September 17, 2010

Review: New-Old Classicism and Modern Dance in Lyon

Laura @ 15:41 —
Filed under: English,Reviews/critiques — Tags: , , , , , —

Two reviews in one from the Lyon Biennale in today’s Financial Times!

Le Sacre du Printemps / Altro Canto Part I
Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo
Maison de la Danse de Lyon
September 10, 2010

You Can See Us / Foray Forêt / L’amour au théâtre / Opal Loop
Trisha Brown Dance Company
Le Transbordeur, Villeurbanne
September 14, 2010

Every other year, Lyon, a city hardly renowned for its dance history, awakens to devote a full month to the art form. The Biennale de la Danse, as the festival is known, has grown since 1984 into a much-loved event, and in spite of a strong contemporary streak, opened last week with a double bill by Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo. In keeping with the recent centenary of the Ballets Russes, the company brought Millicent Hodson and Kenneth Archer’s reconstruction of The Rite of Spring, whose choreography caused riots in Paris in 1913.Re-staging this historical work is a worthy undertaking, and yet its Roerich sets and hand-painted tribal costumes now seem tinged with period naïveté. Reconstructions may be all the rage in ballet at the moment, but a work as intrinsically modern as The Rite loses much of its appeal when so many choreographers have come after Nijinsky and spoken to our collective subconscious through Stravinsky’s pulsing score.

The dancers themselves, out of sorts in a Rite sadly performed to taped music, came back transformed for Jean-Christophe Maillot’s Altro Canto Part I. Monaco has given Maillot an opportunity most classical choreographers can only dream of nowadays: to choose his own dancers and tailor creations to them year after year, with few or no financial worries. Altro Canto, premiered in 2006, proves that he has made the most of it. Mostly set to Monteverdi, this neoclassical jewel responds to the baroque spirituality of the score with delicate musicality. Maillot weaves the Christian imagery so familiar to western culture into his classical vocabulary. (…)

» Read the full article in the Financial Times

Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo - Bernice Coppieters in Altro Canto Part I © Christian Ganet

Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo - Bernice Coppieters in Altro Canto Part I © Christian Ganet

Trisha Brown Dance Company - L'amour au théâtre © Michel Cavalca

Trisha Brown Dance Company - L'amour au théâtre © Michel Cavalca





September 14, 2010

Live Festival – Biennale de la Danse de Lyon

Laura @ 17:08 —
Filed under: English,News,Other — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , —

I am currently attending this year’s Biennale de la Danse in Lyon – one of France’s mighty dance festivals, with no less than 57 works being performed in the city until October 10. Created in 1984, the Biennale has always leaned strongly towards contemporary dance, but it knows how to juggle between old masters and young creators – bringing the likes of Pina Bausch to the Lyon Opera House and featuring up-and-coming French choreographers in an array of smaller venues scattered around the city. This edition is also the last for long-time artistic director Guy Darmet, and he chose to go out on a jolly note with the following title, printed in bright pink everywhere: “Encore!” (More!) But how cheerful should we be about the program?

I’ll be tweeting live from a number of shows and press conferences at @bellafigural – look out for the #BiennaleLyon tag!

IMG00069-20100912-1548

A snapshot from the festival's Défilé (scroll down for more)

Bella Figura’s early picks

Neo-Classical Riots

  • Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo: Rite of Spring / Altro Canto Part I, Maison de la Danse, until September 14
    The landmark Hodson/Archer reconstruction of the 1910 Rite of Spring, rarely seen in France, combined with a neo-classical masterpiece: artistic director Jean-Christophe Maillot’s Altro Canto Part I, choreographed in 2006, a stunning, androgynous take on Monteverdi featuring Maillot’s sculptural muse, Bernice Coppieters.
  • Lyon Opera Ballet: Forsythe evening: Quintett/Workwithinwork, Lyon Opera, September 24-28
    The only other classically-trained company to take part in the festival, the Lyon Opera Ballet, is a Forsythe believer. The two works in this bill, both company premieres, are seldom performed in France, and should serve the company’s modern edge well.
Ballets de Monte-Carlo - Altro Canto Part I © Christian Ganet

