Three Preludes and a White Swan ....

After Thursday night, I can say with absolute confidence that I can die happy without seeing the Pas de Deux of the White Swan from Swan Lake ever again. 

You might think this is a bit extreme but, trust me, if you had seen Lucía Lacarra and her partner Marlon Dino (and husband. Yes, I know, I hate her too...) perform it last night as part of the repertoire of the Bayerisches Staatsballet II, you would understand. 

The auditorium came to a complete standstill and from the moment she came one stage as this otherwordly creature, every single member of the audience held their breath. Her fluidity, extentions, her arms and above all, her artistic sensibility cast a spell which lasted 10 whole minutes. It is pointless to try and explain or convey the emotion I felt, even with a video, because it is something extremely magical to see it live. 

The other piece the two dancers performed was Three Preludes, with music by Sergei Rachmaninov and choreography by Ben Stevenson. This subtle and romantic pas de deux centers on two dancers who fall in love while training in a dance studio. The tree movements unravel at great velocity and intensity, paralel to the growing passion between the dancers. 

I have to say the first movement also took my breath away. Its simplicity, the clean lines of the choreography and the use of the barre make it an unbelievably beautiful piece. Also, I am sure it wouldn't have been the same if it had been any other pair of dancers. Dino and Lacarra share a chemistry and absolute symbiosis on stage that makes anything they do mesmerizing. 

XOXO

Snapvideo. Baileys Christmas Nutcracker ...

I am a massive fan of Christmas and everything to do with it; hot chocolate with friends in warm cafes while it is snowing outside, walking around the city looking up at the lit streets and the big, heavily decorated tree at the town square, going into every single Christmas section in all Department stores in London (although we all know Liberty takes the crown), dressing (and stressing) on New Years Eve because you have nothing red to wear, or just nothing at all... The only thing I've never gotten quite exicted about are Christmas Adverts. There have been some beautiful ones here in Spain for the Nougat and the Lottery but this year we've just gone down to the pit where there's no return (I won't even show you the adverts because I am THAT embarrassed). Anyway, when my friend Lizzy (we share ballet-mania together) told me about this year's Baileys advert, I got my hopes up. And it didn't dissapoint. 

The spot is directed by Ringan Ledwidge and features the Royal Ballet stars Steven McRae, Thiago Soares and Iana Salenko. The choreography was the work of Benjamin Millepied (Natalie Portman's husband) who also worked in Black Swan. Set designer is Sarah Greenwood (Atonement, Pride & Prejudice) 

From the outset, they wanted emotion to drive the story. "What Benjamin and I talked about from the start is that the emotion of the story has always got to be the driving force, and the motivation for what the camera does and what the dancers do" explains Ledwidge. 

Millepied is familiar with working in advertising both as a dancer (he appeared in a recent Air France ad) and as a choreographer and director. "What I like about the chance of making these short films is you have a very short period of time, a very focused period of time, to be able to tell a story and make everything work, which is an incredible challenge" he says. "Also having the command of what the viewer actually sees; on stage I make work that everyone sees from the audience. Here I can control the image. I think it's one step further into really understading what I do"

Ledwidge also defined how the set and the costumes for the ad would look. "The great think was Ringan had a very strong vision, which was fantastic, his brief was very distinct", says set designer Sarah Greenwood. "There could be something barroque about it", continues Greenwood, "there could be something urban about it, there could be something like a speakeasy about it. It's an amazing after party, or an after-after party".

The style extended naturally into the costumes too, which were designed by Ledwidge's long-time collaborator Rosa Dias. "You've got romance, but interpreted in an urban kind of way" she says of the look they were going for. "It's still very edgy, yet romantic. That's what I tried to do with the girls as well, even Clara's dress, I wanted it to have the romantic, ethereal qualities but also to be torn and distressed. A little bit punk, an element of punkiness". 

Girl walks into a bar, locks eyes with boy, they start dancing... and The Mouse King interrupts. A fight breaks and, of course, the girl ends up beating the bad boy and walking away with the girls. Just a casual night out. Anyway, if you hadn't thought of watching The Nutcracker this Christmas, I hope this advert sparked your curiosity. In London, you have the English National Ballet and, of course, The Royal Ballet, each with their own version. 

Here is the final advert and a video of the making of.

Amen

XOXO

Mayerling...

The truth about the double death of Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria-Hungary and the 17-year-old Mary Vetsera has never been established because of an instant court cover-up. Rudolf's unhappy political marriage to Princess Stephanie of Belgium, his involvement with the Hungarian separatists' cause, and the oppressive opposition of his father, Emperor Franz Josef, undoubtedly motivated the desperate conclusion at Mayerling. Memoirs and letters reveal that Rudolf was a depraved and often violent prince, and Mary an obsessive girl only too ready to die for the idea of love.

