The Russian Ballet presents Nutcracker.

Posted on by Thor

On Saturday December 17th from 7pm to 9pm, the Russian Ballet School is presenting a free performance of The Nutcracker at the Walt Disney Amphitheater (99 N/ Rosalind Avenue Orlando Fl 328801). This will be the 17th Annual presentation. There will be food trucks parks on Rosalind, if you would like to grab a bit before the dancing begins. This sketch done in 2015 was never published, but the scene is very much the same. Holiday traditions and decorations get reused year to year. I made no effort to get close to the stage for the sketch. Instead my focus was on the picnickers who set up their spreads in the grass. With so many people in attendance, I never actually saw even a hint of a dancer. The music is memorable however.

In 2015 it was actually quite chilly requiring jackets and hats. I’m thinking this year will be quite a bit warmer. It must have been in the s as I walked around downtown today.

A blimp circled overhead and the larger metal hooped Christmas tree was all ablaze. I’ve seem Nutcracker so often that I knew what must be happening on stage although I couldn’t see over the crowd. Occasionally cell phone would illuminate faces in the crowd. This is a wonderful annual Christmas tradition and it can be appreciated from a distance or right up close. It is a great way to get in the holiday spirit. It can be a magical night.

The Orlando Ballet presents Peter and the Wolf.

Posted on by Thor

I’ve been wanting to sketch an Orlando Ballet rehearsal for quite some time. I finally contacted Robert Hill the company’s Artistic Director and he was more than gracious. Joey Lynn, Robert’s assistant was supervising the rehearsal when I arrived. She guided me to a spot where I could watch the rehearsal without getting kicked by a dancer. The Ballet Company has recently moved into a new studio space which is right on the water. All of the dance studio plate glass windows face out to a view across the lake. I was in this building, (610 Lake Formosa Drive) just one other time several years ago for a fundraiser raising aid to Haiti.

Families will continue to delight in productions that are specifically
created to capture the imagination of the young ones, while engaging the
adults. This season, we present Peter and The Wolf, The Swan Princess, The Magical Princess Doll, and of course our popular Family Series version of The Nutcracker. These one-hour productions are designed with young
audiences in mind, and promise exquisite story telling through the
perfect combination of world-class ballet, opulent sets, and costumes. Mark Your Calendar, this production of Peter and the Wolf will be staged on October 18, 2014 at 11:00 am at the
Bob Carr Theatre
(401 West Livingston Street
Orlando, FL).

This is a classic story of a young boy on his quest to trap a wolf with
the help of other animals is brought to life in this one-hour
production. The choreography is by Robert Hill. He pointed out to the cast that the movement in this production is very much over the top and exaggerated,  like in a cartoon. I found myself quite entertained by the movements of a duck and bird who interacted playfully. The duck always had her hands behind her back shaking them like the feathers on her tail. The bird had graceful flowing movements on point that made her seem weightless as if in flight. The cat had graceful sinewy movements. I was shocked and disappointed that the duck I had so carefully watched and sketched was devoured by the wolf.

Ballet has a whole language developed over it history to define it’s movements. The director might shout out, Pencke’, Pencke’, Pencke’, or Écarté! and cast members knew exactly what pose to take. I need to research these French terms so I can better understated future rehearsals. I was most impressed when the rehearsal ended. All the the dancers gathered around Robert and each thanked him in turn. When I packed up to leave, one dancer, near the exit asked if he could see what I has been sketching. I pulled out the sketchbook and suddenly found myself surrounded by all the dancers. They expressed their amazement and gratitude. It was a rare moment to be surrounded by so much young talent and experience their gratitude. I hope to get to future rehearsals to better understand the rarefied world of ballet. One of the dancers stood in a relaxed pose just like “Little Dancer” a sculpture by Edgar Degas. I sighed, I need to capture that level of grace and power next time I sketch.