Director's Choice demonstrates diversity and technical prowess of PNB company members

Pacific Northwest Ballet opened its season with Director’s Choice on September 24, 2010, at McCaw Hall. Artistic Director Peter Boal presented four works. Two PNB premiere works were presented, Jiri Kylian’s Sechs Tänze (Six Dances) and Jerome Robbins’ Glass Pieces. The other works of the evening were Kylian’s Petite Mort and JardÍ Tancat by Nacho Duato.

What stood out in this season opener was the company’s growing ability to tackle difficult contemporary ballet and modern movement. As professional ballet dancers, many of these performers have had strict ballet-training. When studying at such esteemed programs as School of American Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, and, of course, Pacific Northwest Ballet School—modern and other dance forms are addressed but not focused on with nearly as much intensity as classical ballet. Movements like contracting the spine, diving to the floor, and feeling weighted to the earth are contrary to a ballet dancer’s training.

In the evening’s performance, PNB broke many stereotypes of what a ballet dancer can do. In the evening’s third work, Nacho Duato’s JardÍ Tancat, the dancers stomped across the floor, jumped loudly from kneeling to standing, beat the dry earth they farmed, and looked to the sky, which does not provide rain. All six dancers moved together fluidly, and then each couple performed their own prayer for rain. The highlight of this work was the wonderful pairing of Soloist Rachel Foster and Principal Dancer Batkhurel Bold. These two moved together as one—with passion in their cores and what appeared to be an extreme comfort in and love of modern dance. Their ability to find less-than-balletic lines followed Duato’s esthetic well.

Another work that displayed the company’s talents was Kylian’s Sechs Tänze. The dancers were dressed in 1700s-style undergarments, powdered wigs, and white faces (complete with beauty mark). In this work, Graham-like contractions are juxtaposed with flailing, ragdoll movement. The women in this piece were exceptionally released and un-balletic—flopping to the floor, rippling the body, and keeping their feet relaxed in partnering. In a pre-show talk, Doug Fullington said that the choreography speaks on its own, and the comedy of the work comes through without acting. While the movement was extremely engaging and filled with quirky moments, those dancers who really performed the role of a moral-lacking 1700s courtesan stole the show.

Petite Mort, acquired by the company last November, is another lighthearted work by Jiri Kylian. In PNB’s opening night performance, some of the performers lacked the fluidity and organic quality needed in this work. As the first piece of the evening, the lackluster contractions and missing tension in the partnering did not stand out terribly; however, once the abilities of the dancers in the following works were seen, Petite Mort became somewhat forgettable.

The final work of the night was Jerome Robbins’ Glass Pieces. As the only ballet piece in the performance, this work proved to be the perfect closer for an evening of great works. Not only is Glass Pieces a brilliant choreographic work, but it also demonstrated the New York City Ballet-like strengths and abilities of the company. The technical prowess needed by the main dancers in the first section, the artistry called for in the pas de deux, and neo-classical elements displayed by the dancers in the finale were all executed amazingly. This work truly showed what PNB dancers are capable of.

Overall, PNB’s season opener was a huge success, and possibly one of the strongest ballet shows Seattle has seen. Tickets are available for the rest of PNB’s run through the Box Office (206.441.2424) at 301 Mercer Street or online at www.pnb.org. Student and senior discounts are available.