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Friday
June 15, 2007
Vol 35 Issue 24

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Saturday, Oct 11, 2008

Bits & Bytes

Patricia Barker Farewell Gala evokes memories, ('Boom Boom Barker' did not fall down), Pacific Northwest Ballet scores with Stravinsky, Two programs this Sunday end PNB's season
by Milton W. Hamlin - SGN A&E Writer Pacific Northwest Ballet, ending its second year with Peter Boal as its terrific, high profile artistic director, continues on its transformation from a major regional dance company into a throbbing, vital source of energy in the Emerald City's art scene and a major player in the national dance world. Day after day, week after week, PNB's hard working publicity department floods the media with yet another press release outlining important new programs or stagings. Last week, PNB ended its two-week repertory run of Stravinsky 125, a four-dance collection that celebrated the 125th anniversary of the birth of composer Igor Stravinsky. Friday night's program included a special work by Boal, Adieu, to honor the retirement of Christophe Maraval after eight years with the company. Just hours after the final rep program, a near-capacity crowd returned to McCaw Hall for the emotionally charged farewell gala, A Celebration Of Patricia Barker, honoring her retirement from dancing after 26 years of glorious work with Pacific Northwest Ballet. The emotionally charged program left the stage covered with flowers from hundreds of Barker fans while a rain of multicolored confetti swirled down from the overhead stage flies. This weekend, PNB offers two (two!) more programs. Read on: PATRICIA BARKER GALA RANKS WITH HIGHEST PNB EMOTIONAL MOMENTS A wildly enthusiastic crowd gathered at McCaw Hall last Sunday night for the emotionally charged A Celebration Of Patricia Barker, honoring the ballerina's 26-years with Pacific Northwest Ballet, an unheard of record in this day and age. Barker, a native of Richland, WA, studied briefly with Boston Ballet but shifted to PNB's dance school, then located in North Seattle at the Home Of The Good Shepherd. Her rise to the top at PNB had its rocky moments. She was famously fired (for three weeks) for her erratic personal behavior in her early days as an apprentice. She fell down so often while dancing that Kent Stowell, co-artistic director, dubbed her "Boom Boom Barker." (Pushing her limits to the breaking point, the young Barker was fearless in her approach-she literally fell three times in one performance of a short dance of Stowell's, ironically titled Delicate Balance.) Well, let it be said: "Boom Boom Barker" did not fall down Sunday night--literally or artistically or emotionally. The Farewell Gala showcased Barker and key members of PNB's company in four works that she selected to survey and showcase her career. Obviously still at the peak of her skills, she leaves PNB after an incredibly long career as a major member of the company. In her 26 years, Barker has danced 147 roles in more than 120 ballets. Her work goes from the heights of classical ballet (Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Nutcracker) to the most modern of contemporary works. For the farewell event she selected excerpts from Le Corsaire, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Agon, and Swan Lake. Choreographers included Marius Petipa, George Balanchine, and Kent Stowell-a personal collection of creative men who span the past 150 years. All four works were danced beautifully (with only one minor wobble at the end of the incredibly challenging Le Corsaire showcase sequence). All four works were emotional highs-for the dancers and for the capacity, cheering crowd. All four will remain an indelible memory. Talk about a night to remember. A scholarship fund to honor Barker and salute her 26 years with the company had grown to more than $175,000 by the Gala night-it probably is pushing $200,000 as Bits&Bytes writes this week's column. Details at 441-3594. STRAVINSKY 125 CELEBRATES COMPOSER, SHOWCASES COMPANY PNB's final mixed repertory program of the 2006-07 season, Stravinsky 125, celebrated the 125th birthday of the world famous Russian composer. His work for 20th Century dance rivals, to many, the 19th Century influence of composers like Tchaikovsky. The four-part rep program started with an off-beat audience pleaser. In 1942, the creative composer was asked to write music for the opening of the circus and the entrance of the elephants. His Circus Polka was adapted by Jerome Robbins in 1972 for a delightful minor work showcasing the children in the New York City Ballet School. Staged here with three groups of children from PNB's school, the snippet was the highlight of the evening-and of the season-for hundreds of very proud parents. It was the perfect opening of the evening. The final entrance of the tiny tots class had the audience cooing. It was "cute" approaching "kute." The Rubies sequence from Balanchine's Jewels made a welcome return to the PNB calendar. A classic ballet--awash in red velvet tunics and bodices against white tights-Rubies will always delight a ballet crowd. A perfect contrast to the stately beauty of Rubies, Molissa Fenley's stark and challenging State Of Darkness joined PNB's repertoire. Danced as a solo to Stravinsky's Rite Of Spring, the impressive new work has only been staged with two dancers until PNB-the choreographer and Peter Boal, now PNB's artistic director. Three PNB dancers added the work to their own repertoire-a stunningly muscular, bare-chested Jonathan Porretta danced it Friday night. The solo showcase is sure to return soon. It's a rare modern work created for a skilled dancer--either a man or a woman can dance it with equal success. Balanchine's classical Symphony In Three Movements ended the long evening-made even longer with the emotional Adieu to Christophe Maraval. For some PNB fans, the all-Stravinsky program was "too much of a good thing." It will be fascinating to see all four works repeated in coming seasons but on mixed bills with more musical variations. The dancing-it should go without saying-was in top form throughout the evening. TWO DANCE PROGRAMS, THREE PERFORMANCES THIS WEEKEND END PNB'S TERRIFIC SEASON And the PNB season continues-at least through tomorrow. PNB'S 26TH annual Ballet School Performance takes the focus two times tomorrow-noon and 3:30 p.m. at McCaw Hall. "See The Stars Of Tomorrow On Stage Today!" reads the PR flyer. Since the Performance programs started 26 years ago and Patricia Barker has been dancing for PNB for 26 years, it's a very special year. Many young dancers-and many proud parents-will undoubtedly dream about retirement in another 26 years. And, to end the season and the Saturday, a final Choreographer's Showcase at 7:30 p.m. takes the final focus. The evening of "All New Works" features creations from an assortment of teachers and PNB dancers-turned-choreographers using students from PNB's Professional Division. It should be a great evening. Tickets start at $12. Details on all PNB events this weekend-and next year-is available to 441-2424. And, yes, go ahead and tell 'em Bits&Bytes at SGN sent ya.

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