Summary
REDLANDS Settling an audience down in an outdoor venue such as the Redlands Bowl is always a tricky proposition, especially if an opening piece starts in silence or with quiet intensity as in the case of "Bolero." The entrance of the State Street Ballet dancers into the space Tuesday, Aug. 17, was strong and quiet, immediately indicating that this was not an amateur company. Their poise and energy was striking considering how long they had to hold the opening pose while waiting for lights and sound (an unfortunate technical glitch).
Choosing to start the evening with a neoclassical piece such as "Bolero" by Rodney Gustafson was not the best choice. Musically, Ravel's "Bolero" is a well known piece with a strong sustained drive that is supposed to include a passionate build to the climax. The choreography however, did not match the intention of the music. The piece did successfully showcase the strong technical skills and training of State Street Ballet of Santa Barbara.See the full content of this document
Extract
State Street Ballet Demonstrates Technical Mastery
The dancers, in red unitards, exemplified the ideal, beautiful ballet body and the company's technical virtuosity was certainly highlighted. Artistically however, the piece fell flat. In this piece full of level changes, ...
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