Les Étés de la Danse: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre

The mandate of Paris' annual dance festival, Les Étés de la Danse, is “[to] offer… to French and foreign audiences an appointment with the largest dance companies worldwide”. This summer’s guest company was the incomparable Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre.

Since dancer Alvin Ailey created his own company in 1958, it has become one of the most prolific modern dance companies in the world, “[going] on to perform for an estimated 25 million people at theaters in 48 states and 71 countries on six continents”. When I saw the billboards for their show in the metro and around Paris, I knew dance audiences in Paris were in for a very special treat.

Good advertising!
My friend Sheila emailed me this beauty

AAADT graced the stage at Paris’ Théâtre Châtelet from July 7 to August 1. Throughout the past month, audiences were treated to a different performance each night, culled from the company’s rich repertoire of Ailey classics and guest commissioned choreography. I was lucky enough to witness one of these performances of four stunning and diverse pieces and with my friend Sheila as my date, it was a terrific way to spend a hot July evening in Paris.

Outside the beautiful Theatre Chatelet

Four Corners (2013)

This was the Paris premier of choreographer Ronald K. Brown’s piece. Dynamic and fast-paced, the dancer’s didn’t stop moving for the entire 24 minute-length of this opening piece. The choreography was inspired by traditional African dance, as well as the beautiful head wraps and flowing dresses of the costume design. The dancers’ knees were soft and the only time they stood up straight was for a split-second before the lights cut to blackout. Even the jumps were incredibly grounded - they traveled more horizontally than vertically, which increased their power and impressiveness. This piece was an effective introduction to the company’s diverse style and talented dancers.

After the Rain Pas de Deux (2005)

Christopher Wheeldon’s stunning pas de deux was another Paris premier by AAADT, beautifully danced by Akua Noni Parker and Jamar Roberts. It was a blend of strength, vulnerability and grace; the haunting piano score by Arvo Pärt and the dancer’s fluid and controlled extensions brought a hush over the audience. The lifts were effortlessly executed, as was the simple and precise contemporary ballet technique. It was a gorgeous piece of dance and a thrill to see Wheeldon’s work live.

Bad Blood (1984)

Act Two premiered Ulysses Dove’s 1984 piece of powerhouse modern dance. It was sharp and commanding, “merg[ing] the influences of [Dove’s] choreographic mentors, Alvin Ailey and Merce Cunningham”. Through three different male-female duets and one male solo, it explored feelings of tension, confrontation, and “emotional passion”.  It was modern dance at its most athletic and physically demanding. The lifts were intricate and showcased the strength of both partners, especially when they sometimes turned into tosses. The industrial, pop-flavoured score by Laurie Anderson and Peter Gabriel was a new and welcome direction for the show to take and once again highlighted the company’s exciting stylistic range.

Home (2011)

Rennie Harris’ Home brought a satisfying conclusion to an arc that began with the traditionally-inspired Four Corners and finished in a modern, urban, hip-hop world. The dancers were tough and bold, breaking away from unison and conformity by wearing everyday street-clothes and by putting their own individual stamps on the movement. There was a rawness and an intensity to this piece that was different than Bad Blood. It could be felt through the crisp isolations, head movements, “intricate footwork and rapidly-evolving patterns”, as well as through the “pulsing gospel house music score by Dennis Ferrer and Raphael Xavier”. Home was my favorite piece of the evening because the dancers felt so loose and free. It was hard not to groove along with them from my seat and it was great to end the evening on a courageous, hip-hop note.

I feel so fortunate to have seen this amazing company perform live at Théâtre Châtelet. Though the beautiful old theatre offered little relief from the outside summer heat, it was a great venue to showcase a talented company to a very excited and appreciative audience.

The next stop of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre's international tour is South Africa and I have no doubt they will be as warmly welcomed there as they were here in Paris.

To check out gorgeous photos and video clips of their many dances, check out Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre’s website:

http://www.alvinailey.org

Beautiful photos of beautiful dancers

Paris Opéra Ballet: La Fille Mal Gardée

Girl loves Boy, Boy loves Girl. Mother disapproves of Boy, prefers Other Boy for Girl. Other Boy is a fool. Girl and Boy get married. The Chickens dance and the Peasants rejoice.

The amazing ceiling at Opera Garnier by artist Marc Chagall.

