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Degas's Little Dancer Inspires New Musical

Sarah Cascone, Friday, October 24, 2014

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Tiler Peck in costume as Edgar Degas muse Marie van Goethem for the new musicalLittle Dancer. Photo: Matthew Karas, courtesy the Kennedy Center, Washington, DC.

Little Dancer Age Fourteen, Edgar Degas's groundbreaking wax sculpture, is the inspiration for a new musical that opens at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, this weekend, reports the Associated Press.

Created between 1878 and 1881, Little Dancer was meant to debut at the fifth Impressionist exhibition of 1880, but Degas spent another year working on the piece. It met with mixed reviews at the following year's edition, and he never publicly exhibited it, or any of its many bronze copies, again. Many critics were not sure of what to make of the unprecedented inclusion of non-art materials—Degas dressed his diminutive wax dancer in a real cotton-and-silk tutu and linen slippers, and used real human hair, tied up with a silk-and-linen ribbon.

The model for the statue was a young dancer named Marie van Goethem, a member of the Paris Ballet ballet company. The new musical explores her relationship with Degas (avoiding any hint impropriety on the artist's part). Born into a poor family in 1865, van Goethem began dancing at a young age, and earned a supplemental income by posing for Degas. Marie disappeared from history after being fired from the ballet in 1882.

"I would wonder about that little girl," director and choreographer Susan Stroman told the AP. "Like, 'Who was she? Why did he choose her?' She looked different from all the other ballerinas that he would paint, and you could tell that she had spirit, she had character."

"They love to bicker, Degas and Marie," added Tiler Peck, the New York City Ballet principal dancer who plays van Goethem opposite four-time Tony winner Boyd Gaines. "He's finally met a ballerina who isn't afraid to speak."

The Little Dancer Company view Edgar Degas's Little Dancer Aged Fourteen, at the National Gallery of in Art, Washington, D.C. Photo: courtesy the Kennedy Center, Washington, DC.

The production's book and lyrics are written by Lynn Ahrens, who was intrigued by a bronze copy of the statue she encountered at the Clark Institute in Massachusetts. "I began to see a story emerging about an artist who was beginning to go blind, who was frightened that he was losing his power to paint," she explained to NPR. "Into his life, somehow, walks a little girl who inspires him, in some way, because she is such an urchin, such a spirit and a stubborn soul, and he begins to sketch her and suddenly decides that he wants to sculpt."

The play is about more than just artistic genius however, Stroman is quick to point out. "It's a serious story, because it does touch on the plight of women in Paris in 1881, and what their options were," she told the AP—ballet could help a young girl escape poverty, but could also lead to a life as a courtesan or prostitute.

Like history, the show doesn't reveal what becomes of van Goethem, but it does hint at several possible paths her life could have taken, ending on a hopeful note. "She was a complete survivor," said Peck.

Little Dancer begins previews tomorrow, October 25, and will run through November 20 at the Kennedy Center. It is accompanied by the National Gallery of Art exhibition "Degas's Little Dancer," which includes the original wax statue and a number of related works, including 13 pieces from the museum's collection. It is on view through January 11, 2015.

Follow @sarahecascone on Twitter.

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Bus-pass ballet: the over-70s dancers who are going back to the barre

Dance worships the young. But a new show is giving older performers a chance to shine

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‘They don’t ever stop being dancers’ … Betsy Gregory in rehearsal for Elixir festival. Photograph: Tony Nandi

The last time I performed at Sadler’s Wells,” says Namron Yarrum, with a chuckle, “there was still gas lighting back stage.” Namron, as he was always known, was one of the UK’s great pioneering dancers. For a long time the most high-profile black dancer in Britain, and a founder member of London Contemporary Dance Theatre, he dominated the 1970s and early 80s with the powerfully earthed grace of his performances.

When the years took their physical toll, Namron moved into a career in teaching, and had no expectation of returning to the stage. But now, at the plumper and more grizzled age of 70, he’s agreed to come out of retirement, and join eight other seniors in performing a new work at Sadler’s Wells, London, as part of a short season celebrating the artistry of the older dancer.

The Elixir festival is the brainchild of Jane Hackett, director of creative learning at Sadler’s, who’s long been fascinated by the trajectory of dancers as they age. While most stop performing in their late 30s or early 40s, Hackett believes they don’t ever stop being dancers. “I think something develops in them during their career,” she says. “It stays with them – in their muscle memory and in their sense of who they are.”

