May 30, 2005
Monday

"Degas' The Dance Class," was choreographed by Marguerite Auger and followed next.  From within a golden frame, eight ballerinas elegantly clothed in white dresses with long tulle skirts trimmed with pastel ribbons stepped forth as the music began.  The chosen music of Brahms contributed to this beautiful number with "No. 4 in F Minor," an interesting piece of music, deep and full of mystery.

Katherine Hargett, Taylor Hicks, Rachel Koons, Ali Montecillo, Hayley Morin, Lillian Pringle, Jessica Schenck and Kimberly Stone from the Ballet VII class merged the mystifying music of Brahms with the exquisiteness of Degas into reality as they danced with white roses in their hair.  Each ballerina especially epitomized two subjects that fascinated Degas throughout his long career - the body in motion and the female form.  Degas once said, "Nothing in art should seem accidental, not even movement."  Katherine, Taylor, Rachel, Ali, Hayley, Lillian, Jessica and Kimberly upheld this belief by specifically creating a poignant replica of what Degas loved so much.  These girls, each with their brown hair in buns, their skin pale and pink, the dark black silken ribbons around their necks contrasting sharply to the pastel ribbons laid in a womanly "V" design around their hips, were marvelous in every way.  Their toe-shoes were pale pink in color and their dresses of white sparkled near bare shoulders, reflecting different tones of skin.  They were all, indeed, worthy of a Master's attention.

Solo tourist Katie Cronk... Photograph by Jeff Fitzwater ©2005

After Degas, another girl with the name of "Katie" took to the stage as a solo tourist.  This time, it was Katie Cronk.  Katie began dreaming of being a beautiful ballerina from the age of seven.  As a Nutcracker Dew Drop Fairy in "Waltz of the Flowers," Katie reports she feels she has accomplished that dream. 
 
As a senior, she has decided Political Science and Language will be her majors when she enters the University of Alaska Anchorage next year.  Although dance did not become her chosen profession, she still hopes to become involved in as many dance classes as she can, and will always dance from her heart as she did at this performance.
 
Her choice for music was Salvador's "This is My Life."  Katie danced a routine created by Marguerite Auger to the Christian rock music, which slid into the words "How Great Thou Art" from time-to-time.  The result of using an unusual bridge of the Latin-rock-soul sound of Salvador with Marguerite Auger's choreography and the talents of Katie's dancing was a powerful up-beat message of worship.
 
As for the music, Salvador is perhaps the greatest worship band of our day.  Imbued with sounds similar to Earth Wind and Fire and Carlos Santana, the group uses an unusual addition of trombone and trumpet to give them a more distinct sound than other Christian rock bands of today.  The song, "This is My Life," is a case in point.  Nic Gonzales fronts the group Salvador and says the song from their album, "So Natural," is the most personal production so far, which he feels makes the song stand out as a unique song on a unique album.  The decision to use the words from the old hymn "How Great Thou Art" when writing "This is My Life" came at a break where the band was going to use a bridge, but then they started singing a hymn in there and "it just kind of stuck."   The band thought "it would be cool to include it."
 
And Katie obviously thought it would be cool to include "This is My Life" in her routine, and rightly so.  From the moment she entered center stage in her dark tank top layered overtop a yellow spaghetti-strapped tank top and mottled/tie-dyed green and turquoise floral skirt, she brightened the smiles of all those around her by reflecting a spiritual devotion not evident in many contemporary productions these days.  As for technique, she proved she has a good solid basis of control.  Her grand Jeté was one of the best I have ever seen in Ketchikan and just as "This is My Life" is a unique song in a unique album; Katie Cronk was a unique dancer in a unique performance.  Her talents were greatly appreciated and will be greatly missed.

 

Emily Bryan, Emma Scott, Bianca Smith, Briana Smith, Kendra Standly and Kymberly Turner from the Tap II Beginning group performed "Rothko's Later Works" next.  Using "Wilbur's Soiree" by the Jazz Mandolin Project for music, these six girls jazzed up the set.  Wearing tops of purple, lavender, red, royal blue, purple, yellow with orange, brown, pink, black, red, tan, they demonstrated rhythmic aptitude to match the renowned texturally rhythmic beats of the Jazz Mandolin Project.  Jen Alverson was the choreographer for this piece which the group executed well.  The talent displayed during this number will be interesting to watch in the future.  Perhaps we have a few budding stars?