Such is the plot of La Fille Mal Gardée. 

The recent Paris Opéra Ballet production of this 200 year old classic ballet is a fun, light-hearted romp of young love and silly hijinks in the lovely countryside. It’s comedic ballet at its best, complete with a chorus of dancing chickens, a lively harvest festival, and a carriage hitched to a real-life horse! 

Lise and Colas are in love but her ridiculous and overbearing mother, the Widow Simone, prefers she marry the rich but dull and foolish Alain. At the village’s harvest festival, Lise performs an intricate ribbon dance with Colas and the other young ladies of the village. The Ribbon Dance is one of the most well-known scenes in this ballet, and for good reason: it showcases a beautiful moment of pure strength and faultless technique when Lise, in the centre where the maypole would normally be, holds the ribbons of her eight fellow ballerinas while balancing in a perfect attitude promenade en pointe, whilst they circle around her. No easy feat but it was brilliantly executed and joyfully danced by the leading lady and the corps de ballet.

We could see two performances for our seats: the dance and the music.

Alain attempts to woo Lise but is too awkward and foolish to notice the lovers stealing glances and sneaking kisses during an elaborate and humorous trio variation. Even the Widow Simone lets loose with the girls in a spirited folk dance, the other famous dance of this ballet – the Clog Dance. The ladies donned bright yellow clogs over their pointe shoes and stomped out a delightful rhythm, which added a fun, percussive element to the dance and the score. But the merriment was short-lived and a thunderstorm scattered the revellers at the end of Act I, providing some exciting storm special effects from the lighting and sound designs.  Alain was even swept away on the wind with his umbrella as the curtain fell.

Act II dawns inside Lise and Widow Simone’s cottage, with Lise’s attempts to sneak away to Colas thwarted at every turn by her mother. Even after a rousing tambourine dance, the old woman just won’t fall asleep! She insists the Alain-Lise marriage will go ahead no matter what and locks Lise inside the cottage while she leaves to fetch the notary and the bumbling Groom. Unbeknownst to her and Lise, who throws a hilarious temper-tantrum out of frustration, Colas sneaks inside when some of the harvested crops are brought into the cottage. From his hiding place, he witnesses Lise professing her love for him via a dreamy solo enactment of their future: first the proposal, then marriage, then several baby carriages…if she could have written their initials inside a giant sparkly heart onstage, she would have. 

Colas reveals himself to an embarrassed Lise and the two hide when Widow Simone returns with Alain, the officiant and the entire village as witnesses. The lovers are revealed when Alain botches the proposal and though initially furious with her wayward daughter (as is the translated title), she eventually blesses their love and follows them, along with the whole village, to the wedding ceremony…all except Alain, who sneaks back inside, amidst much laughter from the audience, to retrieve his prized possession – his umbrella!

We had fantastic seats in one of the side-boxes.

This ballet’s accessible plot and characters were enjoyed by all ages of ballet patrons, as the consistent laughter indicated. The sets, depicting the gorgeous French landscapes, were amazing and vividly realized by the design team: a sweet little cottage exterior and yard (where the Chickens stole the first scene), transformed seamlessly into a picturesque field for the harvest festival and then into the cozy interior of the cottage for the final act.

The principal character roles were danced and acted with heart and gusto – it wasn’t hard to notice how much fun the dancers were having bringing their loveable characters to larger-than-life, especially Alain and Widow Simone. The lovers, Lise and Colas, had a sweet and sincere chemistry and their partner work was able to rally from a few shaky lifts.

La Fille Mal Gardée was a wonderful show to cap off our series of ballet performances this year: the razor-sharp technique of Lander’s Etudes, the weight and flow of Forsythe’s choreography, the innovative reimagining of Romeo and Juliet, the contemporary day in a life of Le Chant de la Terre, the classic and heartbreaking Swan Lake, and the comedy and characters of La Fille Mal Gardée. Here in France, where ballet was born, the tradition of ballet excellence and innovation is alive and thriving.

I've loved watching every performance with this man.

As a dancer and a writer, it’s been a dream come true to share my experiences on this blog. I sincerely thank you, dear Readers from around the world, for following these posts and for your comments and tweets. I must also thank two very special people who made this Paris Opéra Ballet viewing experience a reality – my amazing husband Mike and Salena, my talented sister, fellow dancer and writer, who worked together to choose these performances for an incredible anniversary gift.

