2008 Woodie Awards
On their toes for Shakespeare
Nieman, Ashleigh
Issue date: 4/2/08 Section: Campus
As the lights dim and the house begins to settle, a feeling of anticipation sweeps the theater like a cold draft. Almost all 875 seats are filled and every person's eyes are on those long red curtains, waiting for them to rise. Everyone knows they came for a ballet-style rendition of Shakespeare's best, but nobody is prepared for the gusto with which it will be performed.
The Tchaikovsky Perm Ballet danced their version of "Romeo and Juliet" last week at the Van Duzer Theatre. The company, 75 dancers strong, hails from Russia and performed Swan Lake at Humboldt State University in 2006. The ballet was accompanied by a full symphony orchestra and depicted all the definitive junctures of the play: the masked ball the characters attend, their meeting in Juliet's garden, the fight between and eventual deaths of Romeo's friend Mercutio and Juliet's cousin Tybald, and even the two star-crossed lovers' final moments.
Arcata community member Louise Anderson is a subscriber to Center Arts and attended the rendition of Romeo and Juliet. The ballet was one of her top choices, and she chose it for the "pick six" deal offered by Center Arts. "These people are not just dancers, they're storytellers," Anderson said.
The Tchaikovsky Perm Ballet is widely recognized as one of the most prestigious companies in the world. The company was formed in the early 1920s and debuted with a performance of the famous ballet "Giselle."
With a company of 75 dancers, its current repertoire features ballet's most-treasured classics as well as the works by contemporary choreographers. Some of these include "Swan Lake," "Sleeping Beauty," "Cinderella," "Giselle," and "The Nutcracker." The company was largely influenced by the famous Kirov Ballet, also of Russia. During World War II, the Kirov school had to evacuate their headquarters because of bombing and seek refuge with the Perm Ballet.
The company pulls all of its dancers directly from its own school, which is a well-known training institution for ballet in Russia. Nowadays, Perm artists like Elena Kulagina, Yulia Mashkina, Natalia Moiseeva, Vitaly Poleschuk, Radiy Miniakhmetov and others have distinguished themselves in national and international competitions and won international fame.
The company tours extensively and some recent tours included China, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Italy, and the West Coast of the United States.
This production is one of many put on by Center Arts every semester. Events have a wide variety of genres and include acts such as The Producers, the Shaolin Warriors, and comedian Lily Tomlin as well as many others. Michael Moore is the event coordinator for Center Arts at Humboldt State University. "We think that the ballet is one of the best touring ensembles in the world, and we feel privileged that they are able to return to Humboldt State University," Moore said.
Sara Black, a junior biology student at Humboldt State, attended the performance. Black doesn't describe herself as an avid ballet fan, but went with a group of friends. "I went not expecting much, but what I got was magical," Black said. "It was a very interesting take on a classic ideal."
The Tchaikovsky Perm Ballet danced their version of "Romeo and Juliet" last week at the Van Duzer Theatre. The company, 75 dancers strong, hails from Russia and performed Swan Lake at Humboldt State University in 2006. The ballet was accompanied by a full symphony orchestra and depicted all the definitive junctures of the play: the masked ball the characters attend, their meeting in Juliet's garden, the fight between and eventual deaths of Romeo's friend Mercutio and Juliet's cousin Tybald, and even the two star-crossed lovers' final moments.
Arcata community member Louise Anderson is a subscriber to Center Arts and attended the rendition of Romeo and Juliet. The ballet was one of her top choices, and she chose it for the "pick six" deal offered by Center Arts. "These people are not just dancers, they're storytellers," Anderson said.
The Tchaikovsky Perm Ballet is widely recognized as one of the most prestigious companies in the world. The company was formed in the early 1920s and debuted with a performance of the famous ballet "Giselle."
With a company of 75 dancers, its current repertoire features ballet's most-treasured classics as well as the works by contemporary choreographers. Some of these include "Swan Lake," "Sleeping Beauty," "Cinderella," "Giselle," and "The Nutcracker." The company was largely influenced by the famous Kirov Ballet, also of Russia. During World War II, the Kirov school had to evacuate their headquarters because of bombing and seek refuge with the Perm Ballet.
The company pulls all of its dancers directly from its own school, which is a well-known training institution for ballet in Russia. Nowadays, Perm artists like Elena Kulagina, Yulia Mashkina, Natalia Moiseeva, Vitaly Poleschuk, Radiy Miniakhmetov and others have distinguished themselves in national and international competitions and won international fame.
The company tours extensively and some recent tours included China, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Italy, and the West Coast of the United States.
This production is one of many put on by Center Arts every semester. Events have a wide variety of genres and include acts such as The Producers, the Shaolin Warriors, and comedian Lily Tomlin as well as many others. Michael Moore is the event coordinator for Center Arts at Humboldt State University. "We think that the ballet is one of the best touring ensembles in the world, and we feel privileged that they are able to return to Humboldt State University," Moore said.
Sara Black, a junior biology student at Humboldt State, attended the performance. Black doesn't describe herself as an avid ballet fan, but went with a group of friends. "I went not expecting much, but what I got was magical," Black said. "It was a very interesting take on a classic ideal."
Be the first to comment on this story