Ballets de Monte-Carlo - Altro Canto Part I © Christian Ganet

Modern Dance History Lesson

  • Trisha Brown Dance Company: You Can See Us/Foray Forêt/Opal Loop – Cloud Installation #72503/L’amour au théâtre, Le Transbordeur (Villeurbanne), September 14-15
    The American choreographer is celebrating the 40th anniversary of her company, and the works shown in Lyon offers a glimpse of her range and evolution. A complete “Parcours Trisha Brown” is even in place, with an exhibition at macLYON and a selection of Early Works shown outdoors, at the Parc de la Tête d’Or.
  • Pina Bausch/Tanztheater Wuppertal: Nelken, Lyon Opera, September 15-20
    Now is the time to celebrate the legendary Pina Bausch, who passed away just a year ago, amid concerns about the long-term survival of her historical company. Dominique Mercy sensitively discussed the “mourning” state of the Tanztheater Wuppertal during the press conference, and the company is to continue exploring Pina Bausch’s large repertoire.
    » Watch: A trailer for Nelken
Tanztheater Wuppertal - Nelken © Ulli Weiss

Tanztheater Wuppertal - Nelken © Ulli Weiss

American Success Stories

  • Ailey II: Ailey Highlights / Splendid Isolation II / The Hunt / Revelations / Echoes, Théâtre des Célestins, September 15-26
    Alvin Ailey’s school is now a landmark in the American dance world, and the young Ailey II company, comprised of advanced students, is an eager advocate of the choreographer’s wide repertoire. With a series of Ailey highlights and Revelations, they are taking historical North American works to France. 3 recent creations by Jessica Lang, Robert Battle and Thang Dao complete what is set to be 2 beautiful mixed bills.
  • Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company: Fondly Do We Hope… Fervently Do We Pray, Maison de la Danse, September 18-22
    Wondering about the current political and racial turmoil in the USA? Bill T. Jones, one of America’s most cherished Black choreographers, comes to Lyon with a full-length dance work about Abraham Lincoln, the White president who ended the Civil War, and seems bound to provide us with much food for thought.
    » Watch: Bill T. Jones discussing Fondly do we Hope… Fervently do we Pray
Ailey II in The Hunt © Eduardo Patino

Ailey II in The Hunt © Eduardo Patino

Local Talents

  • Compagnie Käfig/CCN de Créteil: Boxe Boxe, Maison de la Danse, September 25-October 9
    A hip-hop company from Lyon recently offered the direction of one of France’s CCN (regional Choreographic Centers), Käfig produces eclectic works with a clear urban feel.
  • Compagnie Maguy Marin/CCN de Rilleux-la-Pape: Salves, Petit Théâtre du TNP, September 13-19
    Maguy Marin’s highly theatrical and sometimes practically dance-less works have found their audience in Lyon ever since she became director of the local CCN. Her strange sense of poetry can be compelling, and this small-scale new work will hopefully be a worthwhile addition to the company’s repertoire.
Maguy Marin's Salves © Christian Ganet

Maguy Marin's Salves © Christian Ganet

Special Mention: Unlikely Collaboration of the Year

  • Ballet Preljocaj/Bolshoi Ballet: And then, a thousand years’ peace, Maison de la Danse, September 24-27
    Angelin Preljocaj and the Bolshoi: these are two names I never thought I would combine in the same sentence. And yet here they are, suddenly brought together for the France-Russia Year. Lyon’s Maison de la Danse is the first touring venue for this work, to be created in Moscow on September 14, and with half the dancers from Ballet Preljocaj and half from the Bolshoi, it could turn out to be weird, compelling, or anything in between. If anyone can rekindle Preljocaj’s dwindling creativity, however, it may just be today’s Bolshoi.
Ballet Preljocaj/Bolshoi Ballet - Rehearsal image © JC Carbonne

Ballet Preljocaj/Bolshoi Ballet - Rehearsal image © JC Carbonne

Outsiders: Nasser Martin-Gousset, Olivier Dubois, Catherine Diverrès and Michel Kelemenis in the “French choreographers” category; Les Indes dansantes, a Baroque dance performance; local ventures such as Compagnie Propos and Compagnie Acte; flamenco dancers Andrés Marin and Angeles Gabaldon; Balé de Rua, Deborah Colker and Focus Cia de Dança for some South American energy.

