CriticalDance Forum

<P>San Francisco Ballet fans get to see 6 new works over the coming week. One is created by David Palmer of SFB and Maximum Dance - a nice guy to share a beer with, as I'm sure Shag will testify. He has created one role on Lucia Lacarra (see above) one of the most remarkable dancers performing today. Here's a preview article.<BR> <A HREF="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2000/03/26/PK40958.DTL" TARGET=_blank>http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2000/03/26/PK40958.D TL</A> <P><BR>[This message has been edited by Stuart Sweeney (edited 03-26-2000).]<p>[This message has been edited by Azlan (edited August 08, 2001).]

Stuart, you beat me to it. Yes, this city is abuzz with excitement about these new "discovery" works by six young choreographers, four of which are still principal dancers with SFB; David Palmer, Julia Adam, Christopher Stowell, and Yuri Possokhov. There will also be works by NYCB's hot property, Christopher Wheeldon, and the Kirov Academy's Vladimir Anguelov. The schedule for the two Discovery programs can be found at: <A HREF="http://www.sfballet.org/tickets/schedule99.html" TARGET=_blank>http://www.sfballet.org/tickets/schedule99.html</A> <P>Discovery A: Anguelov, Wheeldon, Palmer<BR>Discovery B: Stowell, Adam, Possokhov<P>Notes on each program can be found at the follwing links:<P>For Julia Adam - <A HREF="http://www.sfballet.org/repertory00/adam00.html" TARGET=_blank>http://www.sfballet.org/repertory00/adam00.html</A> <P>For Vladimir Anguelov - <A HREF="http://www.sfballet.org/repertory00/anguelov00.html" TARGET=_blank>http://www.sfballet.org/repertory00/anguelov00.html</A> <P>For David Palmer - <A HREF="http://www.sfballet.org/repertory00/palmer00.html" TARGET=_blank>http://www.sfballet.org/repertory00/palmer00.html</A> <P>For Yuri Possokhov - <A HREF="http://www.sfballet.org/repertory00/magrittomania.html" TARGET=_blank>http://www.sfballet.org/repertory00/magrittomania.html</A> <P>For Christopher Stowell - <A HREF="http://www.sfballet.org/repertory00/stowell00.html" TARGET=_blank>http://www.sfballet.org/repertory00/stowell00.html</A> <P>For Christopher Wheeldon -http://www.sfballet.org/repertory00/seapictures.html<P>I have to admit I am excited myself about these two programs. I have seen works by Adam, Stowell and Wheeldon set on smaller companies or schools but have never seen them set on a company as big as SFB. And I have never seen anything by Palmer, Anguelov or Possokhov.<P>Rehearsals started last week in preparation for the performances this coming week.

Oh, I forgot. You can read about Adam's piece in the transcript of her live chat at <A HREF="http://www.voiceofdance.com/Insights/vchat.global.trans.cfm?ChatSchedule_ID=2000000000000026" TARGET=_blank>http://www.voiceofdance.com/Insights/vchat.global.trans.cfm?ChatSchedule_ID=2000000000000026</A> <P>Note the question I ask of composer Matthew Pierce after Adam and designer Benjamin Pierce were disconnected from the chat...

<P>A picture of David Palmer, one of the choreographers in the Discovery Week and from the terrific SFB website the casting for programmes A and B:<P> <A HREF="http://www.sfballet.org/new/index.html" TARGET=_blank>http://www.sfballet.org/new/index.html</A> <P>[This message has been edited by Stuart Sweeney (edited 03-26-2000).]<p>[This message has been edited by Azlan (edited August 08, 2001).]

Just back from SFB's Discovery A. Christopher Wheeldon's "Sea Pictures" was gorgeous. Will post reviews as soon as they are out.

I am anxiuos to hear your thoughts on David's piece. He's really a Killian fan and it usually shows, with a touch of jazz influence. Most people don't realize that he did not start dancing until he was 16 doing jazz in Australian TV commercials.

