Ballet Rocks is back and hotter than ever at the Cowichan Performing Arts Centre.
Dancers from Ballet Victoria take to the stage Friday, Oct. 2 at 7:30 p.m.
Artistic director Paul Destrooper is right now preparing an event that will showcase a whole new side of the ballet art form.
They’ve used this concept before but this year’s show is even more creative, according to Destrooper.
“The concept of using some rock music is coming back but the repertoire is going to be different,” Destrooper said. “We’re mixing the pieces. We will again use some Pink Floyd but there is new choreography and we will use some B.B. King. We’re creating the whole work, we’ve just started on it. We’ll also be using something from musical theatre, maybe some music from Moulin Rouge, a little bit of old school swing: any of these rocking eras, from the 1920s to the 21st century.”
Sounds like the ballet buffet is offering a variety of hot dishes this time.
But, there’s more.
“We’re going to be bringing back a piece that actually put Evelyn Hart on the world map of dance, a piece by a Port Moody-born choreographer named Norbert Vesak. It’s a pas de deux called Belong and the music is by Syrinx, which is also an old band, like Deep Purple.”
This special selection holds a special place in Canadian and world dance history and Destrooper himself has personal experience in its presentation.
Evelyn Hart, dancing in it, won the world competition in Varna, in Bulgaria, which is like the Olympics of ballet and happens only every four years.
“She was the first Canadian to win the gold medal there and after that she became history. This is a tribute to that piece.
“It’s old school, you know, rock and choreography but it’s an extremely demanding pas de deux, very difficult,” Destrooper said.
It’s also closely connected with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet.
“Of course, I had to speak with the director, Andre Lewis, artistic director of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, to get the permission to set it and for us to do it. It’s a pas de deux I danced at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet when I was there, with Tara Birtwhistle.”
So this will be a spectacular evening for dance fans, and it won’t be the only time this year that Ballet Victoria will be coming to Duncan.
“We’ll be bringing our version of The Nutcracker to the theatre in December. That’s going to be a lot of fun.”
That show is not until Saturday, Dec. 12 but watch this space for more about it.
Tickets for Ballet Rocks are $35 for adults, $30 for seniors, $25 for students and $10 for children.
