Opening night for Joffrey’s Spring program Eclectica was Wednesday night and wow! – they really brought it to the stage.  The energy in the audience, displayed by spontaneous bursts of applause, a couple shouts of brava! and a standing “o” or two, and that emanating from the dancers on stage was palpable.  Whether it was the excitement of two world premieres, Spring fever or just opening night anticipation, the vibe was electric.  After the obligatory pre-show announcements from Artistic Director Ashley Wheater, a video was shown with interviews of the choreographers and footage of the dancers in rehearsal.  This glimpse into the work involved in creating the evening’s performance added a feeling of inclusiveness and understanding for those that often – for whatever reason – choose not to read their program before the show begins.  (And let’s face it, opening night tends to be a hodge-podge of staff, board members, donors, press, fellow dancers, etc that are more interested in being seen and catching up than reading the preliminary facts before curtain.)  Mr. Wheater talking about Mr. Arpino and his vision gave words to an ever-present spirit in the theater, most notably felt by the empty seat in Box 1, stage left.

Arpino’s Reflections started the program with the pared down accompaniment of just a piano and cello (live).  A neoclassical delight with fast pointe work, a blizzard of turning combinations directed down center toward the audience (the “spot” light got a work out) and eight sections of pure dancing for the fun of it, showed off the Joffrey’s technique in classic Mr. A style.  There were a few opening night adrenaline wobbles in the first few sections, but overall the dancers delivered a bright, energetic piece.  The pas de deux with Victoria Jaiani and Fabrice Calmels was…like butter.  Ms. Jaiani’s extensions, floating port de bras and waif-like frame were an exquisite pairing with Mr. Calmels, whose flawless partnering skills made her every move seem effortless.  When the three men danced together, the timing was slightly off on the jumps, but considering the size/height difference, it was understandable.  Some stand outs:  April Daly – every time she’s on stage, she gets better and better; Anastacia Holden – her smile lights up the whole place; and Valerie Robin – her strength, technique and timing are outstanding.

World premiere #1:  Jessica Lang’s Crossed.  Set to music inspired by religion with moving set pieces that formed random right angles (or crosses) and the same configurations displayed prominently on the costumes, this piece was strangely not religious.  Certainly there were religious undertones and overtones, but it wasn’t about that.  For me, at least, it was about the dancing.  By far the audience favorite, Crossed came across as a joyous tribute to movement.  The dancers I spoke with prior to the show were very excited about this piece.  One of them stating that the movement was so gratifying that it was one of his favorite ballets to dance.  That is a wonderful tribute to the choreographer and the fact the dancers were so into it really made the piece shine.

World premiere #2:  James Kudelks’a Pretty BALLET.  The first image you see when the curtain goes up is a ballerina held in a horizontal position over the head of her partner.  The lights are dark, the back drop is dark and she is in a white, romantic tutu with red pointe shoes.  She looks dead or asleep, held aloft in the silence.  It is quite dramatic and one cannot deny the intended splash of color on her feet and its ties to the ballet movie that doesn’t end so well.  In the opening video montage, Kudelka says that in creating this ballet he is “trying to take care of the muse”.  The music, Bohuslav Marinu’s Symphony No.  2, sounds like a Danny Elfman soundtrack to a Tim Burton movie.  In fact, the entire piece seemed Burton-esque (I half expected strange looking creatures to start coming out of the wings) with a little Giselle and Les Sylphides thrown in for good measure.  Again, the timing of the dancers was off in the ensemble movements, but for once, I didn’t mind.  Another wonderful duet involving Ms. Jaiani, this time partnered by Miguel Angel Blanco, was the stand out in the ballet that ended with the cast around the couple in the same lift as the opening, but with the ballerina moving her arms and feet in a trance-like way, like she was walking on air.

The “all stars/no stars” policy that makes this company unique gives all the dancers a chance at a good part.  It is not only fair, but lifts the level of dancing across the board.  Each dancer brings their own style to the table, which you can clearly see on the stage.  I think that’s why the timing issues didn’t bother me.  By definition it is a troupe that is most comfortable in not being the in sync corps.  The evening lived up to its name.  One of the reasons the Joffrey is so beloved is their tendency to really push the envelope of what they present.  That had been lacking in recent years, but Mr. Wheater & Co. really made some bold, interesting choices for Eclectica that, I think, really paid off.  Kudos!  I can’t wait to see it again.

The Joffrey held their annual Spring Gala last Friday and enlisted local photographer/videographer Sasha Fornari to create this opening video montage.  Pretty cool, huh?  Check out more of Sasha’s fierceness on his blog, his mag (with Joffrey dancer and photographer, Michael Smith – love him!) or vimeo.  He’s also co-creator (with the fabulous Fabrice Calmels) of the dance video site 30 Seconds of Dance.

Also, Wednesday is opening night of Joffrey’s Eclectica performances — get your tickets now!

Rogue Ballerina was lucky enough to see ABT perform last Wednesday night and Saturday night.  Two completely different shows — two completely different outcomes.  At least, for me.  First,  I’m very happy that they made it to the Windy City this year.  They are always a welcome addition to the local artistry and are missed when they don’t hit Chicago on the annual tour.  As a long-time fan, I relish any opportunity to see them perform live.  Wednesday evening’s performance was an All-American Celebration featuring works by Jerome Robbins, Paul Taylor and Twyla Tharp.

