My ballet experiences have been nothing but dreadful for my entire life. I was not a big fan of ballet or dance in general. I would always respect the ability, athleticism, and compassion of the dancers but I have never really have an “enjoyable” time watching a ballet, or dance in general. I never seemed to find a purpose in any type of dance except for it’s beauty. I couldn’t fathom what so many people but me enjoyed about ballet. However, in this ballet, I was so intrigued. I will not lie; I did find myself bored at times but also, I was very impressed and sucked in to the intensity of the ballet. The binoculars helped me a lot to see everyone in the orchestra and in the show. I got to see the concertmaster, the clarinet section, the times the orchestra would talk. I even saw the fly-aways of the concertmaster and the conductor. It helped keep this ballet interesting for me, especially since I am one to lose interest quickly and nod off. The orchestra, for me, was the best part of the ballet. They exhibited certain qualities of an orchestra that show how professional they were and how ridiculously good they were. First, they were never “loud”, almost like very loud noise that disrupts you. They had such amazing dynamics and contrast in every style. When dancers were on their tip-toes or performing very delicate maneuvers, the orchestra had amazing articulation, almost accenting every step in the proper way for the move. I also think that their control of how soft and loud they were was very exceptional, which ties in with that they were never loud. It seemed as though even when they were forte, they were not blasting or too loud. In a lot of high school and middle school and even in college bands/orchestras, their age shows through the control, intonation, and the dynamics of the group. However, this professional orchestra amazed me in every way. The introduction to the second movement of the show was one of my favorite parts of the show. The clarinet and oboe and the violins had a particular soli that was absolutely beautiful. It was very pretty and had interesting lines that showed how modern it was. It foreshadowed the “weirdness” but more-so the modern style/costumes the dancers would portray/wear. No matter how much I loved the orchestra in the second movement, I loved the third movement the most. I didn’t get the program for the ballet but it felt good to assume what this was about. The first scene and last scene confused me greatly but I loved the warfare scenes and the dancer representing death/war in some way. I really enjoyed the repetition of the dance moves and all of the dancing in that part. The dancers made it clear what was happening in every scene without spelling it out to us. The pianists were also crazy good and their dynamics were very good. They had very good verbal & non verbal communication and I respected their musicianship greatly. In general, after walking by Lincoln Center every day to go to school, I never thought I would be ever so intrigued in one if it wasn’t for jazz or a musical. However, I was rather pleased with the American Ballet Theatre’s performance and I respect their artistic ability. Although I can never, ever do what they did that night, I can understand and see that they are some of the best dancers in the world.
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