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LAST WEEK IN DANCE
By Kelly Hargraves
03/04/2010
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Point Shoes and Helmets: Alberta Ballet (Over)does Joni Mitchell
I call it tragically hopeful. Take a folk singer with aspirations of saving the world through song-- not unreasonable considering Joni Mitchell’s place as a voice of a generation – add it to a young upstart ballet company and choreographer, intent on visualizing the songstress’ images and it’s all a bit too much—the camouflage painted skin, with minimal cloth incorporated; the waving flags; the toy guns; the helmets, the huge earth covered balloon, the gimmick girl child, etc, etc.
In hopes of saving the planet, the company has gone TOO green. The lime green khaki colors created a constant glare throughout the evening, mirrored by a large round video screen displaying un-inspired photo images assembled by Mitchell herself, that were also are overly tinged green.
It’s hard to choreograph to lyrics, but turning every time it says turn and bringing on the (huge!) company every time it said multitude is just too literal. The song “Ethiopia” involved some watered, down, slowed down, souled down variations on African dance moves and sequences. There’s even a moment when the dancers mime smoking a joint (or cigarette?). The final piece, “If" with it’ s dance club groove reminded me of all the reasons I didn’t go out dancing with my dancer friends. You can take the ballerina out of the studio but…
Plus, 13 short pieces in a row, is just kind of numbing. The whole experience felt a little like mockery. It didn’t help that choreographer Jean Grand-Maitre’s style was just associated with the Olympics, which he choreographed, and led to a style too easily seen in the context of figure skating and other works of movement with too much pizzazz.
The 28 (!) dancers are inspired technicians, with leaps and precise footwork that is notable. Males and females carry the same choreographic load, from marching sequences to pas de deuxs. Pieces are broken mostly into trios, with many trios of duets—and the back and forth crossings of the company, that feel like the ‘crossing the floor section’ of a dance class. Outstanding was the trio of Yukichi Hattori, Davidson Jaconello and Nicole Caron in “The Three Great Stimulants.”
Home Town Heroes: Los Angeles Ballet Takes on Balanchine
The following evening I saw the Los Angeles Ballet’s program of Balanchine choreography entitled “See the music, hear the music” and wished I had seen the more seasoned AB do that choreography. That said, I have high respect and praise for this young ‘home-town’ company.
“Serenade”, created from rehearsals Balanchine led at the School of ABT, offers many non-narrative sequences that bring forth personalities and movement styles of the principal dancers, with Melissa Barak standing out as a soloist, as she does throughout the evening’s work, along with male dancer Zheng Hua Li.
 Also, outstanding is Grace McLoughlin in “Kammermusik”, the second piece, created to accompany the quirky, kinetic music of Paul Hindemith. The two pony-tailed girls and eight sporty boys who form the corps, reminiscent of a high school sporting event. The piece appears almost post modern, moments of whimsy and athletic movement counterpointing randomly a la Merce Cunningham. A controlled chaos of odd timings, sharp body angles and rapid footwork that is thoroughly enjoyable.
Much more traditional and most resembling a classical story ballet is “Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto Number 2” where the beautifully tutu clad corps and the male and female leads play most like traditional ballet roles, as Balanchine honors the work of Marius Petipa. Here you sense ballet’s lineage of princesses at a ball. Moments of “Les Sylphides” come and go like a mist, amongst more abstract choreographic sequences. Long lines, of dancers, and dancers limbs.
Los Angeles Ballet goes decidedly much more contemporary in their next program of original works choreographed for the company entitled “new Wave LA” and scheduled for May 15th thru 30th at venues across the southland.
--Kelly Hargraves
Photos courtesy of Albert Ballet and Los Angeles Ballet
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