First up – Twyla.  In it’s Chicago premiere Tharp’s The Brahms-Hadyn Variations was a delicate mix of stunning classical technique and contemporary off-kilter extensions and en pointe assisted slides.  The cast of 30 dancers seemed electric on the stage with a slight darkening of the costume color designating the hierarchy within the company (the principals being the darkest).  When all the groups were on it was difficult to tell who was in which group and even more difficult to follow.  There was so much going on.  I’ve always enjoyed Tharp’s choreography – and this was no exception – I do though, at times, find some of her work challenging.  I would like to have seen it again and from a little further back to fully appreciate the complex patterns and partnering.  I was admittedly distracted when some of the bigger names came on stage (I couldn’t take my eyes off of Gillian Murphy for long and therefore missed everything else currently happening).  Each of the featured couples boasted incredible technique and stage presence, but unfortunately (and surprisingly) the inter-couple timing was a bit off.  Julie Kent and Sascha Radetsky seemed to be a split second behind, but it was a great way to start the show.

At the middle of the program was Paul Taylor’s Company B set to music by the Andrews Sisters.  I loved the music, appreciated the intent, but nothing seemed to happen.  It was just…beige.  The dancing was good and there weren’t any discernibly big dancing mistakes, but it lacked the energy of the first piece.  The most memorable moment was when one of the dancers shoes fell off.  While it sat there on the quarter marker, she went on dancing perkily, but it was an obvious distraction.  She eventually grabbed it and threw it into the wings (a lovely 20-foot-high arc!) and kept on going.  I wonder if she got fined for that?

Closing the show was Jerome Robbins Fancy Free.  This is what I was waiting for!  I may be a bit biased having already interview one of the dancers, Daniil Simkin, plus I’m a big Robbins fan.  Two of the three sailors were making their debuts in the piece.  All went well and I’m sure there were a few sighs of relief after the curtain.  Sascha Radetsky performed the lead sailor role and was oozing with charm though he was off on a couple of his landings.  Carlos Lopez did some amazing feats involving double tours and bar stools as the gullible one that always gets stuck with the tab.  Simkin was a definite bright light in the show.  He had an advantage by getting (IMO) the best solo to show off his stuff, but proved he could hang with the best of them and for being the littlest one on the stage somehow produced the biggest swagger.

The audience held a who’s who of the ballet admin world and I have to say I got excited when I saw ABT Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie hug Joffrey Artistic Director Ashley Wheater just a few feet from my seat.  (Yes, I’m fully aware that I’m a geek.)

Irina Dvorovenko and Maxim Beloserkovsky in "Swan Lake". Photo by Gene Schiavone.

The rest of the run was Swan Lake.  Big, romantic classics are ABT’s bread and butter and they did not disappoint.  Saturday night’s cast featured the Russian-born, husband-and-wife team of Irina Dvorovenko and Maxim Beloserkovsky in the lead roles.  Everything from the sets to the live orchestra to the costumes and, of course, the dancing was spectacular.  The only misstep I noticed were two dancers stage left that fell out of an en mass double pirouette at the end of the Act I maypole peasant dance.  (Upon later reflection, I found I enjoyed knowing that even dancers of that caliber can falter on something so basic.)  The casting of every role was spot on.  The dual-casting of Von Rothbarth was particularly intriguing with Vitali Krauchenka dancing the evil sorcerer in his non-human, giant bat/bird form (creepy!) and Sashca Radetsky dancing in the wickedly charming, human prince-like form.  Radetsky’s Act III solo was a delight (and I was glad to see him perform so well after the slight fumbles earlier in the week).  Act III has always been my favorite for all of the foreign-themed variations and the sharp, wily Black Swan pas.  This is where the action happens.

Speaking of the Black Swan pas…wow!  The partnering, the solos, the coda…the couple’s talents were perfectly matched with each one performing their part to seeming perfection.  It just kept getting better and better.  The back-and-forth virtuoso dancing in the coda overlapped at times, so I didn’t know which one to watch.  The famous 32 fouettes (actually 31, finishing with a double, but who’s counting) were lightening fast!   This isn’t to say the White Swan pas of Act I wasn’t delicious in it’s own right.  The slightest tilt of Dvorovenko’s head was visible to the rafters, her arms fluid and toes floating across the floor in her bourres off.  In one of his adagio solos, Beloserkovsky did an amazing turning in second, arabesque promenading, fouette combination thingy that left me thinking…what was that?  How?  Then, he did it again.  A piece of cake.  Together, they were just beautiful effectively emoting to the last row of the theatre and looked like, well…they were really in love.  (Confession:  I got a little teary when they threw themselves off the cliff at the end.)

Other standouts were (obviously) the swans.  Always together, lovely arms, nice balances, great timing.  The cignets and demi soloists – great too.  The only distraction was the noise from their shoes.  (Those ducks were LOUD!)  I don’t know if it was the Civic Opera stage, used more for acoustic purposes or what, but ladies, a little hammering goes a long way.

