JOFFREY BALLET, THE: LIVE FROM ARTPARK (TV)
Summary
This opening night performance of the Joffrey Ballet in Artpark -- Lewiston, NY's cultural center -- features Sir Frederick Ashton's "Les Patineurs" (The Skaters), and Gerald Arpino's "Valentine." Staged in an ice pond setting, Ashton's piece includes the following: Mark Goldweber's solo variation; Denise Jackson and Gregory Huffman's lyrical pas de deux; Cynthia Anderson and Patricia Miller's duet; Lisa Slagle, Ann Marie De Angelo, and Goldweber in a pas de trois; a comic duet with two of the ballerinas pretending to slip on the ice; and Goldweber performing turns a la seconde center stage in the finale. During intermission, host Jane Freeman talks about Artpark and interviews David Midland, its director, and Joanne Allison, associate director. Interspersed with the interviews are shots of the 200-acre park and the visiting artists at work on their projects. The program continues with Arpino's 1971 pas de deux "Valentine," a satiric piece about two different relationships: a pair of dancers, and a musician and his instrument. Set to music by Jacob Druckman, the ballet opens with contrabassist Alvin Brehm performing onstage, and Rebecca Wright and Christian Holder in boxing robes coming together at center stage from opposite directions. Arpino's choreography favors more torso movement and occasional floor work. The piece ends with the dancers thrashing on the floor, squealing and grunting, Wright on top of Holder, and Brehm wrapping his legs around his contrabass and laying down with it.
The program continues with "L'Air d'Esprit," choreographed by Arp, the great 19th-century Russian ballerina Olga Spessivtzeva. This pas de deux, with music by Adolphe Adam, features Francesca Corkle and Kevin McKenzie. During intermission, William Littler of the Toronto Star interviews Robert Joffrey, artistic director and founder of the Joffrey Ballet. Topics discussed include the company's artistic goals, the need to establish a diverse repertory, and Joffrey's personal vision as well as his responsibility to his company members. The program continues with "Cakewalk," a ballet in three movements choreographed by Boris to music by Hershy Kay after Louis Moreau Gottschalk. The first movement includes five dances: "Grand Introductory Walkaround" with Cynthia Anderson and Christian Holder; "The Wallflower Waltz" with Diana Orio; "Sleight of Feet" with Gary Chryst; "Perpendicular Points" with Lisa Slagle and Charlene Gehm; and "Freebee" with Denise Jackson and "Skipaway." The second movement, entitled "Louis, the Illusionist; Assisted by Moreau and Lesseau," features Gary Chryst as Louis and Lisa Slagle and Charlene Gehm as his assistants. The final movement, "Gala Cakewalk," is performed by the entire company.
Details
- NETWORK: PBS WNET New York, NY
- DATE: August 23, 1978 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:58:00
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T88:0156
- GENRE: Dance
- SUBJECT HEADING: Dance
- SERIES RUN: WNET (New York, NY) - TV, 1978
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Wiley F. Hance … Producer
- Emile Ardolino … Director
- Tedd Tramaloni … Director
- Sir Frederick Ashton … Choreographer
- Gerald Arpino … Choreographer
- Giacomo Meyerbeer … Composer
- Jacob Druckman … Composer
- Terence Kern … Conductor
- The Buffalo Philharmonic … Symphony Orchestra
- Jane Freeman … Host
- The Joffrey Ballet … Dancer/Dancer Company
- Ann Marie De Angelo
- Cynthia Anderson
- Patricia Miller
- Mark Goldweber
- Denise Jackson
- Lisa Slagle
- Rebecca Wright
- David Midland
- Christian Holder
- Gregory Huffman
- Alvin Brehm
- Joanne Allison
- Olga Spessivtzeva
- Adolphe Adam
- Francesca Corkle
- Kevin McKenzie
- William Littler
- Robert Joffrey
- Hershy Kay
- Louis Moreau Gottschalk
- Diana Orio
- Gary Chryst
- Charlene Gehm