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Justin Ringle and Candace Bouchard in another non-traditional setting. Photo by Alicia J. Rose.
When you think of ballet, visions of gauzy tutus, little girls lined up in front of mirrored walls, arms dramatically pointed upwards, and eerily perfect posture might come to mind. Or maybe you don't really know what to think about ballet because your only experience with it occurs around the winter holidays, when you walk into any store and inevitably hear the Nutcracker Suite on the speakers. Despite its historical significance, it may be difficult to view ballet as anything other than an old art form that comes across as too formal and too frilly to have much relevance.
The Oregon Ballet Theater wants to challenge that idea. For three nights this week, the OBT will collaborate with local folk group, Horse Feathers, for a work known as Uprising. As the name suggests, the dance company wants to bring ballet to people in a more accessible manner. OBT will use a space other than a standard auditorium setting - the Mississippi Studios, for this performance - and present dances to a more current soundtrack than Tchaikovsky. Candace Bouchard, a soloist with OBT, has choreographed a piece to be performed by herself and a few other dancers from the company as the first installment of Uprising. The warm and introspective sound of Horse Feathers, headed by Pacific Northwest native Justin Ringle, will provide the music for the unconventional project.
Uprising will run nightly from Tuesday, November 3 through Thursday, November 5. Shows begin at 8:00. If you think that ballet can only be confined to sugar plum fairies and snowflakes, you should stop by.
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