When someone mentions the ballet, thoughts often turn to the grandiose spectacle and pageantry of those tried and true holiday fix- tures such as Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite or the ever-popular Swan Lake. While it is true that when performed and choreographed well these pieces can be exciting and emotive vehicles for the art of dance (thoughts of the Russian Dance come to mind), it is more often the case that the artistic side of dance takes five in favor of com- mercial public appeal. This was not the case at Ballet British Columbia's recent production, Ballet Masters: Works by William Forsythe, James Kudelka and Lynne Taylor-Corbett. The produc- tion reaffirmed my love of the performing arts with an outstanding collection of contemporary works that were both beautifully choreographed and superbly danced. William Forsythe's The Vile Parody Of Address was the most abstracted and compelling of the works presented. The striking staging and use of light, the spoken word over Glenn Gould's playing of Bach's Fugue no.22, and the incredible movements of the dancers made this piece very exciting if not a little perplexing. The only disap- pointment was an audience that was unaware that the piece had begun, even when the curtain was up and the dancers on stage. It is an uncon- ventional way to begin a performance, starting the music while people are being seated, then raising the curtain exposing stone-still figures on stage, but still | would expect Ballet goers to be aware of basic thatre etiquette. 15 Heterosexual Duets, choreographed by James Kudelka was , while not as complex, equally entertaining. This piece also had the added appeal of being accompanied by live music brilliantly supplied by Andrew Dawes on the violin and Jane Coop on piano. The work was set to Beethoven's Kreutzer Sonata #9 and featured 15 short dances about coupling in its diverse forms. | enjoyed the music and several of the individual interpretations of the male-female relationship but felt that with the exception of one particularly humorous dance the rest were very cynical inthere intent, depicting many more scenes of conflict than of coupling. The final work presented was Lynne Tay- lor-Corbett's Chiaroscuro. This work dealt with the play of light and shadow as it related to the interplay between fast and slow movement and the constantly moving interaction of the lead dancer with the rest of the ensemble. The chore- ography was so powerful | felt that at times the pre-recorded (synthesized) violin concerto was simply there as a timing device for the dancers and the dance could have been just as strong without sound at all. The movements were beau- tiful poems unto themselves. | look forward to attending Ballet BC's next production as they have a strong team of art directors, choreographers, and dancers that make for a sensory experience that is powerful and unique. On a cold and drippy November 17th, | crossed a threshold when | entered the Van East Cultural Centre for a musical program served up by Mike Allen and the Jazz Ascendants. These * Ascendants" were a fortuitous grouping of nine of Vancouver's best jazz artists. Their com- bined forces on stage held promise and once my thoughts had seen the springboard in the muted ecstacy of the event, they made a run for it. This being my first experience of this venue, | found myself photographing much of its architectural detail left intact after its conver- sion from a parish church. And from the moment that my companion pointed out how the baritone sax came close to playing the Muppets Show theme song, | transposed memories of this childhood ritual onto the wrought iron and red velvet interior with amusing results. | kept imagining those two old hecklers Statler and Waldorf giving Mike Allen a hard time interrupting the chord changes with their wry jabs. Drum- mer Dave Robbins sure fit into Animal's character as he blew the crowd away with an exhausting whack at the skins from his enclave behind a solid line of saxophones. And at the end of his solo, | waited for the whole stage to explode in a stunt by Crazy Harry (aka the Master of Destruction). To tie it all in, you might remember that scene in The Muppet Movie where the Electric Mayhem Band was rehearsing in an old church; keep in mind these bits of fantasy the next time you step through the double doors of the 'Cultch. when singing en masse. The recent performance of the Vancover Bach Choir and the Vancouver Symphony Orches- tra of Hayden's Nelson Mass and Mozart's Requiem was excellent. As with any performance of the Bach Choir, the choir often overshadows the soloists who never inspired my emotions or imagination the way the rest of the choir does The beautifully directed chorus of singers was complemented by the superb playing of the Vancouver Symphony which never fail to provide the highest quality of performances. My only question was about the use of trombones in place of horns during the requiem. | am not familliar with the reason such contemporary sounding instruments would be subsituted for earlier types. This was mostly a visual distraction as the music that came from the trombone section was beauti- ful and melodic with a special note to the soloist's exceptional phrasing and inflection. The evening was delightful with two powerful and haunting works. | was moved. 