Word: cinderella
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Dates: during 1990-1999
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Michael Corder recently won a 1997 Olivier Award (British version of the Tony Award) for his choreography of Cinderella, and for the most part, it shows. The production, which makes its American debut this month at the Boston Ballet, has many enchanting and delightful facets. The company members perform their dual roles of dancers and actors with admirable ease. Despite some technical problems that took place during Act One of opening night, the set falls into place and takes the audience's breath away. The choreography itself dazzles, living up to and beyond Boston Ballet's usual high standards...
...gowns for the ladies and drab tuxedoes for the men in the eerily-lit ballroom scene, also add to the mood. Perhaps the unexplained variations in the story-line, which Corder himself hopes create "a feeling of mystery and magic," cause a slightly unsettling feeling instead. Whatever the reason, Cinderella remains a delightful, if somewhat dark, performance piece...
Most people are familiar with the rags-to-riches fairy tale. However, Boston Ballet adds a few details which may prove confusing (and somewhat ethnically offensive) for members of the audience who are only familiar with Disney's version of the fairy tale. Cinderella's father is not dead, but very weak-spirited, and only watches sadly as the wicked stepsisters torment his daughter. Cinderella's late mother left her a locket, which the stepsisters try to steal from her. Cinderella gets a bit of revenge when the Dancing Master visits, for she learns the steps faster than her jealous...
Fortunately, these minor additions do not take away from the dancing itself, which could not be better. What is particularly complicated about Cinderella is that in telling the story, the dancers must emote and act as well as perform ballet steps. As Cinderella, Larissa Ponomarenko embodies innocence and beauty in their most graceful forms. She maneuvers through intricate steps and pirouettes with great spirit and energy. Equally graceful is the Prince (Patrick Armand), whose powerful leaps and emotional style lift him above the one-dimensional deux-es-machina role that he usually plays in other versions. Both the Dancing Master...
...expressions and ridiculously bad dancing. As the shorter and meaner daughter, Suarez is the kind of villain you love to hate--she pushes, pulls and grabs toys and fans away from her sister just as Glaze starts to admire them. The loudest applause came when the sisters try on Cinderella's lost slipper: Glaze finally fought back, slapping Suarez and pretending to throttle her. These two dancers combine impressive techniques with delightful acting abilities, making their performances the two most memorable of the entire ballet...