And finally, to the dancers, choreographers, musicians, designers, and Front of House staff at Opéra Garnier and Bastille, thank you for all that you do. It’s truly been an honor and a privilege to witness the variety and depth of ballet dance.

Merci et félicitations à tous et à toutes à l’Opéra de Paris. À la prochaine saison!

Bring on the 2015-2016 Season! 

The balconies make excellent barres.
One very happy Dancer Abroad!

Re-live the past season by checking out my previous posts on the ballet in Paris:

Swan Lake on World Theatre Day from April 2015

Le Chant de la Terre  from March 2015

The Swedish Royal Ballet: Juliette et Romeo  from January 2015

Lander/Forsythe from September 2014

Danse Classique in Paris from September 2014

Musique in the City of Lights

June is always a special month: the sun stays out longer, the temperature gets warmer and Summer is embraced like the old friend you haven’t seen since…well, last summer. 

Patios open up. Umbrellas provide cool shade and a kitschy garnish to a cocktail. Laughter, BBQs and Drinks all join in on Summer’s welcoming committee. But the moment’s not really complete unless Music makes an appearance.

I’ve noticed an increased musical presence in Paris the last month and I suspect Summer is a big part of it. Paris and Summer like to show-off together, especially for the huge numbers of visitors that show up in the city during the warm, vacation months and Music is another big draw.  There’s so much going on and I’m excited to share some of my Paris Musique experiences in these early days of Summer.

Paris in the Summer.

Note - no pun intended...well, maybe a small pun intended - I’m not a musician myself, nor do I have a lot of knowledge of musical arrangements, technique or terminology. I’m purely a fan of that which gives dance its heartbeat, ‘makes the world go round’ and turns an ordinary night into a magical Summer Night. With that mind, I hope you enjoy some of my stories – and videos! - of where I’ve found Music this summer so far in Paris.

1-Metro Buskers and Street Performances:

Ah, the Paris Metro: it’s a loud, stuffy, often crowded, often smelly place where, thankfully, I don’t have to spend too much of my time. But it’s never failed to get me where I need to go. I’m usually within the window of being ‘on time’ and the eccentric passengers make every ride a rich, people-watching experience. There's never really a dull moment.

The Metro buskers can provide some interesting mini-shows and I’ve been lucky to see some really good ones:

On one trip on Line 6, we were treated to a surprising performance of French Rap, with both a live accordion and a stereo of remixed-bass. It was really fun and much different than the standard ‘Vie en Rose’ on the accordion performance. I gave them a few euros for their show. And another time on Line 1, a small band was playing some really beautiful classical guitar but I had to get off before I could hear the rest of their set.

Then there are the really bad, cringe-worthy ones – like on the time on the RER B when a man was trying to sing a Spanish version of ‘Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word’ and the lady next to me said it wasn’t Spanish at all – it wasn’t even close! My sister-in-law and I had to bite our tongues to not laugh out loud at this comment. Awkward…

The steps of Opera Garnier are a popular spot for street performers at all times of the day and night. The video I took was of a singer who consistently plays there and even sells his own CD. My friend and I thought he was great, but we both have soft-spots for late ‘90s/early 2000’s boy-band pop songs…

As far as paying goes, if I enjoy a metro or a street performance and I feel safe getting out my wallet in that setting, I’ll give a few euros to the performer. This is my own personal rule and I hope you feel empowered to do whatever makes you feel comfortable in that situation.

2-Concerts at Saint-Chapelle, or any cathedral:

There are so many amazing cathedrals in Paris and many of them host concerts throughout the year. I wanted to go to one at Christmas but it was a busy time and we weren’t able to fit it in. 

But finally seeing a performance of Pachelbel’s Canon and Vivaldi’s Four Seasons at Saint-Chapelle was completely worth the wait.

It was a beautiful experience in every sense: the stained glass windows of Saint-Chapelle are absolutely breathtaking and the perfect acoustics of that cathedral made a small ensemble of six musicians (four violinists, a cellist and a pianist) sound like a full orchestra. The sunlight caught the colours of the windows as it slowly set and their light and the soaring music seemed to wrap the intimate space around us. 