It was exploring that core “something” that prompted Hackett to assemble a group, ranging in age from 54 to 70, to collaborate on a new work with choreographer Jonathan Burrows. Namron was one of the people at the top of her list, along with several other former LDCT dancers, includingLinda Gibbs and Christopher Bannerman. Namron couldn’t resist the chance to reconnect with his peers, nor to dance at Sadler’s again. But he admits he was also nervous, worried about his ability to remember steps, and about being shown up by younger cast members. “I said to Jane, ‘If they can’t show their bus pass, don’t bother to let them in, because I can’t compete with them.”

In fact, when I meet up with the group, they all admit to varying degrees of trepidation. There’s no disguising that, collectively, they are a wrinklier, baggier version of their past selves, and there’s much searching for reading glasses whenever they need to consult their rehearsal notes. Even Gibbs, an impressively fit Pilates teacher, says her first reaction to Hackett’s request was: “Oh my God, I’m just too old.”

Kenneth Tharp rehearses for Elixir festival. Photograph: Tony Nandi

Yet they’re also curious and excited. Kenneth Tharp was intrigued to discover what had happened to his dancing over the years. “I wondered if I had just frozen when I stopped, or whether I had carried on growing by having watched and absorbed other people dancing.” And for choreographer Burrows, even though he started the group on a limited palette of movements, it’s been extraordinary seeing how quickly they’ve rediscovered their skills. “Almost as soon as they started to move, the sense of grace and strength came back. As if some pattern had been reactivated. I saw it especially with Betsy Gregory. She’s been behind a desk for some years, as director of Dance Umbrella, but when she started dancing I thought, ‘I remember this woman and how amazing she was.’ It was almost like nothing had changed.”

At the same time, Burrows has been entranced by the life experiences, the knowledge, the range of references the group have brought to the project, along with a collective confidence no younger dancers can match. Watching them in rehearsal, it’s striking how much they query and analyse what they’re developing, how frequently they answer back – and how raucously funny they are. Burrows at one point floats the theory that, irrespective of what happens in performance, “the work of art is here in this room with the exchanging of all our stories”.

“That’s all well and good,” snorts Gregory, “until we’re on stage and we fall on our faces.”

Lizie Giradeau, another former LCDT dancer, feels that, in some profound way, this project has reconnected her with her true self. “For years, my identity was defined by being a dancer, and when I stopped it was a big challenge to find other ways of being expressive. I had my garden and the textile work that I do, but it’s still been very poignant for me coming back to this.”

Gibbs adds: “It’s what I love doing, what I’ve always loved doing.” And Namron feels he too is continuing a 50-year journey that he never really abandoned. “Its great to be going back on to the stage,” he says. “As I always say, dance fell in love with me – and I have never stopped being in love with it.”

• The Elixir festival is at Sadler’s Wells, London, 12-15 September. Box office: 0844 412 4300.

reposted from Ballet News Reviews

April 3, 2014

Reviews

Ballet News Reviews | Lest We Forget | English National Ballet

English National Ballet rehearses Akram Khan ‘s new work: Dust, as part of a program entitled ‘Lest We Forget’ in commemoration of the start of World War I, at The Barbican Centre, London on March 15, 2014. Photo: Arnaud Stephenson

Lest We Forget

English National Ballet

The Barbican, 2nd April 2014

Artistic Director and principal dancer Tamara Rojo & Fabian Reimair from English National Ballet rehearse Akram Khan ‘s new work: Dust, as part of a program entitled ‘Lest We Forget’ in commemoration of the start of World War I, at The Barbican Centre, London on March 15, 2014. Photo: Arnaud Stephenson

Many evenings spent in the theatre are forgettable; either the music grates or the choreography is so-so. Not this one. Rarely, if ever, have I seen English National Ballet so together and, well, on it.

A century on, Lest We Forget takes its theme from the First World War and the separation, longing, death and sheer work of that time. Recurring themes of trenches, of leaving, of staying and going to a job you don’t want to do, of factories, of small personal details, of loneliness & reflection, and of course, of loss, make this an impactful evening.