And it all started with a Parade…

Let’s finish off with a few snapshots of the traditional Défilé (Parade) in the streets of Lyon, aptly titled “La Vie en Rose” (Life in Pink). Hundreds of amateur dancers gathered for a display of crazy costumes and silly group dances watched by around 300 000 people last Sunday, according to the Biennale – a bit of dance in the sunshine while companies prepared in dark theatres.

Biennale 1

A new genre of tutu?

Majestic float

A majestic float...

Hip hop parade

Hip hop parade

Lonely pink tutu with bubbles

Lonely pink tutu with bubbles





July 21, 2010

Review: Modern Echoes of the Ballets Russes in Monte-Carlo

Laura @ 18:39 —
Filed under: English,Reviews/critiques — Tags: , , , , , —

A late link, but I was in Monaco in early July for the last part of Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo’s season-long homage to the Ballets Russes – and my review of Maillot’s Schéhérazade and Shen Wei’s 7 to 8 and, a world premiere, appeared in the Financial Times on July 14.

Schéhérazade / 7 to 8 and
Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo
Salle Garnier
8 July 2010

With the centenary of the Ballets Russes, Monte-Carlo has an excuse to celebrate its own illustrious dance heritage. Diaghilev’s ensemble found a home in the city in the 1910s and 1920s; after it disbanded, other impresarios took over and set up a new Russian troupe in Monte-Carlo, which performed under various guises until 1963. The company was reborn in 1985 as Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo, and director and choreographer Jean-Christophe Maillot has since shaped it into a sleek, innovative neo-classical ensemble.

Its summer season is a clever mix of re-creations of Ballets Russes works and world premieres. The Schéhérazade Fokine created in 1910, for instance, was a landmark event for the young company, but Ida Rubinstein and Nijinsky’s startling eroticism, as the Sultan’s favourite Zobeide and the Golden Slave, has too often given way to Orientalist cliché in subsequent renditions. Maillot has gone back to the ballet’s roots, Rimsky-Korsakov’s sumptuous 1888 score, to choreograph a new version. The music’s sheer texture is hard to equal, but Maillot’s musicality sets his attempt apart. He adds nuances where they had disappeared over time, and his patterns and tableaux for the ensemble are endlessly inventive. (…)

» Read the full review in the Financial Times





March 17, 2010

Critique : Richard Alston et quelques invités

Laura @ 20:25 —
Filed under: Français,Reviews/critiques — Tags: , , , , —

To Dance and Skylark / Movements from Petrushka / Overdrive
Richard Alston Dance Company
Chorégraphie : Martin Lawrance, Richard Alston
Sadler’s Wells Theatre, Londres
3 mars 2010

Pur produit du milieu de la danse contemporaine anglaise, Richard Alston, directeur artistique de The Place, l’un des lieux de danse les plus prestigieux de Londres, possède aujourd’hui une compagnie à son image. Danseurs et esthétique y sont réminiscents de la Rambert Dance Company, institution locale que Richard Alston a dirigé pendant six ans ; le style, dansant, vivant, musical, rappelle l’héritage de Mark Morris. De passage à Sadler’s Wells pour deux dates seulement, la compagnie, qui propose entre deux et quatre créations par an, offrait un aperçu du répertoire qu’elle a construit en 15 ans d’existence – dominé par le travail de Richard Alston, mais qui donne également sa chance, depuis plusieurs saisons, au jeune chorégraphe Martin Lawrance.