Sometimes, I just shut my eyes and listened to music swirling about. But as much as I loved just listening, it was interesting to see how the music was played - the movements of the bows and the musicians' fingers were so fast and intricate. I also enjoyed watching how the musicians interacted with each other, especially during the flurry of violins in the Winter selection. They were truly and joyfully playing together and spiriting each other onward. I could sense a deep respect for each other and for the music, and a love for performing. Music is experienced through the ears but it's played with the whole body. It was almost like a dance.  

I get it now when people rave about Saint-Chapelle. It's so beautiful!

For this performance, we found it extremely easy to buy our tickets online and print them off at home. We had to go through security as we entered, just as anyone does at any major museum; this is why our tickets advised us to line up 45 minutes before the performance. There are many sites to buy tickets to these kinds of concerts; just check out the links below:

Paris Cathedral Tickets 

Classical Music - Tours and Planning

And it should go without saying, but I’ll say it anyway: during any paid performance in a theatre, silence all technology and only take photos before or after the performance!

3-La Fete de la Musique:

This is an annual celebration on June 21 – no matter what day of the week – where the French celebrate the Summer Solstice with free concerts and music everywhere. There are organized performances but it’s also completely open to the public and anyone can play music wherever they want (within reason, of course).

This lady sang both rock and folk, Pink and Stevie Nicks!

We enjoyed the smaller venues set up in the 14^th arrondissement; we know that area well since that's where we lived for the first month when we moved here last summer. All along Boulevard Montparnasse, there were small performances in restaurants and three larger set-ups near Edgar Quinet Metro station. 

It was definitely strange to hear Nirvana songs performed with French accents but the bands there were really fun! We were even serenaded by a young man who did an impressive cover of Ed Sheeran’s A Team while we dined on delicious galettes and crepes on Rue Gaite, or as we affectionately call it, Crepe Street.

A few tips for future Fetes de la Musique:

1-Bring water!

2-Wear comfortable shoes and sunscreen!

3-It really gets going after 8PM or 20H.

4-It gets busier and more crowded near bigger metro stations – like Republique  - later in the evening. If that’s your scene, enjoy! You should also check out this website for more information about what’s happening where. Personally, I enjoyed the smaller venues more but that’s just me.

Whether it’s a musical-quicky on the metro, or a full-on classical music concert, Musique is alive and well in Paris in the summer. There seems to be something for everyone and seeing as we’re really only nine days into the official season, it’s only just beginning.

So strike up a song, Music.

Summer, let’s dance.

Billy Elliot – Screen and Stage

The year 2000 was a great year for dance on film. It was the year of the campy classics Bring It On, Coyote Ugly, and Center Stage. But one dance film came out that year that was all heart and no camp – Billy Elliot.

The Victoria Palace Theatre, Billy Elliot's
West End home since 2005. 

This film tells the simple, yet moving story of an 11 year-old boy that discovers he loves to dance, set against the backdrop of the UK miners’ strike in the 1980s. Billy Elliot (a young Jamie Bell) comes from a blue-collar, working class family where his dad and big brother are out on strike, and a tense, unspoken grief hangs over the family since his mum’s death.

But there’s no time to wallow and Billy is expected to do what boys do in his mining town: boxing. Too bad the kid can’t take a punch and spends more time face down on the mat than up on his feet…until he stumbles into a ballet class. He meets Mrs. Wilkinson (a superb Julie Walters), the jaded, no-nonsense, chain-smoking ballet teacher and through her guidance, finds his life transformed. With a stellar supporting cast, raw, emotional scenes and a great rock/punk soundtrack, Billy Elliot deftly explores family drama, class-struggles, gender norms and the courage it takes to fully express one’s self.

I bought my ticket on Amazon. Worth every penny!

It’s truly one of my all-time favorite dance films and I’m still so moved every time I watch it. So imagine my excitement when I finally had the opportunity to see the live musical version, on the West End stage at the Victoria Palace Theatre!

I knew I wasn’t going to see one of my favorite films simply re-enacted live, in a direct-translation onstage. A successful stage version needs to bring something different to a familiar story, otherwise what’s the point? With Billy Elliot, music and dance is already integral to the plot, and with Lee Hall, the original screen writer, adapting the script to stage and Sir Elton John, who after being so moved by the film, wrote the musical score, its transition to the stage was in good hands. 

These kids are ridiculously talented!