Sascha Radetsky in "Fancy Free" - photo: Marty Sohl

Tonight at Chicago’s Civic Opera House, the American Ballet Theatre (ABT) presents an All-American Celebration featuring the choreographic works of Jerome Robbins, Paul Taylor and Twyla Tharp as part of their 70th Anniversary Celebration.  Tharp’s The Brahms-Hadyn Variations is a ballet for 30 dancers which will feature Gillian Murphy, Jose Manuel Carreño and Julie Kent to name a few of the big guns.  Paul Taylor’s Company B, choreographed in 1991, is a fun romp set to music by the Andrews Sisters.  But I’d like to focus on Jerome Robbins’ Fancy Free, a story of three sailors on leave during WWII in NYC and lookin’ for love.

Fancy Free premiered at The Met in 1944 and was Robbins’ first try at choreographing a ballet.  Needless to say, it was a hit!  Robbins, also a Broadway dancer, collaborated with then-unkown Leonard Bernstein who composed the music and Oliver Smith who designed the set.  These young artistic guns were just 25 years old.  The ballet was such a success that it was quickly adapted into a musical comedy On The Town, which then was turned into the movie starring Gene Kelly.

Tonight’s sailors are Daniil Simkin (see earlier blog post!), Carlos Lopez and Sascha Radetsky (pictured above).  Radetsky is making his debut in a new role, while Simkin is debuting in the piece and in Chicago.  A problem arises as the three sailors meet two girls:  inevitably someone is going to get left out.  A light-hearted competition ensues showcasing a clever network of solos, duets and ensemble work.  Set on a hot summer night in the Big Apple, this little ballet with tons of personality and swagger is now one of ABT’s trademarks.

ABT is coming to town!  In addition to a seven-performance run of Swan Lake (yes!), the New York-based troupe will present a one-night-only showcase of American choreographers.  The All-American Celebration featuring works by Jerome Robbins, Paul Taylor and Twyla Tharp, is also the Chicago debut for 22-year-old soloist Daniil Simkin.  This Russian-born wunderkind has exquisite technique, an inextinguishable creative curiosity and oodles of charm.   Think of him as a mini Misha.

Simkin performing "Les Bourgeois"

Daniil grew up in Germany with dancer parents Dmitrij Simkin and Olga Aleksandrova (his Mom was his teacher) and at age 6 made his stage debut alongside his father.  Within 6 years, he began competing and collecting myriad awards including:  Senior Gold Medal at the USA International Ballet Competition, (Jackson, 2006), Grand Prix International Competition (Helsinki, 2005) and First Prize and Gold Medal at the 21st International Ballet Competition  (Varna, 2004).  Not bad for a kid, huh?

After  dancing with the Vienna State Opera for a year he landed his first principal role (guest artist) as Basilio in Don Quixote with the Lithuanian National Opera in 2007.   *Check out his Act II pas solo at min 5:50 and entrance for the coda at min 6:46.

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ojll9w1rGW8&feature=player_embedded#]

Since joining ABT as a soloist in 2008, he’s been racking up an impressive and ever-expanding rep including Company B, Allegro Brillante, the Son in Prodigal Son, Benvolio in Romeo and Juliet and now one of the three sailors in Jerome Robbins’ Fancy Free in which he is making his Chicago debut on Wednesday, April 14th.  Not one to sit idle, the elfish phenom also travels the globe dancing in numerous galas throughout the year like the World Ballet Festival in Japan and Intensio in Athens where he is also the organizer.

One thing that does make him stand out — besides his dancing — is his online following.  A self-proclaimed tech nerd, Simkin is expanding his fan base via the internet.  His presence can be found on MySpace, Facebook, Twitter and he has his own website.  Videos of his virtuouso dancing on YouTube have received well over a million views.  While some may think it an exercise in ego, he feels that it is more about information and demystifying the world of a  ballet dancer.  Other dancers are following this line of thinking (most notably in Chicago, Joffrey dancer Fabrice Calmels) according to this New York Times article.

Rogue Ballerina caught up with the 5’7”, trilingual ballet star, via email (of course) to ask a few questions:

RB:  Out of all the awards you’ve won, which one means the most to you and why?

DS:  It is hard for me to pinpoint a specific award since all of them were an equally important part of my growing up as a person and artist.  The awards themselves do not really mean much; the important part for us, my mother and me, is having done all the work and being a part of the competition.  We always saw competitions as an opportunity to prepare and improve new variations and movements and an opportunity for me to meet up with dance students my age.  The awards were a welcome perk.

RB:  You are making your debut in Jerome Robbins’ Fancy Free.  Tell us about your experience learning this iconic ABT piece.  Do you enjoy dancing his style of choreography?

DS:  Indeed I have to say it is a blast to dance, but I am saying that NOW.  Robbins’ style is very distinctive and includes many non-classical elements from tap and jazz.  Coming from an almost only ballet background…it was hard for me to adapt to his style.  Nevertheless, after many hours of rehearsals and the help from my ballet master Victor Barbee, I can say now that I feel very comfortable in it and it is just a delight to dance it.  Besides, I have to say Fancy Free is part of ABT’s history and I feel honored to have the chance to be a little bit part of it!

RB:  What is your favorite role you’ve danced so far?  What roles would you like to perform that you haven’t yet?