Ksenia Ovsyanick from English National Ballet rehearses George Williamson’s: Firebird, as part of a program entitled ‘Lest We Forget’ in commemoration of the start of World War I, at The Barbican Centre, London on March 15, 2014. Photo: Arnaud Stephenson

Akram Khan’s Dust may have been the big draw, and it was absolutely worth seeing, but it was Liam Scarlett’s clever No Man’s Land that delivered the biggest punch of the night. Punchy in its quietness, Jon Bausor’s designs aided the dancers in conveying the idea of seven couples and the pain of separation during war, as well as the unknown. Rich nuggets stand out : within a split stage, two dancers mimic each other’s tiny movements though they cannot see one another, a tender duet between Tamara Rojo and Esteban Berlanga (back as a guest dancer), a moving pas de deux with Fernanda Oliveira and Max Westwell, and the rows of women known during the war as ‘the canaries’ because the powder used to make explosives made their hands yellow. Indeed, their hands were yellow.

Alina Cojocaru & Zdenek Konvalina from English National Ballet rehearse Liam Scarlett’s new piece: No Man’s Land, as part of a program titled ‘Lest We Forget’ in commemoration of the start of World War I, at The Barbican Centre, London on March 15, 2014. Photo: Arnaud Stephenson

George Williamson’s Firebird isn’t much improved from last time. It’s a bit of a fantasy with great costumes and not much else. All praise to Ksenia Ovsyanick for her taut, fiery, flexible dancing in the title role; perfect casting. Begoña Cao, as the Purist, was strong and serene, and Junor Souza, as the Captain, had a cracker of a night. But it’s a ballet that doesn’t fit in this bill.

Alina Cojocaru & Zdenek Konvalina from English National Ballet rehearse Liam Scarlett’s new piece: No Man’s Land, as part of a program titled ‘Lest We Forget’ in commemoration of the start of World War I, at The Barbican Centre, London on March 15, 2014. Photo: Arnaud Stephenson

Russell Maliphant’s Second Breath is by far the most contemporary ballet of the night, and furthest from the classical comfort zone of the dancers and some of the audience. A bare stage covered with gently tilting dancers wearing battle dress is a stunning opener. The central couple, Zouza again, this time with Alina Cojocaru, made the most of the limited choreography. I’m used to seeing them both take on so much more and it felt disappointing to see them tumbling over each other to little effect. Many times you could have mistaken Cojocaru to be marking the steps – which she wasn’t – as if waiting for something more.

Junor Souza and Alina Cojocaru from English National Ballet rehearse Russell Maliphant’s new work: Second Breath, as part of a program entitled ‘Lest We Forget’ in commemoration of the start of World War I, at The Barbican Centre, London on March 15, 2014. Photo: Arnaud Stephenson

Akram Khan’s Dust felt very much like an ode to himself, though that takes nothing away from the brilliance of the work. A row of slowly upturning hands to the light; a sharp synchronised hand clap to release the dust; a no-hands head stand : these are details that mark out a great work.  At the same time, a piece danced by the choreographer inevitably has a distinct smell, and Dust was phenomenally danced by all concerned, but with Khan on the stage it could have been any one of his other works, for other people. There wasn’t anything distinctly ENB about it. That said, the Company were so together, so grounded and so visceral that they made the steps real, particularly as they turned themselves into human rope and unleashed their true power. Rojo returned to dance with Khan, and though the pas de deux had depth, it lacked interest. The women of the company, dressed in leggings and flapping over layers were stunning – and superbly rehearsed – in the middle section which was set so powerfully to the music and where they embody the social shift towards women in the workforce that is so marked during the war.

Anton Lukovkin from English National Ballet rehearses Russell Maliphant’s new work: Second Breath, as part of a program entitled ‘Lest We Forget’ in commemoration of the start of World War I, at The Barbican Centre, London on March 15, 2014. Photo: Arnaud Stephenson

This bill is one that you should see. It’s innovative in the true sense of the word. It’s brave and it has worked. The theatre was full and the audience reaction was validation of the immense hard work and dedication that the dancers have put into this work. They danced as one, they danced with power and intent, and they should be rewarded. Good to see Royal Ballet dancers in the audience including Natalia Osipova.

Don’t forget. Go.