The result, in my opinion, is a stage show that maintains the heart of the original story, continues to develop the characters, and gives the film’s stand-out scenes some inspired, theatrical twists onstage:

“Always be yourself” – These words resonate from the letter Billy’s mum wrote to him before she died. In both the film and the show, he brings it to rehearsal as a source of inspiration and as Mrs. Wilkinson reads it aloud, Billy takes over, quoting his mother’s words from memory as only someone who’s committed those words deeply to heart could do. Onstage, Billy’s mum joins in the song and his desperate, clinging embrace as she has to leave him caused those sitting around me, myself included, to sniffle and wipe away some tears. The ‘Be Yourself’ theme comes up again, with Billy’s best friend Michael and his realization that he’s gay. A short conversation scene in the film becomes a full-fledged song and tap dance onstage with Billy and Michael. “Express Yourself” is a great comedic scene and addition to the original story. And can those boys ever dance!

Heading upstairs to the Grand Circle section.

“We Like to Boogie” – Both screen and stage versions showcase key dance class moments with Billy and his teacher/mentor Mrs. Wilkinson. These scenes provide important character development for Mrs. Wilkinson and I noticed some interesting differences here.

In the film, Julie Walters’ Mrs. Wilkinson is hardened by life and disappointment, at first only focused on the 50p Billy owes her for the ballet class he takes by accident. She gradually learns to re-love dancing and teaching as she works with Billy privately, with no other mention of being paid for her time. One of my favorite scenes in the film is a simple, yet beautiful moment: Billy practices his developés at the barre while Mrs. Wilkinson coaches him through the exercise with patience and reverence for the process and her student. She sees him working hard to improve and for once, she’s satisfied with her role and her life.

In the musical, Mrs. Wilkinson’s character is more frustrated and bored by her circumstances than hardened. She finds a protégé in Billy, but also someone she can finally dance with, who cares as much about the performance as she does. Their montage of ballet and tap lessons show the two dancers and their accompanist Mr. Braithwaite, letting loose and loving every moment as both were “Born to Boogie”. Actress and dancer Ruthie Henshall brings a new sass and wit to this character and she sure rocks the leg-warmers-and-heels-look of an ‘80s dance teacher.

The Strike – The UK miners’ strike in 1984-85 is a crucial element to the both the film and the musical as the central conflict everyone is fighting against. A life in the mines is the only future Billy believes he’ll have, until he discovers his passion for dance and dares to dream of doing something different.  As the strike drags on in the film, the ever-present police in their riot gear become part of the scenery, completely standard and normalized. Billy and his friends barely notice them, even as his friend Debbie carelessly drags a stick across their shields on their way to school. But tensions do eventually erupt and the police make their presence known with violent consequences.

Far away, but still a great seat!

In the musical, the police presence and the ongoing strike is used very creatively to highlight the turmoil that surrounds Billy and his struggle with admitting his likes to dance. ‘Solidarity’ is a great four-way tug-o-war scene between the police, the striking miners, Mrs. Wilkinson and the dancers. The police and miners, each waving either a baton or a rolled-up strike poster, taunt each other through song and criss-cross their way through the dancers. As this unfolds, Mrs. Wilkinson shouts corrections to the dancers (“Arms!” “Heads-up!” “Don’t just stand there!”) and the ballet girls chant the counts of the steps. Meanwhile, Billy attempts some chainé turns and surprises everyone – especially himself – when he takes to the movement like a duck to water. As the lyrics turn harsher and more explicit, the tension between the cops and miners grows and the strike drags on. But Billy keeps dancing, improving with stout determination that mirrors that of his mining family.

Angry Dance – In both the film and the musical, Billy’s secret dance dreams are outed when Mrs. Wilkinson reveals to his family how he missed his audition for the Royal Ballet School. With Tony and his dance teacher having a nasty go at each other, his father refusing to understand and the police closing in on the riot, everything comes to a head and Billy bursts into a raw, angry, and explosive tap dance. He’s penned in by actual walls and onstage, he dances across the riot shields of the advancing police officers. Jamie Bell rocks out to The Jam’s ‘Town Called Malice’ onscreen but the scene takes a much darker, angrier turn onstage with a harsh, instrumental rock score and menacing red lighting. It was a breathless way to end Act I and foreshadows more bursting into dance to come…

“Electricity” – This is the only word Billy can think of to answer the auditionner’s question: “What does it feel like when you’re dancing?” He struggles to explain how it feels, that he ‘forgets’ about everything and feels ‘electricity’. Jamie Bell’s performance in this scene is so sincere, so genuine. Anyone who’s ever tried to answer this question, and even those who haven’t, can understand how dancing makes this boy feel. It’s the moment in the film when I always tear up because it’s so spot-on.

