Aside from being the Snow Queen…

Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 | All Posts by Elana Altman, SFB Scene | No Comments

The past few weeks I have been fortunate enough to work with Renato Zanella on his new piece for the 2010 Season.  The first thing that struck me about him is that he came very prepared.  More than just seeing the piece in his mind, he could show us the steps with his body, making it easier for me to learn what he wants and how to do it.   Of course the steps morphed when Renato saw them on our bodies and with our pointe shoes.  Some swivels that worked so well in his socks were not quite the same with our hard boxes and shanks!  Since Renato was familiar with almost every step of his ballet when he arrived, the daunting task of creating an entire ballet in three weeks was accomplished.  We had the first run-through tonight and it looks fantastic!  I’m learning the Storyteller role–a somewhat dark, mysterious creature.  It’s fabulous and I’m eager to see the ballet come to life on stage next spring.

In other hours of the day I’m rehearsing Forsythe’s in the middle, somewhat elevated, one of my all-time favorites.  And then there’s Nutcracker right around the corner.  One thing I love about this Company is that during one hour I’m doing crazy contemporary movement, throwing myself around to the extreme, and the next hour I’m in a tutu dancing Queen of the Snow.  It is that variety and contrast on which I thrive.

Elana Altman and Brett Bauer in Tomasson's Nutcracker. (© Erik Tomasson)

Tags: Elana Altman, in the middle somewhat elevated, Nutcracker, Renato Zanella

Update from the studio…

Monday, November 16th, 2009 | All Posts by Charlene Cohen, SFB Scene | No Comments

I am soaking up the last day of our three-day weekend; it was a much needed vacation after a packed rehearsal schedule last week.  We pulled Nutcracker out of the closet and dusted it off; though, I must admit there were hardly any cobwebs on that ballet.  We remembered Snow, Flowers, and Mirlitons in record time.  Now, our duty is to pass our knowledge to the new dancers, and work on the ballet technically.

In addition to Nutcracker, we have begun refreshing Yuri Possokhov’s Diving Into The Lilacs.  The fun thing about bringing back Yuri’s ballet is that while we are remembering the steps, he is in the studio tweaking them. There is a satisfaction in constantly working on the ballets with him, finding solutions, or finding a better understanding of the motivation behind his steps.  He always demonstrates what he wants clearly, but I must admit some of his movements can be hard to transfer to our bodies.  It’s obvious why he was a celebrated principal here.

Charlene Cohen, Dores Andre, and Clara Blanco in Possokhov's Diving into the Lilacs, last year (© Erik Tomasson)

We also have a new face around the studios: choreographer Renato Zanella.  He comes into the studio with a clear vision.  He explained the storyline or thought behind his new work, and he already had a clear design for the set, lighting, and costumes.  The movement is truly a language in his piece; every step seems to be saying something, or telling a story.  It’s a ballet I look forward to seeing on the stage!

Well, I would say more, but I am off to enjoy these last few hours of my Sunday before we’re back to work in the studios on Monday morning!

Tags: Charlene Cohen, Diving into the Lilacs, Nutcracker, Renato Zanella, Yuri Possokhov