Liam Scarlett of The Royal Ballet spent the last three weeks with MCB working on the World Premiere, which premieres in January 2012. Enthusiasm filled the building, and dancers and staff alike were thrilled with the developments coming from the studios. Sara Esty, newly-promoted soloist, collected some thoughts on what is was like to work with Britain’s hottest choreographer, Liam Scarlett.
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Post by Zoe Zien, Corps de Ballet
We are now in the third and final week of our tour. We’ve put on fourteen ballets and danced seven shows a week,sometimes with dancers in three pieces a night. Oddly enough, even after all that work, everyone still seems to be smiling. Every morning I wake up thinking I’m going to be exhausted, but then without fail, by showtime I’m eagerly ready to do it all over again. Anyone visiting Paris will allude to a certain magic the city provides. Whether it be the narrow streets lined with quaint cafes or the museums and monuments with so much art and history, there is always something to stimulate the senses.
The stage of the Théâtre du Châtelet is a perfect place for the dancers to feel the fulfilling dynamics that Paris has to offer. The curtain rises and you immediately become aware of the importance of the surrounding space. The orchestra, sounds full and vibrant, reiterating the significance of the dancer/musician relationship. The crowd, regardless of their individual opinions, always appears to be extremely attentive provoking a certain energy amongst the dancers.
Being here these three weeks has brought so much new discovery — from the taste of a never before tried French pastry to rediscovering yourself on stage under new light. I think my fellow colleagues, from the very experienced to the new professionals, would agree that this experience is one that will be cherished for a lifetime.
So far the Company’s tour to Paris has been a huge success! If you weren’t able to travel to France, have no fear. Zoe Zien has already started giving us the play-by-play on the tour. The second installment of Zoe’s Paris coverage takes us into the dressing rooms, reveals what the dancers do on their free day, and listens in on conversations!
Check back with us for more Paris happenings!
As you may have heard, MCB is currently on a three-week tour in Paris! Corps dancer Zoe Zien is bringing us all the action and keeping us in touch with the Company! Follow Zoe and the rest of the dancers through her virtual tour journal. Stay tuned for more!
Alexei Ratmansky has been commissioned to create an original ballet for the Company, which will have its world premiere in March 2012 – with live music by The Cleveland Orchestra (TCO). This one-time MCB/TCO performance and gala will take place at Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami. The new Ratmansky ballet – Symphonic Dances — then will become part of Miami City Ballet’s repertoire during the 2012-2013 Season.
Post by Jeanette Delgado, Principal Dancer
Last summer I saw New York City Ballet dance a new work by Alexei Ratmansky and I was blown away! It was everything new and fresh about dancing but still true to ballet and musicality. I still have visions of this ballet and I am so moved by them. Never did I dream that we would get the chance to work with such an incredible artist!
The two weeks we recently spent working with Mr. Ratmansky felt like a glimpse into what the dancers who worked for George Balanchine must have felt! To be a part of someone’s creative process has been amazing! He pushed us to move in ways we’ve never moved nor ever thought of moving before. It is super challenging but he knows exactly how to ask for what he wants and shows it in the most inspiring way! It is a lot of work to really grasp the movement but it’s work that I can’t wait to continue!
Alexei Ratmansky working with MCB dancers.
Post by Principal Dancer Jennifer Kronenberg
What a great honor it was to dance the role of ‘Juliet’ for MCB’s premiere of the historic ballet Romeo and Juliet, and for our silver anniversary – celebrating the company’s great accomplishments over the last twenty five years. I have not felt such excitement and sheer anticipation at the idea of a performance in a very long time. It seemed like the buzz was everywhere, not only between dancers and staff, but out on the street as well. The public was amazingly enthusiastic over us dancing Romeo and Juliet; anxious even, which of course only added to my own exhilaration!
For weeks I dreamt of opening night. My expectations were very high, and I couldn’t wait to get on stage and dance. When the moment finally arrived I was ridiculously emotional. I was nervous, giddy, excited, and so sad to think that in three short hours, before I even knew what hit me, it would all come to an end.
Would performing this iconic ballet be all that I had expected? Could I really do it justice? I had built it up so much in my mind, though I tried my hardest not to. Would the audience appreciate how much I love and respect the role of ‘Juliet’? Could they understand how much hard work went into preparing for it, how special this all was to me? Did that even really matter? I hadn’t thought so, but I suddenly found myself worrying about it. So many thoughts were going through my head and I wanted to run away from them.
My first couple of entrances went by like a whirlwind. I yearned to feel something magical, yet it was all moving so fast, and not as smoothly as I had hoped. There were traffic issues backstage, costume changes weren’t going smoothly, and I was sweating all of my makeup off… What happened to the fairytale that I had dreamed about? So far I was way too connected to harsh reality.
But before I could get too disappointed, things changed. In the ball scene, when Carlos’ eyes met mine for the first time, everything slowed down. Time stood still in just that instant, and I felt an overwhelming calm come over me. This was it! This was the feeling that I had been waiting for – the high that I feared would get drowned out by adrenaline and frenzy, and escape me in the performance. I felt overwhelmingly relieved at seeing my Romeo. In that moment, I knew that nothing else mattered. We were in the midst of achieving something great, and infinitely special. I knew it was a performance that I’d remember and treasure always, and one that never had to be, nor could be replicated. I decided in that instant to commit myself to enjoying the ride for as long as it would last.
We’ve danced a number of “R&J’s” since opening weekend, and no two have been exactly alike. I’ve been trying to appreciate how unique and distinctly different each one is from the last. I am so happy, and eternally grateful, to have been given the opportunity to dance ‘Juliet’, and I hope that I’ll be able to grow and evolve with each performance to come.
Photos © Kyle Froman
This is me with my brothers and sister.