Mayerling is everything but what you would stereotypically expect from a ballet: it is not sugar-coated, doesn't have a happy ending and  the ballerinas are not wearing tutus. But maybe that is why I love it so much. Set in the late 1800s, it narrates the true story of the tragic deaths of two young supposedly lovers. I say supposedly because the facts are muddled with the lies that were told to cover the double suicide/murder.

 Just before dawn on the 31st of January 1889, a carriage drew up in the rain at the monastery graveyard of Heiligenkreuz, four miles from the royal hunting lodge at Mayerling. On the back seat reclined a young woman in a fur coat and a hat. If the young woman seemed to hold her head high as she was lifted from the carriage, it was because a broom handle rammed between her clothes and her spine, supporting a splintered cranium. The carefully pinned hair, the angle o the fashionable hat, concealed the entrance wound of a bullet. Twenty-four hours earlier, Baroness Mary Vetsera had been murdered by her over, Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria-Hungary, before he shot himself. 

The secret burial, the bulletins lying to the press that Rudolf had died of heart attack, the artful repair to his flesh with wax and paint, were orders of the Prime Minister to the Emperor Franz Josef. The cover-up was so complete that years later, when everyone concerned had died, the sack containing the prince's personal papers was unsealed and found to contain nothing but newspapers and pieces of linen.

As rumours spread at the time, the tragic double suicide was romanticized. From the first speculative revelations in print during the 1890s to the screen's several sentimental versions, elements were either not known or overlooked. Police records reveal that only weeks before he died with Mary, Rudolf had invited one of his mistresses, Mitzi Caspar, to commit suicide with him. She refused and reported him. Mary willingly accepted and kept the secret. She may have seen herself as Juliet, but Rufolf, by then 30 and suffering from venereal disease, was no Romeo. Not only love but political and personal pressures had made his life unbearable. 

But who was Mary Vetsera, the reckless teenager who was ready to die for what she thought was love? For some time, Mary, then only 17, had been importuning the countess Marie Larich (Rufolf's ex-mistress) to be her emissary. It is widely reported that Mary had earlier sought an introduction to Rufolf at the Prater racecourse. An affaire in Egypt the previous year had given Mary a taste for passionate intrigue. Once she turned up at Rudolf's apartments at the Hofburg, a fur coat flung over her nightdress. She was reckless, impulsive, highly strung and dramatic, as much in love with love as she was to become in love with the idea of death. In her final letter to her sister, written at Mayerling, she proclaimed: "We are both going blissfully into the uncertain beyond. Think of me now and again, be happy and marry only for love. I could not do so, and as I could not resist love I am going with him"

With all this backdrop historical information, the ballet had plenty of sources to draw from to recreate the oppressive atmosphere of the court, the smoky taverns and the gloomy, rainy scene at the graveyard. The costumes were an ode to the period: every lady wore a full gown, complete with underskirts, petticoat, hat and jewels and not a single dress was the same. The detail was absolutely impressive and the luxurious fabrics used like velvet, brocade and embroidery emphasized the luxe and wealth which was present at court.

But above all the sets, costumes or anything else, what really touched me was  the passionate, visceral and deadly dance the two lovers perform just before killing themselves. The tension between them was palpable and every kiss, every hug felt like it was the last one. But the choreography doesn't only reflect into their love affair but also translates the horrible fear of death and the unknown these two people have, especially Rudolf.   It feels like they want to experience everything they possibly  can together before exhaling their last breath.

XOXO

P.D The Royal Ballet's Mayerling is on until the 15th of June

P.D All  historical information has been taken from the Royal Ballet's Mayerling Programme

Marguerite...

On Tuesday I gave myself a little treat, you could call it an early Valentines present from me to me. I went to the Royal Opera House for the Ashton Programme. It is such an exciting thing to go to the ballet (or any other theatre venue) on your own. I find it quite relaxing, being alone but surrounded by people at the same time. Walking through the crowds feeling somehow incredibly lucky to be there in those marvellous rooms, heavily decorated in gold and burgundy. Getting ready to go is always a bit of a ritual: choosing the clothes, hair, make up (although I always feel underdressed). And despite the ridiculous amounts of poshness in the room, the overpriced everything and the snobs that look you up and down, I still feel pretty special walking down the corridors where ballet history was made.

The first performance was La Valse, a romantic reminiscence of a 19th century Imperial Vienna where Balls were celebrate constantly. The stage appears dark and smoky after the curtain rises. Gradually, we begin to see couples of dancers, slowly turning. The movements become quicker and bigger and suddenly, a semi opaque curtain is lifted and the colours on the puffed, 50s silhouette skirts suddenly pop and seem brighter. The stage is filled with dancers in tailcoats and ball gowns who whirl and dance under golden chandeliers. The swooping waltz melodies become faster and frantic, overwhelming and intense, reaching a cenit as the curtain starts to close. 

