Vitesse, Australian Ballet, State Theatre. Wednesday March 16th 2016
"Vitesse" was presented by The Australian Ballet at the State Theatre on Wednesday March 16th 2016. This is one of the best contemporary triple bills in The Australian Ballet's history comprising "Forgotten Land" by Juri Kylian, "In the Middle Somewhat Elevated" by William Forsythe and "DGV© : Danse A Grande Vitesse" by Christopher Wheeldon.
For those new to my blog I write about the holistic experience of attending the theatre. So if you want a re-telling of the story please refer to the links for further information or for further insights. Note, that I may provide different links for repeated main words or phrases. I also mainly write for my memories of what I have seen.
"Forgotten Land" by Juri Kylian is a beautiful work that I have seen on about four or five occasions. I thought this cast were terrific dancing Juri Kylian's haunting choreography. The sets and costumes are also by Juri Kylian. The skirts look heavy-weighted fabrics but the female dancers make them move as if part of the choreography and also paying homage to costumes worn in Martha Graham's ballets.
The last girl in the cream coloured dress had a higher centre of gravity and from the beginning of her pas de deux affected her ability to be grounded like the other female dancers. This gave the feeling that she was slightly off the beat. She danced beautifully though created a visual heaviness with her partner.
"In the Middle Somewhat Elevated" by William Forsythe is another of my favourite contemporary ballets. I have also seen this work on about four or five occasions and adore it. The cast danced this beautifully with zest and verve. It is an in-your-face work and is confrontational for the narrative story ballet-goers with its recorded score.
Apologies as I am finishing this review a few weeks after the event and did make notes though I am vague in names. The shortest man had brilliant balance and was so light and buoyant. I think his name is Callum Linnane and he is a dynamo to watch as he is so charismatic and was like a bouncing ball. He was replacing Jarryd Madden at the last minute. These type of cast changes are so exciting as the dancers are even more alert with a heightened sense of responsibility to deliver the goods. Congratulations as the entire cast were brilliant and had me on the edge of my seat with your hyper extensions, off balances and thrilling bravura.
The finale pas de deux contained some hand holds that were so difficult - as the female lunged forward and was off balance. They made it look effortless - when I can appreciate the timing, strength and skill involved. Cheers for a sensational and breath taking connection in your partnership. This was a sublime pas de deux.
"DGV© : Danse A Grande Vitesse" by Christopher Wheeldon was my least favourite work of the night - though I still thoroughly enjoyed it for surprising reasons.
The set and costumes by Jean-Marc Puissant were fun. The set was similar to seven rolls of celluloid film rolled up and jaggered at the raised ends which created various images of rolling hills or secret hiding places.
The corps de ballet out shone the principals for the choreography they danced as it was much more interesting and was so arresting and mesmerising. It was as if the four pas de deux were lifting show cases for the men to show off how many lifts they could execute in the shortest given amount of time. Though each pas de deux was well danced they were such a serious contrast to the corps de ballet and the fun choreography they danced. The corps were like the scenery you pass on a train journey and if you were not looking out of the train window you would miss their fleeting moments.
The corps de ballet reminded me of the Busby Berkley sequences from the movies with the various formations and playfulness. Their port de bras was reminiscent of Delcroix Eurthymic exercises with a splash of Busby Berkley. The changing of the arms with the couples turning their partners was a trick of the eye and so much fun. They created optical illusions that had me questioning if I was watching correctly - a twist here, a turn there and a cheeky change of hands etc. Wow!
Even before I had a chance to read the programme, I thought the pas de deux ballet reminded me of the dance sequences from the Gene Kelly film "An American In Paris" and as if I was looking out the window of a train to entertain myself. The corps de ballet provided the light interludes and splash of dynamics.
There is an intrinsic focus problem with this ballet and that is the corps de ballet have the most interesting choreography. They pull focus from the principals each time as I wanted to really concentrate on their moves, patterns and delivery. They created such wonderful images of a journey.
I became obsessed with wanting to follow the corps de ballet from their first formation: when they moved from Stage right to left I was watching the first pas de deux and realised the corps had disappeared. It was so enticing and played with our senses: as I questioned myself whether the corps suddenly were blacked out or gradually faded to a black-out. This cemented the imagery of a train journey for me as if entering a new tunnel. They moved along to Stage left in their formations.
Some of the entrances and exits were through a gap between two of the jagged ends of two film strips. The dancers had to angle themselves to squeeze through the gap. To me it was if we were voyeurs and sneaking into this private journey of what we could see on the travels. Climbing through this barrier was embedding memories into our brains to differentiate between the fleeting moments that passed us by - to these determined and deliberate actions to invade a new space. They were trespassing and invading our senses.
The coda was sharp, bold and defined. The music ended as the four couples held their female partners aloft. This finale image was an after shock or an orgasmic after-glow to suspend the majesty of the ballet to let it linger in our memory. This is our after glow or end to our journey to "Bliss".
Although it was my least favourite of the evening's ballets - I do want to see it again as it was so rich in details. I feel cheated that I did not get another chance to travel on this journey.
