PAGE 4A
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2011
CENTER STAGE
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Dancers recreate history
KELSEY CIPOLLA
kcipolla@kansan.com
Dancers in the Suanne Farrell Balllet glided across the Iced Center stage Saturday, but the choreography the dancers performed had actually been painstakingly recreated.
Farrell's company, which just celebrated its 10th anniversary, is best known for performing the works of the late George Balanchine, one of the most prominent choreographers in American ballet history. After Balanchine's death, Farrell, one of Balanchine's most celebrated muses, carried on his legacy by piecing together dances that would have otherwise been lost and bringing them to new audiences.
Michael Ann Mulliken, general manager of the Suzanne Farrell Ballet based in Washington D.C., discussed the challenges of re-staging decades-old ballets.
"She has been taking bits and pieces of ballets and parting them back to together" Mullik in said.
For references. Farrell used her own memories of the routines as well as video shot by her family and archived footage.
So far 10 ballets have been pieced together, but the first ballet performed Saturday night, called Haitie Diverimento, was resurrected by a dance figure closer to home. The late Todd Bolender, who was in the ballet's original cast and died in 2006, received the piece when he was the artistic director of the Kansas City Ballet.
Two of the ballets from the company's performance were created especially for Farrell by Balanchine. Meditation, an emotionally charged dance between a couple dressed in simple clothing rather than the opulent costumes of other numbers, was the first piece the late choreographer ever crafted for his muse. Years later, he left it to Farrell after his death. Her company is the only in the world that performs it.
The dance was a favorite of Emma Springer, a junior from Wichita. "That one seemed more personal" she said.
Springer said the costumes and the dancing were beautiful, but the initial idea behind attending the ballet was for her and her friends to do something different.
"We wanted to get all fancy and go to the ballet." Springer said.
to the ballet, Springer said.
Rae Jacobs, a junior from Holton,
also enjoyed Meditation, but her own
ties to dance were what made the show
especially significant.
"I danced for 11 years," Holton said. "And I have a friend who does ballet in New York, so it's cool to come to this here."
Edited by Jayson Jenks
PHOTOS BY CHRIS BRONSON/KANSAN
The Suzanne Farrell Ballet performed the works of famed choreographer George Balanchine on Saturday. The Farrell company just celebrated its 10th anniversary.