Spain's Blanca Li: Choreographer, Woman of All Trades, Dreamer

Lifestyle FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 2017 Spain’s Blanca Li: Choreographer, woman of all trades, dreamer In this image released by Fox Searchlight Pictures, Chris Evans, left, and McKenna Grace appear in a scene Spanish dancer/ from, “Gifted.” — AP choreographer Blanca Li (left) and Review Maria Alexandrova, principal dancer of Math film ‘Gifted’ is less Russia’s Bolshoi Ballet, perform a scene from the two than the sum of its parts woman show called “Goddesses & here are several positive factors in the mixed equation Demonesses”. that is “Gifted,” starring Chris Evans and the appealing T10-year-old Mckenna Grace: A brilliant and precocious lanca Li could not be busier: she is a ing them all. “We live in societies in which Outfits that dance yet sweetly empathetic young girl. A devoted and decidedly dancer, film director and actress, and women are still not respected the way Li’s daily concerns show up in her work, hunky father figure. And then there’s math itself, presented Bdoes choreography for stars like they should be. Women are still very limit- in her creations. In her upcoming show not as a refuge for social misfits, but as an exciting and ele- Beyonce and Daft Punk, and lots, lots more. ed professionally and artistically,” Li com- “Solstice” at the Chaillot National Theater gant pursuit. Unfortunately, a movie about mathematical for- There’s opera, ad campaigns for Prada and plained. “In France or Spain, parity does in Paris, rehearsal for which begins in three mulas relies way too much on moviemaking formula, and the Christian Louboutin, video, art installations. not exist. In most things men dominate, weeks, Li will depict “the relationship result is way less than the sum of its parts. Indeed, “Gifted,” Then, the 53-year-old Spaniard has this and it is not that women are dumber.” Li between humanity and nature, how it has directed by Marc Webb, often feels like the incomplete shell other, minor goal: make the world a better said she finds it stunning that most major evolved over time, how our lives and the of a movie, with the guts and connective tissue missing. place through the performing arts. “I am choreographers are men. lives of those who come after us are going This is hardly the fault of the cast, which also features the very, very inquisitive. I love to mix things. She said that, for instance, over the to change.” And in another of her shows welcome (but underused) presence of Octavia Spencer, and Everything inspires me. The more I see, the course of her 20-year career Alexandrova that is still touring, “Robot”, dancers and the estimable Scottish actress Lindsay Duncan. Rather, it more I learn, the more inspiration I have,” had never worked with a female choreog- small articulated machines share the stage seems due to the way-too-obvious dialogue and often uncon- Li, who has lived in Paris since 1993, told rapher, until now in this show, with Li. “In in an ironic statement on where technolo- vincing plot twists, not to mention a courtroom subplot that AFP over the weekend. France, almost all dance studios are run by gy will lead us. Ever since Spanish designer is, strangely, rarely interesting. We meet Frank (Evans) and 6- “I would like to influence the world men. It is incredible, a country where it Sybilla created the costume for one of her year-old Mary (Grace) as the two are readying for her first day more. I want it to change, to improve,” Li was almost always women who led the first ballets and then worked with of school. Until now, Frank, Mary’s uncle who has been raising said minutes before taking to the stage of world of dance. And it is sort of like they Christian Lacroix at the Paris Opera, Li has her since she was a baby, has home-schooled her, but that the New York City Center for the US open- have gotten rid of all of them.” made the fashion world dance. — AFP well has run dry. Mary, a child prodigy, is not excited for ing of her dance performance, called school, and one can see why: The children are asked simple “Goddesses and Demonesses.” It is an addition questions, but Mary shows an ability to do complex impassioned tribute to the power of multiplication in her head. Immediately, the teacher, Bonnie women. “Sometimes being an actress is a (Jenny Slate) knows she has a gifted child on her hands. bit odd. You ask yourself a lot of questions about what you can do to improve the Gifted children world you have around you and the peo- Mary has a caring disposition and a sweet smile, but also a ple to whom you contribute something dry wit when bantering with Frank. When Mary’s teacher with your art,” said Li, a diminutive, green- approaches Frank after school that first day, the girl whispers: eyed native of Granada in Spain’s Spanish dancer/ “Oh, it’s my teacher. She probably wants to remind me what Andalusia region. As she spoke, an assis- choreographer Blanca one plus one is.” When the school principal suggests - almost tant attached a long braid to her dark hair Li performs a scene from her orders - that Frank enroll Mary in a school for gifted children, and fixed it in a bun. During the show, it two woman show called Frank insists otherwise. He has some knowledge from his own will come loose and spill down her back, “Goddesses & Demonesses” family of what it’s like to live as a prodigy, cut off from a nor- but also fling upwards, sideways and in during a dress rehearsal mal social life. He wants Mary to have friends and playdates. every which direction, as if the hair, too, before opening night at the In marches Frank’s mother, Evelyn (Duncan), a hard- were dancing. City Center in New York. edged Brit (and former mathematician herself) who has clear — AFP photos ideas of what she wants for Mary: A life of productivity, bril- ‘Parity does not exist’ liance, academic fame. She brings Mary up to MIT, to show In “Goddesses and Demonesses”, which off the girl’s mathematical brain. Most importantly, she sues debuted in Paris a little over a year ago, Li Frank for custody. The first courtroom scene comes abruptly, and Maria Alexandrova, the 38-year-old with no real buildup. Then, the dialogue is so superficial that principal dancer at Russia’s Bolshoi Ballet, it just doesn’t feel real. The same problem wends through all bring to life the feminine archetypes of the courtroom scenes. As the plot unfolds, there’s the occa- Greek mythology, from mothers to sional bright moment, usually thanks to Mary’s wit (And femmes fatales, at a time when Li says women’s rights are eroding. “We women Mckenna’s genuine screen presence). One of the most amus- made great strides, and then it is as if ing moments comes when teacher Bonnie, against her judg- everything came to a halt,” said Li, who is ment, falls into bed with Frank after an evening of drinking. married to French film producer Etienne Li. Mary, who’s supposed to be visiting neighbor Roberta They have two children. “I wanted to talk (Spencer), sneaks into the apartment to grab something and about how beautiful it is to be a woman” runs right into Bonnie, who’s clutching a sheet around her these days, said Li. She started by studying naked body. The young girl’s knowing look - and especially flamenco, joined the Spanish national her three-word response - is priceless. rhythmic gymnastics team, and at age 17 More courtroom fighting comes, and once again, both came to New York to study modern dance plot and dialogue prove themselves overly simplistic and in under Martha Graham. some cases, simply not believable. This is especially true in a Then she discovered hip hop, electron- final twist that feels utterly tacked on, to miraculously tie up ic music, and found inspiration in classical the plot’s loose ends. — AP Spanish dancer/choreographer Blanca Li performs a scence from her two ballet. And ever since, she has been mix- woman show called “Goddesses & Demonesses”..

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