Whether you're a fan of classical ballet or modern dance, odds are you'll enjoy Winnipeg's performances this week in Becket.
Jo-Ann Sundermeier and Harrison James of Canada's Royal Winnipeg Ballet in Carmina Burana;BECKET - Modern versus classic?
Those two words have divided dance fans for decades like the Mason-Dixon line. Classic ballet enthusiasts have often looked down on modern dance as being too loosey goosey and lacking in formal technique. Many modern dance aficionados have dismissed ballet as being too stuffy, too formal, too stuck in the past.
That’s probably why many critics and ballet fans were so shocked in 1973 when Twyla Tharp created “Deuce Coup” for the Joffrey Ballet (who’s performing at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival from Aug. 22 to 26) based on songs by the Beach Boys. Or why it’s still surprising when modern dance mavericks like Mark Morris or Trisha Brown create works for revered ballet companies like American Ballet Theater or the Paris Opera Ballet. There’s a line in many people’s minds between the two genres that should not be crossed.
For those who feel that way, I’m sorry to tell you but that ship has long since sailed. Classically trained dancers like Mikhail Baryshnikov have been performing modern dance for decades. And as several people have rightly pointed out to me recently, some of the best new modern dances being created today are being performed by ballet companies best know for performing old war horses like “Swan Lake” and “Giselle.”
Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet was founded in 1939. They’re one of the oldest and most respected ballet companies in North America. Many of their dancers trained for years in the ballet company’s school mastering the art of classic ballet.
And yet there they were, these same classically trained dancers performing modern pieces created in the last decade or so on stage Thursday night at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival. The first piece, “In Tandem,” set to the music of Steve Reich would have felt right at home in any modern dance company’s performance. And yet in many ways, the piece reminded me of one of modern dance’s unsung heroes: George Balanchine. Most people might associate Balanchine with classic ballet and specifically the New York City Ballet, which he helped co-found. But watch some of Balanchine’s plotless ballets like “The Four Temperaments” or “Jewels.” There’s no plot in them. Just pure dance. They're more modern than many of the most modern dances.
The same could be said for “In Tandem” and the other two pieces being performed this week by the Royal Winnipeg at Jacob’s Pillow: “Moonlight Sonata” and “Carmina Burana.” Both new dance works take their names from the iconic pieces of classical music that plays while the dancers perform on stage. And that’s all you basically need to know about both pieces in order to understand them. There’s no story, no drama associated with what’s happening on stage. The dancers are simply dancing to the music. Anyone who’s ever danced can relate to that. There is no meaning to the dance. It’s just dancing.
Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata” and Orff’s “Carmina Burana” were bold choices by the Royal Winnipeg simply because the two pieces of music are so recognizable as to almost be comical. I’m sorry to admit it but when I heard the first few bars of “Carmina Burana,” I couldn’t help but think about the opening credit sequence in “Jackass 2.” As for the “Moonlight Sonata,” Schroeder from Peanuts and Liberace in all his sequined and candelabra glory come to mind. But such thoughts vanished quickly when the dancers in Royal Winnipeg performed both works to perfection.
Royal Winnipeg’s “Moonlight Sonata” featured a pas de deux between Harrison James and Alexander Gamayunov. The piece is what you would expect: lush, romantic, all smooth, languid movements. Think the pas de deux in Act 1 of “Swan Lake” or the Grand pas de deux in “Nutcracker.” There’s no subtlety here. And yet that’s what makes this 11-year-old piece so refreshing. It’s modern and yet classical at the same time.
Royal Winnipeg’s “Carmina Burana” is a much more modern dance. The large, ensemble work features dancers in squat, tribal-like poses throughout the driving piece. There’s also some strong solo and duet work throughout this nearly 30-minute-long work. Such intense, barefoot dancing is not what you would expect from a classical ballet company like Royal Winnipeg. But as many dedicated dance fans already know, ballet companies have been defying expectations for the past decade or so, pushing the boundaries and obliterating the wall that used to separate classic from modern.
So if someone asks you if you’re a fan of classic ballet or modern dance, the best answer to give is a simple, resounding, “Yes!”
Canada's Royal Winnipeg Ballet is performing at Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival just off Route 20 in Becket on Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets range from $65 to $70. To order tickets or for more information, go to https://tickets.jacobspillow.org/TheatreManager/1/online?event=22 or call (413) 243-0745.