Old Fashioned Posted August 31, 2003 Share Posted August 31, 2003 Molly Glentzer takes a look at the 2003-2004 season. Welch replaces long-time director Ben Stevenson, who built the company from a regional troupe into the nation's fifth-largest. He's brought in a wave of new teachers and coaches, but hasn't yet shaken up the dancer roster much. He's slightly beefed up the male ranks, testing out four new men, two of whom are principals. Perhaps more significant, just three of the company's six new apprentices were trained in Houston -- indicating that the Stevenson mantra of building a company from the inside, so important in Houston Ballet's formative years, has been relaxed. The company's prim British ballet technique is also evolving. Bears thinks audiences will see a different company this season, with more freedom in their upper bodies. I found this part of the article a little unsettling: The pace is swift. Like Welch and other young ballet choreographers, McIntyre is hungry to reshape tradition. Story ballet plots typically boil down to a few points told through mime, embellished with corps dances and variations that can eat up several hours -- a drag to audiences who also watch MTV and play video games. If sitting through Swan Lake is such a drag for today's audience members (and I'm not talking about those bad productions), then they shouldn't be watching ballet at all. Link to comment
Alexandra Posted August 31, 2003 Share Posted August 31, 2003 If sitting through Swan Lake is such a drag for today's audience members (and I'm not talking about those bad productions), then they shouldn't be watching ballet at all. Thank you, Old Fashioned. How wonderful. Something to look forward to. Oodles and oodles of story ballets aimed at young people who also watch MTV and play video games (Nothing wrong with either, of course, and someone can watch and play and still be interested in other things, but still.) Link to comment
grace Posted September 6, 2003 Share Posted September 6, 2003 as much as i love ballet, i have to confess that sitting through 'swan lake' (and all full length ballets, apart from giselle) really taxes MY patience! :shhh: SORRY. Link to comment
Cristina Posted September 7, 2003 Share Posted September 7, 2003 Here is a link to Molly Glentzer's review of the opening of Houston Ballet's season. Houston Chronicle Did anyone attend this performance? Cristina Link to comment
Hans Posted September 7, 2003 Share Posted September 7, 2003 :offtopic: (sorry!) IMO, if they're filling their minds with MTV and video games, they have an even greater need than we do for culture! But it should be "real" culture...not a watered-down version. Link to comment
Hans Posted September 7, 2003 Share Posted September 7, 2003 I just had a horrifying idea: The Legend of Zelda as a ballet! I think I need to start a new thread.... :speechless: Link to comment
Old Fashioned Posted September 7, 2003 Author Share Posted September 7, 2003 Did anyone attend this performance? I really had planned on going on the 6th, but then something happened... I'll probably be writing about it in my new ballet blog. Thank you for that, Hans! Link to comment
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