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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (April 21, 2006)
APRIL 21. 2006 dance jUStjOUt 37 Moving to Mozart Oregon Ballet Theatre's spring program features famous choreography by Rebecca Ragain n 1987, choreographer Lar Lubovitch spear When asked if the AIDS connection is as rele headed “Dancing for Life,” an AIDS benefit vant today as it was in 1987, Lubovitch replies that at Lincoln Center’s New York State Theater. it is not. He hastens to add that although AIDS “I organized it because there had been no certainly has not gone away, he believes that in the response to AIDS from the dance community, United States there is a cultural illusion that it has. which had been heavily afflicted already,” says “This is one of the subjects around which there Lubovitch, who has been cited in The New York is an lllusionary hypnosis taking place,” says Times as one of the best choreographers in the world. Lubovitch. Lubovitch’s personal contribution to the fund Though the work’s association with AIDS raiser was an excerpt from Concerto Six Twenty- might have garnered it more publicity, Concerto Six Two, -which had premiered in its entirety the Twenty-Two is a strong, timeless dance in its own previous year at Carnegie Hall. right. In fact, Lubovitch says it has taken on “its The excerpted section, a duet featuring two men, own reason for being.” had “tremendous resonance” at the occasion, says “It’s a very gixxl dance, and far recognized,” he Lubovitch. From that moment forward, the piece says. “I have to treat it with respect, just as anyone became known as a symbol for the AIDS crisis. else would, and try to do it correctly and see that Lubovitch originally conceived the duet as an it’s kept alive.” essay on friendship, not as a direct response to the AIDS crisis. But he says the situation at the time did have some influence on his artistic process. “1 chose friendship as an essay and as a metaphor for the moment in time we were experiencing because at the time so many men were helping their friends to die. Friendship became a very' powerful emerg ing theme,” explains Lubovitch. In 1993, Anna Kisselgoff wrote about the work in the Times: “The dancers’ mutu al support speaks of a caring relationship. Yet what is now the most famous male duet in the international dance world is more about love than lovers.” During the past 20 years, Concerto Six Twenty-Two has been performed consistently, remaining in Lubovitch’s active repertoire. It has been toured nationally and internationally by ballet companies such as the American Ballet Theatre and Mikhail Baryshnikov’s White Oak Dance Project. Today, the central duet is still request ed regularly by organizers of AIDS benefits. Because Lubovitch does not want the duet to lose its context as part of a larger dance, he limits the number of times it can be per formed as an excerpt. But it does appear at Oregon Ballet Theatre's Ronnie Underwood and Jon Drake certain benefits on occasion. rehearse with Lar Lubovitch for Concerto Six Twenty-Two. I Smooth Jazz Is Here! The longevity of exactly, a beautiful ballet set to Concerto Six Twenty-Two Mozart!’ 1 want people to have has only been helped hy that satisfying moment. But 1 also the fact that the piece is want them to be surprised and set to the music of Mozart, delighted that it could be some who is honored with end thing so different." Lar Lubovitch has been cited in The less celebrations the world That’s where Concerto Six New York Times as one of the best over. Twenty-Two comes in. choreographers in the world. In fact, it is the Mozart Because Lubovitch is a con connection that spurred Christopher Stowell, artis temporary choreographer, his movement vocabu tic director of Oregon Ballet Theatre, to bring lary is “wildly” different from Balanchine’s, says Concerto Six Twenty-Two to Portland. OBT has Stowell, adding that Lubovitch’s style is both never performed one of Lubovitch’s works, but “looser and freer.” when local arts organizations began planning “Nothing in it is sharp...it’s very fluid and Portland’s Month of Mozart, it didn’t take long for organic,” says OBT dancer Brennan Boyer, who is Stowell to think of Concerto Six Twenty-Two. performing in Concerto Six Twenty-Two. Stowell was acquainted with Lubovitch from The two pieces are structured differently, as „ years before, when he danced a leading well. Whereas Divertimento follows the classic | role in the choreographer’s piece Othello ballet hierarchy of ballerinas and corps de ballet, | for the San Francisco Ballet. “1 enjoyed Stowell points out that Concerto Six Twenty-Two is | working with him very much and really about democracy and equality among the dancers. liked his movement,” recalls Stowell. “Everybody has their opportunity, their moment. It Concerto Six Twenty'Two also appeals feels like getting to see OBT ‘the family.’ ” to Stowell because it complements the Boyer adds, “It shows everyone’s range.” In other two works in this spring’s “All addition, Stowell likes that Concerto Six Twenty - Mozart” program. Two captures the sweetness, poignancy and “With this ballet performance you’re hopefulness of Mozart’s music. Dancer Steven going to see three works with three total Houser also comments on rhe upbeat nature of the ly different approaches to creating— 30-minute piece, likening some portions to “frolicking in a meadow.” three different vocabularies, three different artists," says Stowell, who But the main reason Stowell chose Concerto Six wanted to present a diverse performance Twenty-Two for the spring program is simply the exploring Mozart’s music from a variety high caliber of Lubovitch’s choreography. “Here is a craftsman at the top of his game, who of perspectives. Almost Mozart is a world premiere is equal to the quality of the composer, which is hard when it’s Mozart," says Stowell, adding with a created especially for the occasion by contemporary Canadian choreographer laugh: “You don’t want a young, inexperienced, fledging choreographer trying to match wits with James Kudelka. By deconstructing and Mozart. That’s just not a good idea.’ •© restructuring some of Mozart’s composi tions, Kudelka offers audiences “Mozart reimagined,” as Stowell puts it. The program opens with a classic from 1956: George Balanchine’s Divertimento No. 15. Stowell describes this 36-minute work as the best of its kind, “a real gem.” He says: “I think when people see Divertimento, they’re going to think, ‘Yes, O regon B allet T heatre ’ s “All Mozart” program runs 7:30 p.m. April 22, 28 and 29 and 2 p.m. April 23 at Keller Auditorium, 222 S.W. Clay St. Tickets are $!3-$66 from 503-222-5538. Portland free-lancer REBECCA RAGAIN enjoys both watching and writing about dance. Write her at rebeccaragain@yahoo. com.
