Saturday, November 14, 2009
Holocaust ballet extracts beauty from tragedy
Post Gazette: "We've been watching the collective 'Light/The Holocaust & Humanity Project' unfold in the Pittsburgh community over the past month as 19 local organizations participated in assorted panels, exhibits and performances that exposed a great human tragedy from all angles."
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4 comments:
This new ballet sounds absolutely incredible. I am disappointed that I won't be able to see it before it closes. The way it has brought the community together is inspiring. It is amazing that they were able to get local Holocaust survivors involved in the project. The way this ballet portrays the history and the imagery of Jews and the horrors they endured from the Nazis sounds stunning and heartbreaking. I hope Pittsburgh remembers the importance of this remarkable event.
I agree with Danielle. This ballet sounds incredibly moving. It is an even that we sometimes put in the back of our mind,although it was one of the most powerful times in the last century. What interests me is the fact that they chose PBT chose to do this piece in the middle of a season full of the "classic" ballets. This season is filled with Sleeping Beauty, the Nutcracker and Swan Lake. These money makers are helping PBT financially capable to produce new works such as this Holocaust ballet. It's an odd, but interesting balance.
The ability for dance to transcend language is apparent in this ballet and seemingly successful. The narrative sounding ballet, with established locations and events can be abstracted enough to not tell one single story, but the combined stories of all the people in the room. This likely makes the piece accessible to viewers without a dance background who may not notice the subtleties of movement and their effect on meaning. It's good to hear that PBT is taking on such social works amongst it's usual ballet season.
This sounds amazing and like it would be incredibly hard to pull off. I can't imagine seeing scenes made from the actual experience of the Holocaust up on stage. Also, there is something moving about a ballet. The article is a great portrayal of the ballet and it gives it a great review. I agree with Liz in that it is incredibly shocking that the PBT decided to take on this ballet. I also agree that the other ballets generate enough money to get to do something like this. I believe that a ballet is a perfect medium for this kind of show and really would like to see it.
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