Peter Boal keeps PNB dancers on their toes

James Bond orders his martinis “shaken, not stirred.” The reason a martini is stirred is to mix it without chipping the ice. Shaking breaks up the ice and will water down your drink. James Bond is a snob about ordering a weak drink.

That is how I feel about most ballet fans. They like the big productions like “Swan Lake” and “Nutcracker” but do not have the appreciation of the beautiful movement of a dancer across an empty stage. If you can only watch ballets with full casts, complex sets and costumes with a convoluted storyline, you are a James Bond ballet fan.

For true ballet aficionados, Pacific Northwest Ballet (PNB) Artistic Director Peter Boal’s “Director’s Choice” is here. Performing until June 7, “Director’s Choice” is a collection of three dances. Dances at a Gathering, After the Rain pas a deux and Symphony in C.

Dances at a Gathering, choreographed by Jerome Robbins, is set to music by Chopin. Rather than a full suite, it feels like a collection of short stories. Without any sets to maneuver, the dance is simple. Just ten dancers floating on and off the stage to the music of a single piano.

At an hour, it feels a little on the long side. “Dances” is broken up into a mixture of short routines, with only one routine with all ten dancers on stage at the same time. It is simply ballet without the distraction of a lot of unnecessary elements.

After the intermission the audience is treated to the After the Rain pas de deux. This is the PNB premier for the intimate duet. This too is bare bone dancing. With nary a tutu or pointe shoe in sight, it is a combination of ballet and modern dance. Batkhurel Bold shows his strength and skill with intricate lifts and holds.

Powerful and moving, watching it feels more like a voyeuristic intrusion. This is a private, beautiful moment between lovers, a scene that the audience is thankful to have shared with them.

Again, the music, by Arvo Pärt, is simple. The piano keeps an even tempo, while the notes from the violin hanging in the air is felt as well as heard. This moving piece is over all too soon at about ten minutes.

Symphony in C is back to classical ballet. They break out the orchestra and the whole company comes out to play. Still no complicated sets, just classical ballet at its best. Choreographed by one of the 20th century’s foremost chorographers, George Balanchine. With the whole corps of dancers filling the stage, all in identical costumes it is a sight to behold. Principal dancer Kaori Nakamura, who was magical as Odet in Swan Lake needs to be careful not to be upstaged by partner, Jonathan Porretta. Porretta seems to spend most of his time spinning, in the air, or a combination of the two.

If you are a “James Bond” ballet fan, you need to see Director’s Choice to learn to appreciate the purity of dance. However, if you are a true ballet aficionado, one who doesn’t see one performance and brag about being cultured, enjoy this art in motion before the run is over.




*Photo caption and credit: Prinicpal dancers Carla Körbes and Batkhurel Bolddo their Titanic impression in the PNB performance of After the Rain pas de deux photo by Angela Sterling

** Reprinted with permission from The Triton Review