What does Nutcracker really mean to society?

A young girl named Clara believes that magic can happen, that she has the capacity to help turn the tide in a struggle for the better, and that she can help others experience beauty. Clara does what all of us can do in our own brief lives: She expands her experience of her first supportive and loving community—her family—to a larger gathering, and to a greater good, helping someone in need, and celebrating with people from around the world, each in their own cultural vocabulary.

For me, the Nutcracker invokes a deeper, more profound way of thinking. For example, I have long thought that the collective community of the Kingdom of Sweets is similar to the League of Nations, the forerunner to the United Nations. I also believe that the reason we, as humans, are distinguished from other living creatures is the capability to care about people we do not know. This Nutcracker ballet is an apt metaphor for what we believe in as people living in nations aspiring toward democratic principles in which people yearn for a better life and a kinder world.
I believe Nutcracker, with dancers deeply committed to their art form, its rigorous training and nearly impossible technical demands, speaks to a deep human longing for being better, to grow through struggle and hard work, to commit and give daily to others, not just in our families and workplaces, but in our communities and in our world.

It is the mysterious godfather Drosselmeier who arranges Clara's journey, an adult helping a child through the mysteries, struggles and accomplishments that will be hers. Drosselmeier is an adult who gives Clara something quite priceless, and as human beings and artists we are called to offer the priceless yet enriching mysteries as well.

Giving occurs throughout the Nutcracker story to lay the foundation for Clara’s transformative dream. A party with gifts is given; so is loving discipline when Fritz becomes greedy and jealous. A young teenage boy gives a shy girl a rose, a symbol of life and beauty. Good food and drink are generously distributed.

There is glorious pleasure for me as artistic director of Ballet Memphis as we produce and explore all season long the infinite possibilities of creating art through dance. On the stages where Ballet Memphis performs, we continue to quietly and profoundly express our belief that we can work together to be better and to share our gifts with you.

At our Ballet Memphis School, it is our honor to train children from all over the area in an atmosphere that nurtures trust, and provides the ability to quietly and sincerely begin listening to your body and soul. At our Pilates Centre, our licensed instructors help strengthen and heal bodies.

On this stage, and others across the nation, a desire to be captivated by beauty, dance and music as demonstrated by a nonspeaking art form takes place every December. It will forever be my hope that someday, this world on the stage will be the world we will walk in every day of our lives.

World Enough and Time part II

World Enough and Time....Why I don't believe ballet is over part II. (To read part I, click here)

As one of only 4 women leading ballet companies of a certain size and capability, I realized I had no desire to find "the next Balanchine", not because I didn't respect and admire his profound influence and gifts, but because I felt that looking for the next Balanchine was once again looking for an outside male savior, in many respects. It just doesn't seem like the right attitude. If women in the ballet world had been taught to find their own answers, I suspect there would be more of us making choreography and running ballet companies than there currently are. Furthermore, I was seeing a lot of lack-luster imitative choreography, coupled with a lot of steps that had no discernible meaning. It was time to help find ways to guide choreographers and dancers toward discovering meaning. If they understood and looked for meaning, perhaps they could pair their creations and their steps with renewed commitment to what lies at the base of our desire to be artists engaged in expressive dialogue.

As leaders in our field, artistic directors need to understand that the world around us, which we ask be reflected by our dancers and choreographers, is one full of possibilities. Take the stage as our setting, our metaphor. We can provide a place of almost limitless exploration because space is a gift we are honored to have time to fill while we walk, or dance, on this earth. Fill it how? With what theme? What questions? What sorrows and joys? What hopes? Isn't that how we want all human beings to move in the world? With questions, with delight, searching alone and together in community, in order to fill our world and time with value and meaning? If the flatness of the screen is affecting the thinking of people across our world, can we not call out to them and say "Look here! There is depth, intricacy, boldness! We illuminate space with our patterns and partnerships. There is room for so many. We work together, with dignity and respect for one another, and for the space in which we temporarily reside." Honestly, why don't we think of ourselves as ecologists of the human spirit?

