First show of season to include mixture of styles, dances, choreographers

The lights dim, four dancers dressed in black come onstage, and then suddenly a dancer in a vibrant red leotard appears.

The dancers are rehearsing for this season’s fall ballet “A Choreographer’s Evening,” which opens Friday.

The center dancer of the first piece, Jordan Martin, commands the space. She will be playing the ballerina in red, usually known as Persephone, in “Noir,” a piece choreographed by Twyla Tharp.

Tharp’s contemporary style brings something fresh to traditional ballet.

This season’s fall ballet will feature an eclectic menu of different dances and choreographers. The night will also consist of “Allegro Brillante” by George Balanchine and a new piece, “The Baker Dances” by New York choreographer Joshua Bergasse, with music originally composed by David Baker.

Because of the show’s variety, it is very demanding on the dancers.

“It’s important for the audience to see what we can do,” Michael Vernon, chair of the Department of Ballet, said. “Sometimes ballet can be restricting. It’s important to relax and move.”

The Jacobs School of Music ballet majors train primarily in their genre. Because of the intensity of the program, it is hard for them to take dance classes in other genres.
“Students learn other dance genres through choreography,” Vernon said.

The choreography for the show is stunning, physically demanding and rewarding. Tharp’s “Noir” is a mystery-plot dramatic ballet and very contemporary in nature. It is grounded and has many roots in modern dance.

Balanchine’s “Allegro Brilliante” is the antithesis of “Noir.” Filled with jumps, pas de deux and girls in flowing pastels, this dance was created at the height of Balanchine’s career.

Bergasse’s choreography is filled with rhythmic hip movements and style, which complements Baker’s music. Baker is a world-renowned composer and head of the Jazz Department at the music school.

This is the first time in six years the school has done a collaboration with an original composer. Bergasse’s past experience with the school as a guest choreographer qualified him to create this world premiere.

Bergasse choreographed and directed last spring’s successful West Side Story and has choreographed other projects for the school.

“It is a different language and a completely different way of moving,” Bergasse said about working with ballet dancers in the jazz piece. “We like to expose students to different things.”

He said his style is mainly classical jazz with influences from tap dancers Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly.

“This show has a variety,” senior and dancer Ellen Barlow said. “There is something for everyone.”