Theater Review
I want to read about...
Verregneter Ferientag (2006)
or the
short(er) version.
Two Twilight Dances (2007)
Verregneter Ferientag by Matthew Sly
Theater Lüneburg, 9, 14, 16, 22, 27, 29 June. 2006
Well, I'm getting around to writing this on the 20th, a couple of weeks after the premiere. For some basic information, it's possible to read what I said
just after I finished the choreography. But now, what is there to add? Not too much. My problem is that I've had very little feed back about the piece. Most people, (of those who say anything at all,) give a vague sort of approval, in the "oh, yes. It was fine" sort of vein. A few people naturally vary from that, in both directions: "Oh yes. That was lovely." And "Hmmm. It was ok." But no one has had pages of notes, or more than a few sentences.
Good? Bad? Or does it just display that the people here are not too communicative? What ever. I'm happy enough with it... as a first piece. (There are some moments in it that don't Flow well enough for my liking, but that's a picky detail thing.) I think that our interpretations of it are getting better too, as we have more performances; We are somewhat more calm, and play the rolls better.
One thing I can certainly state, is that the decisions about the lighting, sets, and costumes were not anywhere Near as easy as I thought they would be when I finished the Choreography. (I'm referring to what I said in that other entry, about how "I hope that these decisions will be easier for me to make". That was not at all the case. It was a second torture, where no one will decide for me. I was prepared for the difficulties about deciding what steps to choose; But I was inspired, and thought I could find a way through those problems. But when I then had free choice over costumes, it was hopeless! I didn't have anything more than the slightest idea what I wanted: Dresses on the women that go down to mid calf. Perhaps sleeves, perhaps not. Trousers and... I don't know what for me. JUST CLOTHES!
But that's not at all specific enough. And the Lighting was also a large worry: because I had just as little idea there about what I wanted. In the end, decisions were made, slowly, and ever so laboriously. But they got made. (Mostly by me, I'd like to point out!!! Although I certainly tried my best to have other people decide.)
Anything else to say? Well, there were Two things in the newspaper here; One was very short; only stating that in two days time, would be the premiere of these dance pieces. Choreographed by so-and-so-and-so, with these and those dancers. It's with such and such music. And the themes and dance styles are varied. The nice thing about it was the photo came from my piece.
Then, there was a larger article a couple days after the premiere, with a larger Group photo; But it only stated once at the beginning, "It was a nice evening." -And the rest was a dry description about who choreographed what, and to which music, and in which style, and on what idea. Other than "Nice evening" there wasn't a single remark about "high light," "impressive," "soulful," "fun," "interesting," or even negative things like "juvenile," "dull," "incomprehensible," or "pointless." -The review is rather like what everyone has said to me in person: "Oh, yes. Nice."
Well, that's just not good enough! So here's my quick review, (which is highly prejudiced in every area.)
Von den Osten Sisters: This was quiet, and with a refined, subdued beauty.
My piece: This was (Meant to be,) Simple, but fine dancing, with much expression of the interrelationships.
Kerstin's piece: An energetic, all stops out, abstraction, with snapshots of life thrown in.
Heidrun's thing: This was the "Fun" part of the evening. It's an odd humour, and interesting movement vocabulary.
Finale, from the Ballet Master: This is the largest piece of the evening, and one notices it's done by someone who knows all the ins and outs of choreographing.
There. Now at least Someone has said something.
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Two Twilight Dances by Matthew Sly
Theater Lüneburg, 7, 12, 16, 20, 28, 30 June. 2007
This was the second choreographic work of my career. It was again in the "mixed choreographies" evening of my theater. So far, (for the first three shows,) the audience was between 50 and 80 spectators, (and I prefer not to think about how many of them were people from our own theater; the actors, singers, and orchestra.) I was thinking this year of doing a large group piece, incorporating everybody, -until I asked what the others were planning on: They were pretty much all doing group pieces, incorporating most of the dancers.
Hm.
OK then; I'll make a smaller piece, with these three girls. And then for the second half, one of them and myself. So, without further ado, here's the description of my piece, (from MY viewpoint.)