There are other places in our country where people in our field are starting to address the need for change in the ballet world. It is very much still a patriarchal world, and the change is not really starting with the "big boys" in the big cities. This is understandable. The large cities of our nation have enough density and wealth to keep supporting, at least a while longer, what Ms. Homans sees and finds so discouraging. Those of us who live in closer proximity to the nation's "not so beautiful" know that these very people, these outliers, are often the ones whose voices, when heard, transform art. We need to closely read what is being written, hear what is being sung, experience what moves our population, and we can open a curtain behind which I believe we will find a vastness and potential we have long ignored. Furthermore, it is by seeing what we may not want to see, what we may not understand or be comfortable with, that we learn more about who we are as individuals and as people in relationship with others.

Ballet Memphis has re-enlivened story ballets and put dances in thematic context in our programming. We have investigated fused movement and local music and regional literature. We have done this without turning our backs on our training and our belief in what Ms Homans so eloquently calls our "inner truth and elevated state of being." I completely agree with her that there has been , in so many places, a forsaking of our sense of our capacity for transformation of the human spirit and our losing sight of what I believe is the enormous potential of human beings moving in the world together. However, I do not believe that this state has come about consciously. We reflect what we learn in our world. If it has become one of stricture, and of fear which blinds us, then our hope lies in our ability to reach a point where we can see what those blinders are and begin the challenging task of removing them.

We must become more conscious creators of dance. We must structure our companies and classrooms in ways that welcome "outsiders", in ways that guide and empower our young artists so that they do not feel they must conform to a structure run by a king, even if he is a benevolent despot. We must encourage curiosity and respect simultaneously, and model what is worthy of respect. We can encourage curiosity, thoughtfulness, tolerance, and give our emerging artists and audiences the understanding that they are not a part of an isolated fairy kingdom, but are a part of a world to which they can contribute hope, inspiration, and a meaningful context for exploration of ideas, experiences, and relationships. Ballet can awaken the sparkling spirit of a mysterious kingdom better than any art form I can think of, but this kingdom provides us a glimpse into attributes we share as humans that propel us forward together in a vast and ever-changing , often exciting, world. If we lose sight of why we dream about and create worlds of beauty, we stay lost in the mist.

I work in a ballet company that is truly alive. I think there are more of us out there. If we are singular, ( and I don't think we are,) we don't have to be. If the sparks are buried, I don't think they are yet suffocated. I have enormous hope. We need an awakened leadership that helps our artists, giving them the opportunity to see that "world enough and time" awaits their unselfish love , talent, and commitment to meaningful creation.

World Enough and Time

World Enough and Time....Why I don't believe ballet is over

I have often felt a small tinge of alarm when I hear the word "like" which has crept into the vocabulary of our young, and into many older generations' speech as well. Jenifer Homans, in her article "Is Ballet Over?", speaks of today's ballet artists "not quite committing" as they dance. The word "like" is often inserted before a verb, as in "we were like hoping," " we were like thinking,", or "I was kinda like going this way..." If we accept the premise that there is probably a problem of commitment here, a fear of embracing action, and apply it toward the art of ballet, perhaps we can engage in a conversation about what we actually want to be committed to in the ballet world.

Some years ago, as a founding artistic director of a ballet company in a mid-sized city in the fly-over zone, I began asking questions about our purpose in the rapidly changing democracy in which we live and work and create art. What values do we hold that resonate in this world? How do we open our ballet world of idealistic hope and belief to others? How do we listen to what others say, and then nurture and create art and artists as members of a world, not a narrow kingdom? In ballet's history, artists who left the European capitals often returned with a greater understanding of what people bring to dance. I think particularly of the great Danish choreographer Auguste Bournonville (check spelling of both names please!) . By being attentive to other cultures and classes, he brought a recognizably human embrace to the ballet stage.

In a city like Memphis, with enormous social challenges and a culture so clearly enriched and influenced by black America, I have never felt that the white European aristocratic model was one in which we need to imprison ourselves. Neither did George Balanchine, as Ms. Homans points out so well. Exploring what others have to offer can broaden our language.

