ON STAGE
What: Ballet Victoria presents Ballet Rocks
Where: McPherson Playhouse, 3 Centennial Sq.
When: Oct. 25-27 — Friday and Saturday, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m.
Tickets: $23.50-$60 from rmts.bc.ca, or the Royal McPherson box office (250-386-6121)
Note: Ballet Rocks will be presented Thursday Oct. 24 at the Cowichan Performing Arts Centre
Ballet Rocks is a two-part program from Ballet Victoria that explores the union of classic rock and contemporary ballet with creations by choreographers with roots in the Royal Winnipeg Ballet.
“We’ve flipped everything on its head for this show,” said Paul Destrooper, artistic director of Ballet Victoria. “It’s a program with a lot of diversity. Very entertaining, but with moments that are quite beautiful, breathtaking and calm.”
Thirteen dancers from Ballet Victoria will dance to nearly two dozen songs during the performance, which features the work of contributing choreographers Destrooper, Gerard Théoret and the late Norbert Vesak.
Planning started with a new piece choreographed by Royal Winnipeg Ballet alumnus Philippe-Alexandre Jacques to four songs by Roy Orbison, which led to an impromptu conversation with two-time Juno Award winner Tal Bachman of Victoria, who will also contribute.
It was Bachman who suggested they stage a musical travelogue of sorts, with songs to be performed live during the first half by Bachman and his band. “We went back and forth and basically created a playlist that Tal would be happy to sing,” Destrooper said.
Music by The Kinks (You Really Got Me), The Police (Roxanne), Christina Aguilera (Beautiful), The Black Keys (Gold On the Ceiling) and others will join choreography set to Bachman’s signature hit She’s So High. The set will also include a newly written song from Bachman, titled Red Devil.
Destrooper has incorporated film music in ballet in the past, but the idea of mixing classical ballet (such as pointe technique) with classic rock took it one step further. “I love mixing genres. It surprises people. When I tell them I’m going to mix something together, they’ll say: ‘That doesn’t match.’
“People are always surprised that you can blend all kinds of music together to create an evening where you take the audience on a journey.”
A subdued second half of the program includes music from Pink Floyd (Shine On You Crazy Diamond) and a performance of Belong, an iconic pas de deux that is one of Vesak’s most popular pieces.
Destrooper is clearly inspired by Vesak, who mixed ballet with rock music as far back as 1973, and is presenting Belong in its original form from 1980, including the original electro-symphonic soundtrack from Syrinx (whose founder, John Mills-Cockell, lives on Vancouver Island).
Destrooper danced to Belong when he was with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, and likes what the piece brings to the portion of the program that also includes several pieces set to lounge music by choreographer Gerard Théoret.
The reception for previous performances on this tour in Nanaimo and Chilliwack convinced Destrooper he was on the right track with Ballet Rocks. “The audience was on their feet and had so much fun with the program. The energy of live rock music with dancing is different.
“We’ve done similar things, but not quite like this before. We’re taking the music of your grandparents that drove their parents crazy and the music your kids are driving you crazy with.”
