May 23, 2005
Monday

There are some people who believe with all their heart the Ballet is alive and well.  Others state the Ballet should be relegated to a museum.  Last weekend, the Ketchikan Theatre Ballet proved both opinions correct . . . with unusual results.
 
The Ballet's Spring Gala took place at the Kayhi auditorium on May 13th and 14th, with two 7:30 pm performances of "The Museum" by the more advanced students and a 2 pm Saturday show entitled "Our Symphony" by the Ballet's younger dancers. 

While "Our Symphony" featured the dancing portrayal of musical instruments, the premise for "The Museum" was based on items which might be found in a museum.  Although one number was choreographed by the dancers themselves, the other twenty-three dance routines were choreographed by Carol Schafer, Jen Alverson, Ashley Byler and Marguerite Auger, the Artistic Director of KTB.

The program was split into three acts; a Natural Sciences Exhibit, an Ancient Art Exhibit and a Fine Art Exhibit.  All of the compositions either exemplified a specific museum topic (for example, electricity), personified an item (such as a form of art, a particular piece of artwork, the collective work of a famous artist, or an archeological find), or represented people who might either work in or visit a museum (i.e., an employee, a student or a tourist).
 
The scene structure within "The Museum" was intended to spotlight the talents of six graduating dancers:  Caitlin Koch, Katheryn Brooks, Kate Cessnun, Katie Cronk, Cheyan Cockrum and Theresa Somrak.   Each senior represented a visiting tourist and performed a solo routine inspired by their own experience of museums.

The music varied.  Most selections were recorded.  However, there were a couple of times musicians joined the dancers onstage to play live.  The stage was simplistic; wood floor, curtain in front, curtain in back.  A few set pieces were used as well, such as a large display of dinosaur bones, a large placard displaying the words, "Electricity," and later, smaller pieces of artwork and an enormous picture frame holding ballerinas who spilled out from the canvas in one fluid musical movement. 
 
Both nights were well attended, although sadly neither was a sold-out event.  For the largest part, those in the crowd were ballet lovers who were also related to the dancers on stage rather than ballet lovers from the general public. 
 
On Saturday night, a few younger dancers from the earlier 2 pm show were in attendance.  Still in costume, their taffeta tutus or gossamer gowns were easy to spot.  Mothers and Nanas were everywhere, and surprisingly, there were also quite a few Fathers and Grandfathers present as well.  Most of the males sat stiffly; their posture giving evidence to unfamiliarity with a tie and the bouquets sweating in their hands giving proof to their pride.
 
As the lights dimmed, the program began with some very sleepy looking museum personnel.  Dressed in dark guard uniforms with crisp white shirts and clip-on ID badges, Kaila Cowan, Serena Jackson, Rachel Koons, Jordan McLean, Ali Montecillo, Hayley Morin, Colette Peters, Olivia Round, Jessica Schenck and Kimberly Stone alternatively dozed, stretched, tapped and yawned.  In a creative depiction of how most of us wake in the morning separate and slowly become part of a harmonized group at our job, at first their movements were dissimilar, but later they grew more synchronized to reaffirm the full sense of community.  It was a great touch to an opening number.

Next, attention was focused on the incoming flux of the School Tour Group dressed in common, yet individualistic costume.  As they took their places at the back of the stage, the Teen Jazz students plotted a course for the spotlight with "Space."   Dressed in black and silver skin-tight leotards with matching metallic silver headbands, Kyrie Chandler, Inga Christensen, Brittany DeCourcey, Lauren Gates, Sara Gilmon, Chandler Grace, Rique Hill, Amy Owings, Geneva Peters, Britta Pihl, Brittany Thompson, Kelsey West and Nancy Mescher danced to "Capricorn" by 9 Nickel. 

Dressed in black and silver skin-tight leotards with matching metallic silver headbands, Kyrie Chandler, Inga Christensen, Brittany DeCourcey, Lauren Gates, Sara Gilmon, Chandler Grace, Rique Hill, Amy Owings, Geneva Peters, Britta Pihl, Brittany Thompson, Kelsey West and Nancy Mescher danced to "Capricorn" by 9 Nickel.  Photograph by Jeff Fitzwater ©2005

Their outfits made one think a spaceship had been blasted into shards which now danced in black space, being pulled here and there by opposing gravities.   The movement of each girl was unique; a cool juxtaposition of classical dance and Big Beat steps. The melding of Jen Alverson's choreography and 9 Nickel's music with the floating pace of the seven galactic goddesses was heavenly.
 
"History of Electricity" was choreographed by Alverson and performed by the Tap II Advanced class.  The music was apt: "Dance of Electricity" by David Guy.  Nathan Buendia, Maricka Garner, Whitney Manning, Stacey Williams and Alexa Zelensky made up the troupe of zapping, tapping electrons.  Plain black pants and black tops embellished with a pattern of royal blue electrical waves were the outfits of choice.  The dancers bristled with energy, youthfulness and sheer passion as they followed Jen Alverson's choreography through the number. The atmosphere was powerful and slightly menacing with robotic movements.  It was quite an explosive piece of dance, light, vitality and sound guaranteed to have enough force to knock your socks off.
 