Ce dernier ouvrait le programme avec To Dance and Skylark, l’une des dernières créations de la compagnie. Chorégraphier Bach n’a rien d’évident, mais Martin Lawrance, qui est un ancien interprète d’Alston, attaque les Concertos Brandebourgeois n° 2 et 3 avec légèreté et lucidité – la filiation avec le directeur de la compagnie et d’autres maîtres est évidente dans cette pièce abstraite, qui repose toute entière sur la musique, et en tire dans ce cas précis toute sa liberté. Une première partie voit des groupes en bleu et gris se faire et se défaire au fil de la partition avec un naturel désarmant, en attendant le pas de deux plus grave dansé par Anneli Binder et l’excellent Ira Mandela Siobhan – mais la mélancolie semble à peine exister dans ce monde baroque, et la compagnie revient tout de rouge et orange vêtue, s’appuyant joyeusement sur la musique, véritable bouffée d’air frais. Cette alliance de la musique baroque et de la danse pure n’est pas nouvelle (Kylián ou Mark Morris y ont contribué), mais To Dance and Skylark en joue sans complexes, et le style de Martin Lawrance ne manque pas d’intérêt. Les pas s’inspirent souvent librement de la technique classique, et son travail avec le sol, tout en élasticité, donne un ressort plein de vivacité aux danseurs, qui s’élancent sans préparation visible. La liberté des ports de bras ajoute à l’insouciance de l’oeuvre, qui suit fidèlement les impulsions de Bach. “All hands to dance and skylark” était apparemment un ordre donné aux marins en manque d’exercice – ceux-ci grimpaient alors au gréement du bateau pour se remettre en forme, et la création de Lawrance, sans éblouir tout à fait, garde quelque chose d’une grisante gymnastique de plein air. (…)

» Lire la critique dans son intégralité sur Dansomanie

Movements from Petrushka © Catherine Ashmore

Movements from Petrushka © Catherine Ashmore





December 24, 2009

Review: Chasing the character of the Ballets Russes

Laura @ 10:01 —
Filed under: English,Reviews/critiques — Tags: , , , , , , , —

Ballets Russes
Le Spectre de la Rose / L’après-midi d’un faune / Le Tricorne / Petrouchka
Paris Opera Ballet
Opéra Garnier, Paris
18 December 2009

The centenary of the Ballets Russes has provided ballet companies with the opportunity to revive great works, many of them routinely achieving what eludes most creations today: an alchemy born not only of choreography, but also of music and design. The credits for the Paris Opera Ballet’s latest triple bill form a Who’s Who of ballet in the 1910s: Nijinsky, Fokine, Massine, Picasso, Bakst, Benois, Stravinsky, not to mention the dancers that once shared the stage with them. Where the works stand, however, today’s performers don’t always relate to the character flavor of the choreography, despite the glittering array of Principals on display for the filmed performances of the run.

Le Spectre de la Rose is an important work, perhaps the first manifestation of a woman’s desire in classical dance, but it is also the one piece on the program that seemed in serious need of a new design. The girl’s bonnet is now faded, old-fashioned in an intrusive way, while the Rose’s pale unitard and its pink petals only serve to make the feminine lines of today’s performers more obvious. Or is it just that we have lost something essential – the rich metaphor once conveyed by Nijinsky and Tamara Karsavina? On the basis of this performance, it is quite likely. Matthias Heymann turns the Rose into a jumping exercise – his eyes tend to go dead, and while he has clearly worked on his ports de bras, a certain stiffness remains. His partnering is also remarkably pedestrian – when the girl reaches out for him, he is happy to catch his breath for a minute behind her. His Rose is devoid of any perfume, but then – why throw him into a filmed performance so young, when comparisons will be made? Isabelle Ciaravola, now 37, but made an Etoile the same night as Heymann, gives a sensitive performance. Delicate and shy when she enters, she looks stunningly young as the young girl dreaming about her rose. There’s a hint of French 19th-century romanticism about her, and although she works her unnaturally arched feet to the point of distortion, her sense of wonder brings some meaning to a pale Spectre. (…)

» Read the full review in Ballet.co Magazine

Benjamin Pech in Petrouchka © Sébastien Mathé / Opéra National de Paris

Benjamin Pech in Petrouchka © Sébastien Mathé / Opéra National de Paris





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