DS:  I have performed Basilio in Don Quixote many times abroad and it is a blast to dance.  I think the role fits me currently, where I am in life and my character.  It involves being genuinely happy with and in yourself and to just dance your heart out!  I would also love to perform Albrecht in Giselle someday.  This tragic role involves a lot of acting and deep inner emotions with a lot of drama, which I would like to explore and hope that I can manage to do that in the future.

RB:  You’re pretty tech savvy.  How do you think your online presence has helped in developing a broader fan base?  Are any of your fellow ABT dancers following your lead?

DS:  I would say that my online presence helped me tremendously to extend my popularity!  I think that I was simply at the right place at the right time when I uploaded my first clips onto YouTube when (it) first launched.  It is a new and exciting way of communication!  I honestly think that this is just the beginning.  There is a lot of unused potential in the way you can engage and reach your audience.  Many of my fellow colleagues are experimenting and trying new ways of communication – most of them are on Facebook, many are tweeting and I encourage any curiosity expressed by my colleagues.

RB:  You’ve accomplished so much already at 22 – where do you see yourself in ten years?  Do you have any personal goals set?

DS:  I have to say that I was recently quite influenced by Eckhart Tolle’s book The Power of Now.  I try to stop myself from thinking too far ahead and setting too many goals.  I live in the here and now and that is what I am enjoying most.  I work hard a try to be the best I can be and, in the meantime, enjoy the ride.  What will be will be, especially in ten years.

RB:  What’s your favorite dance step?

DS:  I love any movement of the human body, since it is hard to define the border of what exactly a dance step is.

RB:  What do you like to do on a day off?

DS:  I love the Internet and anything involving tech or in general gadgets.  Some guys are drawn towards engines, cars and planes, whereas I have always been drawn towards anything with a display.  I also love being around my friends and generally meeting and socializing with new people.  Besides that I love the arts, especially visual art like movies, photography, graphic art or computer games, which involve me in a passive way.  Most of the time, I am so physically exhausted that during my off-time I like to be entertained without exerting too much physical energy.

RB:  If you were a super hero, what would your super power be?

DS:  I would be called the HappyMan, and my super power would be that whoever looks at me would become instantly happy for a short time.

photo credit: danmerlo.com

All the buzz this week in the Chicago dance scene is about The Seldom’s premiere of Marchland at the MCA (*check out the related clips below).  Artistic Director Carrie Hanson, known for staging her athletic, thought-provoking, timely pieces in unconventional spaces, has hit the collaborating mother load this time sharing her inspiration with a plethora of local artistic talent.   Artist Frasier Taylor — his animation film “Crevice” inspired the piece — provides the film as a backdrop and stepping off point.  Add costumes by Lara Miller, lighting by Julie Ballard, live percussion by Tim Daisy, sound design by Nick O’Brien, set consultation by Joel Huffman, and of course the time, energy and focus of her seemingly fearless group of dancers and Hanson has a strong base set to explore the concept of spatial politics – the designation, negotiation and claiming of space.  The 70-minute Marchland refers to a border region or the threshold between two places and the physical tensions and boundaries that may happen within.  The space in between (the sets, the dancers, the images on the film) is the focus and the set extends out to encompass the audience, bringing a sense of inclusion by breaking the fourth wall.

Rogue Ballerina will sit down with Ms. Hanson for a post-performance interview to get her thoughts on the show and the troupe’s upcoming trip to Russia.  Stay tuned…

Marchland, March 12 – 13 7:30 pm, March 14 3:00 pm

MCA Box Office 312.397.4010, Tickets $25

*TimeOut Chicago

*Chicago Reader

*Chicago Tribune

*Chicago Magazine

A preview of The Seldoms new work Marchland premiering this weekend at the Museum of Contemporary Art and later, a post-performance wrap-up with Artistic Director Carrie Hanson where we’ll also discuss the troupe’s upcoming trip to Russia.

Prior to the mid-April stop on American Ballet Theatre’s spring tour, a talk with ABT soloist Daniil Simkin who will be performing in Chicago for the first time.

A one-on-one interview with long-time Joffrey dancer Calvin Kitten — an audience favorite that is retiring after this season.

*If you have any ideas or requests for stories, interviews or reviews (yes, I might break down and do them) – please put them in the comment section!!

Seven years ago, a young student at Harid Conservatory in Boca Raton, Florida went to an audition mainly to avoid a 6-hour rehearsal scheduled for that afternoon.  “I’ll hang out in Fort Lauderdale,” he said.  “That’s fine.”  That day of playing hookie got Matthew Adamczyk a job with the Joffrey Ballet.  They offered it to him on the spot.  Fast forward to today and he is cultivating an ever-expanding repertory of Joffrey roles, while honing his other artistic passion — painting.  From custom building blocks for a friend’s nursery to a mural painted at a regional theater while on tour for The Nutcracker to hand-painted clothing (oh, he’s also thinking of getting into fashion design), Adamczyk is keeping busy and keeping his creativity cranked at full force.  He can be seen performing this weekend as an Ugly Stepsister and a cavalier to the Fairies of the Four Seasons in the Joffrey’s production of Cinderella at The Auditorium Theatre.  On a rare day off – thanks MLK! – we sat down to talk about his dance career and his growing portfolio of artwork.

