My lecture on Balanchine - summary

[silvy]

Hi everyone!!!!!

Here goes a summary of a lecture I gave on Balanchile last May 28 (of course, I gave it in Spanish)

Hope to hear comments, and advise, and criticism

Silvy

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Choreographer George Balanchine at 101

“See the music, hear the dance”

LECTURE SUMMARY – approx duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

A) Presentation (the organization which presented me:there was a “master of ceremonies” who read my CV, etc, who in turn presented a member of the presenting organization who in turn presented me)

B) Development

I) INTRODUCTION

a) Thanks to the presenting organization

b) Presentation of the subject

II) HISTORY (CHRONOLOGICAL ACCOUNT OF BALANCHINE’S LIFE AND HIS WORKS)

a) His years at the Imperial Ballet School (St. Petersburg)

b) Classical variation (in order to show the classical style, in which he was brought up)

c) Statement that Balanchine would transform ballet in a modern art

d) video show (fragment of “Theme and Variations”) as an example of his Maryinsky heritage.

e) Balanchine is engaged as a pofessional dancer in Maryinsky Ballet – the Revolution – his departure from Russia – he is engaged by Diaghilev

f) Video show: a work created during his Diaghilev tenure: pdd of Apollo and Tepsicore (from “Apollo”) – I highlighted Mr. B’s own words that Apollo was the ballet by which he reached maturity as an artist (at only 24)

g) Explanation of what has just been shown on video: perfection of simplicity - austerity

h) Arrival of Balanchine in USA – creation of the School of American Ballet

i) Presentation of “Serenade”

j) Video show (fragment from “Serenade”)

k) “American Ballet” – tour down South America - ballets danced in Uruguay

l) Birth of “New York City Ballet”

m) I played a fragment of first movement of Symphony in C and suggested that audience tried to imagine some movements to it, in order to compare them to the video they would be shown immediately afterwards (I also suggested that they may close their eyes if they wished, which many of them did, to my delight!!!!!)

n) Video show – 1st movement “Symphony in C”

o) Explanation of the concept “See the music – hear the dance” (using Symphony in C as an example)

p) New York City Ballet moves to State Theater at Lincoln Center (NYC) – how this was beneficial for the company (better dancing floor, etc)

III) CONTRIBUTION OF THE CHOREOGRAPHER TO BALLET – DESCRIPTIONOF HIS STYLE

a) Video show (fragmento of “4 temperaments”)

b) Description of the style (neoclassical, “Ballet is woman”, “Be yourself”, he liked when dancers fell because it meant they had done their best) – influence of other American dance forms (like jazz and tap)

c) Fragment from “Who Cares?” – danced live by dancer (fragment of “Stairway to paradise”)

d) Explanation of some differences between classical technique ald Balanchine technique, using the dancer as a model, and the fragment of the solo just danced.

e) Balanchine’s versatility

f) Video show as al example of his versatility: fragment from “Union Jack”

g) Awards received by Balanchine – his influence on modern ballet- his ballets are finally staged in Russia

IV) ENDING- I read an epitaphy by Clement Crisp while I play 2nd movement of symphony in C and explained that I chose that movement because that ballet was danced the same day Mr. B died, by S. Farrel and P. Martins, and that the latter had been named artistic director of NYCB by Balanchine before his death, and that he had chosen to dance in Mr.B’s honour.

[Helene]

It sounds like a wonderful presentation. I particularly love where you played part of the Bizet and asked the audience to imagine a ballet to it, and then showed the actual choreography.

[richard53dog]

Silvy,

Let me echo Helene: it sounds like a killer presentation you put on!

The Symphony in C thing was a wonderful way to make a point. One of the things I love about so many of the Balanchine ballets is how his choreography can be such a strong, detailed visualization of the music and I think you probably made this very clear.

Last night, I saw Ballet Imperial (haha , done on the South American tour that was part of your presentation!) and I was struck anew at how he illustrated in such detail the extremely intricate music.

It really sounds like a wonderful program you put on.

Richard

[silvy]

Thanks everyone!! I forgot to tell you that the whole lecture was done with the stage lights, and that I was seated just below stage level, and that there was a candle in the form of a light-house in front of me (this is the symbol of the organization that presented me). It made me feel as if I was in XIX century, in the old Russia times!!!!

[carbro]

How atmospheric!

This is great, Silvy. I re-echo Helene and richard53dog, and add that your conclusion sounds especially fitting and poignant.

[bart]

Silvy, congratultions. You've brought so much together. I wish I had been there in the audience. I especially enjoyed the possibilities in the way you presented Symphony in C. For those of us fond of choreographing imaginary dance movements to music (the theme of thread earlier this year), this would be marvelous.

[Amy Reusch]

Thanks Silvy for telling us how it went! I had been wondering how you made out. I think the audience was very very very lucky! Did they enjoy it? (I know I would have!) Did you get any feedback?

~ Amy

[silvy]

To all (especially Amy Reusch)

I got lots of positive feedback (the only negative feedback came from my own father, who found it too long!!).

It was attended by people of various fields: from Navy officers (who enjoyed "Union Jack" a lot), to University professors, to art students, to dancers and dance lovers - even my own ballet teacher was there, and enjoyed it, though she would have liked that I had shown something Mr. B's dramatic side (like Prodigal Son). Almost everyone told me they had not got bored at all, and laughed at some of the anecdotes (like when all girls under 18 were imprisoned in Buenos Aires because the authorities mistakenly believed them to be prostitutes)

silvy

[Jack Reed]

silvy, I'm as enthusiastic as the others! Except that I don't have Spanish, I would wish to have been there too, or to see a video. Inviting the audience to close their eyes whilie listening to Symphony in C was brilliant!

I have one question, about a small detail. Where did you find the reason for Martins dancing with Farrell that evening?

[dirac]

only silvy can give you the right answer, of course, but Farrell records in "Holding On to the Air" that she asked Martins to dance it with her, and he agreed. (Didn't this come up on another thread recently? I think so.)

Let me add my thank-yous to the pile, silvy!

[Helene]

This is the thread about the 30 April 1983 performances:

http://ballettalk.invisionzone.com/index.p...topic=19597&hl=

[Paul Parish]

Silvy, I am so proud of you.

This is the lecture your audience deserved. So simpatico to them, and to Mr Balanchine....

Thanks you for giving us all such a detailed report...

WONDERFUL job.

[silvy]

Thanks everyone again!!

As dirac said, I learnt that Martins agreed to dance Symphony in C the day Mr.B died on Farrell's book "Holding on to the air". Martins was, together with Robbins. AD director of NYCB, and he asked Suzanne if she could dance that night. She said that she would, and then asked Martins to dance with her, to which he agreed.

I would like to add that I wanted to honour Mr. B with my lecture, because I was so ashamed that so little homage had been paid to him in my country.

Silvy