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Pennsylvania Ballet's Balanchine Work Enchanting
| Article
# : |
11581 |
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Section : |
THE ARTS
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| Issue
Date : |
9 / 1986 |
1,447 Words |
| Author
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Barbara Binkley
Barbara Binkley writes frequently about dance for several
newspapers in Pennsylvania and New York. She currently resides
in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. |
A style of dance was created by George Balanchine and developed to perfection in the New York City ballet. Since his death a few years ago, almost as if following a trend to show and preserve it, Balanchine's choreography is used more and more in the repertory of other ballet companies. Such is the case with the Pennsylvania Ballet's recent production of A Midsummer Night's Dream.
Under the artistic direction of Robert Weiss, a former NYC Ballet principal and director here for the past three years, and with the artistic advisory of Peter Martins co-ballet master in chief of the NYC Ballet, the Pennsylvania company proved itself worthy to fulfill the choreographer's dream.
To bring off a Balanchine work is not an easy effort. The balletic style he developed is unique, and not every dancer can master it enough to dance it well or even look comfortable with it.
The essence of Balanchine's choreography is music. The dancers themselves are notes come alive, moving precisely as if they jumped from the musical score.
A Midsummer Night's Dream has everything needed to enchant and weave a delightful spell that reaches its audiences easily. There are children as fireflies and butterflies, lovers with their childish antics, creatures of the forest, and Oberon and Titania, kind and queen of the fairies, who romp playfully along with the charming Puck.
In his book 101 Stories of the Great Ballet written with Francis Mason, George Balanchine recalls his own
... (1995 of 8500 Characters)
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