Rogue Ballerina:  You’ve been at Joffrey since 2003, what’s your favorite part you’ve done so far?

Matthew Adamczyk:  I would have to say “Iago” in Othello – hands down.  I think that will always be my favorite…

Adamczyk as Iago in Othello - photo by Herbert Migdoll

RB:  You were perfect for it. Was it hard to prepare for that role?

MA:  It was pretty difficult.  Fortunately they had the professional filming of San Francisco Ballet and I got a chance to really study how Parrish Maynard did it.  He’s just a phenomenal dancer to begin with.  I really had a good opportunity to kind of play with the character and Lar (Lubovitch) was very open to the idea of me finding my own Iago, which was great.  I read the story.  I studying different aspects of the story through Shakespeare, through movies…and just kind of tied a little bit of everything together, kind of old Hollywood ideas.

RB:  So, going from that to Ugly Stepsister…

MA:  I’m still a villain.

Adamczyk as Ugly Stepsister

RB:  Just a funnier version.

MA:  The reason I asked Ashley (Wheater) if I could do Stepsister was to be able to work on my comedic abilities.  Because I can do drama really well, that’s not an issue, but to actually be funny on stage is a big stretch for me.  I’ve never delved into that yet.  So, this will be a first.

RB:  You and Willy (Shives) will be the Stepsisters…for the entire run?

MA:  There are two casts.  Willy and I are together and Michael Smith and David Gombert are together, which is a deadly duo, I must say.

RB:  Are you enjoying comedy or do you find it hard?

MA:  I enjoy it.  I enjoy comedy, it’s a good challenge.  It’s fun.  The thing that will make it the hardest is that the costume weighs about 30 pounds, with the bustle, the dress, the two petticoats underneath…it’s a lot.  (Laughing.)  It’s going to be a funny, funny production for sure.  I enjoy it.  You can’t really be over-the-top with…either being a villain like Iago or being a comedic…timing is key for everything.  I’m also one of the four cavaliers.  I have to say that is the hardest thing…to have an hour of rehearsal in heels doing something bad to having to switch gears and go right into double tours and men’s steps.  I give credit to any woman who wears heels.

RB:  What’s after Cinderella?

MA:  The Spring program with mixed rep.  Two world premieres and Gerald Arpino’s Reflections.  I’m in both world premieres and I’m in Reflections.  It’s going to be good.  It’s challenging for me.  Hopefully I’ll have the opportunity to do a triple-header, which I would prefer…to do all three ballets in one night and then have a night off.

RB:  Then you get the summer off?

MA:  We have 9 weeks off, which is convenient, but it’s also unemployment.  That’s why I’m really pushing to get paintings done, so come May I can sell some and have some form of income.

RB: Nice segue.  Let’s talk about your paintings.  Have you always painted?  Did you study it in school?

I did.  When I was in high school, I took art classes constantly and my senior year I took Advanced Placement Portfolio.  That was a really good opportunity to focus on my technique, my style…

RB:  Was it building a portfolio or creating one so that you had something to show?

MA:  Both.  There were still guidelines that you had to follow…using this medium, drawing this item…to really kind of fine tune your talents.  Fun story.  When I was in school, my teacher selected one of my paintings to enter into the Arts & Writing Competition…the Scholastic Arts & Writing for the state of Florida and it won a Gold Key.  All Gold Key members, from all the state competitions, went to be judged nationally.  So, it was on display at the Guggenheim Museum for two months.  It didn’t do anything at nationals…but still, it was at the Guggenheim.  That my claim to fame so far with my paintings.

RB:  That was a good start, I’d say…while still in high school.  Do you sketch, paint, acrylics, multi-media…?

MA:  I do mostly acrylic paintings now…I also do charcoal drawings.  Those are the two that I focus on.  The acrylics are very Lichtenstein/Andy Warhol.  That’s where I find a lot of my inspiration, from pop art.  The charcoals are very lifelike.  A lot of people ask, when they look at the tiger…ask if it’s a photo.  I like doing charcoal – it’s just extremely time consuming.

RB:  More so than painting?  Is it the shading?

MA:  It’s the shading, the blending, getting the texture just right where the painting, because it’s a pop art style, it’s just bold colors, stripes, dots…although I have to say the dots, the benday dots are extremely time consuming too.

This is the Guggenheim painting.  It’s actually a scratchboard.  You start with a black, Indian ink-covered piece of paper and you scrape away the highlights with a little razor blade.  One wrong stroke and you have to start again or you just make it white.

RB:  What do you want to accomplish with your painting?

MA:  Right now I’m just working on a collection.  I’m getting a lot of commission work, but unfortunately with that, the painting is out the door as soon as it’s done.  Hopefully I can career transition into painting full-time.  I figured I’d get a jump-start now.

RB:  That’s smart.

MA:  Yeah, with dance, you never know.

the prince will come.  Complete with a broom, seasonal fairies, stars, a pumpkin-esque coach, a grand ball and bumbling sisters en travesti, the classic Perrault-based fairy tale, Cinderella comes to the Chicago stage this week via The Joffrey Ballet.  In a nine-performance run at The Auditorium Theatre, the local troupe has the honor of performing Sir Frederick Ashton’s original choreography that tells the tale of a down-trodden maiden and her luck (with a little help from her Fairy Godmother) finding that ever-elusive perfect-fitting shoe and discovers her true love attached to the other end.

Premiering at the Sadler’s Wells Ballet of London in 1948, the evening-length ballet was set to a new Prokofiev score.  The Joffrey was the first American company to perform Ashton’s Cinderella (in 2006) and retains the exclusive rights.   Along with that comes Wendy Ellis Somes, owner and custodian of the ballet.   Ms. Somes inherited the rights from her late husband Michael Somes — protege to Ashton, former Assistant Director of the Royal Ballet, danseur noble and Cinderella’s original prince.

Her long career with the Royal Ballet included such prestigious roles as Juliet, Aurora, Titania and Sir Kenneth MacMillan created for her the roles of Princess Stephanie in Mayerling and a role in Gloria.  Ms. Somes, who has been in Chicago since January working with the dancers, was kind enough to take a few moments before rehearsal to talk with us.

Rogue Ballerina:  You had a 21-year career with the Royal Ballet.

Wendy Ellis Somes:  From 1969 – 1990.

RB:  That’s amazing.

WES:  I suppose.  People tend to stop earlier now days.

RB:  Were you ever Cinderella?

WES:  Oh yes.  I played Cinderella a lot.

RB:  What was it like working with Mr. Ashton?

WES:  One didn’t realize how important or how extreme it was as I do now — historically.  It was an every day occurrence.  It was wonderful.  He was very detailed, very particular…extremely detailed in everything he did.  You’d do about three steps and you would stop and he would say this, this, and this.  It was an amazing time.  I’ve often said, I’m just a phone — a telephone telling the youngsters of today what he told me, but in my own way, of course.

RB:  Are you as particular as he was?

WES:  Yes, because we were brought up that way.  My late husband too was extremely detailed.

RB:  Can you describe the Ashton style?

WES:  Mainly the Ashton style is very, very musical.  The musicality has to be almost foremost.  Then, the Cecchetti style of port de bras.  The wonderful epaulment and the lines, the actual texture of the lines of the arms the dancer makes — that is what is so incredibly important.

RB:  How long have you been staging Cinderella?

WES:  Since my husband passed away in 1994.  Those four years that I had after I retired from dancing…in those four years, Michael taught me everything to do with the stage.  When you’re dancing, you don’t take much notice of it because you’re thinking of your own performance, your own steps, your costume…you’re thinking of yourself very much.  It’s a different kettle of fish when you’re on the other side and you have to see to everything.  Not just the dancers, but the costumes, the lighting, the scenery, the sidelines, the music, the conductor, the orchestra…everything.  I learned a lot in those four years.  He really taught me everything about what I do now.

RB:  Did you set Cinderella on the Joffrey when they performed it in 2006?

WES:  Yes…completely, from scratch.

RB:  How long does the rehearsal process take when you’re starting from scratch?

WES:  It takes about 3 weeks to teach it.  That’s just teaching the steps.  Then another 2-3 weeks to polish it, clarify it and stage it…very much depending on the actual dancers.  Some companies can take longer.

RB:  How do you like working with the Joffrey?

WES:  I love it.  I’ve really been happy here.  It’s really a fabulous company.  Everybody is wanting it to be good.

RB:  What is your favorite scene in Cinderella?

WES:  I’ve always loved the seasons.  I just love that part…and I think the very end is beautiful…that walk up the stairs.

RB:  What do you tell the ballerina that has to make the Act II entrance walking down the stairs en pointe (while looking forward)?  What is your advice?

WES:  That is also to do with the partner, because he has greeted her hand right at the top of the stairs and what she has to do is slide the side of her shoe down the corner…the crease in the stair…the toe meets the next step.  When she gets to the bottom, he squeezes her hand again and she bourres to the next step.  That’s how you do it.  You have to trust your partner 100% and trust yourself.  It’s an amazing entrance, isn’t it?

RB:  Do you find that dancers have a difficult time counting the Prokofiev score?

WES:  Well, they have to know it.  They have to listen to it a lot.  It’s not easy.  It’s not Tchaikovsky.  It’s much more difficult obviously.

RB:  Did you change anything from the last time you set it here?

WES:  The choreography never changes, but there may be a few little changes that you’ll have to look for in the transitions.  You look for it.  I’m not going to tell you.

Megan Quiroz as Cinderella (photo by Herbert Migdoll)

Cinderella runs February 17-28 at The Auditorium Theatre, 50 E Congress.  Tickets are available at the Joffrey Box Office in the lobby of 10 E Randolph, at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University or at Ticketmaster:  800.982.2787 or online at www.ticketmaster.com.

Photo by Todd Rosenberg

“My Mother made me,” she says.  “I’m not kidding.”