It's the beginning of the evening, so the audience sits, the house lights go out, and the curtain opens on the three girls sitting in a group. Lepo Sumera's Piece from the year 1981 (Solo for Piano) starts playing, with the lights dim, and a blue scrim, (the white back drop, lit with blue lights.) They dance together, and apart, and one after the other as solos. They seem... serious. They are focussed. It's not that they are depressing, but they are not joyful either. They come together in a cohesive group once more, only to split apart, (with the same steps from the beginning.) They find themselves at three edges of the stage, when I come on, and Repeat the opening step sequence with the first. -Who sees it's a stranger, and walks off. I go on to he second, and dance some for the first steps, -until she sees it's as stranger, and walks off. The last comes to me, and we do a piece of the opening sequence, until we see each other, and walk away from each other... but I glance back, to see the back of her head. I keep walking, and she glances back, to see my retreating form. And we both pause at the edge of our respective wings.
What does that have to do with Twilight? It took me quite some time to figure out an answer to that question, but here's what I came up with:
Twilight is the stage of In Between. It may be a beginning, or it may be an End. It's true essence is change. A Border. For the three girls, be they sisters, cousins, or just best friends from childhood, this change is one of growing apart. They begin Close, with much in unison, but their paths are diverging, and their steps becoming increasingly individual. They still have some moments of agreement, and come together once or twice, but it's only to split up again. In the end, they find themselves each separate from the others. That's when I come in, wishing to be a part of their group, (which doesn't exist any more anyways. But I don't realise that.) They each will not dance with me: Their own feeling of closeness is no longer there, and I'm an outsider anyhow. The last of the three... is curious about me though. She's uncertain weather she could trust me, just as I'm uncertain about what to do around her.
Anyhow, we stand there, at the edge of the stage, and the next music starts; Arvo Pärt's Spiegel im Spiegel. (For violin and piano. Very soothing and peaceful.) The lights change to a blue tone, diffuse, with the whole stage a little shaded. She dances, retracted little steps, thinking she is alone, and not aware that I'm watching her, -until she comes face to face with me, and walks away, a bit embarrassed, and a bit confused how to react. We then switch roles, and I dance by myself, imagining that she's with me, while she looks at me. -until I spot her, and feel ashamed of my... expressing something. (Think of singing in the park, when you think you're alone, and then you see someone sitting listening to you!) Then we both dance a little, without seeing each other, and then we spot each other, and find at last the courage to introduce ourselves and meet. We become slowly closer: holding hands, doing steps together, and coming to be side by side. All the time unsure of ourselves; very young and innocent.
I, (the boy,) foolishly decide "This must be love. So what's the next thing that should happen?" -And I try to kiss her. She stops me, turns away, and I am thunderstruck. It's a great feeling of rejection. We are not lovers, but we each still want to be friends; we each still want to dance. And so she forgives my forwardness, and I forgive myself, and we continue dancing. (And we have some very lovely lifts, if I may say so myself.) She then also gets ideas into her head about what our relation to each other should be, and wants to hold me and be cuddly, which I reject in my turn. (It was the best I could think of: I wanted so much to express that we EACH had preconceived ideas, which couldn't apply to the actual relation between us.) I do come back to her though, and we continue dancing.
We dance, and dance, and then find ourselves Wrapped tight in each others arms, (Perhaps... suggesting a sexual intimacy? Certainly more intimate than we'd been up until then.) We are both surprised by it, and ashamed of our selves, as we'd promised to our selves that we were just friends, and that it was nothing but platonic. So we each walk away from the other, too confused, and disappointed in ourselves to ask forgiveness; Each blaming ourselves for what happened. Just before walking off stage in opposite directions, we look back, at the same time... and the light fades out on the unspoken question, "do they come back together then?"
But that's a mixed view of the Choreographer and a dancer. For all I know, the public sees nothing more than "those two dance together, in the twilight, and then walk away from each other, but turn back."
Here, the Twilight for me plays the role of a beginning, being the first time we meet, and the starting of... whatever it is between us. That very element, (our relationship,) is also expressive of Twilight; It's not the Love of life. It's not a love of passion. It's more understanding and interpenetration than just friends... It's exactly that grey, undefined area which "Twilight" expresses.
The whole feeling of this piece is drawn from my own thoughts and experiences; The girls (and women,) I've know who I thought I should be in love with, and those who thought I should love them, and those who were great friends of mine, and inspirations... which to my surprise I felt no sexual attraction to. -And also some times in my life when an intimacy came about, which I felt guilty and wrong about soon after. -But with time and distance, I could wonder, "Was it something truly wrong though?" There is also a book which is expresses similar feelings, Ursula K. Leguin's
Very Far Away from Anywhere Else.