"Fischinger's Motion - Painting I" by Ballet IX appeared onstage following the Rothko exhibit.  Thomas Newman's recording of "Everywhere Freesia" and "Whisper of the Thrill" from the movie, Meet Joe Black was used for this presentation.  Choreographed by Marguerite Auger, it featured the talents of Katheryn Brooks, Kate Cessnun, Cheyan Cockrum, Katie Cronk, Alexandra Davis, Emily Dell, Chelsea Goucher, Caity Koch, Caitlyn Lewis, Aimee McClory, Tera Olmstead, Jordan Schrepel, Theresa Somrak, Lindsay Tucker and Jessi Van Cleave.  As all of the graduating senior dancers were involved in this routine, it came as no surprise that the performance was a hit with the audience. 
 
Also a favorite of the audience were the costumes.  Red with royal blue, yellow with black, royal blue with yellow, yellow with red, royal blue with black;  All bright, all vibrant, all beautiful.  It was a bright, eye-candy treat.  A creative insight born of genius; the mixture of graceful space-age circular shapes and neon bright colors typical of Fischinger's work merged with classical tutu forms and gothic strips, straps, and struts and ultimately developed into a new, fresh vision not easily forgotten.   "Fischinger's Motion ­ Painting I" was represented perfectly by the costumes worn by these advanced dancers and the dancers would, perhaps, have been splendid enough just to stand still as a silent display, but they benefited greatly from the addition of dancing to music and choreography; perhaps not so much as competing visualizations to the music, but as sister creations inspired by the same genius.

Thomas Newman's score from Meet Joe Black was unmistakably Newman.  The combination of the beautiful strings in "Everywhere Freesia" and the haunting music of "Whisper of a Thrill" left the audience in a state of bliss, somehow drifting away from the world, being lifted up into a musical paradise.  Added to it came Marguerite Auger's expert choreography and the formidable talents of the Ballet IX class.  While again, the eye strayed most often to the poised silhouette of Caity Koch during the performance, the girls were indeed a "formidable tour de force," astonishingly successful in providing the audience a fitting interpretation of the last film of Fischinger - an acknowledged master. 

Carol Schafer choreographed the next selection, "Mondrian's Composition No. 1"  which was danced by Jessica Graham, Cally Hale, Brionna Haynes, Taylor Hicks, Shawna Hofmann, Marianne Hottenbacher, Mary Key, Kate Klein, Emily Meusel, Ali Montecillo, Hayley Morin and Kimberly Stone of the Jazz IV Beginning class.  Although some in the audience might not have been familiar with the name of the musical choice, "Rose Rouge" by St. Germain, it is actually a very well known piece, when heard.  It has a balanced fusion of classic jazz and electronic music, making the most of the group interaction and the elastic sound and spontaneity found in both methods. 

The outfits worn by the dancers were completely in step with Mondrian's work, which was predominantly off-white backgrounds divided by black horizontal or vertical lines framing primary colors.  In the work entitled "Composition No. 1," Mondrian tilted such a square canvas 45 degrees thereby creating a structure symbolic of the modernist objective.  Thus, the white costumes with geometrical black-lined squares exemplified the disposition of the grid, while the extension of the black lines into unattached ribbons trailing down the sides of the dancers' dresses maintained the desired equilibrium of the grid and also allowed for the longer lines found so attractive to Mondrian.  

Similarly, the movements of the Jazz IV Beginning class demonstrated possibilities of line and latticework by the straight arms and geometric posturing of the dance steps.  The dancers are to be applauded for their work in this area, for while it is often difficult to be graceful in the flowing movements usually associated with ballet, it is even more challenging to appear elegant while holding an awkward linear posture.  Yet, like the words of the song, "I want you to get it together, I want you to get it together, put your hands together one time," the girls followed the lyrics with precision and did indeed, "get it together," in a great showcase of jazz.

The last tourist - soloist, Cheyan Cockrum... Photograph by Jeff Fitzwater ©2005

The last tourist/soloist, Cheyan Cockrum, performed next.  Dancing the choreography of Marguerite Auger to the mixed media of a live violinist (Stephen Hovic), a live vocalist (Forrest McGillis) and the Royal Philharmonic's recording of "Bittersweet Symphony," Cheyan's offering was a unique blend of bittersweet emotion and uplifting creativity.
 
From the first glimpse of Cheyan in her peach and white layered skirt, black and turquoise layered top and scarved head the audience knew it was in for a treat. 
 
