Bob Fosse

On tonight's episode of So You Think You Can Dance, one of the choreographers "paid tribute" to (ripped off the moves of, more like) Bob Fosse. From my favorite film dance sequence of all time, The Rich Man's Frug from "Sweet Charity":



My junior year of college, I took a jazz dance class, which for all intents and purposes turned out to be a Bob Fosse dance class. Armed with very little Bob Fosse knowledge, this class took me by surprise and I became obsessed with Bob Fosse that semester. We practiced many of the moves from The Rich Man's Frug. Being the overachiever that we all know and love, I rented all of the Bob Fosse movies from the College Park Potomac Video. I downloaded the "Fosse", "Cabaret" and "Sweet Charity" soundtracks. Even choreographed a Bob Fosse-like jazz routine (for a class assignment). Bob Fosse! It was truly a magical time.

Sexy time ballet

I am still trying to wrap my brain around the ballet I saw today. The Royal Ballet is in town from London performing Manon at the Kennedy Center. If Le Corsaire should be subtitled "Pirate Ballet", then Manon's subtitle would most probably be "Sex Ballet".

The story begins outside of Paris, where Lescaut, a dashing young man, is waiting for the arrival of his sister at a popular "courtyard of an inn", perhaps the equivalent of a rooftop at an Arlington bar? In the crowd are Des Grieux (not rich) and Monsieur G.M. (very rich). Manon arrives and she and Des Grieux instantly fall in love with each other and escape to Paris. Monsieur G.M. also takes an interest in Manon. He's a little slow on the draw, but it's OK because he has tons of money so obviously Lescaut promises to find his sister and convince her to accept the rich guy.

They catch up to the lovers frolicking in Paris. Des Grieux steps out of the house to mail a letter and in swoop Lescaut and G.M., who gifts Manon with a sparkly necklace and fancy robe. She is all "Well these are kind of nice. I like riches. OK, I'll go with you. Want to see my crotch?" And G.M. is like "Yes." And Lescaut, the pimp brother, is all "Let me help you stretch? spread your leg out further."

Eventually Manon comes back to Des Grieux. So G.M. has the police arrest her for being a prostitute and banish her to a Louisiana jail. As an extra punishment, he randomly shoots Lescaut.

Des Grieux follows Manon to America and kills the Gaoler but only after the Gaoler rapes Manon in the mouth.

Let's take a step back. The Washington Post review mentions a blow job scene, which I was looking out for but figured I had missed as it was perhaps interpretive. Right. No stretch of the imagination was required for the blow job scene. Very shocking in terms of ballet. Not so shocking for a ballet already filled with prostitutes and drunks.

The dancing did not seem as strong as the Russians', who wowed me last week with their technical mastery of the most difficult turn and leap combinations. But perhaps it was the choreography that was less classical and technical and more modern and loose. It makes sense that you would drop your lady companion on the floor or fall in a heap landing from a jump if your character is supposed to be shitfaced. And it makes sense that you wouldn't be spinning circles if you've been banished to a jail in the swamps and you are forced to wear raggedy clothing and you perhaps have syphilis.

Oh yeah, spoiler alert! Manon dies in the swamp.

Pirate ballet/ballet Pirate

I finally broke my months-long gym fast this morning and went to work out to get in better shape for ballet class. I am considering taking some ballet classes this summer to get some more fitness back in my life, but before I can get fit AT ballet class, I have to first get fit FOR ballet class. You see, ballet class is really the feats of strength in disguise.

Going to see the real thing is always both a motivating tool AND depression inducer. Today I saw the matinee performance of "Le Corsaire" at the Kennedy Center, as performed by the Bolshoi Ballet from Moscow. I had never seen "Le Corsaire" before, and, terrible terrible shame on me, did not really know the plot line. Well apparently, it's about pirates. And female slaves and harem girls and ship wrecks. It was a three-hour show of visually stunning sets and costumes and dancing by graceful android robots. Seriously, was there someone backstage holding a remote control? I was incredulous at the dancers' control of some of the leap and turn sequences. Those crazy Russians.

Here is a review of the production from The Washington Post.

And here is a picture I am borrowing from that review:



Next week, I am showing up at ballet class with an eye patch.

It's Like That

(via kottke)

DanceLove

Ladies and gentlemen, I just came back from the best workout I've had in years -- Adult Ballet II at the Arlington Center for Dance (which has moved to Falls Church). It was a bit disheartening going back to a serious dance class offered by a ballet school and not my local gym. My left hamstring is still jacked up from ten years ago and the balls of my feet hurt terribly from the 10-inch stiletto heels I wear to work every day. But man oh man does it feel good to push yourself at something you love doing and then feeling remarkably exhausted and rejuvenated all at the same time. Also, this totally means that I deserve a cupcake from the newly opened CakeLove in Tysons. Yesss.

Twitch

Going back to ballet class on Saturday to start training for next year's competition, so that I can meet my love:

Sweet Dreams

My favorite routine from last season's So You Think You Can Dance:



Don't have a favorite dancer this season yet. Maybe the guy from Kazakhstan. This suit is NOT black!

BIG

NPR has done a few brief shout-outs to BIG - a collaboration between Big Boi from Outkast and the Atlanta Ballet who joined together to produce a performance that combines ballet with hip hop. Naturally, I was very much drawn to this idea.

I searched around on YouTube and found a bootleg-looking clip of the show and an official-looking rehearsal video:





We don't have a lot of famous rappers in DC. I was trying to think of who the National Symphony Orchestra could collaborate with...
1. 9:30 Club
2. 9:30 Club with a rock band
3. 9:30 Club with a rock band, and the rock band is British

Please hold your judgement, there are no dumb ideas in brainstorming.