Being forced to go to ballet class once a week turned out to be a good thing for Cheryl Mann.  Dancing not only saw her through a traumatic move from Knoxville, Tennessee to Orlando, Florida at age 11, but grew into a ten-and-a-half-year, critically-acclaimed career with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago (HSDC) and eventually opened a new creative door for her as a professional photographer.  Ballet class wasn’t her thing, but once she opened her eyes to other styles, she was hooked and at 17 landed a job dancing at Disney World.  Taking class from Chicago dance heavy-hitters Claire Bataille, Ginger Farley and Frank Chavez while still in school, Mann set her mind on a career in dance and after graduating early from Point Park University, set her sights on Chicago.  “Since I was 14, I knew that I wanted to dance at Hubbard Street,” she says.  “I moved here knowing I didn’t get the job…but I was committed to getting it.”  Instead she landed a job with the up-and-coming River North Dance Chicago where she danced for three seasons and made strong, lasting friendships with the other company members.  “We learned everything about who we wanted to be during that time,” says Mann.  On the side she also did commercial gigs.  For a Clairol hair show, they made her dye her hair bright red, which turned out to be the spark she needed to get her dream job in May of 1997.  Lou Conte (founder of HSDC) noticed her hair.

Chicago audiences soon learned that to watch her dance was to fall a little bit in love with her.  I sat down with Ms. Mann at the photography studio she shares with Todd Rosenberg for a “This Is Your Life”-style Q&A.

What are some of your favorite memories from HSDC?  Favorite pieces?

“Rassemblement”.  It means “The Gathering”.  It was choreographed by Nacho Duato.  We did it in ’99…?  It was the first time Lou Conte brought me into his office and he had tears in his eyes and he said, “You’ve exceeded every expectation I’ve ever had.”  And that was huge – it was sort of my breakthrough piece.  It took that long for me to prove myself to him…to earn my place, and I think that’s what everyone wants to do.  It takes him a long time to get used to you.  I felt like I really achieved something special.

What I love about the company is that every piece is so different, so it’s hard for me to choose favorites because I didn’t want to dance for a company that had one choreographer.  I grew up doing all kinds of different styles and that’s what I wanted to continue to do.

What I remember most about the company is not performing — it’s the people.

You were there with the “big guns”…Ron DeJesus, Shan Bai, David Gomez (we both giggled over having a huge crush on David)…

I did ”Georgia” with Ron…my first year in the company, he (Conte) cast me in “Georgia” for the 20^th anniversary…and we performed at the Auditorium Theater, which was horrifying for me because…A) dancing with Ron, B) it was Claire Bataille’s signature piece, and C) it’s my first year and it’s the 20^th anniversary at The Auditorium. It was a surreal experience.

What year did you win the Ruth Page award?

2002?  I think.  It was for “Cor Perdut” another Nacho Duato piece.   That was the biggest moment, I remember thinking, because Shan had gotten one, Joe Mooridian had gotten one, Sara Bibik, Harrison McEldowney, Claire (Bataille)…all of these people that I had the highest respect for had been rewarded by the city…they’d been noticed.  I always wanted to print two off because my partner was a huge part of that…Tobin Del Coure.  I felt like he should’ve been recognized too.  It was a duet.  I’m in the air because of him.  I felt like both of our names should have been on it.  I can’t believe he was never recognized for all the roles he did.

Tell me about your back injury.

I herniated my disk.  I had surgery in ’99.  We were in rehearsal for “The 40’s”…and I was doing an around-the-world lift with Ron DeJesus and I slammed down 2 feet and I felt the compact happen.  I didn’t really know what I had done, but my herniated disk broke off.  It actually broke off from the spine.  I kept dancing, so it worked its way down my spinal cord and strangulated a nerve. So, when I cooled down, I had this shooting pain…I couldn’t take my foot off the floor an inch…it was so debilitating…the most pain I’ve ever been in.  And then five days later, I had surgery.

Weren’t you terrified?

Yes, I was terrified.  It sounds so bad, but I was back on stage in 5 weeks…in “Rassemblement”.  It was unbelievable.  It only took 40 minutes for the surgery and they didn’t have to cut any muscle.

You were back on stage in five weeks?

Yeah, I’m really blessed with really amazing therapists…who are really good friends of mine today.  Julie O’Connell with Athletico.  She went in and watched my surgery, so she knew what was going on and she really got me back.  I’ve been going to her ever since.

And you had a knee injury?

I tore my knee in Jan of 2006 in rehearsal for “Minus 16” in the studio.  I saw my kneecap dislocate in the mirror and come back in.  My whole leg turned to liquid and I fell flat on my back.  I lay there and I remember…I shook my head and just knew it.  It was never going to be the same.  I had surgery.  (Laughing)  I can always tell when it’s going to rain.

A year later I tore it again on stage.  A week after my surgery, I tore it again a year later in “Gimme”.  Those combat boots…

I had an MRI and they couldn’t see anything because it was cloudy from the first surgery, so they didn’t know.  So for 7 months I danced on a torn ACL and didn’t know it was torn, because I knew I was retiring in October.

You already knew?

Yeah.  I knew I wanted to end in Chicago.  It’s been over 10 years and I didn’t ever want to…I wanted to get back and be 100%, which I was, but when I hurt it again, I had no idea.  In my mind I sort of knew I’d done it again.  But I told myself I didn’t.  I taped it every day, for every show and I just finished it off on my terms not because of my injuries.

You last show was amazing.

You know what…I was so happy.  I felt so young and I felt like it was my first show.  The best part is that once “Rassemblement” started – it was the last piece – I was so relieved to have gotten there and my knee didn’t go out or anything.

