BalletMet dancer Jarrett Reimers. Photo by Jennifer Zmuda.
On Oct. 2, BalletMet premieres its production Breaking Ballet, which features traditional and contemporary music and the work of choreographers George Balanchine, James Kudelka and Edwaard Liang. CityScene talked to BalletMet's Ballet Mistress Susan Dromisky, who is responsible for rehearsing the dancers for the performance, about the production.
CityScene Magazine: Breaking Ballet features music from Cyndi Lauper and David Bowie. What were the reasons behind selecting these contemporary artists' songs and combining them with more classical selections?
Susan Dromisky: James Kudelka had choreographed a piece to five Cyndi Lauper songs at the Vancouver Arts Umbrella a few years back. James has expanded the ballet to include three other Lauper songs. He created those on our BalletMet dancers. Bowie's music adds that iconic contemporary punch, along with Lauper's. In a triple or mixed bill, when there are multiple small ballets presented in one evening, having different music is the norm. The diversity creates interest.
CS: How does the choreography reflect the juxtaposition of classical and modern sound? How might it differ from a more traditional show?
SD: Choreographers find inspiration from the music. However, a choreographer can create a contemporary dance piece to a classical piece of music. There are really no boundaries. The juxtaposition of the classical Tchaikovsky and Tomaso Albinoni against Cyndi Lauper, David Bowie and Gabriel G. Smith's music creates interest in and of itself. There is something for everyone!
CS: What is the story you hope to tell to the audience, and how does the order of the song selections contribute to the narrative?
SD: There is no story. It is up to the observer to take away whatever he or she may feel about a specific piece. If they sense or find a narrative or story line, that is fine, too! Simply enjoy the variety of music and choreography that the evening will deliver.
Photo courtesy of BalletMet
Susan Dromisky
About Susan Dromisky
Susan Dromisky has been with BalletMet since 1998. She graduated from the National Ballet School of Canada. She received the Peter Dwyer Scholarship for High Excellence in Dance in 1978 and was awarded a Canada Council Grant for the Arts in 1979. In 1985 she became a soloist, and from 1985-86 served as a soloist dancer with the English National Ballet. Dromisky's lead roles include Sugar Plum and Snow Queen in The Nutcracker, Swanhilda in Erik Bruhn’s Coppelia, Teresina in Peter Schaufuss’ Napoli and Olga in John Cranko’s Onegin. Upon retiring from the stage, she was a full-time artistic faculty member with the National Ballet School of Canada before working with BalletMet.
