Representation of the Human Psyche
Ballet du Grand completely astounded me. From the name, I had reasoned that we would be seeing pieces completely immersed in the traditional ballet of the past, maybe somewhat adapted to the time, but not particularly experimental. The modernity of the pieces, thus, surprised and disappointed me. (I hate having been wrong. 
) Nevertheless, though I found that I did not like the performance initially, afterward, while reflecting back on it, I decided that I did indeed like the symbolism of the dances and the ferocity of the movements.
Selon Désir was very representative of humanity. It opened with a girl frantically expressing herself in rapid, pronounced movements. It reminded me of a line from Milton’s “Il Penseroso:”
As may with sweetness, through mine ear,
Dissolve me into ecstasies,
And bring all Heav’n before mine eyes.
It did seem like the girl was “dissolved into ecstasies.” There was a constant religious feel about the piece. The movements seemed to represent a certain insanity, a confusion of the mind, or simply an idea that we humans could not understand. Her wild hair and ragged clothing would fly about her while she performed her agonizing movements. She was then joined by the rest of the group, each appearing like a thrall of their own personal hell. Yet, as was said about Hamlet, there was a “method in” their “madness.” The barbarous movements of each of the dancers had blended into a chaos, but one that could be dissected, and understood. They were aggressive and violent, and did contain a subtle sexuality to them. And as some dancers left the stage, more came. It was symbolic of the human race. The dancers were constantly searching for meaning; some dying, some being born, and yet all suffering from the chaos of their existence. In my opinion, it was a vain attempt at escape. The end suggested a circuitousness about the dance.
Mariola Szenk