“All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players…”
It was Shakespeare who penned those wise words, and although the Bard was writing in a bygone era before pointe shoes were even a twinkle in a cobbler’s eye, the sentiment couldn’t be truer for us ballerinas, the denizens of this magical, swirling, exquisitely-choreographed world, our very lives imbued with drama, dance, and music. For today is 19 April 2008, a date marked for all eternity in our grand calendar of celestial movements; today, we dance, dear reader, to the rhythms of our very souls, to the beating heart of the musical score that guides our every arabesque, our every chassé.
A thousand twinkling lights catch and dance across the black velvet expanse above the stage, like fireflies caught in a midsummer’s dream, their glow reflecting in the polished gleam of the wooden floor below. The orchestra tuning their instruments fills the theatre, not with a discordant cacophony, but with a harmonious chorus, each string, each woodwind, each brass note echoing through the velvet-clad seats like whispers on the breeze. And as the maestro raises his baton, the silence breaks, not with a bang but with a slow, deliberate, almost reluctant flourish.
This isn't a symphony orchestra, dear reader, playing some staid and predictable arrangement of Beethoven. No. This orchestra has a purpose, a calling, to elevate our movements into realms beyond the mundane. Each chord, each melody, each intricate counterpoint is an invisible but tangible hand reaching out from the wings, pulling, guiding, urging us to fly. The melody is an ethereal silk thread woven through the fabric of the performance, holding it together, giving it its structure, its form, its shape. It speaks of joy and sorrow, of triumph and defeat, of love and loss. But above all, it speaks of the human experience.
Today, let's delve deeper into this world, shall we? A world where tulle skirts dance as if spun from the moonbeams, where diamond tiaras catch the stage lights, where delicate steps ripple across the stage like shimmering, ethereal waves.
We’ll take you behind the velvet curtains to experience the symphony of a single movement, of a single scene, of a single moment. Imagine, dear reader, a young dancer in her delicate white tutu, poised at the centre of the stage. With the first soaring, triumphant strains of Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake," her fingers flutter through the air, her legs reach out like a pair of wings yearning for freedom. Her heart beats in time to the music, and as she rises on pointe, she feels a surge of power, of strength, of grace, as if lifted aloft on a feather of pure sound.
Or perhaps we witness a ballet infused with the raw, powerful energy of Stravinsky, the music like a whirlwind of emotions, mirroring the explosive movements of a corps de ballet in bold, sweeping, dramatic choreography. The music is a tangible force, guiding their steps, shaping their leaps, whipping them into a frenzy of swirling, twisting energy.
As I pen these words, my thoughts turn to the myriad ballets whose stories are intricately entwined with the genius of composers. Consider "La Bayadère," set to Minkus' haunting melodies, its ethereal dance sequences drawing inspiration from the vibrant colours and patterns of the Orient. Then there is "Don Quixote," fuelled by the joyous, dramatic melodies of Ludwig Minkus, whose lively score perfectly captures the tale's vibrant energy. The lilting melodies, the dramatic crescendos, the playful rhythms, all evoke the playful spirit of this immortal ballet.
And how can one forget the enduring elegance of "Giselle," its score by Adolphe Adam a delicate balance of ethereal beauty and romantic despair, perfectly complementing the romantic narrative and poignant character development.
Of course, let us not overlook the extraordinary ballet composers of the 20th century. Maurice Ravel's "Bolero" remains a cornerstone of modern repertoire, a mesmerizing tapestry of intricate rhythms, hypnotic crescendos and a soaring melody. His "Daphnis and Chloe," an evocative musical exploration of love, nature, and the primal instincts of man, is equally renowned.
There are, however, more intimate and captivating compositions that linger in my memory. Prokofiev's music for "Romeo and Juliet," with its stirring, heart-wrenching melodies, evokes the passion and tragedy of Shakespeare's immortal tale. Its music is a tapestry of beauty, with tender love songs interspersed with grand, heroic themes, perfectly mirroring the story’s dramatic arc. And who could resist the exquisite elegance of Igor Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring,” with its unique rhythms and harmonies that draw us into a mesmerizing and otherworldly world?
Today, my dear reader, let us be drawn into this tapestry of musical brilliance and creative genius, with its sweeping orchestral movements and the intricate grace of balletic performance. This is where sound and movement merge, a glorious alchemy of visual beauty and aural artistry. Where a composer’s masterful stroke meets a ballerina’s grace and precision. Where every leap, every arabesque, every turn, is woven into the tapestry of the musical score. Where the orchestra's heartbeat sets the pace, and the music is not a mere accompaniment but a vital component, a co-star, a silent choreographer.
However, as I gaze across the stage, not only at the dancing bodies, but at the musicians, at the costumes, the scenery, the lighting - the myriad components of the spectacle before me – it dawns on me that there’s more to this than just music. It’s about an overall aesthetic that reaches its zenith on the night of the performance, its culmination of a meticulous creative process involving countless people. There’s the meticulous crafting of a costume. Imagine a hand delicately pulling taut the finest silk fabric as they stitch and pleat and design a pink tutu for the opening of the Swan Lake, a symbol of pure femininity and fragility. But we need to ground it in reality, in a strong yet elegant look that can hold the body of a ballerina, even at its most demanding postures, which is why there's the need for a leotard in a soft, blush pink shade. It needs to compliment the pink tutu, the delicate color echoing the femininity of the costume while still providing the practicality that is a vital requirement for any performance.
Then there’s the artist painstakingly applying the makeup and rouge on a dancer’s face. A transformation from mundane human to a mythical, otherworldly creature who lives and breathes the magic of the performance. These elements aren't merely added on, they're integral, they contribute to a holistic, carefully crafted, choreographed world that is almost ethereal in its beauty.
Now, I want you to picture this, dear reader. Imagine stepping backstage after a performance. The lights have faded, the audience has left, the sound of applause a fading echo in the air. In the dressing room, you can still feel the heat of the spotlights on your skin. The glitter that coats the back of your hand comes off, but the feeling lingers – it’s a bittersweet end to the journey, knowing that all of these elements combined, music, choreography, set design, costume, and of course, your own dedication, your talent, your sheer heart and soul, come together for these fleeting moments that form a mosaic of performance. You see the stage empty and barren now. And it hits you with an undeniable force: This is our world, the realm of magic where fantasy and reality intertwine, where the story and the music meld, where the dancer becomes an embodiment of art, beauty, and power. But also an embodiment of the music itself, that force of nature, those raw, powerful emotions we can barely describe in words but that transcend our deepest understanding of existence.
Today, as we celebrate this magnificent union of dance and music, I leave you with one final thought. As you close your eyes and let the strains of your favourite ballet score fill your senses, allow yourself to feel the magic. Let your heart soar. For in the heart of every great performance lies a passion, an emotion, a message, expressed in a language we all understand - the universal language of the arts.
“Let us read, and let us dance; these two amusements will never do any harm to the world.”
– Voltaire