If Boston Ballet was trying to convince college students to become patrons of the theater, their performance on Thursday was certainly the way to do it. Presented by the Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center as part of their Student Enrichment Series, Dance Spotlight: An Evening with Boston Ballet was far from a traditional ballet performance. For newcomers to the theater, the casual, almost rehearsal-style performance was an unintimidating and accessible introduction, free from the pretentious atmosphere so often associated with traditional ballet.
The dancing began after a welcome from Mikko Nissinen, the Artistic Director of Boston Ballet, and featured excerpts from the company’s upcoming show, Play with Fire. After the performance, the audience was given the unique opportunity to participate in a discussion with Nissinen and several other company members. Consisting of three short ballets, Play with Fire is one of Boston Ballet’s more contemporary offerings. As Nissinen claimed, one of best assets of the company is it’s commitment to offering variety, from traditional favorites like Swan Lake or The Nutcracker to newer, more contemporary pieces like those featured in Thursday’s show.
The first third of Play with Fire, called Sharp Side of Dark, is a piece by Boston Ballet’s Resident Choreographer, world-renowned Jorma Elo. Ballet traditionalists be warned, the excerpt of Sharp Side of Dark performed on Thursday began the show with a surprise; they danced in silence and then to their own signing. Though surprising, the piece incorporated beautiful lines and represented the talent of such a famous choreographer well. Even those who have seen the ballet before will be surprised, as Elo revealed that since he first choreographed Sharp Side of Dark, he has been inspired by the dancers to let the choreography evolve and change with his relationship with the ballet.
The next excerpts, from Christopher Bruce’s Rooster, were again unique. The nontraditional ballet is set to music by The Rolling Stones. After a member of the audience asked what it was like to dance to music with words, Ballet Masters Shannon Parsley and Anthony Randazzo explained that it was unlike anything they had done before but that it brought a new depth of meaning, as the words, the music and the movements all worked together to tell one story. While it’s understandable that audiences might enjoy choreography set to songs like “Ruby Tuesday,” there’s a certain hesitation one must overcome before enjoying a ballet set to such popular music.
The final pieces of the night were taken from Jiri Kylián’s Bella Figura, a ballet they also performed last season. It was obvious why Kylián’s ballet was so well received and why it’s being featured again. Boston Ballet was initially hesitant to be the first American company to perform Bella Figura, with it’s controversial partial-nudity and very contemporary styles, but audiences should be pleased they took the risk. The music is accessible without being as obvious as in Rooster, and the choreography is bold and dynamic. Despite the clear intricacies of the movements, the dancers were rehearsed to perfection.
If Boston Ballet’s preview of Play with Fire was entertaining, even without costumes and stage lighting, the performances that begin in just over a month are sure to impress. Dance Spotlight definitely served its purpose as part of the Student Enrichment series by giving students the opportunity to experience and enjoy an art form that might otherwise lie outside their realm of interest.
Play with Fire shows from March 1-11. Tickets can be purchased on Boston Ballet’s website.
That’s not Shannon Parsley in the second picture with Mikko.