Thank you, West End! I'll be back!

The Billy I saw in London, Bradley Perret, took this moment to the next level when he burst into another dance, a combination of ballet, hip hop and gymnastic tumbles around the stage and his bewildered father. This kid’s talent can’t be denied, nor can the sheer athleticism of dance. It’s clear this young actor loves to dance as much as his character and the audience loved him for it too.

So after all that, which version – screen or stage – do I prefer?

Even now, as I write this and relive my favorite scenes, I can’t choose. All I can say is that I laughed, I wiped tears away, and I wanted to cheer as I sat in my seat in the Victoria Palace Theatre, and I remember feeling the same way when I saw it onscreen for the first time, 15 years ago. What else can I say?

Electricity. Amazing. 

For more information about Billy Elliot the Musical in London's West End, check out the website:

http://billyelliotthemusical.com/

Contemporary at Studio Harmonic

Studio Harmonic is tucked away on Passage des Taillandiers, a short walk from the Bastille in the 11^th arrondissment of Paris. Its front façade is unassuming, but don’t let that fool you – inside, it’s a bustling dance centre, proud of its “8 dance studios, 47 styles of dance, and over 100 instructors.” 

It’s been on my Paris dance bucket-list, as it should be for any dancer abroad, and it delivered so much for the 17 euros I spent there.

Studio Harmonic, 5 passage des Taillandiers, 75011 Paris

I recently went to a Contemporary Dance class at Studio Harmonic taught by veteran dancer Martine Lacroix. There were five other dancers in the class, myself included, and we got started right away with an extensive, flowing, very breath-centred warm-up and we barely stopped moving for the entire 90 minutes.

The flow of the warm-up extended to the rest of the exercises, which built up very smoothly and gradually increased both the physical and mental challenge. The combinations were long and dynamic, which was a great memory test. I generally favor the right side of my body out of habit and I really appreciate it when a dance class really pushes me to adapt quickly when repeating a combination on both the right and left sides. My balance was tested but it improved with each attempt and with the encouragement of the instructor.

Martine Lacroix’s teaching style struck that tricky balance between keeping the pace and flow up, and finding opportunities to breakdown key exercises, using us dancers – myself included – for short demonstrations, and offering feedback. This is not an easy thing to accomplish in an hour and a half, with some dancers who are new to her class and style, but she made it feel very natural. She also challenged us by alternating the music selections for some of the exercises, which forced us to adapt the movements from slow, calm and sustained, to quick, sharp and dynamic.

There was even some improv during the last two run-thrus of the final combination: we had 32 counts to play with the different accents in the music and explore weighted, heavy movement and contrast those with moments of levity and elevation/suspension. She reminded us that there were no wrong movements, to take risks and to just enjoy, which I sure did!

It felt so great – flowing, connected, challenging, physical, creative and joyful – basically everything I love about contemporary dance. It was the best 17 euros I spent this long weekend and I look forward to checking out more of what Studio Harmonic has to offer. 

Studio F, one of 8 studios were the magic happens.

PS. As I was walking out on Passage des Taillandiers, I took a left turn when I should have taken a right and ended up walking past one of the beautiful Repetto Paris shops. Repetto is a famous brand of pointe shoe and they've also created a line of exquisite designer ballet flats, which are pricey to say the least! But it was still fun to check out the gorgeous shoes and dance clothes in the shop before I found the right way back to the metro. Sometimes, a wrong turn can be a fun turn just the same!

Beautiful shop...makes me miss pointe shoes...almost!

For more information about classes and instructors, check out Studio Harmonic's website:

http://www.studioharmonic.fr/

(Don't worry, there's an English version!)

DIY Barre on International Dance Day

In honor of International Dance Day 2015, I’m so proud to introduce the newest member of my dance family: my very own, custom-made Barre!

Meet my Barre! Isn't she beautiful?

