Pacific Northwest Ballet, All Wheeldon

Seth Orza and Carla Korbes
 in Carousel All Images © Angela Sterling

Christopher Wheeldon is considered by many as the most original and talented choreographer of the preset day. The Pacific Northwest Ballet under the artistic direction of Peter Boal recently presented a program devoted to four of his works called All Wheeldon. It featured:

Carousel...

A short work originally created for the Richard Rogers centenary celebration in 2002, based on the musical it hints at the story of Billy and Julie.

The set is understated with a backdrop and carnival lights above that change color throughout the dance. The costumes have clean lines and blocked colors in vibrant shades.

It opens with playful choreography and cartwheels, transitions into a romantic pas de deux, then ends with, what for me was the most moving moment, the dancers creating a carousel, the effect is truly stunning! In an interview shown with Christopher Wheeldon he mentioned when originally choreographing the dance, the budget was very limited so he used choreography to create the set.

After the Rain... 

The ballet is two sequences, the rainstorm and this pas de deux, which was featured by itself in the program. It opens with the dancers swaying, perhaps like reeds after a windy rainstorm. Although abstract it has a very earthy feel.

It's presentation is more modern than I'm used to, I've even heard it described as yoga-like, but the music is wonderfully touching (Spiegel im Spiegel by Arvo Part) and there are many striking lifts and silhouettes that stay with you. I had the impression some of the poses imitated nature-- an eagle soaring off a cliff is one example, and it was performed with much emotion.

Polyphonia... 

Quirky, with long lines, and dashes of comic movements. It's set to the complex piano music of György Ligeti. There are a variety of moods within the different sets of choreography and music. It must have been very challenging both to choreograph to the almost erratic patterns but seeing the music through the dancers movement helps make you appreciate it.

I really enjoyed Carousel but am undecided on Polyphonia, particularly the 'eyes wide shut' pas de deux and the sequence of four, where some deliberate oddities, almost crab-like movements.I loved the lyrical 'wedding dance' solo and the playful piece danced by Kaori Nakamura and Benjamin Griffiths.

Variation Serieuses... 

A comedic story-ballet. Cleverly staged as though we are watching everything from the wings and the dancers are performing to an 'audience' off at another part of the stage.

After a somewhat clumsy male dancer, who stepped on the ballerina's foot earlier, fails to catch her she falls into the orchestra pit injuring her foot. Might I add, he shouldn't be blamed for her calamitous jumping ability.

But the show is saved by a talented and unpretentious corps de ballet dancer who gets her first taste of stardom, but the story goes full circle and she's becomes the ballerina.

Overall

Wheeldon's style is very modern and energetic. I'm used to the Romantic style of ballet but it was refreshing to have experienced a different vision. I end with a video from another abstract piece by Wheeldon that wasn't featured in the program but I came across on YouTube and really liked: