Mazurkas
On the surface, the Mazurkas is a a cheerful performance accompanied by Chopin’s uplifting melodies. The dancers slap their thighs and flit across the stage with grace, smiles pasted on their faces in a classic expression of happiness. However, as the dance progresses, the dancers grow more weary, the smiles on their faces still present, but not without effort, as pairs and soloists force themselves to keep moving. At one point, one of the dancers is literally dripping in sweat, but he valiantly continues to smile through the graceful choreography.
The Playbill for the program describes Limón’s purpose for choreographing the piece “as a tribute to the heroic spirit of [Poland’s] people.” In 1957, Poland suffered under the oppression of Soviet Russia during the Cold War. Still reeling from the aftershocks of WWII, Poland was relegated to being a satellite state under Soviet rule. With this background in mind, the smiles on the dancers’ faces begins to make sense. The dancers represent the Polish people, who were able to hold onto their pride and put on a brave front despite the difficult times. Although holding a smile could be difficult, the Polish refused to be brought down by their circumstances.
Carlota
The second performance was the most theatrical and dramatic piece of the night. The lead dancer, the eponymous Carlota, calls the audience’s attention with the intensity of her character, her expressions lighting up her face with despair, pride, and fear throughout the set. The dance starts off with a grieving Carlota, her face pale and lost as she screams for her beloved Maximilian. The choreography pulls us back to a time when Carlotta and Maximilian were together. When Carlota dances with Maximilian, her face is rich with passion and lust, while Maximilian wears a blank expression. (Just as well, as he is not as much of a character in the piece as he is the vehicle for Carlota’s downfall.) As Benito stomps his way onto the stage, Carlotta freezes and her face is stricken with terror. Following this, there is a brief scene where Carlotta is with Maximilian again, clapping happily as he dances before she sees Benito reappear. This moment stands out as the most stunning example of the lead dancer’s acting. One second, Carlota is filled with pride and love for her husband. The next second, her face has twisted into dread and horror as Benito and his soldiers take Maximilian away. From there, Carlotta spirals into a frenzy, dancing so quickly that her face becomes a blur of movement. Even then, not being able to pin down Carlotta’s face emphasizes her hysterical descent into madness.
There is a Time
The facial expressions in this final dance performance display a variety of emotion. Meant to illustrate the passage of time referenced in the Ecclesiastes (Solomon), the dance also uses the thematic idea of seasons and cycles. As such, the first main dancer wears a calm expression as he portrays life and death. During a section of the dance reminiscent of spring, a smiling woman with a flower crown leaps around the stage. In the very next scene, a woman with flying hair whirls around the stage with the ferocity of a hurricane, her face hidden by the wildness of her dark locks. The ever-changing facial expressions strengthen the message behind Limón’s powerful choreography.