For this, our 24th season, we have chosen the theme “Telling Our Stories,” because our world narrative, in which we are all contributors—willingly or otherwise—is so full of important stories. We hold the great gift at Ballet Memphis to be able to tell these stories through our dance. Truly, they are unique and worthy perspectives that deserve to be heard, seen, felt and appreciated. In every work we perform, whether classical, reimagined or completely new, our dancers will seek to create meaningful connections. That may be in a more intimate space, between two people onstage, or in a larger setting, with audience members and dancers moving physically and emotionally through the same range of thoughts and emotions.

It’s an awesome task that we at Ballet Memphis assume in a heartfelt and significant way. And how fortunate we are to be living here in the soul of this country, with so much great history and music from which to draw. Some of the best writers, certainly the best musicians, and artists of all kinds have been born, raised and sent from this rich Southern region. So many women, in particular, came from this place and have helped shape me, and I hope they will continue to
mold the next female generations. That is why we carry the mantle of their work, to explain and interpret these people who paved the way for us and who have made our lives more fulfilling in the process. Their work—their stories—have to continue on to keep our world moving into an even better place.

Please keep telling your own important stories, and never underestimate their influence on family, friends and those who may fleetingly pass through your life.

We’re Telling Our Stories for Our 24th Season!

For our 24th season, we’re telling our stories in a whole new light. From setting a new stage with area artists of all kinds with FUSE, to a foodie’s dream event where top local chefs are challenged to create a new chapter with homegrown ingredients. Plus, three famous stories choreographed just for Ballet Memphis, including the premiere of an all-new Romeo & Juliet. Our AbunDANCE series adds a new chapter with renowned female choreographers and musicians presenting four new short works right here on this stage. And setting the stage for our 25th anniversary season, we’re taking it outdoors to the Memphis Zoo for a season wrap under the stars.

FUSE Sept 18

Connections: Food Oct 9

A Midsummer Night’s Dream Oct 30–Nov 7

Nutcracker Dec 10–12

AbunDANCE: Where the Girls Are Feb 19–27

Romeo & Juliet Apr 9–17

Connections: Outdoors May 14

Beauty comes in many forms

Last season, I approached our own Travis Bradley about the idea of a new but still classically based Sleeping Beauty ballet. The reinterpretation was a risk, I knew, but the project was put into good hands, given to a young man of great sensitivity and depth. As I had hoped, Travis dove into the

project with seriousness and rigorous thought, committed to exploring concepts, people’s natures, and how a story can help us express both of these notions.

Travis was soon on his way, conducting his own storyline research, its historical interpretations and present-day applications. One of his first decisions was that the Prince and Sleeping Beauty, or Briar Rose, would grow up together, so there is a relationship that moves from childhood friendship into admiration, to a new bonding, and finally to an everlasting love. In our retelling, Carabosse, traditionally the Wicked Fairy, is a Rose Fairy of fiery passion and intense desire. When Carabosse surrenders to the Briars, she succumbs to being strangled by desire, by an imbalance of passion. At the end of the story, the Briars and Carabosse are not simply defeated by the Prince’s strength, but also because Briar Rose has touched Carabosse by offering her another vision of beauty without a burning desire to consume. When Carabosse surrenders to the call of beauty’s love and kindness, she is redeemed and forgiven for the havoc she has caused.

Another interesting storyline element is in making the Prince also the Gardener. This idea makes great sense to those of us raised in our American democracy, and it reminds us that the true “princes” in life are not defined simply by wealth, power, birth or status. Instead, they reside in those whose characters are most elegant, those who can rise above accumulation for self-gratification. Our Prince is strong enough to give to others, to celebrate beauty without grasping, and to honor, to release, to draw joy from and give love to.