27 @) When someone mentions the ballet, thoughts often turn to the grandiose spectacle ‘and pageantry of those tried and true holiday fix- tures such as Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite or the ever-popular Swan Lake. While itis true that when performed and choreographed well these pieces can be exciting and emotive vehicles for the art of dance (thoughts of the Russian Dance come to mind), itis more often the case that the ic side of dance takes five in favor of com- public appeal. This was not the case at Ballet British Columbia's recent production, Ballet ‘Masters: Works by William Forsythe, James Kudelka and Lynne Taylor-Corbett. The produc- tion reaffirmed my love of the performing arts with an outstanding collection of contemporary works that were both beautifully choreographed and superbly danced. ‘William Forsythe's The Vile Parody Of ‘Address was the most abstracted and compelling of the works presented. The striking staging and Use of light, the spoken word over Glenn Gould's playing of Bach's Fugue 0.22, and the incredible movements of the dancers made this piece very exciting if not a little perplexing. The only disap- ointment was an audience that was unaware that the piece had begun, even when the curtain ‘was up and the dancers on stage. Itis an uncon- ventional way to begin a performance, starting the music while people are being seated, then. raising the curtain exposing stone-stil figures on stage, but stil | would expect Ballet goers to be aware of basic thatre etiquette. 15 Heterosexual Duets, choreographed by James Kudelka was , while not as complex, equally entertaining. This piece also had the added appeal of being accompanied by live music briliantly supplied by Andrew Dawes on the violin and Jane Coop on piano. The work was set to Beethoven's Kreutzer Sonata #9 and featured 15 short dances about coupling in its diverse forms. | enjoyed the music and several of the individual interpretations of the male-female relationship but felt that with the exception of one particularly humorous dance the rest were very cynical inthere intent, depicting many more scenes of conflict than of coupling, ‘The final work presented was Lynne Tay- lor-Corbett's Chiaroscuro. This work dealt with the play of light and shadow as it related to the interplay between fast and slow movement and the constantly moving interaction of the lead dancer with the rest of the ensemble. The chore~ ‘ography was so powerful | felt that at times the pre-recorded (synthesized) violin concerto was simply there as a timing device for the dancers and the dance could have been just as strong without sound at all. The movements were beau- tiful poems unto themselves. 1 look forward to attending Ballet BC's next production as they have a strong team of art directors, choreographers, and dancers that make for a sensory experience that is powerful and unique. (Ona .cold and drippy November 17th, | crossed a threshold when | entered the Van East Cultural Centre for a musical program served up by Mike Allen and the Jazz Ascendants. These "Ascendants" were a fortuitous grouping of nine of Vancouver's best jazz artists. Their com- bined forces on stage held promise and once my thoughts had seen the springboard in the muted ecstacy of the event, they made a run for it. This being my first experience of this venue, | found myself photographing much of its architectural detail left intact after its conver- sion from a parish church. And from the moment that my companion pointed out how the baritone sax came close to playing the Muppets ‘Show theme song, | transposed memories of this childhood ritual onto the wrought iron and red velvet interior with amusing results. | kept imagining those two old hecklers Statler and Waldorf giving Mike Allen a hard time interrupting the chord changes with their wry jabs. Drum- mer Dave Robbins sure fit into Animal's character as he blew the crowd ‘away with an exhausting whack at the skins from his enclave behind a solid line of saxophones. And at the end of his solo, | waited for the whole stage to explode in a stunt by Crazy Harry (aka the Master of Destruction), To tie it all in, you might remember that scene in The Muppet ‘Movie where the Electric Mayhem Band was rehearsing in an old church; keep in mind these bits of fantasy the next time you step through the double doors of the ‘Cultch. The recent performance of the Vancover Bach Choir and the Vancouver Symphony Orches- tra of Hayden's Nelson Mass and Mozart's Requiem was excellent. As with any performance of the Bach Choir, the choir often overshadows the soloists who never inspired my emotions or imagination the way the rest of the choir does when singing en masse. The beautifully directed chorus of singers. was complemented by the superb playing of the Vancouver Symphony which never fail to provide the highest quality of performances. My only ‘question was about the use of trombones in place of horns during the requiem. | am not familiar with the reason such contemporary sounding instruments would be subsituted for earlier types. This was mostly a visual distraction as the music that came from the trombone section was beauti- ful and melodic with a special note to the soloist's exceptional phrasing and inflection. The evening was delightful with two powerful and haunting works. | was moved.