wondering

Wow. Thanks for all your replies. To answer some of the questions... First of all, my son is growing like a weed, thanks for asking. He's doing great. Now, I don't know what arts channel it was, but at the end of the peice there was some identifying information printed on the screen, like MTV used to do with their videos (maybe they still do, it's been a while). That's where I got the Berlin 2001 information, so it was not a complete ballet. Also, the title and composer seemed to be in German, but if I remembered, I wouldn't have to ask you nice people. BTW, the spacesuit comment was a bad joke about how how I assumed it wasn't contemporary because of the period dress and the orchestration. No, I don't think there was any singing, (but maybe there was--shoot!) but, if I remember correctly, the military character that came out at the end had a round helmet, sort of Conquistador-style, which I quess would make it earlier than the 18th century. The guy running back and forth in front of the women on the platofrm had long blonde hair, if that helps, and a white shirt like a sailor would wear. Also, the New Yorker magazine that was laying around is the Aug. 2, 2004 issue with a photo of Frederick Ashton: a "giant of 20th century ballet." The way those rags are hanging above him bears an eerie similarity to that ballet. NOTE: one or more of these details could be WAY off. Yes, the theme seems appropos for the times we're in. What struck me was how blissful the dancers seemed, not joyous, but smiling and...pleased. Thanks again. I never thought I would play a game of "stump the ballet experts," and it's pretty interesting. If I was a betting man, I would go with Leonid's suggestion of Roland Petit. What I was watching was very much "Eros and Death." But then again, I'm out of my element, and Carmina Burana is a possibility, since I can't say for sure there was no singing.

Thanks. I don't think it was contemporary. The music sounded like traditional classical orchestration, and the costumes looked maybe 18th century. But since I don't know anything about ballet, maybe I'm assuming they have to use electronic music and spacesuits for contemporary/modern dance (The composer's name was German also.) Here's another wierd clue: I saw an interview with a famous ballet choreographer in the New Yorker magazine. I didn't read it, but in the photo, he was standing in his Sunday best, with burlap rags -- just like the ones in the mystery ballet -- hanging down and just touching his head. The plot thickens... but I guess the trail might grow cold here. Oh well. Don't ask me why I remember such wierd details about things I'm barely interested in. Thanks for your reply Alexandra.

Hi: I'm an outsider with little or no interest in ballet, but I have a question. I was at the hospital changing channels after my son was born, and I stopped on the "arts" channel, where there was a strange little ballet that I'm trying to identify. Being sleep-deprived, all I remember was it was a performance from Berlin in 2001, and the name of the ballet and the piece were in German. There was a group of women on a raised platform on the stage, kind of swaying back and forth. Then there was a male dancer, sort of running back and forth on the stage in front of the platform. This went on for a while, but the reason I watched was because I realized there was a pole in the middle of the platform, and on top of it was an "X" and there were 10-15 bodies hanging from the X, as if they had been executed. They were so high that you didn't realize they were there at first, but it was pretty disturbing and I was wondering about the story line and what the heck was going on. The guy kept moving from side to side on the stage, and he and the dancers were swaying back and forth. Then a man in military garb came in, and took off his robe and joined the women on the platform. At the end, the X started moving in a circle and the bodies -- dressed in charcoal-gray rags -- moved slowly in a circle. A very strange performance. What can I say, I'm a naturally curious person. Thanks in advance.