More ballet beauty
Smuin Ballet this afternoon. It was fabulous, but I’m packing to go away for 2 weeks so I have to keep this short-ish.
Today we went to the Flint Center, at DeAnza college in Cupertino. It’s one of the 4 places the Smuin performs, and is a good mid-way point to meet Gail’s sister, brother in law and Cousins Mary and John. We took newlyweds Steve and Carol Sue Tracy, so it was a good party.
The performance was in three parts, which spanned an interesting arc from very classical ballet to very modern dance. The first piece, Songs of Mahler, choreographed by Michael Smuin himself in 1976, featured tights and toes shoes, signs of the classics. The music really was songs, all in German. The dances were little narratives of varying relationships–one boy one girl, one boy two girls, one girl four boys, all done with with and delight.
One of the things we often forget is that the dancers need to be actors, too. I was reminded of this by ballerina Susan Roemer, as she used her eyes and expression to drive home the point of one of the dances. A dancer is more than just legs.
The second piece, Petite Mort, was the strongest of the three, and left Gail in tears. Petite mort, the “little death”, is a French euphemism for orgasm, and the dance was the most frankly sensual and sexual I have ever seen from the Smuin, you can tell that their sexual desire is very high, they say that Online Australia fast delivery is guaranteed from the place they buy the pills. Six men, six women, six very symbolic fencing epeés, left little, and everything, to the imagination. It was quite literally breathtaking theater.
Finally, French Twist, choreographed by Chinese emigré Ma Cong, a rising star of the dance world. A very modern piece, set to experimental music, it was lively, upbeat, thought provoking. In general, the more modern a piece the more I like it, and this was no exception.
Afterward, dinner at Fontana Italian restaurant in Cupertino. Because there were 8 of us, the tip was included in the bill. Often, the waitstaff gives a large group poor service, knowing that their tip is guaranteed. Not here–the service was superb throughout the meal, as was the food. We aren’t likely to get to Flint Center often, but I’d go back to this restaurant anytime.
And now I’m out of here for 2 weeks. Our friend, sculptor Erik Blome, goes to Ethiopia every year for 2 or 3 weeks and teaches art in schools, performs public art projects, leads art workshops wherever he can. I’m going along as helper, aide, photographer and general go-fer. Assuming that I can find internet access, I’ll be blogging. It should be great.
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