Wow, where was I last week when I went to see the Nutcracker Ballet on opening night? I recently wrote that the “first scene was a little disappointing for me”. My memory must have let me down because the colors were not dull at all. The first curtain is interesting as the props made it seem like the dancers were inside the house. As soon as that curtain is lifted, the party was filled with splashes of color!

Last night the lead rolls were danced by Jill Marlow, as Marie, and Liang Fu, as the Nutcracker. I specifically went last night to see these two perform their first season as lead dancers in this special yearly production.

When I first visited Ms. Marlow at the Cincinnati Ballet, she had never danced the lead roll of Marie. I actually arrived on the second day of rehearsal. I thought that both Jill and Fu looked as if they had danced the roles before yet looked a little nervous. At rehearsal the next week the two were rehearsing alone with Mr. Carney and appeared even more skilled than the week before even though still very nervous. I would have never believed  that Jill was ever nervous after watching her dance last night.

She moved so eloquently with her long expressive arms during solo and partner dances and a childlike realism when playing with the others. Her expressions change as needed to portrait each scene as interpreted.

Fu danced with power and grace and gained cheers from the audience during his solo each time he launched into the air.

Each dancer was wonderful in their parts and even in sync with each better than opening night. I was sitting in the orchestra again however right in the middle this time. Of course I had my 6 year old son with me this time who did not sit as still as my Mother did! I think that he asked about 52 questions in the first 10 minutes and kept asking about the mouse. The fight between the mice and the soldiers was the only part of the ballet that he actually sat still through. Other parts of the production kept his interest in spurts like the Chinese Trainer and Mother Ginger of course.

Thank you to everyone who was involved with this years production of the Nutcracker. If you have not had the opportunity yet to take in a show, it runs until the 27th of December  and is a wonderful delight for all ages.

Can you feel at the ballet? You can’t touch the dancers. You can’t touch the music. It is the movement and the intensity of the music that can touch you. It’s the grace and beauty of each man and woman. The moment the orchestra starts and a dancer takes the stage my heart fills with joy. Each note erases any tension that the day may have created. Each step brings an indescribable feeling of child like expectation on Christmas morning.

This month I will be following Jill Marlow with the Cincinnati Ballet as they prepare to dance the Nutcracker. One of the most anticipated ballet’s of the year and well known around the world, the Nutcracker is about a girl and her Nutcracker doll that comes to life and takes her to the Land of Sweets. It is here that Marie (also known as Clara) and her awakened prince meet the Sugar Plum Fairy and watch dancers from around the world.

On Tuesday, November 3^rd, I had the opportunity to speak with Jill for the first time and watch one of her rehearsals. Ms. Marlow is partnered with Liang Fu and it is the first season for both of them to perform The Nutcracker. Also rehearsing that day with Jill and Fu were Kristy Capps and Ogulcan Borava. It is Kristy’s 8^th season, out last year due to injury and Ogulcan’s 9^th.

I first sat in the Kaplan studio and watch the rehearsal from the floor just off to the side. When I first walked in, the male dancers were on the floor relaxing and the female dancers were stretching and attending to hygiene. Massaging sore muscles seemed to be a common theme after a week off. The instructor walked in and straight over to the music station barely noticing that I was sitting there and so it began.

The more experienced (for this production) dancers were in the front, while Jill and Fu practiced behind them. I was a little confused wondering why they were not next to each other however, it didn’t seem to be a problem for the instructor, who seemed to notice everything that both couples were doing. A great thing to note is that this guy is not just someone who stands there and barks instructions. He is able to physically teach since he too is a dancer. Usually these instructors are retired dancers. At one point, he actually picked Kristi up into the air to show Olgulcan, first time partner to her, how he wanted it done.

I am amazed at how well Jill and Fu were dancing in a ballet that they have never performed. Next week, I will be meeting with Jill again to see how she is doing and how she feels after the first week of rehearsals.