Lest We Forget is in rep at the Barbican until 12th April

Ballet dancers' brains adapt to stop them getting in a spin

reposted from:
http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/newsandeventspggrp/imperialcollege/newssummary/news_26-9-2013-17-43-4

News: health Ballet dancers' brains adapt to stop them feeling dizzy by Sam Wong27 September 2013 Scientists have discovered differences in the brain structure of ballet dancers that may help them avoid feeling dizzy when they perform pirouettes. The research suggests that years of training can enable dancers to suppress signals from the balance organs in the inner ear. The findings, published in the journal Cerebral Cortex, could help to improve treatment for patients with chronic dizziness. Around one in four people experience this condition at some time in their lives. Normally, the feeling of dizziness stems from the vestibular organs in the inner ear. These fluid-filled chambers sense rotation of the head through tiny hairs that sense the fluid moving. After turning around rapidly, the fluid continues to move, which can make you feel like you’re still spinning. Ballet dancers can perform multiple pirouettes with little or no feeling of dizziness. The findings show that this feat isn’t just down to spotting, a technique dancers use that involves rapidly moving the head to fix their gaze on the same spot as much as possible. Researchers at Imperial College London recruited 29 female ballet dancers and, as a comparison group, 20 female rowers whose age and fitness levels matched the dancers’. The volunteers were spun around in a chair in a dark room. They were asked to turn a handle in time with how quickly they felt like they were still spinning after they had stopped. The researchers also measured eye reflexes triggered by input from the vestibular organs. Later, they examined the participants’ brain structure with MRI scans. In dancers, both the eye reflexes and their perception of spinning lasted a shorter time than in the rowers. Dr Barry Seemungal, from the Department of Medicine at Imperial, said: “Dizziness, which is the feeling that we are moving when in fact we are still, is a common problem. I see a lot of patients who have suffered from dizziness for a long time. Ballet dancers seem to be able to train themselves not to get dizzy, so we wondered whether we could use the same principles to help our patients.” The brain scans revealed differences between the groups in two parts of the brain: an area in the cerebellum where sensory input from the vestibular organs is processed and in the cerebral cortex, which is responsible for the perception of dizziness. The area in the cerebellum was smaller in dancers. Dr Seemungal thinks this is because dancers would be better off not using their vestibular systems, relying instead on highly co-ordinated pre-programmed movements. “It’s not useful for a ballet dancer to feel dizzy or off balance. Their brains adapt over years of training to suppress that input. Consequently, the signal going to the brain areas responsible for perception of dizziness in the cerebral cortex is reduced, making dancers resistant to feeling dizzy. “If we can target that same brain area or monitor it in patients with chronic dizziness, we can begin to understand how to treat them better.” Another finding in the study may be important for how chronic dizzy patients are tested in the clinic. In the control group, the perception of spinning closely matched the eye reflexes triggered by vestibular signals, but in dancers, the two were uncoupled. “This shows that the sensation of spinning is separate from the reflexes that make your eyes move back and forth,” Dr Seemungal said. “In many clinics, it’s common to only measure the reflexes, meaning that when these tests come back normal the patient is told that there is nothing wrong. But that’s only half the story. You need to look at tests that assess both reflex and sensation.” The research was funded by a Health Foundation / Academy of Medical Sciences Fellowship and the Medical Research Council. Y Nigmatullina et al. ‘The Neuroanatomical Correlates of Training-Related Perceptuo-Reflex Uncoupling in Dancers’ Cerebral Cortex, 27 September 2013. doi:10.1093/cercor/bht266 See the press release of this article

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-09/icl-bdb092513.php


Public release date: 26-Sep-2013
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Contact: Sam Wong
sam.wong@imperial.ac.uk
44-207-594-2198
Imperial College London 

Ballet dancers' brains adapt to stop them getting in a spin

Scientists have discovered differences in the brain structure of ballet dancers that may help them avoid feeling dizzy when they perform pirouettes.

The research suggests that years of training can enable dancers to suppress signals from the balance organs in the inner ear.

The findings, published in the journal Cerebral Cortex, could help to improve treatment for patients with chronic dizziness. Around one in four people experience this condition at some time in their lives.

Normally, the feeling of dizziness stems from the vestibular organs in the inner ear. These fluid-filled chambers sense rotation of the head through tiny hairs that sense the fluid moving. After turning around rapidly, the fluid continues to move, which can make you feel like you're still spinning.

Ballet dancers can perform multiple pirouettes with little or no feeling of dizziness. The findings show that this feat isn't just down to spotting, a technique dancers use that involves rapidly moving the head to fix their gaze on the same spot as much as possible.

Researchers at Imperial College London recruited 29 female ballet dancers and, as a comparison group, 20 female rowers whose age and fitness levels matched the dancers'.

