Old Fashioned

Houston Ballet launches season

Glentzer reviews the Women@Art program.

Glad you were there, Mini Cooper! This was my second year helping out with the HGO Guild by giving tours of Wortham. There was this one gorgeous red tulle gown I wanted (I thought it would make a great prom dress), but unfortunately I didn't have 100 bucks on me. :rolleyes: Many dancers were present, including Lauren Anderson, Andrew Murphy, Sara Webb, Zdenek Konvalina, Kelly Myernick, and quite a few Academy students. I chatted with Myernick for a bit, and she says she's excited about her promotion. Also, all the level 8 Academy boys there say Eduardo Zuniga is an up and coming star. I had always seen him at these sort of functions but never got his name. Now I know.

The thing about ballet, OUR favorite art, is that it doesn't record well, and is therefore not avaliable full-strength on television.

I don't think it's merely a question of how well ballet can translate on the screen or how wide of an audience it reaches, though. I know people who find gymnastics on tv more interesting than ballet in live performance.

Everything you said and...

Speaking strictly of gymnastics and ballet, the difference is gymnasts make what they do look extremely difficult while ballet dancers don't (or they shouldn't). I suppose that's what keeps the people on the edge of their seats. Another thing about sports is the viewer sees everything that goes on with the competitors- they don't have to put on a different facade during "performance" (unless it's figure skating or floor routine), they see their anxiety, their hope, their tears, their victories, and in that way they can relate more to what's going on. The audience never sees what goes on behind the stage. Even if an artist was having a bad night, made a mistake, they still have to put on a cheerful countenance at curtain call.

Good point. Although of course Welch says the reason is:

to encourage dancers who perform featured roles but may not yet have "the complete vocabulary" to be principals or soloists. "The jump from soloist to principal is very large," he says. "I wanted to have intermediate levels."

Particularly in the case of Oliveira, who is obviously an important (and a favorite among Houstonians) member of the company, that GWTW's reason might apply.

I do like the fact that the corps is being slightly increased and there are fewer principals, which will give each of them more performance opportunities of a single role instead of having a number of dancers share it. We'll still have to wait and see if this is actually the case...

Interesting move for Houston to make -- especially when they seem to be turning way from the Stevenson model of mostly full-length ballets (where such ranks might be useful) to the new! contempo-ballet model, where most of the ballets are danced by no more than a dozen dancers, and it doesn't matter what rank they are!

My point exactly. Is it really necessary for such distinctions to be made?

Here's the direct link to the article: Welch boosts Houston Ballet's corps

There is a small article in tomorrow's Chronicle about promotions and dancers who have left (I receive the Sunday paper a day early; I'll post a link as soon as it appears on the website). It confirms the leave of Naomi Glass and Sally Rojas. Leticia Oliveira is promoted to the new rank of "first soloist"; Kelly Myernick and Ilya Kozadeyev to soloist; and Kristina Harper to another new rank of "demi-soloist." I feel these promotions are well deserved, especially on the parts of Oliveira, Kozadeyev, and Harper (haven't seen enough of Myernick to make a judgement), but is anyone as confused as I am as to why these new ranks were created? Is this a first for an American company?

I think "Fountains" is on a different tape -- Stars of the Russian Ballet (???).

The "Fountains" excerpts are also on "Glory of the Bolshoi."

HOUSTON BALLET LAUNCHES 2004-2005 SEASON WITH

WOMEN@ART,

A PROGRAM DEVOTED TO FEMALE CHOREOGRAPHERS

Julia Adam and Natalie Weir Create New Works Especially for Houston Ballet

Company Premiere of Lila York’s Signature Work Celts

Highlights Program

Houston, Texas -- From September 9 – 19, 2004, Houston Ballet opens its 35th anniversary season with a program of all female choreographers, including world premieres by two of the world’s most gifted young contemporary dance makers, Julia Adam and Natalie Weir, and the company premiere of Lila York's spectacular Celts. With this program, Houston Ballet becomes one of the only American ballet companies to devote an entire program to the work of three living female choreographers. The company will give six performances at Wortham Theater Center in downtown Houston.

Houston Ballet is proud to nurture and support the careers of female dance makers. "It’s rare and exciting for a major ballet company to curate a program featuring the works of three women," said Houston Ballet Artistic Director Stanton Welch. "In many respects, ballet choreography can be a very male dominated field.

"Each of these choreographers creates in a very different way, and all three works will look distinctly different. Lila’s choreography for Celts is complex and very mathematical. She does a great deal of preparation before going into the studio to work with the dancers. Natalie Weir frequently works in collaboration with the dancers, and allows them to have input into the process and to shape the movement that they will perform. Julia Adam is very witty, and her ballets typically tell some type of story. I’ve never seen a ballet by Julia that doesn’t have a narrative thread."

