comments on dance evening
Among the three pieces by the Ballet du Grand Theatre de Geneve “Para-Dice”, “Selon Desir” (”according to desire”), and “Loin” (”far”), which one has your preference? Please write an entry for our blog, of a length of fifteen-twenty lines. Write it with care. Your entry should be more than just an opinion piece and will naturally include your presentation/description of what attracted you to this particular choreography/interpretation/music/costumes etc. Be sure to sign your entry and to post it no later than Tuesday night 30th Oct.
EE
P.S. In case you were not able to relate to any of the pieces we saw, please explain what you found difficult, off-putting or uninteresting in these modern choreographies, and offer an example, from our pool of images, of the kind of dancing you are drawn to.
October 28th, 2007 at 10:10 pm
My favorite piece of the evening was “Loin”. The two pieces had so many things that ticked me off. I didn’t enjoy the way the dancers were constantly throwing themselves on the floor in the second piece. I also did not like the way the dancers used eachother. They never seemed to interact with eachother, they simply used eachother as props in their own dancing. The thing that I love most about ballet, when I am dancing, is that I am constantly looking, and communicating with the other dancers on stage with me. When there is a pas de deux, the two dancers look eachother in the eye, then they look away, and it is so dramatic. I didn’t see any drama in these pieces. I saw a lot of anguish, but there was never any solution to the problems presented. There was just so much isolation and agony in the movements. I was in awe of the way the dancers were able to use their bodies, and all of their strength, but I could not stand the story. I also did not like the costumes of the first two dances. In the first dance, all of the men were dressed exactly the same way, but all of the women had different costumes, and I didn’t like the way they looked. I liked the idea of mesh, but the way it was cut and excessive pinning on the woman was distracting. The last dance was the only one in which the dancers seemed to be having a good time. I do not wish to go out to the theater to watch a bunch of people showing me the horrors of the world, and how little they like life. I know that life can be sucky, but there is always some good. I really like how the dance gradually brought the dancers together, so that by the end they became one unit. I also enjoyed the grace and the flow of the movements in the last piece.
October 31st, 2007 at 5:24 am
The performance of the Ballet Du Grand Theatre de Geneve at the Joyce Theater was very unique in every way. It presented an interesting juxtaposition of classic ballet and modern dance. The use of music, or lack thereof in the case of Para-Dice, reflects the modernity of the dance. In this way, the ballet company is truly revolutionary. Although all three dances performed by the Ballet de Geneve impressed me profoundly in their own ways, I found Loin to be the most pleasurable and valuable. Like any worthwhile piece of art, Loin flashed a strong message in the audience. The title of the performance itself, translating to “Far Away,” displays the irony and reality of the relationship between society and humanity. Evident in Loin was a blend/clash of Eastern and Western cultures and the mutual ignorance of each by the other. The dancers in this performance portrayed these cultural themes through their use of speech, head gestures between coupled dancers, and Western music. In addition, the dancers were adorned with very powerful and beautiful costumes. The backdrop was simple and of an earthy color. Each of these aspects contributed to the presentation, making the audience additionally receptive to the performance. What makes Loin additionally compelling is its applicability to a modern American audience, in which stereotypes often guide an individual’s perception of another individual. Loin is both an inspirational and aesthetic performance, delivering the whole package.
Louis
October 31st, 2007 at 12:47 pm
Going to see the modern ballet performance at the Joyce Theater was amazing. I had no idea that the event was going to be so intense and interesting. The first permormance, Para-dice, was a relaxing opening for me. The music and the dance had a tranquil flow, yet very powerful. The second performance, Selon Desir, was my favorite. I was so calm after the first dace ended that the second dance impacted and shocked me. The music and the dance were very intense and deep. The movement of the girl’s body at the beginning of the performance portrayed anguish, confussion and suffering. As the dance continued, I was trying to figure out what the plot, but so many things were going on on the stage that I did not figure out completely what was happening. When the girls positioned themelves in the air forming a cross, the crucifixion of Christ came to my mind which reminded me of sacrifice and death. Yet, when all the dancers fromed a circle and jumped all at once, it sounded like the beat of the heart which made me think of birth and life. In a way, I felt that they were trying to portray life and death. The last performance, Loin, was more clear; though, I did not understand why there were sudden breaks to tell stories. I liked them because they were funny, but I did not get the point of that. What was really obvious was the love between the two dancers and the Asian theme. I liked how they maintained eye contact at all times. With their body movements and eye contract they portrayed romance and love. Now, I know that ballet (classical and modern), not only requires dancing skills but also acting skills. Also, the music, and the dancers and stage’s appearance are very important to create a mood in the audience. Everything and everyone has to be coordinated with each other.
October 31st, 2007 at 1:47 pm
When we went to go see the pieces of the Ballet Du Grand Theatre de Geneve, I definitely did not get what I was expecting. While sitting during the first two pieces, “Para-Dice” and “Selon Desire,” I was very lost. I did not really understand the point of just having the same repetitive motions all the time. If they were trying to portray a message, it definitely was not as strong as the message portrayed by “Loin.” What I didn’t like about what was going on onstage at times was that it was so chaotic. It might be because we were sitting close to the stage, but I don’t think so. There were so many things going on at once that it was difficult to know where to focus at times. I liked the part in “Selon Desire” when you had a few people on the stage. It made things much more graceful to me, not having to look at a lot of things at the same time. I just really did not like the repetition of “Para-Dice.”
“Loin” was by far my favorite because it was engaging. Each part was different. You had the people coming out in groups of two and doing these amazing sequences that looked so difficult yet graceful. The costumes were my favorite and it never got dull. I agree with Lou about what the message is, and I believe that “Loin” did a good job at portraying it in a funny, yet creative manner that did not overstep the boundaries of dance. Even though there was conversation, it was a part of the dance because of the movements they were doing at the same time. I was glad that they ended with that piece because it was, in my opinion, the best one of the three.
October 31st, 2007 at 2:06 pm
I personally loved “Para-Dice” more than the other two acts. Not having much experience/exposure in the ballet/dance category, I found the opening act of our lovely little evening out on the town to be mindblowing, engaging, eclectic, and more than satisfying. I don’t remember as much as I would like about the opening act, but I do remember that there were seven males and seven females dancing together most of the time, but occasionally breaking up and performing solo acts. The movements and gestures in “Para-Dice” were more strucutred, demonstrative, and deliberate than those of the other acts. Furthermore, the flow and progression of the dance was not hindered by meaningless dialogue from the dancers about roaches, mice, changing rooms, or any of that other jazz. The serious tone of the piece was maintained throughout. Also, the lighting of this particular piece was minimal, never blooming into even moderate brightness. This had a positive effect on me, as bright lights inhibit my vision of the performance and do not provide the mysticall allure that dim lighting provides. All of these are reasons I was drawn to “Para-Dice.”
Luke