"Watch her" and "A Month in the Country"
The National Ballet of Canada
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts
Toronto, Canada
February 26, 2014
By Denise Sum
Copyright © by Denise Sum 2014
Thanks to its British roots, and Alexander Grant's tenure as artistic director (1976-1983), the National Ballet of Canada is fortunate enough to have a number of Ashton ballets in its repertoire: "Les Rendezvous", "The Dream", "La Fille mal gardée", "Les Patineurs", "Monotones", and "Symphonic Variations". Ashton's brilliant drama, "A Month in the Country" premiered in Toronto in 1995, almost two decades after its world premiere in London. It was the first time the ballet had been performed by a company other than the Royal Ballet. Karen Kain danced Natalia as she approached her retirement.
Ashton's ballet is a shining exemplar of his rare talent for melding movement and narrative. He has taken Ivan Turgenyev's complex, five act play and distilled it to its essential themes in 40 minutes. He does this by quickly establishing the scene -- the 1850's Russian country estate of Natalia and Yslaev, her wealthy husband. The setting, with lovely designs by Julia Trevelyan Oman, is idyllic, but for Natalia it can also feel dull and stifling. Her much older husband (Hazaros Surmeyan), ardent admirer (Patrick Lavoie), son Kolia (Skylar Campbell), and ward Vera (Jillian Vanstone) come and go but never fully capture her attention. One can almost hear her let out a bored sigh as she leans along her chaise. She is comfortable in her domestic life but longs for something more.
Ashton gives some insights into each character and their motivations with their variations, timed perfectly with John Lanchbery's arrangement of Chopin's music. Campbell is a believably naive and sweet youth, playful and easily amused. He balances, jumps, and turns (quite impressively, too), all the while dribbling and tossing a ball. Vanstone's Vera is preoccupied with romantic ideals, primed to fall for the next handsome gentleman she meets. Her steps are light, fast, and excited. Hodgkinson's first variation shows a vitality and flirtatiousness. She "drops" her fan to ellicit Ratikin's attention, while Yslaev is busy reading the paper. She seems desperate to hang on to her youth and beauty.
When Beliaev (Côté), Kolia's tutor, enters the home, there is an immediate and palpable shift. Natalia is drawn to him, beyond reason. His presence galvanizes the family's quiet existence. Vera, too, has found the object of her affection and even Katia, the maid, finds herself attracted to him. As Natalia and Beliaev dance together, the audience knows it cannot end well. Still, there is something so poignant and moving in that moment when they agree to let each other in. Hodgkinson's facial expression and outstretched arms convey her yearning and vulnerability. Meanwhile, Côté plays Beliaev as innocently in love. He does not appreciate how his presence has disrupted the family until Rakitin insists he leave.
The ballet is brief, and no moment is wasted. Each gesture and detail speaks volumes. The image of a crying Natalia with Beliaev silently kissing and caressing the ribbons of her gown behind her is heartbreaking. He wants to say something but stops himself, leaving behind just the flower she gave him instead. Suddenly, what began as a lighthearted and sunny ballet has become tragic and sad. That is the beauty of Ashton's work -- he covers a full range of emotions with such restraint and simplicity.
The other work in this double bill was completely different. "Watch her" was created for the NBoC in 2009 by Edmonton native, Aszure Barton. It is a dark, moody, and abstract work set to Lera Auerbach's "Dialogues on Stabat Mater". Events are hinted at, but there is no clear story per se. It is an ensemble piece and the most powerful parts are those involving the corps of 30 plus dancers. The corps is anonymous, moving in perfect unison, afraid to deviate from some set norm. Their movements are formal, their ineractions almost robotic. They are being controlled, but from whom or from where is uncertain. They exist in a closed space, a panopticon of sorts, constantly observed.
There are a few characters who stand out. A woman in dark pink (Sonia Rodriguez), a woman in bluish gray (Xiao Nan Yu), a man with a hat, and a disheveled man in a wrinkled white shirt. Everyone else blends together in plan grey costumes. Their significance could have infinite interpretations, but what is clear is that they are part of an act of silencing. Hands cover mouths, fingers come to the lips in a "shh" gesture. The atmosphere is unsettling. "Watch her" could perhaps be seen as a timely, Foucauldian critique of surveillance and policing in disciplinary societies. Towards the end, through a special effect, the heads of a row of dancers pop up from behind the back wall. The previously invisble observers become visible. The effect is chilling. The dancers did well maintaining austere expressions amidst Barton's intricate choreography that combines elements of both classical ballet and contemporary dance.
Photos:
Greta Hodgkinson and Guillaume Côté in "A Month in the Country". Photo by Aleksandar Antonijevic.
Jenna Savella in "Watch her". Photo by Cylla von Tiedemann.