Sunday, May 8, 2011

SILive.com: Staten Island Ballet in “'Joplin Dances,'a full-company number danced to Scott Joplin rags.”


[Joplin Piano Rags; Roy Eaton, piano; Sony SBK 833 (1995)]

Staten Island Live
Published: Sunday, May 08, 2011
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — The Staten Island Ballet (SIB) comes out of hibernation this month even as the city’s senior companies, American Ballet Theater and New York City Ballet, launch their spring seasons. All deserve attention, of course, but the small and feisty Staten island Ballet is particularly worthy — not to mention convenient and affordable. The company’s 'Signature' spring program will take place Saturday and Sunday at the College of Island’s Williamson Theater. The company has a couple of new work things to show and a royal wedding of its own to present.”

“Also new, is 'Joplin Dances,' a full-company number danced to Scott Joplin rags. Developed in the mid-1990s by Dance Theater of Harlem (DTH) choreographer Robert Garland. It was popular and became a repertory regular. The piece came as a kind of dividend attached to company’s new ballet mistress Lenore Pavlakos, who had danced with Staten Island Ballet years ago and then moved on to other projects, like a long run with DTH. 'Joplin Dances' was 'set' on her, meaning she was one of its original interpreters. She, in turn, taught it to SIB dancers. The whole 15-member SIB company will dance it.” [Scott Joplin (1868-1917) was a Ragtime and Classical composer who is profiled at AfriClassical.com]

1 comment:

Fiddla said...

That sounds so intriguing. Having two semesters of DTH workshop training I know that should be nice venture. Fiddla