It also has a young couple, who find themselves very very close, but don't feel certain they should be... in love. (Young and so foolish, that they think they can decide "I am now in love. THIS is love.") I's a good book, and expresses some of these ideas better than I can.
But My piece wasn't the whole evening! It was the first fifteen minutes of an hour and a half. Next came:
Cordula's Piece. (Don't ask me what the name of it is. I don't remember, and I don't understand it's meaning anyhow.) I was expecting Cordula, the Perfect Ballerina, The one who does extra point work, to keep her feet in shape, pretty much EVERY DAY... would choreograph something rather classical; Something for ballerinas. I was then surprised when it was neo-classic, ranging towards the more modern ballanchine. It was so turned in, so flexed, so perpendicular to classical classics... that I was a bit gob smacked. I still danced it though, (and hopefully am doing a good job of it.) There's one amazing picture of me which was put in the newspaper, (which I'll have a link to at the bottom of this page.)
Heidrun's Piece. Dance Theater again, and in fact, the same basic characters as last year: Last year, Yarica was a introvertedly shy girl, who preferred playing by her self, and I was then the high-octane, hyper-active boy who would like to get her attention. I was out to impress the girl. There were two microphones on stage, which I talked into a fair amount. And at the end... Yarica at last spoke: "Hi Matthew." Well, this year, I explain to the audience how I'm friends with The Girl, but don't know how to make her like me. I'm still trying to get her to notice my interest in her. The last scene... has me thinking that "If I was a swan..." I would be elegant, noble, and wonderful, and then she'd have to like me. So I strip off my shirt, don a feather covered vest and tie, and commence my swan dance for her. (Always good for a few laughs from the audience.) And she notices me! Hooray!
Then comes Susanna's piece, (she's one of the guests here, and joins the company when we need more dancers.) She has by far the weightiest theme of us all: Her ten or twelve minute piece is about a Witch Trail, in the 18th century. I am one of the three judges that examines her, then there is also the executioner, and a vicious towns woman, who accuses... the accused, of putting a curse upon her. (That sentence was lacking much clarity. I see that now.) We are cold and hard, The accused is pitiful and weak, and we find her guilty. The executioner takes her off stage, and the red lights of the Fire come on, as we return to our paper work for the afternoon. I don't find the steps we do to be of particular interest, but there is no doubt that the picture it makes; the overall look of the piece, is powerful and clear, (if not happy and enjoyable.)
Kerstin's Piece closes the performance this year, (And we had enough time, between the five of us, that the Ballet Director didn't feel need to choreograph a piece to fill out the evening.) It is again little pieces of people and society. We each have our Light, which represents our Life, or Soul, and we each use, and treasure our light in a bit of a different way. Then two of the girls meet, and find themselves compatible. They are fast friends, and more than that? The lesbian question is left open. It's allowed to believe that they remain "Just Good Friends." The men come to their dance, where they each show off their light, and brag about how it's the brightest, the best, and about how great and tough we each are. We brag and dance, until we fall down exhausted. Rosa comes on briefly then, looking for her light, (which she lost,) and I try to "pick her up," but she runs off. I then see the Two Girls, and try to get myself in between their arms... but they laugh at me and leave. At last, I see Cordula, who is playing the soft, attention craving, needy girl, and I happily give her all my attention, along with the other two guys. So she gets lifted around the stage for a few minutes, and each of us three men decide... that she's not worth it. We get tired of lifting her, and lifting her, and each sit down by our lights and ignore her. -the two girls have a brief dance, being happy and together, and complete. Rosa comes back, still looking for her light, and dances up a solo storm, but collapses, alone, lightless, in the middle of the stage. Then it's the finale... Rosa getting her light back, Cordula standing up and joining the group, and all of us jumping about joyfully with our lights.
Now, are you disappointed because you want to know what I THINK about the pieces? Oops. But I have no wish to remain longer on my computer now. I'll tell you that though the public was under 100 every night, it was appreciative, and applauded longer than we expected them to.
Now I think I'll add the press clipping to the webpage; It's longer than last year, and says something more about my piece, (I think.) And most importantly: It's got the nice picture of me in it!!
Landeszeitung Lüneburg 09/06/07
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