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Giselle – the Vancouver TAIWAN MEETS VIETNAM Festival reveals cultural links B3 RAMEN IN NORTH VAN Sibling duo SCENE opens shop B4 VANCOUVER SUN THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2019 SECTION B Social media IN MOTION Choreographer gives classic ballet modern overhaul STUART DERDEYN old prodigy. She first encountered the project with Beamish in 2016. Giselle is a masterwork of the clas- “Joshua was just starting the sical ballet. Probably every compa- very first ideas of @giselle and I ny in the world has presented the was involved in the workshop pro- tragedy of an innocent, beautiful cess of making the Willis dance in young peasant girl named Giselle Act 2, which is core to the ballet,” who falls hard for the calculated Hurlin says. flirtations of a sleazy rich noble- “I think the way that he is incor- man named Albrecht. After she porating realistic storytelling into dies of heartbreak, he must con- the work is really interesting for tend with supernatural conse- Josh Beamish 2019 and the technology is very quences for his cruel actions. much a part of modern daily life. As Giselle was first played in Paris @GISELLE a classical dancer, this is more con- in 1841, going on to become one When: Sept. 5-7, 7:30 p.m. temporary to me, but those lines of the most performed ballets in Where: Vancouver Playhouse, are becoming increasingly blurred history. It’s also one of the hard- 600 Hamilton St. and I’m still in pointe shoes.” est roles to dance. Any updating Tickets and info: From $35 Right after @giselle, Hurlin re- of the production goes up against at eventbrite.com turns to New York to launch the 178 years of proven, crowd-pleas- fall season at the American Bal- ing performances provided by edy, she returns to take on her let Theatre and prepare for that high-flyingballerinas . In @giselle, male trolls and haunt their digital never-ending seasonal favour- Vancouver and New York-based realities. This was accomplished ite in The Nutcracker. The holi- choreographer Joshua Beamish through motion-capture technol- day-themed ballet is probably the gives the story a full overhaul. The ogy and screen projections onto one that tops Giselle in numbers work developed out of a 25-minute the bodies of live dancers. This is of performances and is box-office project he worked on at the Royal not your usual ballet and boasts an gold for companies. Ballet called Re-Imagining Giselle impressive international cast both “Doing the motion-capture in that was performed in 2016. onstage and behind the scenes. Vancouver was so strange,” she As the media materials proclaim, American Ballet Theatre dancer says. “To watch a skeleton move the this is “a technology-infused re- Catherine Hurlin is in the title role. same way that you are was incredi- imagining of the iconic ballet mas- Ballet Edmonton’s Yoko Kanomata bly weird and also really fun. I have terwork that examines the ways dances the role of Myrtha. The Na- new-found respect for what goes social media has leveraged an un- tional Ballet of Canada principal into making just a single extended expected change on the nature of dancer Harrison James dances Al- scene in some big sci-fimo vie now.” modern love and relationships.” brecht, Pennsylvania Ballet prin- Beamish notes that the end re- Forget the ectoplasmic ick, the cipal Sterling Baca plays Hilarion, sult of Hurlin and the other mo- ghost haunting us is in the machine while American Ballet Theatre’s tion-capture performers’ efforts is in your hand. Betsy McBride performs Bathilde. that the dancers are sharing their “How could I challenge every el- Berthe is danced by Ballet B.C. in- roles with a computer. ement of the fantastical elements structor Beverley Bagg. Addition- “The bulk of their interaction oc- of the classical ballet narrative al talent is drawn from Ballet Ed- curs physically in solo in the space to be as pragmatic as possible?” monton, the Alberta Ballet Trainee as if they are relating to the other Beamish says. “How could every Program and graduates from Arts characters through projections on narrative point, every fantastical Umbrella, Richmond Academy, screens, that is very in line with our element, be brought into the real Pro Arte, Tri-City Dance and Si- current existence,” Beamish says. world? I researched into what kind mon Fraser University. “Not having the physical dancers of heart conditions could afflict a Brianna Amore handles the appear in the second half in the young person, as Giselle often animation and projection design same way that they do in the classi- dies of a broken heart, and found and Janie Taylor, of Benjamin Mil- cal ballet supports the way that we a number of them that could cause lepied’s L.A. Dance Project, does live on in the internet, where your someone to die suddenly.” the costume design. Mike Inwood lives are catalogued and hitched to Ironically, the condition he dis- designs the lighting. The original photos. So my idea was that Giselle covered is known as SADS (sudden score is used. lives on as particles and posts on Catherine Hurlin dances the lead in @giselle. CRaIG FOSTER arrhythmic death syndrome). Trig- “It’s been fascinating to me the internet, whose life could be gered by emotional stress or phys- watching how the motion-capture reinvigorated by anyone — includ- ical overexertion, the condition is system picks up particular aspects ing a computer — picking up where tragic. It fit into the new ballet. of my choreography, joint motions she left off.” “Giselle loves to dance, but her or particular movements, yet has Besides bringing @giselle to mother won’t ever let her,” Beamish major problems with pointe shoes,” life, Beamish has been keeping says. “So our concept is that Giselle Beamish says. “The projected 3D very busy in both cities in which has SADS and that is what kills her animation via the motion-capture he is based. MOVETHECOMPA- in her famous mad scene where she technology is the only actual tech- NY had two seasons last year in becomes overwhelmed. Some ver- nology incorporated into @giselle. New York within eight months of sions have her killing herself, but I But the overarching idea of the each other and he worked on Van- was more interested in how anxiety, concept is technology fuelling the couver Opera’s production of The fuelled by our relationships, which piece. For example, Part 1 begins Merry Widow and is working with are fuelled by social media, affects with all the characters interacting Simon Fraser University. He says the emotional health and stability on a social-media platform known it has been “crazy” and he plans on of young people.” as the Village.” taking stock of where and what he Further Giselle in @giselle is ghosted by A 2019 Erik Bruhn Prize-winner, wants to pursue after @giselle has Markdowns! her romantic liaison on social me- Hurlin has never danced the lead its world premiere in Vancouver. www.kunitzshoes.ca Southside |780.438.4259 |23Ave &114 St dia and livestreams her untimely in Giselle. Getting to do it in this [email protected] Downtown |780.428.0200 |10846 Jasper Ave end. In the aftermath of the trag- version is thrilling for the 23-year- twitter.com/stuartderdeyn Buy To daymyVSO.ca/subscribe 604.876.3434 SEASON TICKETSNOW ON SALE DANIIL TRIFONOV ANNE-SOPHIE MUTTER CASABLANCA STEVEN PAGE SEP27/28, 2019 JUN 9, 2020 NOV1/2, 2019 MAY22/23, 2020 MAY22/23 MAY 22/23 NOV1/2 MEDIA VSOPOPS VSOPOPS VSODIGITAL CONCERT SPONSOR SERIES SPONSOR RADIO SPONSOR HALLPRESENTED BY.
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