Cincinnati Ballet & Ballet Met

Present

Swan Lake

My husband and I parked a couple of blocks away to enjoy the nights cool breeze as we walked toward the Aronoff Center to see last nights performance of Swan Lake. As we got closer to our destination my excitement built. It had been years since I had the opportunity to enjoy the ballet in full form. Walking into the building was just as informative as attending my first Ballet and Beer. I wasn’t really sure what to wear so I chose a classic dress and black boots. At first, I thought that perhaps I was underdressed when I was the first few people, ladies in satin and lace. Little girls in their finest dresses, tights and ballet flats. Men in suit and tie. Then I saw others in plain dresses, pants and even one person in jeans and a nice shirt. It reminded me of church. I don’t believe that God cares what you are wearing as long as you are there.

Once inide, you will find that there is a wonderful celebration of the evening already taking place. Conversations enjoyed over glasses of wine, coffee and tea, soda or water whatever your choice. Chocolates and nuts found my eyes and saved my stomach from near starvation since I forgot to eat dinner in all of the excitement!

The first thing that I did was to join a couple of the directors in The center Stage Room for footnotes prior to the production. This allowed time to hear how these two companies came together and a bit of details about the story of Swan Lake.

The chimes ring once and then twice alerting everyone to please take their seats that ushers make very easy to find. On the floor just slightly to the left of the stage, I had a wonderful view. This years performance combines live music from the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and the combination of two ballet companies. What this means for those of you that have the opportunity to attend, is that one evening, the Cincinanti Ballet principles will be dancing the lead male and female roles and the next night, it will be the Columbus Met group. Last night, the lead male dancing Prince Siegfried was our own Anthony Krutzkamp and lead female dancing Odette/Odile was Kristi Capps, also a Cincinnati Principle dancer. The evil Von Rothbart was danced by Zack Grubbs, senior soloist for Cincinnati, Prince Seigfried’s friend Benno was danced by Andres Esteves (Columbus Met).

The orchestra began to play before the curtain opened. Then, the big moment and for me at least, it was all and more than I could have expected. The stage opened up to an explosion of beautiful fall colors. So appropriate for the season. The theme continued in the dancers attire as the party began. Colors of the changing leaves. Prince Siegfried’s mother, played by Pamela Royal, insisted that he marry. He entertained her as each lovely lady vied for his attention. The ladies dresses were lovely in light fall shades of tulle that flowed around them as the twirled, the men’s jackets of suede so rich and befitting their roles. I watched as a child watches their favorite show on the edge of my seat.

My next favorite part was when the swans, all 24 of them came flooding out from stage left. When I heard from Victoria Morgan that the combination of the two groups resulted in 24 swans, I was not sure how that would play out on stage however, it worked out beautifully. The cool bright white against the warmer colors of the stage looked amazing. Like mirrored images both in limbs and reflections on the floor, they danced in synch and pulled it off with perfection. When each of the swans stood on pointe (up on their toes) in first position, my heart melted. They looked so lovely.

The performances of Prince Siegfried and Odette brought chills to my arms and at times a tear to my eye with their interpretation and ability to allow me to feel the emotion where no words were verbally spoken. No words were needed to know what was going on. Thank you. I felt the love that Prince felt for Odette. The powerful emotion danced by the principle’s solo’s.

In the third act, after the intermission, the scene became even more exciting as the curtains opened to a grand ballroom. Where as in the beginning there was a scene of fall leaves, this stage a more elaborate scene setting the stage for the biggest event of the production. The unknown betrayal of poor Odette and Prince Siegfried by the evil Von Rothbart. Dancers from around the world came to impress the Prince and Queen as he was forced to choose a wife.

Earlier in the month, I was allowed the great honor of watching the creative process through a rehearsal of the Spanish dance. Although at the time, I learned a lot about this process, I still did not quite fully know what I was watching until the moment that it was in front of me last night. My new friends, Sarah Hairston, Maizyalet Velaquez, Selahattin Erkan and Stephen Jacobsen came onto the scene in wonderful Spanish costumes and danced what I had already scene yet not as wonderful as at that moment.

When I see the rehearsals, I can see the hard work and pure determination that each dancer brings to his work. You can see the training, the stretching, the ability that it takes to achieve this career choice. When you watch the final product, in full with costume and an orchestra to back it all up, one only sees the passion and the emotion behind the story played out as if part of their soul. I urge each of you take part in these celebrations of life and art.