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| Posted by David Hallberg
I had my debut of Oberon in Ashton’s The Dream on Saturday… which has got to be one of the top 10 favorite ballets of mine, and top 10 hardest, (comparable to Theme and Variations).
Notice the sweat still dripping off my face…. Sorry for the visual!
| | Posted by David Hallberg
In the final preparations of Met season, I am reminded of our winter tour… especially the last stop of Romeo and Juliet in Chicago. With injuries abound, many dancers filled in for others that couldn’t perform. Therefore, leaving me with three Romeos in three days. A feat that I never thought possible, considering it is the hardest male lead in the classical repertoire. Having done that, anything is possible right?
Here you see the red pen correcting, sometimes three times, the casting of one performance. During a season as long as the Met (8 weeks) the “red pen” in an inevitability.
On a lighter note… Just to share some publicity from the posters outside the Civic Opera House in Chicago. Paloma and I in a romantic moment from my debut as Romeo.
| | Posted by David Hallberg
As the Met season approaches and the company makes its preparations for a busy season, I have some new challenges to tackle. One of the biggest and most anticipated is my debut in Fredrick Ashton’s The Dream, based on Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. About three years ago, ABT filmed the ballet with Ethan Stiefel and Alessandra Ferri dancing the leads… a beautiful performance.
There are some very gorgeous and successful ‘Dreams’ out there, the one most are familiar with being George Balanchine’s 1962 version, which NYCB performs regularly.
Darcy Kistler as Titania in Balanchine’s production.
The challenge with Ashton’s production is that the ballet is around 50 minutes long, and in the structure of the ballet, has endless dancing for Oberon. The most taxing being the scherzo, with Puck and Oberon trading off precise movement and quick fast steps, running on and off stage. Nevertheless, always up for a challenge, it is a great character to portray and something I’m really looking forward to come spring season.
Posted by Sloan
So I’ve just sent a complete pdf of all our Writing Contest entries to each of our contributors, from which we will choose two winners who will receive a winger t-shirt and have their current performances or projects promoted on the site.
However, if you forgot to write your piece, or thought you missed the deadline, there’s a chance you could slip in under the wire while our contributors are making their choices.
If you write fast, send your entry to wingers @ thewinger.com
Above is a photo of me during one of my “first performances”.
When I was little and I couldn’t get to sleep, my parents would turn on the music, I would put on my dad’s socks (not sure why?), and dance the night away.
Here’s one of our entries that’s in the running…
From Ryan of The Fatales
photo by Nerdalie
“I’ll tell the story about my first performance with the LemonHeads.
I got up on stage in front of thousands of people and performed my stupid human trick with a string up my nose and out of my mouth.
Thousands cheered, I won, I was awarded a new snowboard.
Crowd surfing followed.
True story. ”
Short and sweet.
Posted by Sloan
Photo courtesy of ms. plank
A reminder…
WINGER WRITING CONTEST
Last month we asked readers to send us the stories of their First Performing Experience, in as many or as few words as you like.
We’re not limiting it to just dance either.
Singers, actors, comedians, musicians, artists… anyone who has had the unique experience of performing something for someone, even if it was in your own living room.
Send your stories and photos (if you’ve got them) to:
wingers [at] thewinger.com
The best two stories (as judged by our contributors) will win Winger t-shirts and have their stories featured on the site.
Don’t be shy ~ it’s your turn to share!
Entry deadline - January 30th
| | Posted by David
If you have ever seen Pina Bauch, you will know what I am talking about in the following sentences. If you haven’t, I hope I can shed a little light on the choreographer known as Pina.
A few weeks ago, I finally had the privilege of seeing Pina Bausch’s company Tanztheater Wuppertal at the Brookyln Academy of Music. In recent years she has been to BAM but I was always on tour. In high anticipation of finally seeing her work, she met all of my expectations.
Pina’s company was founded in 1973, after her brief time in New York at the Julliard School and small choreography elsewhere. In my eyes, and to others that have been seeing her work for years, she invented her own style of ‘dance theatre’. Something that is completely her own, and through the years, others have seemed to follow.
Her most famous piece has to be Cafe Muller, which opened the Pedro Almodovar movie ‘Talk to Her‘. In this clip you see Pina herself performing her signature work. With such commitment and artistry, you cant help but be stunned by what she does.
This was my reaction when I saw ‘Nefes’, her piece based on her love for Istanbul, Turkey. The ballet opens with two men walking out to the stage in towels, one laying on the floor, and the other over him. The man hovering over the other man, looks at the audience and says, “This is me! This is me in the Hamam!”, while pointing at the man on the floor. This is Pina’s clear reference to the Turkish baths, a tradition in that country. The work evolves and at one point a woman being lifted by a man, starts screaming at him saying, “I’M TOO FAT FOR YOU!!! LET ME GO!! I’M TOO FAT FOR YOU!!!”
Her work does not shy away from the hilarious, which is inevitably very fuuny, without TRYING to be funny.
Anyway, Tanztheater Wuppertal was a pivitol performance, in that it opened up my mind to the world of Pina…. What a fascinating one it is..
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