lifeblood: listlogs: 2001v04n164-news

ig-news-digest thursday, october 18 2001 volume 04 : number 164

today's subjects:
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[ig-news] ig/atlanta ballet [traci drago <n_d_go_grl@hotmail.com>]
[ig-news] ballet article [shedyourskin 23 <shedyourskin23@hotmail.com>]

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date: wed, 17 oct 2001 08:11:54 -0500
from: traci drago <n_d_go_grl@hotmail.com>
subject: [ig-news] ig/atlanta ballet

[sherlyn's note: this message was originally sent to the indigo
girls mailing list at netspace.org.]

hi all,

i still have one more ticket to the 10/20 2pm, ig/atlanta ballet show. it
is a discounted $51.00 and a seat right in the middle of the main floor.
please let me know if you are interested. payment through paypal is
preferred, but we could work something out if you can't pay in that manner.

we head out friday afternoon, so let me know asap if interested.

thanks!!!!!

traci drago
st. louis, mo
also at n_d_go@hotmail.com

"is it really worth it if it isn't worth fighting for?" mm

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date: wed, 17 oct 2001 08:00:26 -0400
from: shedyourskin 23 <shedyourskin23@hotmail.com>
subject: [ig-news] ballet article

[sherlyn's note: this message was originally sent to the indigo
girls mailing list at netspace.org.]

from the creative loafing here in atlanta....enjoy

indigo moves
ballet romances atlanta's favorite shade of blue

by sherri l. mclendon

the indigo girls project, a collaboration between the edgy, socially
conscious folk-rock singers and the atlanta ballet, promises a creative
cross-pollination of artistic and musical genres. you'll never hear dancing
- -- or see music -- the same way again.

the culmination of three years' work, the world premiere unites the live
performance of rarely performed works by singer-songwriters amy ray and
emily saliers with the creative genius of internationally recognized
choreographer margo sappington.

the result is "shed your skin," an emotional, interpretive ballet that
carves notes and moods into one's consciousness. indigo girls fans will
listen in awe to more obscure songs like "least complicated," "caramia" and
"touch me fall" when played live and paired with dancing.

"when i chose the songs, i chose for dramatic impact," says sappington, who
notes that the requirements for a concert are completely different than
those for a dance score. "i tell you, people are going to jump up and
scream."

the melding of traditional dance forms with modern dance and pop music is
not a new concept. when twyla tharpe's postmodern dancers joined joffrey
ballet company members to perform the work "deuce coupe" (1973), with score
by the beach boys, her irreverent combinations of high art with popular
culture was a decade ahead of the curve that blurs the distinctions between
genres. during the 1980s, a second generation of post-modern choreogra-
phers emerged, concerned with increasing audiences for dance and strongly
influenced by the rise of technology and the music video.

saliers describes the collaboration as a great opportunity to mix artistic
mediums. "there'll be some of our fans there, some of the ballet's fans
there, and i think it will be a great experience to bring those audiences
together."

sappington agrees. a former joffrey dancer who's had an equally impressive
career dancing on broadway and creating dances for opera and music videos,
she admits to a parti-cular affinity for popular music. in 1993, she
created "slide" for the joffrey ballet, a section of the company's highly
acclaimed evening-length work billboards, set to a score by rock musician
prince.

in "shed your skin," the successful marriage of elements of high and
popular culture carries the union of traditionally balletic and modern
dance movements into a performance that is elegant, fearless and
technically flawless. with phrasing that is more reminiscent of modern
dance choreographer doris humphrey than classical ballet's auguste
bournonville, "shed your skin" features ballerinas who've long since
eschewed the pedestal in favor of dance that requires both lyrical beauty
and physical strength. they dance alongside male dancers who may work as
often en face (facing the audience) as croise (the traditional angle
between profile and en face) when shedding the definition of ballet as a
dead or dying art form.

"i was doing a rehearsal when [the indigo girls] came into the room, and i
said, '... look what's going on with your music,'" sappington says. "they
were completely on my side."

sappington sees the dancers as co-stars with the indigo girls.

"they bring their personalities into the room and dance with their soul.
that's what dancing is, you have to dance with your soul. and they do."

"it's a very moving experience to witness your songs being danced to like
that, in what seems to be a pretty passionate rendition of the songs," says
saliers. "a lot of this thing with the ballet is as much a mystery to us as
it is to everybody else. it's a nice artistic surprise waiting in the
wings. we're not orchestrating it, we're sort of like invited guests."

the world premiere of the indigo girls project, presented with george
balanchine's "serenade," runs oct. 18-21 at the fox theatre, 660 peachtree
st. $20-$60. 404-817-8700. www.atlantaballet.com.

10.17.01

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end of ig-news-digest v4 #164
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