To dance connoisseurs, the work of choreographer George Balanchine deserves more than a quick mention or a hasty toast at a dinner party — it merits a showcase of art, skill and performance.
The Utah Ballet is honoring Balanchine with its second run of student performances this upcoming weekend. Showings will take place at 7:30 p.m. this Friday and Saturday at the Hayes Christensen Theater at the Marriott Center for Dance.
But the best is saved for last. The Utah Ballet will perform a historic and prolific work of Balanchine, called “Serenade.” The organizers of the dance worked hard to even be able to perform the classic — the Department of Ballet had to collaborate with the Balanchine Trust to get permission to perform the piece, because all ballets by Balanchine are copyrighted. Any company seeking to perform a Balanchine ballet has to audition and have their petition approved by the Balanchine Trust. Once approved, the Balanchine Trust flew one of their representatives to the U to “set” the piece on the dancers to ensure Balanchine’s original vision would remain untainted, as it is one of the most important works in the history of ballet.
“The point is Balanchine is a genius — the Shakespeare of the ballet world. This ‘Serenade’ is considered to be his greatest work. It’s like the Mona Lisa,” said Linda Smith, interim chair of the department.
While Balanchine’s art is the star of the show, two other pieces will take stage as world premieres. These pieces differ in style and mood from “Serenade” and from each other, though both works feature duets as well as ensemble sections.
Opening the show is “Simpatico,” choreographed by visiting professor Michael Bearden. A former Ballet West principal dancer, Bearden used his years of training to focus on the sole technique of dance. The set is contemporary and does not have any sort of specific storyline, but instead represents the struggles we face in our exchanges with one another.
The second piece set to take stage is a contemporary piece by U professor Jay Kim. Titled “Enraptured,” the dance invokes the rushing feelings two people share when they fall in love. This abstract concept is enhanced through warm-colored lighting and costumes as well as the impassioned performance of the dancers.
Smith carries a lot of pride for her students. She believes the Department of Ballet has an impressive corps of dancers currently attending, and knows they will showcase their skills at this weekend’s performance.
“Students in our program must audition to get in. We also have a program with Ballet West, where students will go and train as trainees with the company,” Smith said. “The students take half of their classes on campus and half with Ballet West. Some of these joint trainees will be involved in the student performances this weekend.”
All in all, Utah Ballet’s hard work has paid off in the presentation of not only two original works, but a historic Balanchine creation. This achievement is one that the department can be proud of.
d.griffin@chronicle.utah.edu