My second favourite was Meditation from Thaïs, a short but intensely exotic pas de deux with music from the opera Thaïs. The story of a courtesan and the priest who tries to convince her to join the spiritual life. Ashton saw a love relationship from the beginning and choreographed the piece accordingly. The ethereal and romantic music of Jules Massenet complements Ashton's ardent love duet. The first costumes were designed by Anthony Dowell.

And the last and my clear favourite was Margarite and Armand. I was already going with high expectations just because Tamara Rojo was performing the main role. She is such a versatile, technically perfect and with a passion and theatricality rarely seen on a classical dancer. The set design alone was sublime. Whites and greys filled the stage with elegant white drapes hanging from the ceiling. A metal structure contrasting against the fair background and representing the "cage" in which Margarite is socially a prisioner. A simple green velvet divan stage left, which is a simple object but carries a lot of the action throughout the ballet. Marguerite's costume is always a tight fitting dress with a full skirt to emphasize her movements and sensuality. The colors are very primal: from black and white on the ball scene to white at the park to bright red (representing love and passion) to then come back to light grey/white for the final scene. 

The narrative for the ballet was taken from the play Le Dame aux Camelias written by Dumas. A burning love between Margarite and Armand which is threatened by social conventions and the "cage" in which Marguerite lives. The choreography draws the tragic essence of the play, expressing the consuming desire of the lovers through increasingly free movements and created for Margot Fonteyn and Nureyev to show their unique partnership.There are points when you forget you are watching ballet and engage so fully in the story that you begin to appreciate what is happening in front of you as a "real" scene rather than a choreographed series of movements. Tamara Rojo gives every port de bras, turn and lift a new meaning and infuses such emotion into it that you can literally "feel" what she is feeling. The audience was in complete silence, mesmerized; you could hear the gasps from the two performers as the tragic ending approached and I couldn't help holding my breath as Marguerite holds her lover one last time. 

Ashton's Programme is on at the Royal Opera House on the 15th, 21st and 23rd of February 

XOXO

The Nutcracker...

Today is the 120th anniversary of the beautiful and ultimately Christmassy ballet "The Nutcracker", which was first performed in 1892 at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg with music by P.Y.Tchaikovsky.
Last Friday I went to a matinee performance of the English National Ballet's version of the tale at the  London Colliseum. One of the first memories I have of the Nutcracker is going to watch it in the small and decadent but opulent theatre at my hometown, performed by small Russian companies. I don't recall much about the performance itself but the whole ritual of dressing up and going to the theatre with my mum and my friends. It was the thrill of running around the dimmly lit corridors with epoque furniture and wallpaper, going into our box and drawing the think and heavy red velvet curtains.The surprise when the last bell rang and the lights went out. There is just something about the ballet that makes me feel like a child again.

The last time I went to see this ballet was a Royal Ballet's version, which was incredible and truly magical. They definitely take care of every single detail in the costume, set and also coreography. It is almost like eating a magnificent, sweet, rich, filling, flavoured Christmas pudding. There are just now enough superlatives to describe it; everything is just more. That massive tree going up in the air will stay in my memory forever.

However, the ENB version didn't thrill me as much. I don't know if it was because it was a matinee (and we all know it isn't the same as an evening) or the fact that it was a child-friendly performance (honest mistake when booking.... NEVER happening again) The set in the first act was beautiful, the inside and outside of a Victorian house and it was perfect for the ball dancing and storytelling scenes. However, the growing of the tree was a bit of a dissappointment since the tree was 2D and from then on it was just a plain backdrop. The journey around the world that Clara and the Nutcracker were supposed to do was just the difference dances coming on stage, performing and leaving. There was no change of scenery, no transition, no interaction with the main characters (in fact, they weren't even there). The only scene I particulary enjoyed was the Snowflakes; the choreography and execution were flawless and, who doesn't love a bit of snow falling down?
I am not sure if scenes and design details were erased from this particular performance because it was child friendly but it wouldn't make any sense; children also appreciate beautiful design and there were also adults watching the performace.

The costumes of the production were acceptable, nothing out of the ordinary. My favourites were the Victorian ballgowns of the first act so that says enough about the rest of the designs... I just felt like something was missing in every single one, there was no attention to detail. The Snowflakes' tutus could've been so much more rich and beaded, conveying a bit more the brilliance and whiteness of snow, and the mice could've also been more embellished.
Despite all this, my Christmas spirits were still up and as I said before, going to the Ballet during Christmas is not much about the performance but the act of walking around the city, watching the lights and spending time with friends, and being transported to another world for a few hours, no matter how loud the kids are...

XOXO

P.D The Royal Ballet's Nutcracker is on from 23rd December to 19th January. 

Life on tiptoes...

