kfw Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 Until I read the program description, I was happy to see that PNB and Oregon Ballet Theatre are coming to Wolf Trap August 27. Pacific Northwest Ballet and Oregon Ballet Theatre dance to the music of Fleet Foxes and Chromatics with stunning site-specific film. That’s it. The ballets themselves aren’t even named. Does anyone have further details? I’d love to see PNB in a neo-classical program. Not in something like this. Link to comment
pherank Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 I do have some appreciation for Fleet Foxes, but Chromatics? - vapid electronica. And I can't really imagine Fleet Foxes being danceable. Certainly not by a ballet company. Link to comment
Helene Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 This is part of a series of site-specific works commissioned by Wolf Trap:http://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwdance/article/Wolf-Traps-Summer-Dance-Schedule-Includes-the-Trey-McIntyre-Project-Pacific-Northwest-Ballet-More-20140311 In recognition of the extraordinary role that America's national parks play in preserving our country's rich cultural and natural resources, Wolf Trap launched its original performances series,Face of America, in 2000, taking audiences on a journey to discover the diversity of people and landscapes that shape our nation's past, present, and future. For each performance, Wolf Trap commissions artists to create site-specific work that is captured on location at the national park in high-definition video. A taped performance projected on giant screens combines with live music and dance on the Filene Center stage to bring the essence of the national park to Wolf Trap's audience. I'm pretty certain Peter Boal said in a Q&A last year that he recommended Bartee for this commission. Olympic National Park is one of America's treasures in the Pacific Northwest. In general, Bartee does not choreograph ballets, although he does use pointe. He is a dancer with PNB and a contemporary choreographer, who is being presented by more and more by ballet companies as well as by contemporary companies like Whim W'him. This is well within Peter Boal's aesthetic: the most recent Director's Choice program included two modern dance works, Susan Marshall's "Kiss" and Molissa Fenley's "State of Darkness" and one contemporary work, Alejandro Cerrudo's "Memory Glow." Link to comment
pherank Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 Thanks for the article link, Helene. I couldn't help but notice the ads for "Moulin Rouge, The Ballet" beside the article. Yikes. Link to comment
kfw Posted March 29, 2014 Author Share Posted March 29, 2014 Thanks for the information, folks. Very interesting. Just not the kind of interesting that would make me buy a ticket, heh. While I admire the creativity of the concept and I like, for example, Cunningham's Beach Birds, I'm no great nature lover, and "the essence of the national park" isn't exactly what I'm looking for in dance. Nor do I understand why the essence of a park needs to be demonstrated to people sitting in that park - but then good art makes clear what boilerplate PR language cannot. Most of all, I guess, the prospect of dance performed to rock music and electronica leaves me cold.The first dance I ever saw was Robert Joffrey's "Trinity." But that was a lonnng time ago, and my tastes have changed . . . a lot. Link to comment
sandik Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 It's a series of commissions from an entity that doesn't really commission performing art very often. Bartee's work is going to be based on the Olympic National Park, which is pretty much as north and west as you can get in the 48 contiguous states -- far away from Wolf Trap Park. I'd say go if the possibility presents itself, but this will be very much in the contemporary dance vein. And I understand what you mean by Trinity, but I don't think this will be anywhere near as self-conscious. I regret never seeing Astarte live -- did you see it? Link to comment
kfw Posted March 30, 2014 Author Share Posted March 30, 2014 I regret never seeing Astarte live -- did you see it? I wish. I didn't see the Joffrey until 1975 - February 6, 1975. I still have my program! Link to comment
SandyMcKean Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 If I were anyone interested.....I'd be paying attention to Andrew Bartee. He is a remarkably talented person on all levels. Link to comment
sandik Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 I regret never seeing Astarte live -- did you see it? I wish. I didn't see the Joffrey until 1975 - February 6, 1975. I still have my program! Oooh -- aside from Trinity, what was on the program? Link to comment
sandik Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 If I were anyone interested.....I'd be paying attention to Andrew Bartee. He is a remarkably talented person on all levels. He is indeed -- I'm not sure how much longer he'll be dancing with PNB, though -- I think his interests are going to pull him in several directions. Link to comment
kfw Posted March 30, 2014 Author Share Posted March 30, 2014 I regret never seeing Astarte live -- did you see it? I wish. I didn't see the Joffrey until 1975 - February 6, 1975. I still have my program! Oooh -- aside from Trinity, what was on the program? Arpino's The Relativity of Icarus, which I remember being called "the first homosexual ballet," and The Green Table. Link to comment
sandik Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 Oh, I saw that program, when they were performing in Seattle! I remember some of the discussions about Icarus, but more about the logistics of male/male partnering, rather than sexuality. And I still love Green Table. Link to comment
Helene Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 This series of short videos in the tweet link gives a sense of what the movement vocabulary and settings are: Dancing Through The National Parks w/ PNB http://bit.ly/1mRO8sL This Thursday, 21 August, is the preview at PNB in the Phelps Center at 6pm. The performance at Wolf Trap is 27 August. Link to comment
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