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Repertoire
3Seasons
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crowded murmur...thoughtsMusic by W. A. Mozart "The lovely ensemble piece crowded murmur...thoughts, by Olivier Wevers, combines the ease and facility of classical dance with a playful twistiness. The three sections are laced together by an ongoing motif—quieting someone with a hand in front of the mouth and whispering in their ear. Wevers' movement invention is charming and his skill at manipulating structure and pattern—the traffic cop aspect of choreography—is very assured. He makes the Spectrum performers look every bit as good as they are, and gives the company a delicious valentine of a dance." FRAGMENTSMusic by W. A. Mozart "Playing on our familiarity with some well-known arias from The Marriage of Figaro and The Magic Flute. The dancers lip-synch in grand operatic style, scratch their itches like puppies, and adjust their costumes. Here, ballet technique is about freedom, not power, and it seems that Kelly Ann Barton and Hannah Lagerway are set to burble their way around the stage for the duration of the work, until the score shifts to Mozart's Ave Verum. Lagerway strips off her flirty skirt and proceeds to turn herself inside out and upside down in an extended adagio that's all bent joints, like a colt learning to stand. Probably the most effective part of the work has the least amount of movement, as Lagerway pauses for several breaths, upside down and all splayed out." Hush-HushMusic by Philip Glass "Olivier Wevers' clever evocation of illicit liaisons, Hush-Hush, opened with a pair of lovers silhouetted against a violet-lit doorway. Moving silkily to Philip Glass' "Concerto for Harpsichord and Orchestra: II," the dancers slipped in and out of that doorway in a dramatic web of secret rendezvous that ensnared by twos and sometimes even threes. They cavorted through a room rife with broken promises. Partners swept partners upside down and topsy-turvy, reaching towards their lovers even as their legs swung away, and Plan B was always waiting in the wings. The work ended in whimsical silhouette: a couple kissing while hands reached out from either side of the doorway...Wevers' Hush-Hush could find itself whispered about over naughty aperitifs everywhere." Kaori and LucienMusic by Dominic Frasca Moi, je dis que...Music by W. A. Mozart "The always-creative Olivier Wevers possibly had the most ambitious idea of the evening with his solo Moi Je Dis Que... Wevers both choreographed and danced the work, which was accompanied onstage by pianist Dianne Chilgren playing variations on Mozart's 'Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star' tune. There is no doubt that Wevers has a unique style of movement, so it was a treat to see him interpret the music through the twisting of his wrists and undulations of his torso. Though the musical variations stretched on, Wevers kept a playful smile on his face the whole time, as he alternated meditative sections with humorous snippets. The whole thing had a cheerfully anecdotal feel, with each part being linked by the 'Twinkle' melody" Nadamantine
Music by Karl Jenkins pigmentMusic – Traditional Japanese Folk Song – Yagibushi "pigment, was a minimalist solo set to a traditional Japanese folk song and danced by Ariana Lallone. Subtle and expressive, it was further evidence of an impressive choreographic talent." ShindigMusic by Anderson, W. A. Mozart, Rimsky-Korsakov, Shubert, Stravinsky "Olivier Wevers, one of PNB's most engaging dancers, is in the early stages of a second career as a choreographer. He contributed the world premiere, Shindig, a potpourri or suite, if you like, set to bits of music from famous composers: Leroy Anderson to Igor Stravinsky, with stops at Rimsky-Korsakov, Schubert and Mozart, along the way. Wevers can be very playful as a dancer, and that attribute carries over in this piece. And as his sense of timing rarely fails him as a dancer, it rarely fails him as a choreographer. Shindig is all over the map. It has flair, satire and moments of beauty and is a showcase for PNB dancers. They do not fail him. Chalnessa Eames and Jonathan Porretta open with a dandy little duet, followed by the many splendors of Louise Nadeau. Kaori Nakamura and Lucien Postlewaite get the big duet to which they brought good humor, bold technique and flowing lyricism. Carrie Imler has the final word, which she delivered with bravura feet and a radiant style." Ultimatum
Music by Murcof Ultimatum, is a powerful male duet set to music by Murcof. The piece opens with both men, dressed in kilts, stepping into pools of light; as the lights fill the stage, they begin their playful joust. Ultimatum, draws its energy from the strong presence and technique of its dancers. The dancers' movement quality switches quickly from fluid and controlled, to crisp and sharp. The men play off each other's movement creating a chance for them to show off for each other, and the audience. Following two solos, the men rejoin each other on stage for the remainder of the piece. Their combined energies amplify the power on the stage, which grows until the men separate and find themselves in their original pools of light. As the music fades, the lights dim, and both men retreat from their light, as if the work and sweat they left on the stage never happened. X stasis
Music by Thomas Adès "Olivier Wevers' witty ballet X stasis, set to the music of Thomas Adès, was as original as its title, and had elements of ecstasy and zero stasis. The five duets included Chalnessa Eames' amusing flirtation with a dressmaker's dummy and a riveting tango of power and intimacy between two men, Porretta and Postlewaite. Louise Nadeau and Jordan Pacitti were crisp and demur. Ariana Lallone's cage-like skirt seemed to have a life of its own. Wevers' choreography is full of the unexpected, the theatrical and imaginative. Dancers use their hands in hypnotic ways, turning back at the wrist, plucking or tickling up an arm." 3SeasonsJanuary 15-17, 2010 Inspired by Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons," 3Seasons is a radical take on our disposable world. It draws together dancers from PNB, Spectrum Dance Theater, and the Seattle community in a thoughtful reimagining of Vivaldi's music by composer Byron Au Yong. We humans tend to think we own everything. We dominate the world. Our actions have grave consequences for the earth, if often unintended. How can we be more responsible and aware of the planet we inhabit? By recognizing the primacy of change, variability, unpredictability. By accepting vulnerability, responsibility and loss. By dancing in time with the rhythms of nature. By not forgetting hope. These are the themes of 3Seasons.
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