A while ago I read this article on the web of S Moda, the fashion suplement of El Pais, a spanish newspaper. It talks about the importance of pointe shoes for ballet dancers and the process of choosing and personalizing pointe shoes. It felt very personal for me; I have been dancing, on and off, since I was 6 years old, with the same teacher.I only stopped when I came to London (call it lazyness, call it having to travel at least half an hour to get anywhere). It is unbelievable how much you get attatched to dancing, to your teacher, to your fellow dancers. It is almost like an addiction and when you have to give it up, it hurts. 

I remember the first time I got my first pair of pointe shoes, I was beyond excited, couldn't wait to saw the laces and try them on straight away. Of course, I had no idea how to do that so I went to class the next day and my teacher burst out laughing when she saw the mess I had done. However, they are hard hard work, there is a lot of sweat, tears, blood and ripped skin involved in dancing on pointe, especially the first months. But somehow, all that is bearable just for a few minutes on stage, with your tutu, high bun and pointe shoes, dancing to Tchaikovsky. 

I have done my best to translate the article as faithfully as possible and I hope you enjoy it

Life on Tiptoes

New York Ballet spends half a million dollars per year in shoes. A mini documentary explains why.

Brenda Otero / 02 May 2012 / 8:30 H.

They look like vestiges from a fairytale, fancies of dreamy girls. Those pink satin shoes in which ballerinas turn. But more than a beautiful object, they are precision tools. The success of any ballet depends on them. Glory and pain attainers. So fundamental to the ballerinas like wheels to cyclists.

In Pointe Shoes, a mini documentary by Galen Summer explores the tight relationship of the ballerinas with their pointe shoes. The protagonist, Megan Fairchild from New York City Ballet, shows the voyage a ballerina goes through before finding the perfect shoe.

She wore her first pair when she was eleven: "a big occasion for a girl", she tells on the video. Since then, every time a new pair comes to her hands she follows the same procedure: a ritual that precedes the performance and consists in bending the shoes, sewing the laces, grazing the sole, apply resin and bandaging the toes with plaster. To a beginner this might take an hour; the more experienced resolve it in five minutes.

English National Ballet dancer sews her shoes before going on stage

As a principal dancer Fairchild assures the uses a new pair per day. She can be balancing in them up to eight hours every day and needs the maximum support of new pointes. During the season she uses a pair per rehearsal and another one per performance.

Every pair costs to the New York Ballet 67,50 dollars, which by the end of the season entails half a million dollars in shoes. Not even Anna Dello Russo and her 4.000 pairs of heels.

The pointe shoes are custom made by artisans by the specifications of each ballerina. In Freed London, each expert has a symbol: a crown, a key, a club...  Tamara Rojo, dancer and new creative director of the English National Ballet, says that they can never personally meet the shoe maker behind the badge.

The pointe shoes have surpassed the confines of the dance world, capturing interest from the fashion industry. Few can resist their charms. The way they enhance the arch of the foot and the combination of simplicity, ingenuousness and coquetry. The nude ballerinas are a classic that still triumphs on the streets everywhere; Repetto, Brigitte Bardot's favourite shoe house, is a super sales brand with prestige beyond the dance world, Courtney Love makes pointe shoes a decorative element and Amy Winehouse used the Freed London originals. They also work hard on stage.

Nobody dare call them tacky

XOXO

Beyond Ballets Russes....

 Last saturday I spent in London before the holidays was very very busy. I had never double booked theatre for the same day because I thought it would be too much, a "performance overdose" but I did it this time anyway because it was the only day I could make it. I went to see the English National  Ballet's Beyond Ballets Russes. The programme consisted in The Firebird, Faun(e), L'apres-midi d'un faune and The Rite of Spring. It was the best ballet I have seen in a long time. The design, especially in the Firebird, was incredible. The set was simple but the lightning created such an intense athmosphere that when it ended, it felt like waking up from a dream. The costume was also beautiful and very detailed. Instead of a tutu for the firebird, she was wearing a unitard embroidered in gold, red, purple that created a lovely image with the lights. My second favourite was L'apres-midi d'un faune. A bare stage, two pianos in the corners (that was the only music) and two men dancing together. It was such a touching moment I even felt like crying (I know! strange right?) But it feels good to see that some things can still get to you in between all the crap that it's in this industry.

The firebird

L'apres-midi d'un faune

The second performance I went to see that day was Complicite's The Master and Margarita at the Barbican, based on the novel by Mikhail Bulgakov. The critics were divided: some said it was a masterpiece (like everything Complicite does) and others disliked it completelym saying it lacked direction and the story was blurred. I hadn't seen Complicite before and I was completely blown away by the magnitude and the technical and theatrical style. I loved it all:  the proyections, the scene changes, the costumes... Nobody can say it was unacceptable (which is what the couple behind me said and left during the interval) If you find this unacceptable, there is nothing out there that will please you because Complicite is at the very top when it comes to theatre. 

XOXO