In keeping with my health and wellness goals for 2015, I’ve been alternating between yoga and dance. I’m feeling really good – fit and strong! I’ve found some great ballet barre videos online that I’ve been following at home and I’ve noticed a definite  improvement in my balance and turnout when I’m in ballet class. I’ve used a few creative substitutes for a barre, such as a regular chair in our dining room or the railings in our loft-like bedroom, and they’ve all been fine. Our office, however, has mirrors built into the closet doors and a fair amount of space, so it was my natural choice for a mini dance studio. All that’s been missing is a barre. I looked into ordering something online, but then my husband suggested we build my own barre and it just felt right!

I’ve always enjoyed building and being in a workshop. I have so many happy memories of spending time in my Grandpa’s shop, chatting with him while he worked and ‘helping’ by brushing away the woodchips (at first with my hands and then later on, with a brush). I even had my own workshop in my parents’ basement, furnished with a custom/Grandpa-built workbench and my own tools for making houses and furniture for my dolls. I went on to take shop in junior high and I got the top mark for Grade 7 Industrial Arts. I was the only girl in my shop class when I was in my first year of high school.  That class also had a welding component and when it got out I was also a dancer, the Flashdance jokes starting flying. (I didn’t care though…that much...)

For my Barre, I did some research online and we came up with a design that would be simple enough to make ourselves. I thought finding the materials would be the hardest part but one stop at Bricorama, France’s Home Depot and Bed, Bath and Beyond combined, was all it took to get everything we needed. Then, it was an afternoon of measuring, cutting and assembling and voila! My Barre had arrived!

As my gift to you on International Dance Day, I’m going to share how we made my Barre and give you some recommendations for barre exercise videos:

Curtain rods, their holders and a classic 2x4 beam.

For my Barre, we used the following:

Materials:

-2 wooden curtain rods (3.5 cm diameter, 6ft long each)

-2 curtain rod holders (the part that attaches to the wall and holds the rod in place, if you were actually putting up curtains; screws should be included)

-1 basic 2x4 piece of wood for the base (8ft long)

Tools:

-a drill, saw, clamps, router and a large chisel

-heavy-duty wood glue

-eye protection – because safety is important!
-drill bit for drilling a 3.5 cm hole in the base for the support beams

Mike cutting the support beams.

Procedure:

1-We measured the halfway mark (3ft) of one of the 
curtain rods – 
measured twice, to double check – and cut it in half for the support beams.

2-I secured the curtain holders onto the ends of the two beams.

3-We measured (twice!) and I cut the baseboards into 4 pieces, 2 ft/60 cm long each.

4-We measured (twice!) the center of two of the baseboards and Mike drilled a 3.5 cm hole in the centre for the support beams.

5-To brace the baseboards, we measured (twice, again!) ¼ of the length of the baseboards and made two shallow cuts as wide as the other baseboard. (See photo for clarification)

Cutting the baseboards. It was great to build again!

6-Mike used a router and a chisel to gauge out two notches in the baseboards, so they fit together in a cross.

7-We glued and clamped the baseboards together and let them set for a few hours.

8-I assembled the barre by placing the support beams in the baseboards and inserting the long curtain rod between the holders and put in two screws to hold it in place.

9-Then, I danced with my new Barre! 

I’ve been following the YouTube channel of Kathryn Morgan, a former soloist with the New York City Ballet, and I can’t recommend it enough! Her channel has multiple barre exercise videos to strengthen your technique, as well as other videos for improving your turnout, your flexibility, your turns and feet – just to name a few. Plus, she somehow found the time while dancing for one of the top ballet companies in the world to also become an accomplished pianist and plays all the beautiful music for her videos.

Paris Opéra Ballet: Swan Lake on World Theatre Day

When people ask me what my favorite ballet is, I really struggle to come up with my answer. I love so many different ballets for different reasons and it’s incredibly hard for me to name just one as my all-time favorite!

But I have no trouble declaring my favorite performance of the Paris Opéra Ballet this season has been Swan Lake. Hands down – it was an absolutely compelling production from start to finish, presented in the beautiful and modern Opéra Bastille.

Paris Opéra Ballet: Swan Lake
Cameras were flashing all over during the curtain call, so we snapped one too!

Flowing black fabric contrasted with the beating of white-caped wings and some brilliant technical magic transported us into a world where the evil sorcerer Rothbart captured the innocent princess Odette and transformed her into a swan. The image of both birds ascending from the stage was the perfect ending to the dark prologue and set us up for more magic in the following three hours.

