you never can begin to live until you dare to die...

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Debate Time!!!!



I loved my mother's comment so much, I had to publish on its own... and I just gor BACK from Finance Class (thanks, Mr. H!)


In answer to your questions concerning the composer of the score:

Your Mother said...
Marian, This is Bracie's mother chiming in here. She, the busy thing, is off at a finance class. The score was by Prokofiev. I really hate his music for Cinderella, but the music, the costumes, the choreography, the scene all worked perfectly at this production. Tchaikovsky is so lush and flowing and beautiful; Prokofiev is more angular (that may sound weird, but that's how it seems to me) and to me it seems he makes no attempt to *delight* (in the ballets I've seen). But what we saw and heard was very moving, in a powerful sort of way. Gigi, I had so much fun with you ladies! Let's save up and do it again soon! And I think there is a play or 2 at the Seattle Shakespeare Company I am interested in seeing. Go check out their page and tell me what looks good to you.


Love,Your Mother



Mama, you do have a way with words. And the fluid grace of the dances (is 'fluid grace' repetitive? =D) was so captivating, I didn't mind some of the more ...innovative moves, which I thought I wouldn't like.


Which brings me to the subject of modern dance/classical ballet.


I thought I hated 'lyrical' dance. Maybe I still do.


But there were a few elements of Romeo et Julliette that were not necessarily classic-- in one of my favorite scenes; "The Golden Scene," as I called it; Julliette is barefoot (Note the first picture I posted in my previous entry, below). While hair pulled tightly back in buns was uniform, Julliette appears at least once in each of the acts with her hair down. Her mother does as well, in a wild grieving scene in which she throws her head and body around.


That scene was very ...innovative. Yet it was unmistakeably poignant, capturing mourning that grows almost savage. It was another of my favorites. Prokofiev's "angular" (to quote my mother) music fit perfectly.


Debate time!


So what are you?


Are you a lyrical dancer yourself?


Or a classical ballet purist?


Perhaps somewhere in between?

PS. I couldn't resist posting another picture; the last one was so moving. Aren't they beautiful?

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

well, i can't really say that i'm a purist, but that's where all of my training comes from. But i love all kinds of dance. As my mom says, "you can find something to appriciate in every form of art there is, because the artist always puts something of themselves into the movement."
Well, so i added the last part. But the original quote came from her. :P
In each different kind of dance, there is something different to love. Jazz? the originality. The personality that comes out. Tap? the rhythm set in motion. i'll have to post this one dance that a tap class did in one of my recitals last year: they didn't use music and it was amazing. Lyrical? the way they can feel the music: the way they move through and act out the lyrics! Modern? The control you have to have. There's so much in every kind of dance... i have appriciation for every kind of dance - yes, even belly dancing (it's actually really fun: one girl in my dance class has a mom who belly dances. Last year, we had an Arabian theme for our dance, and we did a little bit and got to dance with ridiculously amazing scarves. :D).

Jare said...

Contraire to what I've said in the past-I do like dance. Any sort and in any way. Not that I like doing it myself, but I love watching it. =)
(Though you could probably catch me doing it in secret-when I think that no one is looking *wink*)

-Libby

Marian said...

I tagged you! (see second post down on my blog)

Calico Zak said...

Dance me!
I've only danced once (well six dances in one night) and I just found out that it was contra dancing/Reels.
I a bit niev when it comes to dancing.
PS I have no idea how to spell Niev

Calico Zak said...

Dance me!
I've only danced once (well six dances in one night) and I just found out that it was contra dancing/Reels.
I a bit niev when it comes to dancing.
PS I have no idea how to spell Niev

Abbie W. said...

:) Well, I took classical ballet for about 6-7 years(and Ukranian dance too- that was fun!).
I am okay with lyrical dance, to the extent that it's not sensual or anything like that.
When I'm dancing, it's usually worship dance- which is more of a rejoicing dance with a mix of ballet, lyrical, israeli dancing...etc. :) Good post! I like it.

Lady June Whimsy said...

I was in a ballet company for years when I was younger, but I'm by no means a purist. Dance, especially ballet, but also modern, jazz, lyrical, tap, and pretty much any other form is all about showing off the beauty of the human body. As long as the dance moves the dancer's body in a way that is beautiful, inspiring, or clearly has a message, it's fine with me.