When Ballet Memphis examines a traditional story in new ways, we strive to grasp the narrative’s original value and meaning, and then hold that in a sacred trust in the act of creation. If this act of care does not happen, we run the risk of presenting yet another empty spectacle. Travis, however, poured his heart into a work of great care and beauty. There is a fullness here in our new telling of Sleeping Beauty, a story replete with faith in our better human natures.

Because nobility exists in pouring one’s heart into his or her life’s work, Ballet Memphis believes strongly in mentoring and nurturing our professional dancers, our young choreographers and our students. We are determined to be thoughtful, and act in meaningful, hopeful ways. Just like a gardener, we hope to create a flourishing culture of beauty and kindness in our city and in our nation.

Feet, hands, right brain, left brain

This weekend’s performances contain 3 works, each with its emphasis being a part of our bodies. Steven McMahon tackles the mind and heart, basing his work on Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor’s book, MY STROKE OF INSIGHT, A NEUROSCIENTIST’s PERSONAL JOURNEY. Dr. Taylor’s stroke, and her ability to assess how she went through it and what she learned from it, inspired Steven to create a work about the duality of the human brain. He says that his piece is “a conversation between the heart and mind, or the body and soul.” He found, in his readings, things that were scientific , but also spiritual at the same time. I imagine that scientists must feel this way as they make discoveries as well. The largeness of creation, the wonder of the world, the complexity of all that is within us and around us, has to be so exciting!

Julia Adam’s piece is based on the hand. She has pulled from the writings of T.S. Eliot, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Shakespeare, and Dr. Seuss, and is looking at what our hands do expressing stages of life. She added props to support her ideas, props that are extensions of our hands, and very symbolic. She even studied multiple hand games, and has created a very exciting, poignant, and fascinating works for us. I always find too , that Julia’s work has a particularly feminine sensibility in its awareness of relationships, rich and thoughtful. I wish that there were more women choreographing in the ballet world, and I wish that everyone had her openness and sensitivity.

Nicole Corea closes the program with a rousing work, having received the assignment of “feet” from me. She has some dear friends, South African gum boot dancers, whom she based her new work on. The reason the miners in South Africa were given boots was because the wonders of the mines did not want to drain the mines, so they just gave the workers boots. This in itself is enough to break your heart, but it reminded Nicole of the spirits of her South African friends, and how much they have risen through in their culture. She speaks about how joyous their dispositions can be. “The South Africans I know will dance anywhere, even in their kitchens!”

Feet, hands, right brain/left brain….all moving within us while we spend our days in this life together. Something else joyful to investigate and celebrate. Hope to see you this weekend!

Isn't the human body miraculous?

Even more astounding is what we’ve learned about our bodies in the last 100 years, particularly through scientific discovery. While scientists continue to reveal amazing details about our bodies, artists have been using the body, or images of the body, to convey the many events, questions and mysteries within us. Scientists and artists alike tackle ideas with exploration and discoveries, and in Connections: Body and Soul you are watching some of that exploration.

Steven McMahon’s piece took its base from a book by Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, My Stroke of Insight, A Brain Scientist’s Personal Journey. Dr. Taylor’s stroke, which occurred when she was only 37, and her subsequent journey through recovery, inspired Steven to create a work about the dualityof the human brain, in which each hemisphere has a different priority, or motivation. Steven explores what those hemispheres would look like in an unfolding dance work. The evolution of Julia Adam’s piece stems mainly from a documentary on PBS about 9/11. The commentator wondered about the people jumping out of the towers, holding hands. Were these acts of great love or great desperation, or both? At some point soon after, Julia and I talked about all the things we do with our hands and agreed it would be important to make a work about that someday. Finally, we are able to do it and the hands of our joyous labors can be seen today.

When I asked Nicole Corea to concentrate her work on feet, she kept thinking about a South African dance company she knows well. This company does a lot of gumboot dancing, which derives from the fact that many South African miners had to wear boots because the mines they worked in filled with water. It reminded Nicole of the spirits of her South African friends, and how much they have risen through in their culture. Nicole also uses steps from a South African dance, the pantsula, which is more of a fun, loose dance that was made up in the streets. Dance is not something South Africans separate from their daily lives. When I did my research into many of these dances, I found that all kinds of groups had this connection to the earth, this way of speaking to the earth through our vibration, and then it climbs up through the rest of your body.