Women@Art has been generously underwritten by Shell Oil Company Foundation, with additional support from Ernst & Young LLP; The Brown Foundation, Inc.; and The Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts.

Julia Adam: A Work to Showcase the Company’s Female Dancers

Julia Adam returns to Houston to create her second commissioned work for the company as part of Women@Art. The piece will highlight female dancers, and will be set to the music of Ottorino Respighi (1879-1936) entitled Gli uccelli ("The Birds"). The first work she created for Houston Ballet in February 2004, Ketubah, was inspired by the rituals of a Jewish wedding, and followed one couple from first glance to wedding night. Commented Ms. Adam, "I am really excited about coming back to work with the company. I loved creating Ketubah not only from my studio experience with Houston Ballet’s talented and hard working dancers, but also from my experience with the company’s amazing production staff, wardrobe and musical department."

A former principal dancer with the San Francisco Ballet, Julia Adam began her choreographic career in 1993. She has created numerous pieces for San Francisco Ballet including: The Medium is the Message (1993), Once is Enough (1994), and Night (2000). Night has become a signature work for the San Francisco troupe, and the company has performed it at London's Royal Opera House, at the Opera Garnier in Paris and at New York's City Center. She has also created works for other ballet companies, including The Joffrey Ballet of Chicago, Cincinnati Ballet, Alberta Ballet, and American Ballet Theatre II. Christine Darch, who designed the costumes for Ketubah, will also collaborate with Ms. Adam on her second work for Houston Ballet. Houston Ballet Resident Lighting Designer Christina Giannelli will light the piece.

Natalie Weir:

Focusing on the Individuality and Dramatic Ability of the Dancers

Natalie Weir’s new work is set to Edward Elgar’s Cello Concerto in E minor and will feature a cast of mostly male dancers. This new work is her third ballet for the company, and she is looking forward to returning to Houston. "I am thrilled to be once again creating a new work for Houston Ballet," she commented. "My past experiences have been very positive, and I have found the company to be very exciting to collaborate with. Now that I know the company quite well, I am looking forward to choreographing a work that focuses on the individuality and dramatic ability of the dancers. They are very giving to the creative process. Having this shared experience in the past will allow for an uninhibited creative process that hopefully results in a dramatic and touching work."

Born in Australia, Ms. Weir has been choreographing professionally for 19 years. She has created two works for Houston Ballet: Steppenwolf (2002) and In a Whisper (2000), which toured to Sadler’s Wells Theater in London in 2001. She has received commissions from several other major classical and contemporary dance companies, including American Ballet Theatre, The Australian Ballet, and Hong Kong Ballet. She also was choreographer in residence for the Queensland Ballet and most recently The Australian Ballet. Ms. Weir has created works for American Ballet Theatre Studio Company, including His Weeping (1999) and Bitter Moon (2000). In June 2000, she created Mirror Mirror, her first full-length work for The Australian Ballet.

Celts: "An Astonishing Array of Dance Images of Ireland"

Celts, an abstract history of Ireland, with Irish music and folk dance, will have its Houston Ballet premiere on the same program. Mr. Welch, who first saw the piece in Boston, commented, "Celts is a crowd-pleasing ballet, Lila’s most famous work. There’s a lot of difficult material in the ballet, and the men are heavily featured."

Choreographed in 1995, the year before the Riverdance phenomenon hit the U.S., the ballet is a tribute to York’s Irish roots. Set to a compilation of traditional and contemporary Celtic music, including the award-winning traditional Irish ensemble, The Chieftains, Celts is a celebration of all things Irish. A mixture of modern, classical, and Irish folk dance blended into one extraordinary piece of choreography, this large ensemble piece showcases dancers doing an approximation of step dancing. Commissioned by Boston Ballet, it premiered there in 1996 and was well received by critics. Christine Temin, of the Boston Globe, called it "an astonishing array of dance images of Ireland, a piece that is both profound and thrilling." (March 22, 1996)

Lila York has created two works for Houston Ballet: Rules of the Game (1999) and All American (2001). Her work Rapture (1994), which she created for The Julliard Dance Ensemble, entered Houston Ballet’s repertory in 1998. She danced with Paul Taylor Dance Company for twelve years, appearing in over sixty works. Since 1989, she has choreographed works for Boston Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, The Birmingham Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, and American Repertory Ballet. In addition to her own choreography, Ms. York has staged Paul Taylor’s works for ballet and modern dance companies worldwide.

