The end is near. It is closing weekend here at the ballet and there seems to be a collective sense of readiness amongst the dancers. We have had a long and exciting season, but our bodies are ready for a little bit of a break. We have spent much time together over the past ten months and though we are supportive of one another and have thoroughly enjoyed spending the season traveling and performing together, it’s time for a short hiatus. We scatter ourselves across the globe, most people going home, on vacation, or on various performance guestings. It’s a time for rejuvenation, healing, and a little Vitamin B, a time for nursing that ankle that never fully recovered, that blister that just won’t go away and pedicures to hide those not so lovely toenails!
Lily Rogers in Company Class onstage in Washington, DC (© Erik Tomasson)
As I write this, I have only two performances left. Woohoo! Both shows are Program 7: the full-length, yet abstract, Jewels. I will be doing a Demi-Soloist role in “Diamonds” for both performances and the “Tall Girl” in “Rubies” for the last show. I absolutely love doing “Rubies”; it is fast, free, and fun. The ballet is the most American-feeling of the three, with a Stravinsky score and short, bright red costumes. The lead girl opens the ballet crab-walking on pointe down the center of the stage. She then stops mid-walk, facing the audience, and pushes her arms into a clean second position, almost as if she’s challenging the audience. She is clearly playing leader of the pack for most of the ballet, but steps down from her role at one point and allows herself to be manipulated by the four men in the ballet. They lunge for her feet and arms and slowly move her body into different shapes. This is the only point at which she is not in complete control. I feel very lucky to dance something I like so much on the very last day of the season.
Lily Rogers, Ruben Martin, and Maria Kochetkova in Double Evil (© Erik Tomasson)
Last week I performed Double Evil again, which was simultaneously a total blast and completely exhausting. Every time I perform that role I have more fun with it. Here’s a secret: I was really, really nervous the first time I performed that part. I’m so glad I was able to grow into the role and really have fun with it this year. The music is so fantastic, how could I not be inspired? The ballet is comprised of two totally different scores, by two very different sounding composers. I open the first movement, which is slow and simple, to music composed by Vladimir Martynov. Then, when the entire ensemble is onstage, there is an explosion of light, music, and sound. The piece breaks into loud, fast paced Philip Glass. It is very percussion-heavy, with 16 drums in the orchestra pit. It’s a really fun rollercoaster of a performance, though very physically challenging. I did both of my shows in the same day, and had to do “Rubies” again the next day. Suffice it to say, I was more than thankful to have a massage that Monday.
Now, I would like to take this opportunity to mention that Tina LeBlanc is retiring this Saturday night. After 17 wonderful years with the company she is ready to move on with the next chapter of her life. She has given herself to the profession and is an inspiration and light onstage and off. Her Farewell Performance is this Saturday, which will undoubtedly be a memorable evening. She will be performing some of her signature roles with film clips and speeches interspersed throughout the show. She will be dearly missed.
I would like to wrap up by saying that it’s been a wonderful season and I have thoroughly enjoyed (almost!) every single moment. From the beginning with the American Tour, to Nutcracker, to Gala and finally the home season. I feel I learned a lot, grew as a dancer and am so happy to dance for a company that performs such a wide array of works in its repertory.
Happy Summer, be back in July!
One Comment
Lily, you danced beautifully in “Rubies.” It’s quite something to put a corps dancer into a role like that, not just an important and challenging role to dance, but one that calls for a lot of pizzazz–you have to dominate while you are onstage, to catch and hold everyone’s eyes. It’s not surprising that a dancer like Muriel Maffre, tall and powerful, can do it, but you managed with a special combination of crisp moves, what appeared to be curves that snapped straight precisely on the beat, really clean and precise movement and poses, and a well projected confidence (whether or not you actually felt nervous!). The role did seem to take all you had–you were really breathing hard at the curtain calls, no hiding it, and even still looked flushed while dancing in “Emeralds” later. No matter–you made the “Rubies” role something of your own and it was very effective and strong and valid. Brava!