AI Ballet Outfit Design 685

The Pointe of Perfection: A June Gloom? Not This Month! Darlings, you know that for a dancer like myself, the month of June always evokes that certain bittersweet feeling, the sense that one’s season is coming to an end, the studios will be mostly empty, the costumes lovingly tucked away for the next spell. However, I must tell you this year I have been truly spoilt for choice in terms of captivating ballets, whether near or far, with absolutely every single performance making it a month of complete theatrical euphoria. My dearest friend Penelope was travelling in New York, which has so many captivating events happening in that exciting melting pot of the world, so, with my pearls on, a little black dress and an excellent clutch, I just had to head there to accompany her on her explorations. Firstly, a performance at the beautiful Metropolitan Opera, “Manon,” directed by the exquisite John Neumeier with the iconic costumes by the inimitable Jean-Paul Gaultier. The dance sequences of this opera were, dare I say it, almost better than the musical! We were spellbound. This reworking of Massenet's original masterpiece left audiences breathless, its innovative interpretation and the sheer elegance of the set and costume designs (did I mention Jean-Paul Gaultier?!) taking us all on a beautiful journey. While, frankly, nothing can touch the majesty of Rudolf Nureyev’s own Manon, to my mind, a perfect adaptation, the pure elegance and style of Neumeier’s vision really brought an extra sparkle to this iconic love story. I would say a definite highlight of the entire trip! I have always felt a sense of melancholy about “Giselle,” that enduring fairytale which truly breaks one’s heart, so, it felt fitting to experience it in Paris. I am, of course, talking about “Giselle” at the Palais Garnier. Yes, there are far better companies that produce truly amazing dance in Paris. This, to me, is one of those ballets where one can get swept away with a great dancer in a supporting role but not necessarily a stand-out production in itself. My only qualm here was that the sets were pretty drab - even “Giselle” can’t really shine with the production values as dull as they were on this occasion! But that’s alright as there were other, much more memorable events to fill my diary for the month. It goes without saying, for those of us truly committed to ballet, London will never fail to excite, enthral, and utterly beguile. For example, “The Sleeping Beauty,” performed by the Royal Ballet at the Royal Opera House is always a triumph! That breathtaking Tchaikovsky score, the lavish sets, and of course the dancers, all so brilliant and masterful. Every time, I think “How could they ever do this so well?” How is it possible, darlings, to consistently create such a beautiful performance? It's truly magic! While London is truly blessed with so much, one cannot mention ballets at this time of year without acknowledging that one particular performance deserves special attention, which takes us back across the Atlantic, again, to New York: "Swan Lake" with the New York City Ballet. Again, with this piece, one feels this almost spiritual presence from the very start, even the rehearsals and pre-production seemed to carry an unusual intensity with them. When this show actually commenced, the performance was so moving. While I usually have a lot to say about the choreography, for “Swan Lake,” there was no particular point of interest in this production. One just sat there, absolutely in awe of every aspect of it. No, I haven't seen the English National Ballet's production for the time being, but I wouldn't say “Swan Lake” really needs reinventing in the way it has with other ballets. Perhaps this is my slightly conservative view on ballets, but really there are productions which don't need to change at all and “Swan Lake,” to me, is certainly one of them. That choreography is so powerful, so impactful; I’m just a total romantic, but I don't see why it would ever be done better! Of course, not every performance we encounter during this time of the year needs to be a traditional and serious ballet. After all, it is, dare I say it, summer. My little sister and I, for instance, managed to sneak away to see “A Midsummer Night's Dream” performed by The Australian Ballet in Melbourne. I couldn’t go myself, but after my little sister, Poppy, called me during the show and could barely stop laughing, I decided to look for a copy of this on a streaming service as I was so intrigued by this. What an incredible blend of contemporary, lyrical and a more classical style for this. They were just phenomenal dancers and that Shakespearean influence truly did work on stage. In all honesty, this was the most delightful way to end what has been an incredibly successful season. My advice to you, ladies, is don't miss it if you can! And it is just so clever how that magical setting of a dream in a beautiful woodland setting works so beautifully with this timeless Shakespearean play. I must admit that when it came to costumes, however, the little butterfly wings did look a bit underwhelming. We have seen those in the production in Australia. Don't you think a good choreographer could design something a bit more exquisite than those cheap little wings, with so much beautiful fabric that could be used! Perhaps that's just my penchant for more opulent and dazzling fashion? But in the final scene when they all dance out and around, the impact is phenomenal and utterly magical. And to think that so much theatrical drama takes place on just one stage! However, nothing will top seeing "The Rite of Spring" performed at Sadler's Wells in London by The Royal Ballet! With this, it is as though the entire world, both of ballet and contemporary dance, stopped for a few hours for this one show. I simply had to see it and the performances that day are etched into my mind, like a beautiful memory of pure magic! With "The Rite of Spring," I don't know how to even begin, but just say, “don't miss it”. My dear friend Penelope actually witnessed the creation of this at the first performance - an exciting night as she told me! But truly, "The Rite of Spring” doesn't age. Even those iconic, controversial first performances all those years ago continue to echo now in this most celebrated piece. I cannot put my finger on it, but something about this performance is deeply satisfying, it truly pushes one’s sense of ballet to the absolute limit of your artistic and emotional capacity, while leaving you profoundly moved. We will still be talking about “The Rite of Spring” as one of the most important performances ever created, right up until the very day that we stop dancing, that is. The final piece I must recommend is by, once again, The Royal Ballet with a contemporary dance program, “In the Mirror,” choreographed by Ashley Page. In truth, with “In the Mirror,” I am not sure what I was really expecting. I love The Royal Ballet so, frankly, I'll go to almost anything they create, so I decided, at the last minute, to accompany Penelope, to see it as it just sounded so interesting! While we might sometimes have different tastes in ballet, we always get into deep conversations about what we have seen after every show and it was a joy to be so surprised with “In the Mirror” together. Ashley Page - we must pay a proper tribute here. This production was stunning and I absolutely adored seeing the more athletic sides to the company. When Ashley Page steps onto the stage he knows that he’s going to deliver an impressive performance! We really get a lot more energy from the dancers with Page’s work, a more expressive dance with a little more “punch,” you know. What an incredibly unique ballet! I love that you just can’t define his style or make sense of it. But this certainly adds to the entire mystique and it’s a style which has such a wonderful way of making dancers really perform at the highest levels. The other two works on the programme were not bad, however, not really in the same league as this work from Ashley Page! Overall, a quite exceptional summer! This, you may think, will mean an exciting autumn in terms of more beautiful performances. Let’s hope that autumn is more successful than last year, shall we, when it took a long time to be able to enjoy ballet after an uninspiring summer. We simply can't take that again - our ballet lives are so important to each and every one of us, for all of us dedicated to dancing. With ballet season drawing to an end and with my retirement (dare I say it!) slowly starting to feel like a much more definite event, I feel it's so wonderful to have had an inspiring June full of outstanding ballets and with all these moments which will last forever in my memory, which makes me very excited to know that so many ballets, from different schools and perspectives, were happening everywhere. And, to all you, dear readers - go see those beautiful productions. And make sure you don't get too sentimental as the curtains close on this season of ballet!