The volunteers were spun around in a chair in a dark room. They were asked to turn a handle in time with how quickly they felt like they were still spinning after they had stopped. The researchers also measured eye reflexes triggered by input from the vestibular organs. Later, they examined the participants' brain structure with MRI scans.

In dancers, both the eye reflexes and their perception of spinning lasted a shorter time than in the rowers.

Dr Barry Seemungal, from the Department of Medicine at Imperial, said: "Dizziness, which is the feeling that we are moving when in fact we are still, is a common problem. I see a lot of patients who have suffered from dizziness for a long time. Ballet dancers seem to be able to train themselves not to get dizzy, so we wondered whether we could use the same principles to help our patients."

The brain scans revealed differences between the groups in two parts of the brain: an area in the cerebellum where sensory input from the vestibular organs is processed and in the cerebral cortex, which is responsible for the perception of dizziness.

The area in the cerebellum was smaller in dancers. Dr Seemungal thinks this is because dancers would be better off not using their vestibular systems, relying instead on highly co-ordinated pre-programmed movements.

"It's not useful for a ballet dancer to feel dizzy or off balance. Their brains adapt over years of training to suppress that input. Consequently, the signal going to the brain areas responsible for perception of dizziness in the cerebral cortex is reduced, making dancers resistant to feeling dizzy. If we can target that same brain area or monitor it in patients with chronic dizziness, we can begin to understand how to treat them better."

Another finding in the study may be important for how chronic dizzy patients are tested in the clinic. In the control group, the perception of spinning closely matched the eye reflexes triggered by vestibular signals, but in dancers, the two were uncoupled.

"This shows that the sensation of spinning is separate from the reflexes that make your eyes move back and forth," Dr Seemungal said. "In many clinics, it's common to only measure the reflexes, meaning that when these tests come back normal the patient is told that there is nothing wrong. But that's only half the story. You need to look at tests that assess both reflex and sensation."

###

The research was funded by a Health Foundation / Academy of Medical Sciences Fellowship and the Medical Research Council.

For more information please contact:

Sam Wong
Research Media Officer
Imperial College London
Email: sam.wong@imperial.ac.uk
Tel: +44(0)20 7594 2198
Out of hours duty press officer: +44(0)7803 886 248

Notes to editors

1. Y Nigmatullina et al. 'The Neuroanatomical Correlates of Training-Related Perceptuo-Reflex Uncoupling in Dancers' Cerebral Cortex, 27 September 2013. doi:10.1093/cercor/bht266

2. About Imperial College London

Consistently rated amongst the world's best universities, Imperial College London is a science-based institution with a reputation for excellence in teaching and research that attracts 14,000 students and 6,000 staff of the highest international quality. Innovative research at the College explores the interface between science, medicine, engineering and business, delivering practical solutions that improve quality of life and the environment - underpinned by a dynamic enterprise culture.

Since its foundation in 1907, Imperial's contributions to society have included the discovery of penicillin, the development of holography and the foundations of fibre optics. This commitment to the application of research for the benefit of all continues today, with current focuses including interdisciplinary collaborations to improve global health, tackle climate change, develop sustainable sources of energy and address security challenges.

In 2007, Imperial College London and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust formed the UK's first Academic Health Science Centre. This unique partnership aims to improve the quality of life of patients and populations by taking new discoveries and translating them into new therapies as quickly as possible.

Website: http://www.imperial.ac.uk

3. About the Health Foundation

The Health Foundation is an independent charity working to continuously improve the quality of healthcare in the UK. We want the UK to have a healthcare system of the highest possible quality – safe, effective, person-centred, timely, efficient and equitable. We believe that in order to achieve this, health services need to continually improve the way they work. We are here to inspire and create the space for people, teams, organisations and systems to make lasting improvements to health services. Working at every level of the healthcare system, we aim to develop the technical skills, leadership, capacity, knowledge, and the will for change, that are essential for real and lasting improvement.

You can follow the Health Foundation on Twitter:http://www.twitter.com/healthfdn

4. About the Academy of Medical Sciences

The Academy of Medical Sciences is the independent body in the UK representing the diversity of medical science. Our mission is to promote medical science and its translation into benefits for society. The Academy's elected Fellows are the United Kingdom's leading medical scientists from hospitals, academia, industry and the public service. We work with them to promote excellence, influence policy to improve health and wealth, nurture the next generation of medical researchers, link academia, industry and the NHS, seize international opportunities and encourage dialogue about the medical sciences. http://www.acmedsci.ac.uk

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