Here's the first review. Wow, did David get smacked. eXaminer didn't much care for any of it.<BR> <A HREF="http://examiner.com/000329/0329ballet.html" TARGET=_blank>http://examiner.com/000329/0329ballet.html</A>

<P>Julia Adam, SFB Principal and choreographer<P>Here's an article about Julia Adam making her piece for the Discovery series. Apart from sharing some of the practical steps and artisitic background to the new work, the article also describes the framework that Helgi Tomasson has set for the series. <P>She names Christopher Bruce, Mark Morris, Jiri Kylian and William Forsythe as people from whom she has learned her craft by example. So, it comes as no surprise when the interviewer comments, 'This, one gathers, will not be your average, polite venture into academic neoclassicism.' <P>The article concludes with Adam saying, "Of course, I'm still making a dance with a beginning, a middle and an end." One is tempted to mention the French film-maker Jean Luc Godard's addition, 'But not necessarily in that order.' <BR> <BR>Here is the URL for the article and also for Adam's bio as a choreographer from the SFB site:<P><BR><a href=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/examiner/hotnews/stories/28/Sadam.dtl>http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/examiner/hotnews/stories/28/Sadam.dtl</a> <BR> <P><A HREF="http://www.sfballet.org/profiles/choreographers/adam.html" TARGET=_blank>http://www.sfballet.org/profiles/choreographers/adam.html</A><P>[This message has been edited by Azlan (edited August 10, 2001).]<p>[This message has been edited by Azlan (edited August 10, 2001).]

<P>The Examiner loves the second (B) of the two discovery programmes to bits and believes it was a revelatory evening with Julia Adam and Yuri Possokhov receive fulsome praise.<BR> <A HREF="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/examiner/hotnews/stories/31/Sballet.dtl" TARGET=_blank>http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/examiner/hotnews/stories/31/Sballet.dtl </A> <P><BR>The Chronicle joins the Examiner in not enjoying programme A.<P> <A HREF="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2000/03/30/DD10685.DTL" TARGET=_blank>http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2000/03/30/DD10685.D TL</A> <P>[This message has been edited by Stuart Sweeney (edited 03-31-2000).]<P>[This message has been edited by Stuart Sweeney (edited 03-31-2000).]<p>[This message has been edited by Azlan (edited August 08, 2001).]

<P>Roman Rykine<P>Octavio Roca in The Chronicle also enjoys the second of the SFB Discovery series. He particularly relishes the opportunities that Roman Rykine and Yuan Yuan Tan have to extend their ranges in 'Magrittomania'. In this article there are some excellent photos - just click on the little pictures at the top of the story. <P>Inevitably some pieces in the Discovery series have impressed more than others, but overall, the series has clearly been good for SFB, Tomasson and, most important, the dancers and choreographers.<BR> <A HREF="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2000/04/01/DD96032.DTL" TARGET=_blank>http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2000/04/01/DD96032.D TL</A> <P>[This message has been edited by Stuart Sweeney (edited 04-01-2000).]<p>[This message has been edited by Azlan (edited August 08, 2001).]

I have to say I agree in general with the Chronicle and the Examiner reviews. My little summary take is as follows:<P>Anguelov: deliciously complex with two sets of dancers juxtapositioned one against the other but somehow lacked oomph for an all male cast;<P>Wheeldon: very well structured and emotive, invoking all the right emotions in romance and loss. Very English, reminiscent of Tudor and MacMillan;<P>Palmer: classical work (not his usual jazz work as suggested by shag above) that has more interesting movements for the soloists than the principals. Also had a bit of a problem with dancers being lifted into darkness (but the lighting was magical otherwise);<P>Stowell: very tight and very well rehearsed with nothing really technically wrong. Got stronger towards the end. However, lacked features that the average audience can sink their teeth into;<P>Adam: very witty and original. Great costumes and set. Lovable piece of work with great audience appeal but felt a little drawn out;<P>Possokhov: stylish and witty. Most of the ideas came directly from Magritte's art works. Very interesting arrangement of Beethoven. Worth getting the soundtrack.<P>

Azlan-how was the Possokhov piece-based on Magritte? I'm very curious...anna Sokolow, modern dance pioneer did a piece at Juilliard based on his works..she picked several of his paintings and started each section with a "tableau" of said painting...then each painting would "come to life" through the dance. She highlighted what she perceived as the surreal, comic aspect of his work.

Trina, that's pretty much how Yuri did his. It was like watching the characters in Magritte's paintings come to life, replete with men in bowler hats and women with fake breasts over their brown dresses. There were also green balloons and a principal (the beautiful Yuan Yuan Tan) in a flowing red dress.<P>The music was interesting. Yuri Krasavin borrowed from his own soundtrack in which he arranged Beethoven compositions and supplemented them with his own music. Tense and surrealistic; perfect for the piece.