A night at the ballet!

Last  night I got to spend the evening with a good friend doing one of my favorite things: going to the ballet. At over six feet tall and so inflexible I can't touch my toes, I've never had much hope as a ballerina myself, but that doesn't mean I can't love everything about the art form, from a safe, carb-indulgent distance.  In high school, I was so enamored--particularly after watching the age old classic Center Stage about a million times--that I ordered a pair of toe shoes. I would clomp around my house, going up "en pointe" grimacing in pain and staring at the mirror wondering how it's possible all those ballet dancers make it look so effortless. Well, the Black Swan taught us a little something about just how NOT effortless it really is!

 Yesterday was the opening night of New York City Ballet's winter repertory season. It was not a packed house, which was kind of heart-wrenching when you imagine the excited young dancers who have worked so hard, peering out from behind the curtains before they go on stage, and being greeted with the site of a theater only about three quarters full. It did mean, though, that we had fairly unimpeded views from our fabulous orchestra seats. The evening was divided into four parts: Walpurgisnach, Duo Concertant, Valse-Fantasie and the Four Temperments. All four pieces were choreographed by the grandfather of all ballet choreographers, Balanchine. The first piece was beautiful but honestly I couldn't concentrate on the dancing, because I was so distracted by the soloist's ribs protruding literally inches from her concave stomach and out of her chest and back. I understand why ballet dancers have to have long, incredibly slender, lithe bodies but this was just gross. The second piece was really unusual--a pianist and violinist shared the stage with just two dancers, who spent a good deal of time standing still listening to the music... forcing the audience to do the same. When they did move, it was really a gorgeous pas de deux, with no staging besides a blue background, a dark stage, and spotlights following the dancers as they moved together and apart, across the stage. The Valse-Fantasie was closest to my relatively narrow idea of what ballet is--tutus, more classical styling, and more classical choreography. It was almost comforting to see something familiar, but definitely not as striking as what came next. The Four Temperments is a piece (or actually four pieces) commissioned by Balanchine himself. The dancing was, to my eye, pretty modern, with arms and legs moving at odd angles and almost robotic force behind each step, rather than the graceful fluidity I'm more used to in ballets like Swan Lake and Giselle. It was a bit jarring, a bit scary, and impossible to look away from. Really impressive, and it seemed like the whole company was on stage at some point or another! The sight of tens of ballet dancers in simple matching costumes moving in unison is really breathtaking. I'd say NYCB is off to a great start! BRAVA!

Duo Concertant, NYC Ballet

Four Temperments, NYC Ballet