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Premieres of Passionate Dance With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, many Milwaukeeans will struggle with deciding how to treat that special someone. The Milwaukee Ballet offers a solution with its performance of “Premieres of Passionate Dance” – three works never before seen in Milwaukee – February 15–18 at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts. This three-ballet series offers new viewers a chance to sample ballet in a unique way through Margo Sappington’s “Common People,” Trey McIntyre’s “Second Before the Ground,” and George Balanchine’s “Agon.” This exciting program includes a world premiere by virtuoso choreographer Margo Sappington. Sappington has worked with celebrities from Prince to The Indigo Girls. The creator of the renowned “Virgin Forest” and a prolific choreographer and dancer, Sappington has crafted a brand new piece for the Milwaukee Ballet. Choreographed to William Shatner’s voice from his CD “Has Been” and put to music by Ben Folds, the piece entitled “Common People” is sure to entertain audiences from curtain rise to curtain fall. The showcase will also feature the Milwaukee premiere of Trey McIntyre’s “Second Before the Ground” featuring fast, leap-filled footwork set to several African compositions recorded by the Kronos Quartet. The Houston Press’ Lauren Kern described “Second Before the Ground” as “…a ballet about love, and there are many funny, flirtatious and wonderfully intimate moments between the lovers in the three pas de deux. But the work is just as much about McIntyre’s love of dance. Falling in love can make you feel like dancing; dancing sometimes feels like falling in love.” The third piece is George Balanchine’s 1950’s edgy “Agon” with music by Igor Stravinsky. A true icon in the ballet world, Balanchine created 425 works before his death in 1983. Called one of the most brilliant and significant artistic achievements of the twentieth century, “Agon,” in Balanchine’s own words, is the quintessential contemporary ballet. In it, the great collaboration between himself and Igor Stravinsky enters a new phase. Agon George
Balanchine, Choreographer George
Balanchine, Choreographer The son of a composer, Balanchine began studying the piano at the age of five, then studied at the Imperial Ballet School in St. Petersburg from 1913 to 1921. He continued his education with three years at the state’s Conservatory of Music, where he studied piano and musical theory, including composition, harmony, and counterpoint. Balanchine made his dancing debut at the age of 10 as a cupid in the Maryinsky Theatre Ballet Company production of The Sleeping Beauty. He joined the company’s corps de ballet at age 17 and also staged one work, Enigmas. In the summer of 1924, Balanchine – along with Tamara Geva, Alexandra Danilova, and Nicholas Efimov – left the newly formed Soviet Union for a tour of Western Europe. All four dancers were invited by impresario Serge Diaghilev to join his Ballets Russes in Paris. After watching Balanchine stage a new version of the Stravinsky ballet Le Chant de Rossignol, Diaghilev hired him as ballet master to replace Bronislava Nijinska. Balanchine served as ballet master with Ballets Russes until the company was dissolved following Diaghilev’s death in 1929. After that, he spent his next few years on a variety of projects which took him all over Europe, then returned to Paris to form his own company, Les Ballets 1933. It was then that he met American dance connoisseur Lincoln Kirstein. Kirstein’s great passion for the contemporary arts included the dream to establish an American ballet school and an American ballet company that would rival those of Europe. He persuaded Balanchine to come to the United States and help him fulfill this dream, and in 1934, the pair founded the School of American Ballet. The first original ballet Balanchine choreographed in this country – Serenade, set to music by Tschaikovsky – was created for dancers from the School and had its world premiere outdoors on the estate of Kirstein’s friend, Edward Warburg, near White Plains, New York. The School remains in operation to this day, training students for companies throughout the United States and the world, but the first ballet companies founded by Balanchine and Kirstein were not as long-lived. American Ballet, Ballet Caravan, and American Ballet Caravan came and went in the years between 1936 and 1940. In 1946, following World War II, Balanchine and Kirstein joined forces again to form Ballet Society, a company which introduced New York subscription-only audiences over the next two years to such new Balanchine works as The Four Temperaments (1946), Stravinsky’s Renard (1947), and Orpheus (1948). Morton Baum, chairman of the City Center of Music and Drama, was so impressed by the program that he invited Ballet Society to join City Center, but with a new name. On October 11, 1948, New York City Ballet was born, dancing an all-Balanchine program consisting of Concerto Barocco, Orpheus, and Symphony In C. Balanchine served as ballet master for New York City Ballet from that year until his death in 1983. An authoritative catalogue of his works lists 425 works created from 1920 to 1982, and many of these continue to be danced today, including Firebird (1949; restaged with Jerome Robbins, 1970); Bourrée Fantasque (1949); La Valse (1951); The Nutcracker, Ivesiana, and Western Symphony (1954); Allegro Brillante (1956); Agon (1957); The Seven Deadly Sins (a revival of the original Les Ballets 1933 production) and Stars and Stripes (1958); Episodes (1959); Monumentum Pro Gesualdo and Liebeslieder Walzer (1960); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1962); Movements For Piano And Orchestra and Bugaku (1963); Don Quixote and Harlequinade (1965); Jewels – his only full-length plotless ballet (1967); Who Cares? (1970); Duo Concertant, Stravinsky Violin Concerto, and Symphony In Three Movements (1972); Coppélia (1974); Pavane (1975); Union Jack (1976); Vienna Waltzes (1977); Ballo della Regina and Kammermusik No. 2 (1978); Robert Schumann’s “Davidsbündlertänze” (1980); and Mozartiana (1981). Though it is for his ballet choreography that Balanchine is most admired, he also choreographed for theater, movies, and opera. He choreographed numerous musical comedies, including On Your Toes, Cabin in the Sky, Babes in Arms, Where’s Charley?, Song of Norway, I Married an Angel, The Boys from Syracuse, The Merry Widow, and The Ziegfeld Follies of 1935. His film credits include Star Spangled Rhythm, I Was an Adventuress, and The Goldwyn Follies. Balanchine’s style has been described as neo-classical. His response to the Romantic classicism was to de-emphasize the plot in his ballets, preferring to let “dance and music be the star of the show.” Balanchine always preferred to call himself a craftsman rather than a creator, comparing himself to a cook or a cabinetmaker (both hobbies of his), and he had a reputation throughout the dance world for the calm and collected way in which he worked with his dancers and colleagues. Above all, he emphasized the primacy of music, choosing important composers and commissioning new works rather than relying on traditional ballet scores. “Choreography can only be the result of great music,” he said, and “The music is always first.” In 1970, U.S. News & World Report attempted to summarize Balanchine’s achievements: “The greatest choreographer of our time, George Balanchine, is responsible for the successful fusion of modern concepts with older ideas of classical ballet ... often working with modern music, and simplest of themes, he has created ballets that are celebrated for their imagination and originality. He has made American dance the most advanced and richest in choreographic development in the world today.” Balanchine was the recipient of many honors in his lifetime, including one of the first Kennedy Center Honors; induction into Hollywood’s Entertainment Hall of Fame; a Knighthood of the Order of Dannebrog, First Class, by Queen Margrethe II of Denmark; the Gold Medal of Merit from the National Society of Arts and Letters; the Austrian Cross of Honor for Science and Letters, First Class; the French Legion of Honor; French Commander of the Order of Arts and Letter decoration; and National Institute of Arts and Letters award for Distinguished Service to the Arts. Shortly before his death in 1983, he received his last major award: the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor that can be conferred upon a civilian in the United States. Under the direction of Peter Martins, New York City Ballet and the School of American Ballet remain dedicated to Balanchine’s ideals. New York City Ballet today is one of the foremost arts institutions in the world, dancing for 23 weeks a year at its home since 1964, the New York State Theater at Lincoln Center in New York City, with additional weeks spent at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center in upstate New York, as well as tours nationally and abroad. In addition, Balanchine works are danced by companies all over the world. Agon
History Agon is the third of three ballet collaborations between Stravinsky (1882-1971) and Balanchine, the other two being Apollon Musagete (1928) and Orpheus (1948). Unlike those previous works, Agon is plotless, an abstract ballet for eight female and four male dancers. Some of the dances were suggested by a description of seventeenth-century French court dances, to which the titles of movements, such as "Bransle Simple," "Bransle Gay," and "Bransle de Poitou," bear witness. Another influence was the music of the Second Vienna School, particularly Anton Webern. Stravinsky had written works using serial procedures within a tonal context, notably the Cantata of 1952, before beginning work on Agon in 1953. By the time he finished the ballet in April 1957, he had completed his Canticum Sacrum, which contains sections employing strict serial technique. Agon itself progresses from a basically diatonic, fanfarelike opening through a series of increasingly chromatic movements to a "Pas de deux" that speaks the language of the late, serial Stravinsky. Balanchine rose to the musical language of the "Pas de deux" with a dance for Diana Adams and Arthur Mitchell that became one of the defining moments of midcentury ballet. The ballet is the artistic and spiritual triumph of two artists who fled their homeland following the turbulence of revolution to seek artistic freedom of expression and who went on to transplant the musical and dance heritage of Imperial Russia onto American soil with spectacular results that forever changed dance. Biography of George Balanchine courtesy of New York City Ballet.
