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet and Russian National Ballet Theatre are all coming to town. And our acclaimed resident company, the Washington Ballet, also takes the stage, bringing back an old favorite and presenting a world premiere.
So step away from the stereotypes and read on for solid evidence of why the common misconceptions about ballet are bunk.
It’s froufrou
Even dancers who retired their pink slippers at age 7 know that ballet isn’t just an art form, but also a sport. Ballet dancers need to leap like LeBron and spin like Ronaldo while also keeping rhythm, telling stories and conveying emotion. Those men in tights? The sartorial choice only highlights their extreme athleticism and eye-popping quadriceps.
A pro’s schedule is grueling. Between class and rehearsals, dancers spend upward of 35 hours a week working on such steps as pirouettes (spins) and jetes (jumps), and that schedule doesn’t include performances. They also cross-train, pumping iron to prepare for lifting, throwing and catching other dancers, and do cardio to keep from losing their breath under the hot stage lights.
“We’re sprinters,” Webre says. “We do solos that are a minute and a half long, duets that are two to six minutes long. . . . We’re doing very big bursts of energy.”
What to see: Those in search of feats of physicality should get tickets to the New York City Ballet’s performance of “Glass Pieces,” part of one of the company’s mixed-repertory programs (a sampling of shorter works). Set to a repetitive and minimalist yet haunting score by contemporary composer Philip Glass, the 1983 piece by choreographer Jerome Robbins is “for somebody that’s not going to be so much into romantic ballet — or, you know, tutus and swans,” says NYCB principal dancer Jared Angle.
The costumes are contemporary, the setting is urban and there are some captivating scenes, including a stunning pas de deux (a type of duet) that unfolds in front of a backdrop of silhouetted dancers moving in unison.
“It has a very sort of New York energy to it,” Angle says. “The last movement of that ballet just builds and builds and builds, and it’s so exciting. For a first-timer, or for somebody you want to introduce to the ballet that might want something with a little more edge, that would be a great piece.”
New York City Ballet, March 26-31 at the Kennedy Center, 2700 F St. NW. 202-467-4600. www.kennedy-center.org. $25-$95.
The Arlington County Board agreed that Signature was carrying a heavy tax and facility load.
1369349423000
Founded in 2006 by Mirenka Cechova and Radim Vizvary, Tantehorse is a physical mime theatre company based in the Czech Republic. The black comedy, “Dante: Light in a Darkness” is part of Tantehorse’s “Dark Trilogy.”
1369332315000
Director Mario Marcel’s comedy runs through May 25 at Gunston Arts Center in Arlington.
1369241640000
Dan Dietz’s “Clementine in the Lower Nine” has its area premiere at Forum Theatre.
1369176595000REVIEW | With a few exceptions, this production is stiff, stilted and halting.
1369159440000
Performance features Christopher K. Morgan & Artists and Skybetter and Associates.
1369107167000
Center Stage offers world premiere of Kwame Kwei-Armah's “Beneatha's Place.”
1369105740000
Preview of “Eveningland,” a collaborative work by D.C.-based contemporary dance company Christopher K. Morgan & Artists and New York’s Skybetter and Associates.
1369002464000
Hannah Yelland married a Yank and settled in the District. Now she's practicing her craft here, too.
1368824367000
Wide receiver, the final celebrity man in Monday night’s finale, wins praise from friends and fans.
1368821220000
From his Disney hits to “Wicked” and “Pippin,” his work consistently finds the sweet spot onstage.
1368804997000
‘Three Musketeers’ is Synetic at full throttle, with a spinning, dancing production that delights the senses
1368740991000
The play, performed by a cast of nine, arrives at Shakespeare Theatre Company.
1368717900000
REVIEW | The production is the first full staging of a published verse play by poet Yusef Komunyakaa.
1368542760000The Post MostMost-viewed stories, videos, and galleries in the past two hours
Friends' activity
Loading...
Comments