Tuesday, October 26, 2021
A Pas de Deux of Pride
Playbill: How do you choreograph an intimate pas deux in the depths of a pandemic? And how do you then make history with a romantic story of two gay men, Adam and Steve, tailored for dancers from American Ballet Theatre, that’s both erotic and heartfelt? Choreographer Christopher Rudd has the answers with his landmark ballet Touché that celebrates the inclusion and visibility of the LGBTQIA+ community. Touché will have its world stage premiere on October 26 at the Company’s Fall Gala, followed by performances at ABT’s first-ever Pride Nights, October 27 and 30, during the Company’s Lincoln Center Fall season.
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This article, A Pas de Deux of Pride, is so interesting to me. I think ballet, and dance in general, is one of the most powerful mediums through which to express love and intense emotion, and ABT (The American Ballet Theater) took on a large commitment by deciding to create this pas de deux in the midst of a pandemic. The process of doing such an intimate piece can’t be easy, especially when both performers have homophobia related trauma. As much as this pain can inform the work, it also poses a hazard to the emotional well being of the people performing. It’s a testament to the dedication and love for their art that these dancers have that they are willing to take on this massive challenge. The trauma informed choreography is also super interesting to me. I don’t work in dance spheres a lot, and I thought this was a super interesting look into how to handle intimate themes in performance with grace.
It’s very inspiring to see people pushing the boundaries of traditional performance structures, and at the same time portraying a beautiful story through talented and hardworking dancers. Thai reminds me of Jojo Siwa’s pairing with another woman on Dancing with the Stars, it gives the dances a different perspective and opens up a whole new world of possibilities when it comes to exploring same-gender partner dances. Christopher Rudd’s background as a gay man from Jamaica struck me, as I’ve recently read about homophobic violence in Jamaica and it can be terrifying to come out in that environment. I also appreciated the article mentioning the importance of intimacy coordination and clear consent between dancers. Naming the characters Adam and Steve has a humorous element that I would be interested to see translated in the choreography; sadly I will not be able to attend either performance but I have seen clips of rehearsals online.
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