Second
Before the Ground Choreography: Trey
McIntyre
Photo courtesy Houston Ballet. Trey McIntryre,
Choreographer In 1994, Mr. McIntyre was the youngest choreographer selected internationally to participate in New York City Ballet’s prestigious “Diamond Project.” There he created Steel and Rain, of which New York Times dance critic Anna Kisselgoff wrote, “Trey McIntyre...is obviously a new face to watch.” Mr. McIntyre has since choreographed works for companies domestically and abroad, including Stuttgart Ballet, American Ballet Theatre and Ballet de Santiago (Chile). He served as Resident Choreographer for Oregon Ballet Theatre during the 1998-1999 season and currently holds the same title with both The Washington Ballet and Ballet Memphis, where he has created some of his most innovative works to date. Mr. McIntyre has received many grants and awards, including two choreographic fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and a Choo-San Goh Award for Choreography. In 2003, he was named one of Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch.” His most recent accomplishment is the formation of his own company, Trey McIntyre Project, which enjoyed incredible successes in its 2005 inaugural tour to festivals in Vail, Aspen, Boise and Jacob’s Pillow. Trey McIntyre Project reforms in 2006 to encore performances at The Vail International Dance Festival, Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival and an additional performance at Wolf Trap Center for the Performing Arts. For more information, please visit www.treymcintyre.com Second
Before the Ground Reviews
"McIntyre is a talent to watch: His Second Before the Ground is the most exhilarating work I've seen by a young choreographer in years.”--Christine Temin, The Boston Globe “The best of the night, and a pleasure to watch, was the opening ballet by a Kansas choreographer, Trey McIntyre. In Second Before the Ground (1995), he took a pretty score of African songs adapted for string quartet and drums, and made to it a flirting, loving, modern-classical ensemble for couples that was choreographically bright and unaffectedly sincere. Enchanting little gestural details between lovers never rang false—rubbed noses, heads patted, pretend tiffs. It is a sweet piece.”--Ismene Brown, The Daily Telegraph, London “Trey McIntyre’s sunny Second Before the Ground, a three-part celebration of young love, made me tingle. It’s an exceptional piece of choreography…”--Molly Glentzer, Houston Chronicle “Getting to see Trey McIntyre’s Second Before the Ground was a treat. Unlike many contemporary choreographers, McIntyre doesn’t just use ballet technique as a sexy extension of watered-down modern dance. He uses petit allegro and other steps specific to ballet – but he mixes up rhythm and angle in a way that gives them new focus."--Jordan Levin, The Miami Herald
Common
People Margo
Sappington, Choreographer
Texas-born Margo Sappington joined the Joffrey Ballet in 1965 -- at the invitation of Robert Joffrey -- where she danced an extensive repertoire of works including ballets by Gerald Arpino. Transitioning from the ballet world, Ms. Sappington danced on Broadway in Bob Fosse's Sweet Charity, and assisted and appeared in the award-winning Broadway musical, Promises, Promises, choreographed by Michael Bennett. Ms. Sappington's career turned towards choreography. In 1969 she choreographed the off-Broadway musical, Oh! Calcutta! which premiered at the Eden Theater in New York. In 1971 she choreographed her first ballet, Weewis, for the Joffrey Ballet. In 1993 Ms. Sappington created Slide for the Joffrey Ballet which was a section of the company's highly acclaimed evening-length work, Billboards, danced to a score by rock musician Prince. Slide