The Houston Ballet (Image / Journey / Ghost Dances)

Rating:
Summary: Bruce outshines Stevensen
Review: I bought this DVD because it included a dance piece ("Image") by Ben Stevensen, the choreographer who created my favorite version of "Cinderella." "Image," a longish solo piece danced by Janie Parker, is based on the tragic life of Marilyn Monroe. Like most ballets created for a single performer, it suffers from the lack of other dancers to play off of. The focus necessarily stays on Ms Parker, and her writhing and angst truly become too much. If a ballet can be preachy, this one feels like a marathon sermon by Jonathan Edwards.

But I found the two pieces by a choreographer I was previously unaware of, Christopher Bruce, to be very interesting. Though very different from one another, "Journey" and "Ghost Dances" share an eligiac quality. Neither work is entirely plotless, but both are more about the relationships being presented than they are about the unfurling of a complete and coherent storyline. Bruce seems to have been influenced by Martha Graham, Jerome Robbins, and Paul Taylor, and shares with those three masters--when the dance gods are working in their favor, anyway--the ability to be theatrical without over-manipulating the audience. Like them he knows how to make full and meaningful use of the stage and demonstrates a love and respect for the human form. The dancers seem to hover between a secure groundedness and flight. There is room for elements of play even when the larger theme is mortality. "Journey" is set within a ballet class and seems to reference Robbins's "Afternoon of a Faun" among other works. "Ghost Dances," as Bruce reveals in his introduction, is about people who disappeared under authoritarian regimes and is danced to haunting South American folk music performed by Inti-Illimani. It is the concluding dance on this DVD and by far the strongest and most accessible.

All the dancers are gifted and a joy to watch. They do an excellent job of combining classical ballet with modern dance--a trend most of the smaller ballet companies seem to be following.

Each of the ballets is introduced by it's choreographer.

Rating:
Summary: Bruce outshines Stevensen
Review: I bought this DVD because it included a dance piece ("Image") by Ben Stevensen, the choreographer who created my favorite version of "Cinderella." "Image," a longish solo piece danced by Janie Parker, is based on the tragic life of Marilyn Monroe. Like most ballets created for a single performer, it suffers from the lack of other dancers to play off of. The focus necessarily stays on Ms Parker, and her writhing and angst truly become too much. If a ballet can be preachy, this one feels like a marathon sermon by Jonathan Edwards.

But I found the two pieces by a choreographer I was previously unaware of, Christopher Bruce, to be very interesting. Though very different from one another, "Journey" and "Ghost Dances" share an eligiac quality. Neither work is entirely plotless, but both are more about the relationships being presented than they are about the unfurling of a complete and coherent storyline. Bruce seems to have been influenced by Martha Graham, Jerome Robbins, and Paul Taylor, and shares with those three masters--when the dance gods are working in their favor, anyway--the ability to be theatrical without over-manipulating the audience. Like them he knows how to make full and meaningful use of the stage and demonstrates a love and respect for the human form. The dancers seem to hover between a secure groundedness and flight. There is room for elements of play even when the larger theme is mortality. "Journey" is set within a ballet class and seems to reference Robbins's "Afternoon of a Faun" among other works. "Ghost Dances," as Bruce reveals in his introduction, is about people who disappeared under authoritarian regimes and is danced to haunting South American folk music performed by Inti-Illimani. It is the concluding dance on this DVD and by far the strongest and most accessible.

All the dancers are gifted and a joy to watch. They do an excellent job of combining classical ballet with modern dance--a trend most of the smaller ballet companies seem to be following.

Each of the ballets is introduced by it's choreographer.

Rating:
Summary: Two Out of Three is not too bad
Review: I saw these three short ballets when they debuted about 10 years ago. This is an excellent recording of the performances. By far the best of the three is "Ghost Dances". Choreographed to folk music originally performed by the famed Chilean group, Inti Illimani, the work is a treat for both the eyes and the ears. The costumes and the power of the three " ghosts" was amazing. Running a close second is "Image", a piece that showcases the then prima ballerina of the Houston Ballet, Janie Parker. Based on the life and death of Marilyn Monroe, this is a somewhat disturbing piece made more so by the very expressive dancing of Ms. Parker. Her performance is haunting. The third ballet, "Journey" did not appeal to me 10 years ago and still does not. The choreography is OK but the atonal music is not for everyone. However, like the title of this review says, two out of three is not too bad. The DVD is well worth owning for "Ghost Dances" alone.

Rating:
Summary: Emotional dance at its finest
Review: The Houston Ballet in its heyday featured some of the world's best dancers and choreographers, as evidenced in this fine recording. In "Ghost Dances," Li Cunxin, along with the other ghosts, projects immense stage presence combined with unforgettable grace, wit, and power. In "Image," Janie Parker shows excellent kinesthetic skills, but her forte lies in reflecting emotion. Her portrayal of Marilyn Monroe is intensely affecting, almost painful to watch in its abrupt changes from agony to joy and back.

By the way, don't miss Li Cunxin's riveting autobiography, "Mao's Last Dancer," a 2004 publication. It's not only a revealing glimpse into the world of ballet, but also dramatizes how vast a gulf exists between the medieval living conditions in central China and the comforts of the affluent Western world.

Rating:
Summary: Emotional dance at its finest
Review: The Houston Ballet in its heyday featured some of the world's best dancers and choreographers, as evidenced in this fine recording. In "Ghost Dances," Li Cunxin, along with the other ghosts, projects immense stage presence combined with unforgettable grace, wit, and power. In "Image," Janie Parker shows excellent kinesthetic skills, but her forte lies in reflecting emotion. Her portrayal of Marilyn Monroe is intensely affecting, almost painful to watch in its abrupt changes from agony to joy and back.

By the way, don't miss Li Cunxin's riveting autobiography, "Mao's Last Dancer," a 2004 publication. It's not only a revealing glimpse into the world of ballet, but also dramatizes how vast a gulf exists between the medieval living conditions in central China and the comforts of the affluent Western world.