When “Rassemblement” started, the lights didn’t come on.  There was a effect on the light board that got messed up.  So it starts with a solo in a special and the special never came up.  I did the whole beginning in darkness.  Most of it I faced upstage, but I remember having a smile from here to here.  It was so perfect that the lights didn’t come on because I’m so accident prone and I have so many stories of falling flat on my face…in that piece a lot…but I remember thinking “this is perfect”.  It was my moment – I know what I’m doing – it was a very personal moment for me…and I had a huge smile on my face. But the lights came on right before everyone else joins and everything was fine.

When did photography come in?

The surgery.  I started shooting in the wings.  When I was off for the two weeks, I would just sit in the wings and take pictures.  I got some great pictures.  I started shooting pictures in the wings and I would give the dancers a photo and their reaction to it made me so happy.  It made me feel so good to accomplish something that night – I wasn’t just out of commission.  I could still do something worthwhile here.  So the next night, I’d try a different wing or a different angle…try to do it better.  It became this strange passion of mine.

Where you interested in photography before?

I took a photography class in high school and my mother…it’s because of my mother’s photo albums.  They were these awesome black and white. My Mom used to sing in a band.  She was this famous rock star in Vietnam and she had long hair and the costumes…flared arms, go go boots and short dresses.  She was amazing.  I remember just flipping through these photo albums almost every day.  I used to love going through her albums.  There are pictures of her that people had taken – I think a million guys were in love with her – and she has these amazing shots.  I felt a certain connection to that.  I was intrigued by them.

My first gallery show was at our first Inside/Out performance at the Arts Club.  2001?  I did one portrait of each dancer, an intimate portrait of each dancer not dancing, but something involving HSDC props…something to tie it in to HSDC, but a more conceptual shot.  I got to lay out the exhibit any way I wanted and I could use any prop and it just became this whole display showroom of my work.  I didn’t really realize how that would impact me…for my future.  I had no idea.  One of the dancers wrote a poem for each photo, so we collaborated.  Hedy Weiss bought two of my prints!  They weren’t even priced.  She made me price them…she gave me my first lesson in worth.

Then I met Todd Rosenberg, who is the photographer for HSDC – I share this studio with him now.  In 2002, he took me under his wing and showed me how to use studio lights.  I have this invaluable knowledge from really good people that invested in me.  Ever since then, I’ve been getting more and more experience, more and more people call me.  All dancers need headshots.  All dance companies need promotional shots.  They trust me for my eye and my timing, knowing how dance works and knowing what a preparation looks like…I’ve never seen the piece, but I know someone is about to jump, I someone is about to turn, I know something is going to happen, so my instincts are correct and I just shoot.  That’s the advantage of being a dancer first.  I don’t know how people shoot dance that have never danced.  I’ve heard it’s the hardest thing to shoot, but for me it’s the most natural.  If I could just shoot dance, I’d be happy.

Then it got more serious.  I started getting galas and social events and then weddings; it’s become a full-time job now.  I incorporated my business in 2008.  I incorporated the name Cheryl Mann Production.

www.cherylmannphoto.com

How do you like doing the weddings?

It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done.  I never had stage fright dancing, but I now know what stage fright is.  Before a ceremony, I feel it.  You can’t reshoot it.  It’s so unpredictable.  There’s so much stress.  You’re capturing someone’s day.  Usually I know the people, so I’m emotionally invested too.  No matter what, I’m going to be emotionally invested in all of my work.  It’s an extension of who I am.  For dancing, you get to a certain level of achievement.  With photography, I don’t want to be a mediocre photographer.  I want to be the best that I have to be now.

I work with a make up artist now.  She is changing my life.  She does make up for my clients and by the time they get to me they already feel beautiful.  It makes the biggest difference in my editing.  It’s even-toned.  Normally, I can edit everything.  I don’t just take your picture and hand you a cd.  I crop it, tone it, we change the light, put your name on it, we make a composite – we do it all right here, that day.  She helps me.  She changes the make up for different outfits.  We have a really good rapport.   Rue DeBona, she has a company called Ruege, Inc.  We’re going to open a studio together.  She’s going to start her own make up line in a year.  I’m so thankful to have her.  Everything just kind of falls into place…

You sometimes perform with the Mature Dance Project (started by Sherry Zunker).

Yes.  It’s very sporadic.  It’s amazing.  It’s therapeutic.  It means something so much to all of us to have a place to go.

I feel like dance has gotten so serious…we should be reminding people there is so much joy that comes out of dance.  And people’s relationships on stage…I’m missing that.  I don’t see a lot of people making eye contact.  I don’t believe people anymore.  I would love to coach at some point.

Now for some fun questions.  What are some of your favorite places you’ve traveled?

Jerusalem.   I loved it there.  I loved Poland too.  We had a blast in Poland.  We had an amazing tour in Italy.  We were treated like rockstars there.

What’s your favorite dance step?

It’s like an inverted to an outverted passe’ pirouette.  It runs in and then out and you sit into your hip.  The movement is from “Strokes Through the Tail” (choreography, Marguerite Donlon).

If you could be a super hero, what would your super power be?

Flexigirl from “The Incredibles”.  Is that her name?  Then I wouldn’t have to bend down to pick anything up.