OCT: choose one class/project that you are teaching/taking on this year and give us an inside glance at what is going to go on?
My very first performance with Charlotte Ballet was unlike any other experience I have ever had. It was slightly nerve wracking performing in front of a new audience, with challenging choreography and exciting costumes and quick changes. But the moment I stepped out on that stage all of the nerves left me, and I felt completely at home. The stage is a place where I get to abandon everything that is happening outside good/bad and just focus on the task before me. With the ballets being so different, I did find a nice challenge going in-between all of the different styles.
We opened with Jiri Kylian’s “Forgotten Land”. This is probably one of the most beautiful pieces I have seen in person. When the company first ran the ballet in its entirety, I was moved to tears seeing the synchronization of the white rehearsal skirts as they soared through the air. I found Kylians choreography to be incredibly musical. Sinfonia de Requiem is a very powerful piece, and the music itself takes you on a journey. Fiona Lummis, a former dancer with Netherlands Dance Theatre, coached the company and gave insight on all of the little moments within the ballet. Hearing everything that she had to say, corrections that she gave, and even some things that Jiri Kylian told her, was just so rich and very eye opening. The fact that I had the opportunity to learn and understudy various roles was something that I will forever remember and I definitely hope to perform Kylian in the future.
The next ballet that we performed was Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux’s “Shindig”. In my eyes, a simple way to describe the style of this ballet is, Balanchine goes to Texas. Shindig was performed with a live Bluegrass band called “The Greasy Beans.” The experience of having the band on stage with us was absolutely incredible. With everyone feeding off of the energy in the atmosphere, it caused the audience to become very excited which then allowed the dancers to really push themselves to the limits to keep the audience on that level. I loved how interactive that ballet was, I did not feel as if there was a separation between everyone on the room. Even though the audience was in their seats, I had the feeling of being at one giant party. Things got to be very interesting when I was told that I would be stepping in for another dancer last minute. I had to really trust myself and just step out onto the sage, not thinking, but truly performing, leaving everything that I had on the floor.
The ballet that closed the evening was the premier of Sasha Janes’ “The Four Seasons.” The overall process of learning that ballet was so much fun. Being a part of a creation is a very unique experience. You are able to play around with the choreographer trying new things, not only playing to your strengths but challenging your weaknesses. I loved the opportunity to move in a way that I have never moved before and being able to learn from all of the more experienced dancers. “The Four Seasons” was very appealing to the eye with the scenic backgrounds that complimented the choreography, truly making each movement very symbolic to its own season. The best way to describe this ballet aside from challenging, is fierce. The audience felt the same way,as we were applauded with a standing ovation at the end of every show. The Charlotte Ballet is a very strong, versatile company that I am truly honored to be a part of.
