Right Back at It!

After two weeks back to work at SFB, summer vacation already seems a distant memory. We got right down to business; the past two weeks were dedicated to setting Petrouchka and Ghosts, the Christopher Wheeldon premiere for this season. The two ballets are on completely different sides of the spectrum of ballet, and remind me why I joined this company: the diverse repertoire.

My first opportunity to work with Chris was as a student at the School of American Ballet. He choreographed a ballet called Scénes de Ballet using students from all levels in the school, from beginning to advanced. The set was reminiscent of an old Russian ballet classroom with a ballet barre running diagonally down the stage. The dancers are divided into “real dancers” and their reflections on the other side of the barre, where the mirror would be in a typical ballet studio. The ballet was a great success and so exciting to be a part of; Chris was a choreographer to watch for in the future.

Now, with one week left to finish Ghosts, it will be sad to see him go. He doesn’t sit in a chair and direct, he’s right along with us, dancing every step, and doing it better in jeans and socks. He works fast and before you know it, three hours of rehearsal have flown by. His sense of humor makes the rehearsal a very non-threatening atmosphere; we’re all joined together in the same cause, sharing a laugh along the way. It’s interesting to be witness to the creation of a ballet. Steps work and sometimes they don’t. He’ll rework them, continually honing them until they are satisfactory. Tableaus are created and he’ll add dancers to create a different effect. Great steps become themes of the piece and are repeated throughout, setting the tone of the work. In creating a ballet, a choreographer begins with a blank canvas, and over time layers it with different textures and colors, until it becomes a finished piece.

These opportunities are truly once in a lifetime experiences, and cherished by dancers and choreographers alike. We are evolving our art-form, one ballet at a time.

Charlene Cohen in rehearsal (© Erik Tomasson)