Spring Show
Columbia Figure Skating Club & Guests
Columbia Ice Rink, Maryland
March 25, 2017 at 6 PM
by George Jackson
copyright © 2017 by George Jackson
Both photos: Ian Lorello in the title role of Nathan Birch’s “Faun”. Photo by Kim Zaruba.
Flat and angular placement, abrupt actions and sudden stillness, deep crouching and also turned-in stances were characteristic of Vaclav Nijinsky’s 1912 choreography for “L’Apres-midi d’un faune”. So were dreamy sensualities and a clinically clear depiction of sexuality. The “Prelude” music by Debussy, based on Mallarme’s poem, is complex and lasts about 10 minutes. Undoubtedly, choreographer Nathan Birch must have become fascinated by this material from the past. How suitable, though, is any of it for an ice ballet? Not very, at first glance. Motion on ice has continuity and is difficult to stop. Not entirely impossible yet hardly easy is diminishing a skater’s body volume. Dealing graphically with lust is taboo for ice skating which draws family audiences regardless of whether it is for sports, pop entertainment or artistic programming. Apparently, though, Birch couldn’t forget the “Faun” notion, so he transformed it.
The transformation happens musically. The dynamics Birch gives Ian Lorello’s Faun are very attentive to Debussy’s surges of speeding and slowing. Lorello asserts himself and relaxes his streamlined figure ever so sensually, lyrically. Daring is the use of the hands touching the ice to slow and then stop motion. I don’t think I’ve seen such a gentle cessation of skating before. Is it Birch’s intent that this Faun attains enlightenment?
The handmaidens, Julia Choi and Alicia Jackson, moved generously, nobly. Jackson also designed the trio’s costumes that subtlely evoked the earthy growth from which the Faun had emerged and the avatars’ blue skies. The ballet training of the three skaters gave their motions – even the crouching, flattening and twisting - a seamless continuity.
Part 3 of the spring show, “The Name of the Game”, was directed and choreographed to the music of ABBA by The Next Ice Age’s Tim Murphy. Lots of entrances and exits for Columbia Figure Skating Club’s more senior level skaters, plus an appearance by professional guests Allison Timlen and Justin Highgate-Brutman. The guests were more acrobatic than balletic, and not all of the club skaters projected a dance pulse. All together there were four performances of the spring show this past weekend, so ice skating seems to be thriving despite its gender slant and mix of training styles.