Press: A Different Way Of Moving

By Staff for Arts-Louisville.com

February 1, 2019

Color me delighted when not one, but two of Louisville’s long-standing performance institutions band together with an artistic institution, to create experiences that audiences aren’t familiar with. Earlier in the week, the Louisville Orchestra worked with the Kentucky College of Art + Design (KyCAD) to create an evening of sight, sound, and taste. Taste? Read my colleague Keith Waits’ review. Thursday evening I was privileged to see the Louisville Ballet work their magic, in partnership with KyCAD, in a different way of performance, presentation, and expression.

The Choreographers Showcase has historically been a highlight of every Louisville Ballet season as it allows for audiences to chart the progress of emerging choreographers and allows for the performers to gain new insight into their creative abilities. I think it would be safe to say that when artists work with other artists and that first spark of creativity unfolds, new and wonderful things can happen. Such is the collaboration with KyCAD. Allow me to paint you a picture of the event.

One big difference about the evening is that the performances were held at KyCAD’s studio and school. Within the building, makeshift rooms were designed to accommodate five different experiences: “35…”, “Proxy”, “Suppression of the Heart”, “Work in Progress” and “Amid Exes and Whys”. The performances are scattered throughout the evening, allowing plenty of time for patrons to see all of them, maybe even a couple of times. If you hadn’t figured it out, the audience moves to each performance location within the building. So, that’s a little different. How about being told that you can take out your cellphones, take pictures and/or videos and post it across social media with the hashtag #ChorShow? That’s a bit unconventional.

Choreographed by Xavier Pellin and designed by Bobby Barbour, “Proxy” delves into the conflict between our “real” selves and our digital selves, and has this technology caused us to become more isolated. Set within a small room, the dancers are beautifully dressed and dancing to lovely music composed by Bryce Dessner with movements commonly found within ballet. But, above them are monitors that portray something a bit different. The art is within the contrast.

Read More

SWAN LAKE

November 11-14 2021
The Brown Theatre
Choreography by Robert Curran
Music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchakiovsky

This will close in 0 seconds

The Brown-Forman Nutcracker

December 11-23, 2021
Whitney Hall, Kentucky Center
Choreography by Val Caniparoli
Music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

This will close in 0 seconds

ChorShow

January 12-22, 2022
Louisville Ballet Studios

This will close in 0 seconds

Spotlight Series: Impressionism to Jazz

March 3-5, 2022
The Brown Theatre
A mixed repertory evening featuring:

Emeralds

Choreography by George Balanchine

Music: "Pelléas et Mélisande" + "Shylock" by Gabriel Fauré

In G Major

Choreography by Jerome Robbins
Music: "Piano Concerto in G Major" by Maurice Ravel

World Premiere Work

Music by Louisville-based Jazz Composer and Musician, Dick Sisto

This will close in 0 seconds

Sleeping Beauty

March 31 - April 2, 2022
The Brown Theatre
Choreography by Adam Hougland
Music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchakiovsky

This will close in 0 seconds