I second Shearer.

It's difficult to tell when a majority of the time I see the ladies' hair up in buns, but Tyann Clement certainly stands out among a company of faired-hair dancers and mousy brunettes. Her dancer head shot certainly makes her look glamorous, and she was stunning in La Valse.

I think many balletgoers who frequent NYCB would say Whelan and Soto are a great partnership. It's the only one I can think of off the top of my head, but Alexandra is right in saying there really isn't any partnership to match those mentioned.

I think Houston Ballet would do well in a number of Ashton works. They danced La Fille this past season, and I would love to see Ashton's Cinderella and R&J staged on this company, but alas they must continue the Stevenson legacy and Welch seems to have his own agendas.

Am I understanding you correctly that Stevenson also uses men as the stepsisters?

Yep, no doubt inspired by Ashton's version.

I just stumbled upon a little gem I found in a video from a library called Moszkowski Waltz. With all those insanely fast dips, lifts, dives, and turns, it looks like a couple's figure skating showcase (sounds similar to this "Spring Waters" ballet); indeed, there's this one part when the male throws his partner into the air and the woman makes two revolutions in the air, like the jumps where the women are thrown, and he catches her in a fish dive.

Well, I feel unproductive compared to some of y'alls lists. Aside from the mandatory reading my school assigned us- Poisonwood Bible (loved it!) and Wuthering Heights (meh)- I've read Carlos Eire's Waiting for Snow in Havana, half of Anna Karenina and just started Pride and Prejudice.

How about National Ballet of Cuba or Municipal Ballet Theatre of Rio de Janeiro? Trying to turn the focus away from Europe and NYC.

You must! :yes:

I now own it on dvd and whip it out whenever I feel like getting on an Astaire high. Also, if you like "You Were Never Lovelier" (please tell us what you think when you get back from seeing it), try "You'll Never Get Rich." It was the first movie he did with Hayworth, and I believe he uses the same screen name in both films. They make such a lovely duo, although my Latin teacher thinks she's a bit too young for him. That thought had never occurred to me before because I always thought he had such a youthful face, almost cartoonish.

Thanks for the suggestion, but I opted for the Bessmertnova/Lavrovsky video (on VHS ) because Marc Haegman had some good comments about it. I searched for Makarova/Baryshnikov on Amazon and half.com, but could only come up with one that was selling for 70 bucks. I'll be sure to try to get ahold of one when I can find one that isn't completely out of my price range.

I heard people complaining about the new costumes and sets during the intermissions, but having never seen the ballet before, they seemed fine to me.

I haven't seen the new production, but by comparing photographs of the current production and what I see on the 1969 recording, the only problem I have with the new costumes are the Stepsisters costumes. Do they have to be so blatantly ridiculous with seashell and fish patterns and feathers glued to them? Everything else, however, looks lovely. I especially love the new rags dress and act II Cinderella tutu.

I'm also looking for a good Giselle video. The one described by Cygnet sounds like a good one, but I also want a full-length production. Would anyone suggest the video featuring Alicia Alonso with the National Ballet of Cuba?

I had never liked Cinderella much until I saw this version. I had only seen Stevenson's version before, which is pretty dull, and I liked the score even less. It's astounding how Ashton could have turned out such wonderfully musical and beautiful choreography from Prokofiev's music which Ari described well as being "acerbic and sour." The patterns were so intricate and lovely. I completely agree with MakarovaFan on the dancers, although Dowell's performance in this video seemed a bit subdued emotionally. There are definite echoes of Sleeping Beauty- everything from the Fairy Godmother, her attendants, the Four Seasons, and there seems to be some choreographic similarities. I think I also read somewhere in a review that the Godmother's tutu in the current production is a shade of lilac.

Kylian's 27'52" and Nacho Duato's Cor Perdut. Hmm...are those even considered ballets?

Phew. :sweating: That had me worried there for a second.

Simon Ball, Ian Casady, and Nicholas Leschke. I wouldn't describe Ball as having cute boyish charms, but he has an almost Hollywood movie star-like quality about him. Casady is more of the boy-next-door type, his dancing style exuberant and carefree. Leschke is the rugged Westerner who played football and baseball in high school. Also, the shy and sweet Sara Webb comes to my mind as the all-American girl.

Oops. For some reason or another the current roster isn't completely accurate, and Sharon Teague is still with the company, but Sally Rojas is not. Everything else should be correct, except for new dancers. The website doesn't show apprentices, but all of them are being promoted to corps members except for Barry Kerollis and Travis Bradley, both of whom have found jobs with other companies.