has been performed from New York to California during the Joffrey Ballet's national tours and as far reaching as Alaska, Hawaii, and Australia -- seen by millions on stage and later on television when in the summer of 1993, Billboards was filmed for broadcast on American and European television. It was also released on videocassette. In the United States her works have been danced by the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Carolina Ballet, the Joffrey Ballet, the Houston Ballet, the Harkness Ballet, the Milwaukee Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, and the Pennsylvania Ballet. Her works have been seen internationally as danced by Aterballetto (Italy), Ballet du Capitole (France), Ballet du Nord (France), Ballet Nuevo Mundo de Caracas, Nederlands Dans Theater, and the Ballets Jazz de Montreal. In 1988 Ms. Sappington created a new ballet, Heliotrope, for the Central Ballet of China in Beijing -- the first creation by an American choreographer for the company. Her ballet, Virgin Forest, inspired by Rousseau's jungle paintings and created for the Milwaukee Ballet, was the subject of an award-winning documentary for PBS. Since 1986, Ms. Sappington has formed a close artistic association with Hubbard Street Dance in Chicago where she has created Cobras in the Moonlight, Step Out of Love, And Now This, Forging Ground, and a pas de deux, Mirage. In 1993 Ms. Sappington created the dance drama, Juliana, based on the short story, "La Intrusa" by Jorge Luis Borges for Rajatabla Danza (Caracas, Venezuela) and in 1994 created Counterpoint for the Bordeaux Grand Theatre set to the music of Count Basie. In 1992, Ms. Sappington initiated her collaboration with Valentina Kozlova and from that collaboration was born "From Bolshoi to Broadway" and in 1995 formed a collaboration with Ms. Kozlova becoming co-artistic director and choreographer of The Daring Project. For The Daring Project Ms. Sappington has choreographed more than a dozen pieces including Don't Bring Lulu, For Ella, Magyar Dances, and One Summer Night, all choreographed to music ranging from Liszt and Brahms to songs sung by Ella Fitzgerald, and flamenco music by Paco de Lucia. In 2001 Ms. Sappington created a new piece for the Atlanta Ballet, The Indigo Girls Project, which included the participation of the well-known singing group, The Indigo Girls. In 2002 Ms. Sappington created Zuzu Lounge for the Kansas City Ballet. In 2006 Ms. Sappington will participate in BalletMet's Columbus Jazz Orchestra Project. Ms. Sappington has also choreographed several Broadway musicals including Doonesbury, and revivals of Where's Charley? with Raul Julia, and Pal Joey. She recently choreographed a Latin version of Andrew Lloyd-Webber's Song and Dance for the Coconut Grove Playhouse. Ms. Sappington has also choreographed for opera productions including Aida, Samson and Delilah, and La Gioconda for the San Francisco Opera which were presented in international simulcasts, as well as choreography for the San Francisco Opera's production of Death in Venice, the Canadian Opera Company's production of The Merry Widow, and the Nederlans Operastichting's production of La Belle Helene. Ms. Sappington has also choreographed music videos for Jermaine Jackson and Pia Zadora, and created the choreography for television commercials for Dr. Pepper, National Car Rental, L'Eggs, Wendy's, Diet Coke, Dunkin' Donuts, and Kodak. Ms. Sappington's choreography has been praised for its marked individuality, energy, and theatricality. In 2005 Ms. Sappington created a role in the premiere of Charles Strouse's Real Men at the Coconut Grove Playhouse. Ms. Sappington is also a popular master teacher. |
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