An epitome of classic ballet,
Swan
Lakehas enchanted
its audiences for more than 100 years. Centered on the story of Odette, a young girl doomed by an evil
sorcerer, the performance is a tale of love, betrayal and the triumph of good over evil.
Anticipation from the crowd is a
given, as they watch how a spell is cast over the beautiful Odette, condemning her to be a swan by day,
regaining human form only at night. Portrayed as the loveliest of them all, she is the swan queen. To break
the spell, a young man must proclaim his undying love for her.
Originally the pastime of
royalty who enjoyed performaces as a courtly art, the first ballet was performed over 500 years ago.
Swan
Lakewas
Tchaikovsky’s first play set to this style of dance. Its romance and beauty have inspired countless
audiences.
With the countdown to the Oscars
well underway, Darren Aronofky’s Black Swanhas drawn both praise and criticism for again lifting the curtain on the ballet world,
as is evident by its lead actor, Natalie Portman, already gaining a Golden Globe Award and an Oscar
nomination for her role as a prima ballerina.
More broadly, though, the buzz
surrounding the film is certainly not the first time ballet has witnessed a renewal on the popular culture
scene. Growing ever more in popularity, ballet today is flexing a new muscle across a wide spectrum of
contemporary forms, including pop music (think Kayne West’s latest video installation), in gyms and fitness
centres and on fashion runways (in the form of tutu-inspired dresses and ballet slipper-style
flats).
Here, leading Canadian experts
and a rising dance star weigh in with their opinions and not to mention, their excitement, for ballet’s
return to the mainstream. No longer a rarefied pastime, we cannot deny that ballet has made a
comeback.
Karen Kain:
Black
Swanand the ballet
myth
Although she admits to
not having seen Black
Swan, Kain cautions
that occasionally, life in the world of dance as portrayed on film is not always an accurate
representation.
“From what I understand, it’s a
horror film that perpetuates a lot of stereotypical ideas of what goes on in the dance world,” says Kain. “So
that doesn’t have anything to do with how wonderful the performances may or not be. It’s just not something
the professional world really appreciates — to kind of imply all our artistic directors behave a certain way,
or that all dancers are anorexic and psychologically unstable… It’s just not the way it
is.”
Now serving as artistic director
of the National Ballet of Canada, in addition to her many diverse roles in the dance industry, Kain explains
despite certain myths, there are many new and innovative ways of expressing ballet and that audiences are
quite receptive.
“I think ballet speaks to
something in our hearts and our souls and a sort of elemental part of our psyche, what it means to be human,”
she says. “The arts can do this and that’s why an art form like ballet is still alive, because it touches
that part of you.”
If this weren’t enough, Kain
adds one of the reasons audiences respond so well to a live performance is because of the incorporation of
many diverse elements that dance professionals work furiously on to perfect.
“It has, fashion, sex appeal,
passion, it can be comforting in ways,” says Kain, citing the well-known work Giselle —
the story of a
peasant girl whose ghost, after her premature death, protects her lover from the vengeance of a group of evil
female spirits called the Wilis — as an example. “When you think of a ballet like Giselle, which speaks about the
concept of forgiveness beyond the grave, why do you think [ballet] is alive more than 500 years later?
Because it speaks to something greater than us and yet still human, so people respond to
that."
Emily Molnar: More than
a place on stage
The artistic director
of Ballet British Columbia says she has seen a resurgence of attention on dance as an art form, with ballet
being just one part of this new phenomenon.
“In all media, there’s a focus
on movement,” says Emily Molnar. “And I think this is coming from the fact we’ve been sedentary for a long
time, so people are turning back to their bodies.”
This is reflected, Molnar
continues, in the notion that not only are we watching more dance, but many of us have also become more
interested in learning how to dance. Whether the class is ballet, hip-hop, or salsa, just to name a few, the
important thing is that more people are starting to feel connected to dance and are getting more involved,
she says.
“We all have a connection to
wanting to move,” says Molnar. “Dance is athletic, but it’s also an art form and I think we’re in a
generation where more people are realizing [the importance of] expression through the
body.”
On average, dancers train for 10
to 12 years, almost as long as a doctor, says Molnar.
Having pursued ballet for nearly
her entire life, such intensive training is something she can relate to. But after more than 20 years in the
industry, she reflects that her love for dance has allowed her to continue pursuing her
dreams.
“There are many layers to this
profession, but I find out so much about myself and about the world by stepping onto that stage — it speaks
to the essence of who we are,” says Molnar. “It pushes you as a human being on so many levels. It allows you
to grow and I continue to grow. There were years where I thought I was going to quit, but through that time,
I’ve found it to be very embracing.”
Andre Lewis: A juggling
act
A juggling act is how
Andre Lewis describes keeping a balance between the classical and mainstream forms of ballet. As artistic
director of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, he says it can definitely be challenging, but also
rewarding.
“It’s always a juggling act. Our
style derives from the classical, but the common denominator is ballet,” says Lewis.
Essentially, he concludes, the
performers and, by extension, the audience are immersed in the conventions of classical.
“This is where our knowledge of
ballet lies,” he says. “In turn, the audience loves it.”
Nevertheless, Lewis explains
that because art forms as diverse as dance and, more specifically, ballet have many ebbs and flows,
contemporary expressions on classical favorites may end up being a good thing. Returning to
Black
Swanas an example,
he maintains that the plot of the movie ultimately puts a positive spin on ballet as it exposes the genre,
making it accessible to large audiences.
“It tries to connect with the
audience simply by putting the word out,” says Lewis. “The beauty of ballet is very important. The idea of
understanding comes from years of training. But the more you see, the more you appreciate
it.”
In a way, he describes the
process of going to a ballet as similar to viewing a painting for the first time.
“At first glance, your view is
limited, but then you see more,” says Lewis. “Painting is dance in movement. A lot of it is [about] making it
accessible.”
This, he also notes, is a big
debate in the professional world.
“By access, we mean to resonate
with people and promote. We can’t expect someone to simply fall into ballet and run. You’d start with a piece
everyone knows, because it’s a great introduction.”
Alyson Miller: A Rising
Star
The coastal town of
Salisbury, N.B., is home to one of Canada’s rising dance talents: Alyson Miller. Now 17, her ballet career
began as a toddler. Having danced since the age of three, she says she was honoured, excited and admittedly a
tad nervous to be one of only 30 young dancers throughout the country selected to attend last year’s Dance
World Cup, where she placed first in ballet.
Although her strength lies in
ballet, she also shines when it comes to other dance styles including jazz and hip-hop. Also among her
achievements is a first-place finish in ballet at the 2010 Millennium Dance in Los Angeles last March. This
year, she is participating in the Canada Games’ National Artist Program — an annual showcase that draws
artists from various disciplines across the country to represent Canada during the major sports event held in
Halifax.
“It is going to be interesting,”
said Miller prior to her participation in the National Artist Program. “ I have no idea what to expect, but I
am sure it will be an amazing experience.”
Following her passion for dance
would not be the same, Miller says, without the inspiration she receives from looking up to her role model,
Jayme Rae Dailey from the hit-reality show So You Think You Can Dance Canada.
“Her personality and love for
dance is infectious,” notes Miller.
No matter whether you’re a
spectator, enthusiast or performer, the future of ballet is open and very interesting. But however you choose
to access or even participate in it, all of our experts agree that nothing beats viewing a live performance.
When put this way, one can only come to the conclusion that there must be something significant in ballet
that has allowed the genre to survive as long as it has; and to everyone’s contentment, it is still an art
form many choose to enjoy. •