And they were not disappointed.  She was a joy to watch as she danced to the unmistakable chords of "Bittersweet Symphony" wrung from the violin strings of the talented Stephen Hovic.  Originally a composition of "The Verve," the song was the lead song of Verve's album of the same name (Bittersweet Symphony) and was quite possibly the best album of the 1990s.  "Bittersweet" is considered by some to be an epic worthy of a place in history, a true piece of genius from the boys Ashcroft, known as the group "Verve."   With the sweet poignant violin strains in the background and the heartfelt words, "I let the melody shine, let it clear my mind, I feel free now," heard in the foreground sung by the gifted voice of Forrest, the music personifies the song's title extremely well. 
 
And Cheyan only intensified the experience.  To say she danced with heart is understating things.  Perhaps it was because she was so aware of her status as a graduating senior that made her pick "Bittersweet Symphony" or perhaps there was another reason, but it was apparent that her dance had become an expansion of the song's essence, especially as all the other seniors joined her in the end.  It was, indeed, a Bittersweet Symphony and a fitting farewell to these talented girls. 
 
From there, another favorite piece of art, "Van Gogh's Starry Night," stood proudly before the audience as the music from "Faust" by Charles Gounod began.  The Ballet IV Advanced class of Sydney Cooper, Maricka Garner, Solstice Lappin, Britta Pihl, Brittany Thompson, Kimberly Turner, Stacey Williams and Jessica Williams posed before the painting in misty blue dresses with mottled tops that reminded one of a palette Van Gogh might have used in creating this masterpiece.

Although the dancers became slightly confused because of a recording malfunction, they soon found their footing and arrived in step together.   "Faust" is certainly considered the most popular of Gounod's work and is full of familiar melodies.  The selection here allowed the dancers to show their deft feeling for the tempo and just as we wish Van Gogh had left us more of his inspirational art, we were left wishing the dancers could have given us a little more of their dancing to appreciate.

Kaila Cowan, Karyssa Holstrom, Serena Jackson, Caitlyn Lewis, Chelsea Nusbaum, Tera Olmstead, Colette peters, Lillian Pringle, Natalie Richards, Olivia Round and Jessica Schenck of the Jazz IV Advanced group took center stage next.  This act was entitled "Antonakos' Respite" and featured the choreography of Carol Schafer.

Stephen Antonakos' work centers on the sculpture of neon.  By criss-crossing architectural neon tubes, he has defined ceilings, bisected rooms and created "chapels" for many distinguished museums.  In a well-known quote, Antonakos has remarked ""Neon is a controlled paradise [that] is meant to address everyone."
 
And the dancers were definitely addressed in neon ­ neon yellow, neon orange, neon green, neon pink, that is.  And also like Antonakos' work, both the routine and the dancers were electric.
                  
As "Respite" ended, the museum personnel returned to scurry the visitors and tourists from the building and lock up.  As the lights dimmed, the crowd wasn't sure if the performance had reached an end or not, and here and there a little hesitant clapping could be heard.  But then, as crouching, skittering masked figures in black slid through doors and down stairs onto the staged museum, the audience suddenly knew the trap had been sprung and the show wasn't over 'til it was over. 
 
Entitled "Thieves," Katheryn Brooks, Kate Cessnun, Cheyan Cockrum, Katie Cronk, Alexandra Davis, Emily Dell, Kim Flora, Mari Freitag, Chelsea Goucher, Caity Koch, Aimee McClory, Alex Miller, Jordan Schrepel, Theresa Somrak, Lindsay Tucker and Jessi Van Cleave from Jazz M certainly looked the part.  They wore black on black on black: black tops, black stretch pants, and white masks.  They slunk and crouched and slithered and crookedly padded up to the museum pieces and stole them away. 
 
The music was "Heist Society" by Christopher Young from the movie, Entrapment.  Young's score blends synthesizers with a strange mixture of instruments ­ from whistles to Celtic drums ­ to create music with an eerie, black, dangerous edge. The choreography by Marguerite Auger worked well with the orchestral music and helped the dancers as they stole through the routine; sometimes twisting like ivy across the floor and other times waiting in the dark depths of shadow waiting to grab treasures long hidden in the dusty museum. 
 
The result was a big finish that was worthy of the wait. Although not a typical Russian tutu-type performance, it was instead a magnificent repertoire of a more contemporary approach to classical dance. 
 
The entire ballet company deserves a standing ovation for "The Museum."  All of the dancers worked hard to accomplish this wonderful display of talent and every single one of them deserves recognition for being "At the Heart of Dancing Art."

On the Web:

	Part I: A Review of Ketchikan Theatre Ballet's Performance of "The Museum" by Sharon Allen... May 23, 2005
	Part II: A Review of Ketchikan Theatre Ballet's Performance of "The Museum" by Sharon Allen... May 25, 2005
	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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