Meanwhile, Prince Siegfried (Josua Hoffalt), took a page from Romeo’s book and moped listlessly at his palace home, too consumed with dreams of an ideal love to partake in the joyful frolicking of the courtiers. The soloists’ work in these scenes was exceptionally strong and each section seemed to raise the barre for the next, through the banter of playful, effortless solo and small group variations:

“You just did some perfect petit-allegro? That’s fine. I’m going to do a whole series of tour-jetés around the stage, because I feel like it AND because I can.”  

Or

“If it’s okay with you, I’m going to partner not one, but TWO ballerinas in this little trio section.” And so on.

But Siegfried had almost none of it. He did eventually join in, but his heart wasn’t in it. It wasn’t until his Tutor put a golden crossbow in his hands and urged him to go hunting that he snapped out of his funk – just in time to see a beautiful swan appear in the distance…

And with the filing onstage of the Swan Corps, the energy of the show shifted. This is because the large ensemble scenes of the first section, though an excellent showcase of the company’s technique, simply aren’t meant to be in the same universe as the Swans.

It’s their show, after all. And they did not disappoint.

Ethereal, otherworldly and pristine, they moved as though they were one entity. Each dancer fluttered identically alongside her swan sisters. Watching them was a study in the precision of details and absolute control. The shifting port de bras and the placement of the head were subtle, yet utterly precise. We truly were witnessing a flock of beautiful birds gliding peacefully across a crystal lake.

A beautiful swan gliding on the crystal waters of the pond near my house...

The famous Pas-de-Quatre was impeccably executed footwork and unified head movements. Those four dancers were amazing but it was Héloïse Bourdon’s Odette, with her undulating arms and soulful miming, conveying her plight to Siegfried, that we all fell in love with instantly. Together, Prince and Swan took flight with promises of love and eternal devotion.

Which we all know, can’t last. But just like how we know that Romeo and Juliet are doomed, we greeted Act 2 with anticipation because the fall from grace is just as compelling as the ascension.

My tribute to the amazing Swan Corps.

Act 2 kicked off with a celebration back at the palace and some interesting folk-dance variations to break up the ballet corps scenes. While these were colourful and bright, the dancing just didn’t have quite enough liveliness and spirit to match the ballet. The choreography was entertaining and but the dancers felt too restrained – they needed to let loose and give it more attack so it could rise above being the divertissements, the dance for dance’s sake.

But Odile, Rothbart’s evil creation and Odette’s doppelgänger, shook up the party with her fiery arrival. Bourdon’s technique and characterization were unparalleled.  Anyone who’s seen Black Swan knows it’s no simple feat to find the duality in the Odette/Odile role but this ballerina made it look easy: her Odette was all softness and curved lines; Odile was dynamic and each turn of her head and sweep of her arms had a sharp, seductive edge.

Her breathless execution of 28 (!) fouetté turns furthered Rothbart’s plan to ensnare the Prince to forget Odette, which the cunning sorcerer celebrated with a triumphant solo. It was exciting to watch Rothbart (Florimond Lorieux) dance opposite the orchestra's conductor, as both were powerful men weaving enthralling spells over the audience. Upon realizing his inadvertent betrayal of his true love Odette, Siegfried’s despair was palpable and it made his final pas de deux with the dying swan all the more heartbreaking.

When the orchestra drew out the final notes of Tchaikovsky’s epic score and the curtain fell on the devastated Prince, I let out a deep exhale and wiped away a few tears. I couldn’t help it - I was completely moved and so grateful for the experience of that performance! To the ballet company, the orchestra and the crew, I extend my deepest thanks and congratulations!

It was a dream come true for me to see the Paris Opéra Ballet perform Swan Lake and I can’t think of a better way to have spent March 27 - World Theatre Day 2015 - than watching music, dance and unforgettable characters fused together in a masterpiece of storytelling.

At Opera Bastille
Happy World Theatre Day 2015!

For other posts related to Ballet in Paris, check out:

Paris Opéra Ballet: Le Chant de la Terre from March 2015

The Swedish Royal Ballet: Juilette et Roméo from January 2015

Paris Opéra Ballet: Lander/Forsythe from September 2014

Danse Classique in Paris from September 2014