Fashion Ballet '22 – SND (Slovénské Naródné Divadlo / Slovak National Theatre), December 9th, 2022.

Dec 12

Dec 12 Fashion Ballet '22 – SND (Slovénské Naródné Divadlo / Slovak National Theatre), December 9th, 2022.

Sometimes when faced with a a three or four bill programme we tend to be somehow very „choosy" and to like one piece better or to like some other one's costumes or music or dramaturgy better than others.

That did not happen to me yesterday. Something other than that happened to me and with me within me... I sat from beginning to end of this most special evening, with what could be called a pure „equal" enjoyment. No “competition”, no “rivalry”, no “contest”.

Four unique, intelligent works. Every single one mastering an own language, with an own dance vocabulary. This is what I call FUN; in the purest sense of the word.

It would be surely unfair to describe in detail what I (and the audience) either felt or “saw”, while witnessing this or the other piece. But more than that: ALL FOUR PIECES do not need a description specifically. This is absolutely not necessary. „Why?", you may ask... Just think of what dance is really about. Human beings danced before they could speak. Therefore sometimes words are completely irrelevant and/or pointless when trying to describe dance (Shouldn’t we, “Balletomanes”, perhaps use Dance to describe words instead, wouldn't that be more appropriate? Have you ever thought about that?).

To cut a long story short: all four very talented Slovakian choreographers ( Kristína Paulin/ „Icarus", standing member of Neumeier's Hamburg Ballet, Lukás Timu'lak/ „Two", closely related to the Nederlands Dans Theater in which Jiří Kylián has been the Artistic Director for nearly a quarter of a century, Adrian Ducin/ „Unlike", Soloist and choreographer at the Slovak National Theatre and Roman Novitzký/ „Extravaganza", Dancer and all around Artist with the Stuttgart Ballet – perhaps the one whose work was more known to me!).

There are two things that mostly impressed me in yesterday's evening – not only the high level of professionalism in every sector or the production but the „touchable" fact that in each and every piece shown, one could feel the extreme team work involved in bringing to life an extraordinary accomplishment. As the name of the programme clearly suggests, one could already await in advance the impact of the costumes. What one could but not yet know is that these excellent and uniquely brilliant costumes (by Martin Hrča, Boris Hanečka, Pavol Dendis, who by coinciddence was sitting just beside me and Lukáš Krnáč, respectively) could not exist without the choreography – or vice-versa. The same goes to the detailed dramaturgical work (Bravo, Kristián Kohút!) and the music and its eventual mixing (exquisitely and especially ingenious, imaginative and creative in „Two" using Music by Vega and Händel (“Sarabande en ré mineur”) „processed" over one another), as well as with the lighting. Not a single part could exist without the other. Team work at its best – and the results of communication, coordination and no egocentrism are visibly tangible. I would strongly advise and recommend to some „choreographers" now located in central Europe, to visit Bratilava and the SND urgently in order to realize what contemporary work is all about. The SND sets quite an example in its work for other companies and is, in this short period since Nina Poláková took on the direction, setting quite a scale of work that makes it very difficult for others to follow.

“Unlike”: Copyright: SND / Juraj Žilinčár

I would like, once more, to congratulate Miss Poláková for her intense work – it is surely not an easy thing (and definitely not self-evident) to take over such a position and achieve such changes in such a short time. Chapeau!

Regarding the dancers, I can only underline the fact that the company is achieving very quickly a high technical level, which I had never seen before in Bratislava. Homogeneity is also a very strong (and to my point of view extremely necessary in any company) issue – be it technically or visually, especially in what body types are concerned.

I would give an oration, longer than the ballet evening itself, if I would mention every single dancer and his/her individual contributions to the programme – yes, individual, you read it correctly... that rare achievement that could only be described as reaching a certain homogeneity but keeping the individual profile of each dancer.. I bow very deeply to that.

Nevertheless, a few names that caught my attention, just for the record, should be mentioned:

“Icarus”: Copyright: SND / Juraj Žilinčár

Jean-Michel Reuter and his „abandon" while performing. Something that caught my whole concentration in „Icarus" and „Extravaganza".

Olga Chelpanova and Kristián Achberger (the very versatile Mr Achberger whose work I most admire), both exquisite, pin-pointed and extremely vulnerable and strong at the same time in (touchingly beautiful) „Two" by Lukás Timul'ak.

Reona Sato, Sarah Millner, Veronica Yungová and Seiru Nagahori for the depth contained in their interpretation in Adrian Ducin's very sensitive work „Unlike".

And last, the complete cast of Roman Novitzký's „Extravaganza", the perfect „Finale" for a special evening, although it is a must to mention audience's „darling" Adrián Szelle (one can see that he has a huge following!) strongly performing and in his full element. Electrifying.

“Extravaganza”: Copyright: SND / Juraj Žilinčár

An evening in name of LGBT*Q and keeping awareness to it while mentioning a horrible murder that took place in Bratislava because of ignorance, radical non-acceptance of other sexual orientations.

I do not normally use the word „tolerance" because I feel that its use denounces more of a prejudice than it is intended to (Think of it: one can only „tolerate" something if that something is not good, not quite OK... and as there is nothing wrong or not OK in being Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual and/or Queer, why use this substantive, “Tolerance”?

This is not the right word... we still have to create one to describe a natural, unprejudiced acceptance of any sexual orientation – Let us hope that one day this will be all so natural that we won't even have to mention it. That all these prejudices are a thing of the past. To “recycle” John Lennon’s use of a single word in one famous song: IMAGINE. Yes, Hope…

But I went a bit ahead of my Story and I don't like that. I just wanted to mention and praise the attitude of the SND Ballet and its director, Miss Nina Poláková, in not only „talking" about doing something, but instead DOING IT. Bravo for undertaking this action, assuming a position and showing your attitude! THIS MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE!

This is for me reason enough to do something I normally do not do:

I am giving yesterday's performance and its beautiful attitude my personal standing ovation. In fully admiration for this beautiful undertaking, I say: Bravo!