[img]../../../images/lines-marina-1000.jpg[/img]<BR><fontsize=1>Marina Hotchkiss<BR>in Gown by Colleen Quen Couture<BR>Photo Marty Sohl</fontsize><P><BR> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Alonzo King and LINES Ballet Announces Home Spring 2002 Season in San Francisco<BR>Commissioned Score Performed Live by Master Japanese Koto Player Miya Masaoka<P>San Francisco, March 25, 2002 - Following its sold-out Fall 2001 Season, Alonzo King's LINES Ballet (LINES), a world-class contemporary dance company, today announced its much anticipated San Francisco Spring 2002 Season with live commissioned score by master koto musician and composer Miya Masaoka. LINES’ Season will include costume collaboration with Colleen Quen Couture and the reprise of composer Leslie Stuck’s work in “The Heart’s Natural Inclination.” Performances at San Francisco’s Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theater run April 19 - 28, 2002.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P><a href=../../../ubb/Forum13/HTML/000615.html target=_blank>More</a>

It will be interesting to see how the dancers move in these costumes.

Or don't move may be more accurate. More dancing canolis.

Yumm!<BR>

I understand why ralphSF says these costumes are beautiful, but PLEASE, they don't stay beautiful when they end up interfering with the dance.<P>I appreciate the creativity, but can't they keep it within the bounds of basic mechanics?

Well, we won't be seeing any 180 degree penches from HER, will we?!

"Slam Dancing" a new production prior to it's debut, as always, so encouraging to come here.<p>[This message has been edited by Solballets Mom (edited April 11, 2002).]

Solballets Mom, I don't think it's a matter of "slam dancing" a production prior to its debut. It's a matter of 1) trying to imagine how one dances in the costume pictured above and 2) familiarity with King's works that use such costumes. The members commenting above are not only dancers but also costume designers.<P>Not all of King's ballets use "couture" or "difficult" costumes but I personally feel the ones that do seem to hinder the dancers and perhaps even bewilder the audience, which makes one wonder if the costumes are a marketing tool (which is fine as long as the choreography is not in conflict with the costume as evidenced in a recent King work).<P>Having said the above, I am eager to catch a performance and am hoping there is plenty of substance to the flash.

It is possible too, that they only used that gown for publicity, since it doesn't look much like a dance costume to me. Maybe they didn't have any of the actual costumes available when they did the photo shoot and just borrowed one of Quen's existing gowns?

I'm with Mehunt regarding the outfit pictured. This haute couture dress may be purely for publicity in advertising the concept. Spring has sprung with chic flair! I rather like it. I won't be able to fly up for this performance (which I'm quite sad about) anxious to get the views and read all about it. My siblings will also give me their take, as they like me enjoy.

Actually that is highly likely. Usually publicity shots are done months in advance and the costumes aren't done until days before opening.

You'll all be relieved to hear, no cannolis for costumes. Actually, I really rather liked the new "Koto" piece, I admit, much to my surprise. The dancers, as usual were spectacular, AND the costumes (except for one moment of "Space Boy" pants" were lovely. The dresses for the women especially were exactly what I'd like to see in a modern-looking, but flattering costume for dancers.

Good to hear, MEHunt. I have yet to make it there myself. Solballets Mom, please ask your siblings to post their honest impressions here.

And here's MEHunt's review in the Contra Costa Times:<P> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>LINES' 'Koto' a successful, compelling new piece<P>Mary Ellen Hunt, Contra Costa Times<P>LINES Contemporary Ballet's newest work, "Koto," to the music of Miya Masaoka, is certainly one of the company's best efforts in recent years. Choreographer and artistic director Alonzo King has fallen lately into a kind of habitual approach to his works, but while "Koto" exhibits a few of his formulaic characteristics, it also transcends them with fascinating imagery, tight musicality, and above all, concision.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P><a href=http://www.bayarea.com/mld/cctimes/entertainment/3113816.htm target=_blank>More</a>

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Lines Ballet in fine form in downbeat 'Koto' <BR>Ambitious work was hard to enjoy<P>Octavio Roca, SF Chronicle<P>Not for the first time, musical adventure was in the air as Alonzo King's Lines Ballet returned to Yerba Buena. <P>Saturday night's performance showed off King's dancers in two new ballets with music by Miya Masaoka and Leslie Stuck, as well as in a revival of an earlier Stuck and King collaboration. Though the more ambitious of the new works proved a glum affair, the sounds were often gripping, the dancing always strong.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P><a href=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2002/04/22/DD221378.DTL target=_blank>More</a>