Feet, hands, right brain/left brain—all moving within us while we spend our days in this life together. It is truly something joyful to investigate and celebrate.

AbunDANCE

Dear Board and Patrons,

It was so rewarding, and so very interesting, to be involved in preparing our AbunDANCE performances. Last week, I returned from giving the keynote speech with National Arts Strategies ' Russell Willis Taylor at the Dance NYC, and it gave me a different and enhanced perspective. Ballet Memphis is in such an interesting position now, becoming more and more known and respected for the real innovation we have brought to our art form and our deep connection with our community. There is an eager intimacy we acheive now, with our work , and our purpose as artists, and the dancers convey this so beautifully to our audience, bringing them into that same state of being. We all know we are doing something together , and that it is significant, and important, and with this show, it is so joyful!

Yesterday, I was profoundly moved by Petr Zahradnicek's (please check spelling) to the powerful choral piece of ???? Gorecki's BROAD WATERS. In the final movement, the stillness achieved on stage was the deep stillness I also found inside me because of the dance that unfolded, and the place of arrival was a perfect harmony of music, human beings, and continuity. Then, to see 4 different men rehearse the amazing solo TAKADEME, is to see our men take on vocabulary completely different than anything they have done before. And, the jubilant Trey McIntyre piece, SECOND BEFORE the GROUND , is like welcoming a best friend we haven't seen in awhile, and the smile of welcome is enormous!

And, there is the work that we commissioned Jane Comfort to choreograph and Kirk Whalum to create music for. This collaboration has been fascinating from the outset, and the results will be so rewarding! And, this is a work in which I think you will feel a particular loving presence. These two artists have lived this presence all through the collaboration, and I don't think I have ever worked with any two artists who are more wise, humble, and large -spirited. Especially lucky you are if you are coming opening night, because Kirk and 5 other musicians will play live, and in tandem with 60 gospel voices recorded by the Mount Olivet Baptist Choir (please get the name right from Kirk....and it also needs to get in the program.) If you can't come Feb. 27th, you will still be able to see this amazing dance journey to a great recording at the other performances. And remember, this is our opening in our new midtown home at the intimate and fantastic new Playhouse on the Square, and we perform Feb. 27th, 28th, March........(please fill in).

These are difficult times for many, many people. It is important to be involved in those things that remind us that we have the capacity to find and manifest joy, and let that joy inspire us to bring more of it to others in our world, however we are able. There is no more important thing that we as artists can do , and no more important thing for us to do for one another in our lives together on this earth. I hope you will be there with us, and share with us our profound belief that we all have an AbunDANCE of Joyful Noise to cherish and grow in our communities.

Come share our joy!

Dorothy

Where do you respond, from inside your body, when you find joy?

Do you take a breath and emit a squeal? A note of song? Perhaps accompanied with a jump, or a blissful fall to the floor with a grateful note of thanks?

There are certainly an infinite variety of ways we express our jubilation. But, who can argue that we take that first inhalation while we are becoming aware of the news, the thought, the imagined picture? And doesn't it come back out, almost always, with sound and movement?

In this season's AbunDANCE, we are presenting work that was choreographed as a response to the joyful first intake of breath, coming back out as a chant, or a song, or channeled into a wind instrument.

I first saw Robert Battle's Takademe when it was performed at Houston's Dance Salad the same year Ballet Memphis was the only American ballet company invited to appear. The solo is powerful and utterly physical yet has a humorous undercurrent. When modernist choreographer Jane Comfort and composer/performer Kirk Whalum collaborated on the work premiering at this show, what resulted was a pieces that follows a person's struggle to find their way to a joyful elevation. Broad Waters is the story of a community of people bound together by the river they live near. And we're pleased to once again perform Trey McIntyre's Second Before the Ground.

Whatever brings you joy in life, find it, embrace it and watch it flourish.