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St. Cloud State University
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Ballet blends modern, classic
By Carol Seavey
Published:
Monday, November 4, 2002
Carol Seavey -- News Editor
The James Sewell Ballet crossed modern dance techniques with classical ballet last Saturday at the Paramount Theater in St. Cloud.
The eight member dance company performed three dances, "Opus 131," "Improvisation #31" and "Lover."
"Lover" was commissioned by Richard and Sandra Jacobson of St. Cloud to honor their 35th wedding anniversary.
The dance portrayed the trials and challenges of love and the people who come between it. The dance took place on the streets during the 1930s depression to the tune of Depression-era musicals. The women were fittingly dressed in rags with shawls and hats. The men wore worn, simple suits. Dancers interacted as they warmed their hands over a garbage can fire.
In one section, a man and woman performed a duet in which they, like the music, were not always together. The man danced the mambo to mambo style music when a woman's voice would interrupt to soft, romantic music with choreography.
Somehow, they managed to perform together. The romantic yet humorous dance showed that even though couples aren't always on the same page, they can still work through it.
Other relationship examples depicted included an abusive boyfriend, a jealous girlfriend, a drunk, a flirtatious woman and a rich snob.
The dance portrayed an array of situations that many people cross throughout their lives.
The lovers started with curiosity and playfulness, went through jealous break-ups while questioning themselves and recovered, learning to love again.
The first piece was performed to Beethoven's "Quartet for Strings in C#, Opus 131."
Each couple wore traditional ballet costumes of purple, royal blue, black, bright pink and maroon.
The men wore tights and long-sleeved velvet shirts. The women wore bodices and full tutus reaching their calves.
The thick, bold colored tutus had a thin layer of black on top, which dulled the bright colors.
The dance was constantly thriving, combining ballet's traditionally defined, structured movements with modern techniques of Lester Horton, Jose Limon and Martha Graham.
The different techniques allow more movement in the back and torso, sharp, straight movements and the use of the head as a weight in turning. This allowed choreographer James Sewell to break free from the constraints of rigid ballet posture. The modern sections were obviously separated from ballet sections.
The majority of the dance was bright and spriteful with a variety of jumps, leaps and turns. There were also a lot of silly, humorous movements that went along with the plucking of the harp during the light parts of the music.
Some silly movements included bobbing their torsos side to side and making a strange pyramid while kneeling on all fours.
They even played a game of musical chairs, only the goal was to be a part of a linked circle and each time the dancers came back to it, one would be left out. This was playful and energetic; one dancer lifted her tutu to cover her face when she was left out.
When only two dancers were left, one man and one woman, the woman chose herself as the remaining dancer. She pranced gleefully, like a child frolicking in a meadow, happy that she was the winner. Then she realized that it's not as fun to be alone and sulked until the other dancers joined again.
Wonderful partnering showed skill and flexibility. The women's tutus were especially gorgeous during partnering.
Since black chiffon was the top layer of the tutu, it wasn't until the women were turned over or flipped upside down that the bold colors were revealed in a beautiful rainbow of blue, purple and pink.
In the third piece, "Improvisation #31," the dancers were given movement phrases and then allowed to improvise within.
The wonderful dancers, combined with excellent choreography and music put on a great performance.
The nationally-known James Sewell Ballet has been based out of the Twin Cities since 1993. It was founded by Minneapolis native, James Sewell, who started his training at the Children's Theatre Company School before moving to New York to study and dance with American Ballet Theatre II, School of American Ballet, David Howard and Feld Ballet, New York.
He has choreographed over 45 ballets, which have been performed internationally. Since 1993 James Sewell Ballet has performed 474 times, an average of once per week, in 40 Minnesotan communities, 25 states and Bermuda.
