Ballet and heavy metal...

[cubanmiamiboy]

Ok, so this is a topic-(or more like a question)-I've thought about bringing on for a little while, but never did, thinking it could sound too strange, or even laughable to many. Anyway...here's the thing. I've been following and embracing and loving heavy metal as long as I've done so with ballet. Has anybody ever had the idea to reunite both, I mean, to stage a choreography using some heavy riff like, let's say...Metallca's "Enter Sandman" or any similar "score"...?

Just curious about reading your opinions about it.

[bart]

I was hoping that someone would respond to your question, Cristian. I'm not qualified to comment on heavy metal, but it would seem to me that the spirit, structure, goals, and audience response here are quite antithetical to that of classical ballet.

As in Dionysus v. Apollo, perhaps?

Maybe Twyla Tharp's In The Upper Room, with her Stompers and Bomb Squad (ballet), has something to tell us here?.

[cubanmiamiboy]

Mmm...Tharp , to me, gets pretty much into a grey zone. I don't really find her music that exciting anyways. I was just thinking on something more powerful...more intense and energetic. Somewhere-(maybe in Farrells' biography...?)-I read something about some ballets done by Bejart in sports arenas, where dancers would make entrances in motorcycles and the like...very noisy, but very uplifting, so I was wondering if some hardcore music like heavy metal could be of any use for this type of choreography.

And then there is my personal attraction for the Law of Opposites...but that's another story.

[diane]

I agree that one could quite well use this music to good effect. (though I prefer to intersperse it with other things; otherwise it sort of gets "old" quite fast - such as when actors shout through a whole scene - I tune out pretty fast)

I especially like Apocalyptica's renditions of some heavy-metal numbers and have used their versions rather often. (but I work with youths and not for "real" companies)

I am also pretty sure that the use of heavy metal (and other perhaps not so "typical" ballet music) has been and being done in some smaller theatres of which we usually do not hear much.

There is just so much music out there and a good amount of it is almost begging to made into a ballet - in some form. ;)

I think it is great to have such a huge base to choose from.

-d-

[Helene]

I don't know a lot about heavy metal, although I loved the documentary about Metalica and enjoyed the music, but I didn't hear much that I thought would be particularly appropriate to ballet steps and movement. I've seen enough ballets where the dancers kick to the skies, and even so, the music overpowers the movement.

There were a few slow, quiet-ish songs that might make a short work, but too many together would be monotonous.

[puppytreats]

"Welcome to the Jungle" - "Manon"

"Enter Sandman" - "SB"

Any of the nightmarish ballets - e.g., "Nutcracker" -- perfect for loud, clanging drumbeats and guitars