Balanchine and Peck Ballet Concert Reflection- 2pts

On September 14th, I attended the Balanchine & Peck ballet with the Atlanta Ballet Dance Company at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre to embrace a genre of music and art I was unfamiliar with. The concert had three acts with different music, dance genres, and storylines. It was a recital of work by the Atlanta Ballet Company in partnership with Balanchine & Peck, featuring three works of Balanchine’s classic Emeralds and Prodigal Son with Peck’s In Creases. The only section of the performance that included live music was Peck’s In Creases, featuring Hyunjung Rachel Chung and Western-Li Summerton on piano.

The audience was captivated by the performance. They were quiet, yet attentive and energetic. People were in tune with dancers and artists, and there was a tangible sense of electric connection and awestruck wonder. The mood created by the movement was fresh and young. The work itself had a more contemporary take on traditional art, offering audiences a glimpse into a new generation of storytelling.

My experience deepens my appreciation for the combination of dance and live music. It also furthered my appreciation for partnership within music. It takes intentional work from each artist to create a duet that sounds like a conversation between different voices and instruments. It requires understanding of phrasing, storytelling, and artistry to create a narrative and convey the art to your audience. 

Watching the dancers move to each articulation, dynamic change, complex harmony, and syncopation furthered the narrative of the story. The marriage of movement and contemporary dance offers a profound perspective on the relevance of traditional arts in our contemporary interpretations. I was thoroughly impressed by how seamlessly the pianist worked together, with each swapping lines; it was almost as if they were in conversation with one another. The work of each aspect told a story that left the audience satisfied and longing to witness more of the collaboration.

Although I truly enjoyed my experience at the ballet, upon first entering, I noticed how few Black Brown dancers were featured on stage. It reminded me of my experience in dance as a young girl. I would wear pink, “flesh tone” tights and shoes that never matched my skin tone, feeling ostracized no matter how much I tried to assimilate. Sitting with these thoughts, I questioned how a city so filled with affluent Black life is underrepresented in the dance. Historically, Black women’s bodies have been rejected from the ballet stages, but there must be a push to break those boundaries. I wonder how much work and effort I need to continue to put in to really see change? 

Additionally, as I watched the dancers gracefully leap and stand upon high pointe boxes, I was reminded of the utter pain and torment that constant activity has on the body and mind. When I was a dancer, I would come home sore, with blistered toes and pulled muscles, but I continued to pursue my passion for dance. This made me think about how so often we pursue projects or activities that are rooted in pain, pushing ourselves to continue because it is a part of the craft. But when do we decide if we're complacent about self-afflicted abuse or continuation of a passion?

Myah Crawford