by Tracey Toh
Staged across a single weekend, Singapore Dance Theatre’s Masterpiece in Motion brings together three of the finest ballets by world-renowned choreographers George Balanchine and Choo San Goh.
The show opens with Balanchine’s Serenade. A graceful, more traditional affair, the dance draws an elegant contrast between stillness and dynamism. At times, the ballerinas take on a sculptural quality, as they assemble themselves into delicate configurations. The light blue tulle skirts, illuminated against a blue background, cast an ethereal glow over the stage, making the dancers appear like waifs.
Serenade has the status of a classic, a testament to Balanchine’s innovation. Unexpected rehearsal events and even mistakes were weaved into the dance, such as the late arrival of a cast member or a ballerina’s fall. Except for the masterful handling of each sequence, an audience watching this for the first time would be unsure whether certain moments are intentional. The result is a piece that still feels original and surprising today.
The next ballet, Theme and Variations, is also choreographed by Balanchine, but clearly distinct. The costumes and set design are more opulent. The nimble footwork is set to a soaring, fast-paced Tchaikovsky score. Where Serenade was quiet and meditative, showcasing a feminine beauty, Theme and Variations is dramatic and richly expressive, offering the audience a spectacle.
As one variation gives way to another, the solo performances of the ballerina (Kwok Min Yi) and her cavalier (Kenya Nakamura) alternate with the corps performances. Their steps are especially quick and vigorous, to the point of seeming impossible to execute. The principals more than meet this daunting challenge, inviting applause each time as the movement increases in complexity until it reaches its crescendo. It culminates in a polonaise in the Imperial Russian style, paying homage to the period in which classical ballet flourished with the support of Tchaikovsky’s compositions. It is a grand finish, a fitting end to a courtly ballet bound to be an instant favourite.
The final dance, by Singaporean choreographer Choo San Goh, stretches the genre of ballet. The dancers enter without any music, outfitted in sleek vermillion bodysuits. In dim lighting and utter silence, they strike poses that emanate a sultry confidence. Without music, there is an internal rhythm that becomes visualised, as the dancers are in full control, perfectly in sync with one another.
As the vaguely sinister music begins, a sharp red neon V flickers on in the background. Fives is like the dance equivalent of a science-fiction novel. The movements are edgy and futuristic. Choo passes over the traditional, clean lines of ballet in favour of strange shapes and broken lines, adding texture and visual interest to the form. The male cast is given the most acrobatic moves. Indeed, the dance calls for so much energy that the physical exertion of the dancers becomes palpable. One is left exhilarated by the sheer daring of a ballet that seems quite out of this world.
Taken together, these are three masterpieces of movement, set in glorious motion.