Caitlin Koch was the first tourist to appear.  Caity reported her love of the arts began with a ballet class at the tender age of ten.  Since that time, she has expanded her talents to include many other forms of theatre and dance.  As a graduating senior, she plans to attend Southern Oregon University in Ashland, Oregon to study nursing.   Caity is well-known in Ketchikan for her talent, beauty, grace, intelligence and kindness ­ a true winning combination.

Her routine for the Gala was a flashy performance done with a great deal of style.  The music began with Caity dancing shadows.  Then, suddenly, there was a blindingly bright white light from a strobe which snapped her image up and slapped it on the retina of each audience member, holding it there for more than a few seconds as if it were a digital photograph on a LCD screen.

The graphic effect was starkly dramatic, quite good and a very creative interpretation of photography from the eye of the artistic object.  The vocal talents of Alejandro Chavarria were also showcased in Caity's solo and should be recognized for the excellence he lent to the overall effect.  By the same token, Ashley Byler's choreography deserves a round of applause as well.   Caity's performance was by far the best of the solos offered as far as innovation, creativity, style and entertainment was concerned and was definitely a hit with the audience.

Dinoskeleton was performed by the Ballet IV Beginning class.  "Epilogue" from the move, Dinosaur by James Newton Howard played in the background as Gracie Brandt-Erichsen, Emily Bryan, Chantel Gordanier, Nichole Meusel, Emma Scott, Bianca Smith, Briana Smith and Samantha Walters danced in mottled dresses holding bones.  Carol Schafer's choreography for this bit was simple enough to be smart and winning, yet complex enough to be challenging to the young students.  At times, the steps were random but then they would come together again as if an invisible archeologist were fitting pieces of a prehistoric find together.  At one point, the dancers formed a circle, again seeming to represent the present day assembly of the bones of a primeval beast.   The dancers were very good at fleshing out the performance with their newly learned skills, especially en croisé and en écarté. 

The second tourist to appear was Katheryn Brooks.  Katheryn has been dancing since age eight and is skilled in ballet, tap and jazz.  She plans to attend Pacific University in Oregon after graduation this year and major in Political Science.

Katheryn's moves were choreographed by Marguerite Auger and she used Eric Clapton's "Layla" as background music.  Her choice was fitting, seeing that "Layla" is from Clapton's From the Cradle album which speaks to the issue of the retracing of one's steps or heritage.  Her costume was a simple spaghetti-strap dress in maroon - very similar to that which might be worn by a tourist on a summery day.  Her style of classical dance was in step with Clapton's own gentle melodic rock/blues sound and the resulting mix was quite beautiful.

The last offering in the Natural Sciences Exhibit was from the School Tour Group made up of the Tap III class and choreographed by Carol Schafer.  Spike Jones' recording of "Knock, Knock, Who's There?" provided hilarious antics from silly jokes as the kids took turns asking and answering punditry.  Kyrie Chandler, Inga Christensen, Brittany DeCourcey, Lauren Gates, Sara Gilmon, Chandler Grace, Rique Hill, Amy Owings, Geneva Peters, Britta Pihl, Brittany Thompson and Kelsey West did a wonderful job of mixing the highbrow with the lowbrow in a blend that at first startled, and then delighted the crowd.

The second act, entitled "Ancient Art Exhibit" began next.  "Mayan Culture" was a treasure.  An exotic and intriguing piece, the Ballet VIII students danced with in opulent grace.  At times they shifted large circular props representing the sun, moon and stars from hand-to-hand and up-and-down stairs of a platform.  At other times, they danced with interesting hand gestures to "Sacred Flower" by the Mexican instrumentalist, Xavier Quijas Yxayoti.

The Mayans are still considered the most advanced of ancient civilizations and are credited with outstanding breakthroughs.  As such, it should come as no surprise that this Gala offering from the Ballet also worked miracles, not the least of which was transforming the young dancers' shadowed silhouettes of ancient history into graceful dancing deities.  Marguerite Auger was the choreographer credited for the creation of "Mayan Culture" and it was noted by several in the audience that it was the best thing she has ever done.  Kim Flora, Mari Freitag, Jessica Graham, Brionna Haynes, Alex Miller, Molly Oien, Claire Ragozzino, Kathleen Reno and Veronica Smith comprised this amazing display of dancing archeological beauty and excelled in delivering a performance that Ketchikan will not soon forget.

To Be Continued . . . this week in another edition of SitNews.

Related story & photographs:

KIDS OF NOTE; Ketchikan Theatre Ballet's Younger Dancers Perform "Our Symphony" By Sharon Allen
May 19, 2005

Our Symphony Photo Gallery I by Carl Thompson

The Museum Photo Gallery II by Carl Thompson

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Ketchikan, Alaska