The music by Michael Nyman sounded like Phillip Glass repetitions and cycles with subtle changes in between. Michael Nyman's score was played by Orchestra Victoria with gusto.
I really loved was the dancer's wrists were not a distraction as in any of these ballets. The men and women created fluid lines that radiated beyond their finger tips, where-as in some story ballets the women, in particular, have a jarring angularity in their wrists which creates an evilness rather than an ethereal quality. Here tonight, the dancers created magnificently pure shapes.
Apologies as I am finishing this review a few weeks after the event and did make notes though I am vague in names. The shortest man had brilliant balance and was so light and buoyant. I think his name is Callum Linnane and he is a dynamo to watch as he is so charismatic and was like a bouncing ball. He was replacing Jarryd Madden at the last minute. These type of cast changes are so exciting as the dancers are even more alert with a heightened sense of responsibility to deliver the goods. Congratulations as the entire cast were brilliant and had me on the edge of my seat with your hyper extensions, off balances and thrilling bravura.
The finale pas de deux contained some hand holds that were so difficult - as the female lunged forward and was off balance. They made it look effortless - when I can appreciate the timing, strength and skill involved. Cheers for a sensational and breath taking connection in your partnership. This was a sublime pas de deux.
"DGV© : Danse A Grande Vitesse" by Christopher Wheeldon was my least favourite work of the night - though I still thoroughly enjoyed it for surprising reasons.
The set and costumes by Jean-Marc Puissant were fun. The set was similar to seven rolls of celluloid film rolled up and jaggered at the raised ends which created various images of rolling hills or secret hiding places.
The corps de ballet out shone the principals for the choreography they danced as it was much more interesting and was so arresting and mesmerising. It was as if the four pas de deux were lifting show cases for the men to show off how many lifts they could execute in the shortest given amount of time. Though each pas de deux was well danced they were such a serious contrast to the corps de ballet and the fun choreography they danced. The corps were like the scenery you pass on a train journey and if you were not looking out of the train window you would miss their fleeting moments.
The corps de ballet reminded me of the Busby Berkley sequences from the movies with the various formations and playfulness. Their port de bras was reminiscent of Delcroix Eurthymic exercises with a splash of Busby Berkley. The changing of the arms with the couples turning their partners was a trick of the eye and so much fun. They created optical illusions that had me questioning if I was watching correctly - a twist here, a turn there and a cheeky change of hands etc. Wow!
Even before I had a chance to read the programme, I thought the pas de deux ballet reminded me of the dance sequences from the Gene Kelly film "An American In Paris" and as if I was looking out the window of a train to entertain myself. The corps de ballet provided the light interludes and splash of dynamics.
There is an intrinsic focus problem with this ballet and that is the corps de ballet have the most interesting choreography. They pull focus from the principals each time as I wanted to really concentrate on their moves, patterns and delivery. They created such wonderful images of a journey.
I became obsessed with wanting to follow the corps de ballet from their first formation: when they moved from Stage right to left I was watching the first pas de deux and realised the corps had disappeared. It was so enticing and played with our senses: as I questioned myself whether the corps suddenly were blacked out or gradually faded to a black-out. This cemented the imagery of a train journey for me as if entering a new tunnel. They moved along to Stage left in their formations.
Some of the entrances and exits were through a gap between two of the jagged ends of two film strips. The dancers had to angle themselves to squeeze through the gap. To me it was if we were voyeurs and sneaking into this private journey of what we could see on the travels. Climbing through this barrier was embedding memories into our brains to differentiate between the fleeting moments that passed us by - to these determined and deliberate actions to invade a new space. They were trespassing and invading our senses.
Although it was my least favourite of the evening's ballets - I do want to see it again as it was so rich in details. I feel cheated that I did not get another chance to travel on this journey.
The music by Michael Nyman sounded like Phillip Glass repetitions and cycles with subtle changes in between. Michael Nyman's score was played by Orchestra Victoria with gusto.
I really loved was the dancer's wrists were not a distraction as in any of these ballets. The men and women created fluid lines that radiated beyond their finger tips, where-as in some story ballets the women, in particular, have a jarring angularity in their wrists which creates an evilness rather than an ethereal quality. Here tonight, the dancers created magnificently pure shapes.
Each dancer gave us every ounce of their energy and artistry, and they were all were sensational. The dancers serve us proud as a nation - dedicated to their art.
"Forgotten Land" by Juri Kylian, "In the Middle Somewhat Elevated" by William Forsythe and "DGV© : Danse A Grande Vitesse" by Christopher Wheeldon is the one best triple bills by The Australian Ballet with its dollar per step value. Give me a good quality triple bill any day rather than the fluff and filler-material in the story ballets.
Better still it was a mobile phone free night! No distractions in ten years! Call the Ambulance as I am having a heart attack at the shock!
A brilliant night at the ballet. That is a brilliant night at The Australian Ballet. Who? Yes The Australian Ballet - our ambassadors to the arts world.
Better still it was a mobile phone free night! No distractions in ten years! Call the Ambulance as I am having a heart attack at the shock!
A brilliant night at the ballet. That is a brilliant night at The Australian Ballet. Who? Yes The Australian Ballet - our ambassadors to the arts world.
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