REVIEW Ballet pieces range from crazy to classic

The performance ended with a standing ovation Saturday.
By L. CROW
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
YOUNGSTOWN -- Who says ballet needs to be serious? Ohio Ballet's Springfest performance at Powers Auditorium proved that ballet can range from silly to sublime in an extraordinary performance Saturday that highlighted the skills and talents of this only remaining professional ballet company in Northeast Ohio.
New twist on old classic
The first piece was based on Sergei Prokofiev's "Peter and the Wolf," originally written as an orchestral piece with characters to teach children about instruments, complete with narration. Victoria Morgan of Cincinnati Ballet choreographed this version, which premiered in 1997.
The story is simple: Peter, going against his grandfather's orders, captures the wolf with the help of a bird, but not before it eats the duck. Meanwhile, the cat stalks, then hunters show up and escort the captured wolf to the zoo.
But here's where the silliness begins: In Morgan's version, all the characters are schoolyard stereotypes. Peter is played by the computer nerd, dressed in a yellow and gray argyle vest. Eric Carville did an incredible job of being a dork that could dance with grace. The cheerleader played the bird, who flits around on pointe. The duck was played by the swim team captain. Now there's a challenge: dancing ballet wearing duck flippers. The calico cat was the playground punkette, wearing silvery leotards with splotchy colors and a long, long tail. Eva Trapp had sneaky cat moves down to a tee. The wolf was the basketball star, and the school principal was the grandfather. The hunters were played by the crossing guards, the cook and the janitor.
This ballet probably broke some rules. Usually men don't lift men, but grandfather lifted Peter with ease, adding to the humor. When the wolf ate the duck, they disappeared offstage, sending a barrage of feathers from behind the curtain. Wolf returned, looking well fed with a fat stomach. (Can you imagine dancing ballet with a basketball stuffed inside your shirt?) The quartet of hunters did some funny moves, and duck returned in the end as an angel, complete with angel wings.
Silly moved to downright corny in "Hi Jinks," based on TV variety and comedy shows of the '50s and '60s. The white beehive wigs (that glowed in the dark) matched perfectly the dated TV theme music. There wasn't one serious element in this clever farce. It was fun from top to bottom, and bottom included the smiley faces painted on the dancers' underwear when they dropped their pants. That's not something you see every day!
Simple elegance
The midpoint of the evening switched gears, to a very lovely, romantic and classic ballet, "Grand Pas Classique," choreographed by Victor Gsovsky for the Paris Opera Ballet in 1949. Pianist (and music director) David Fisher performed music of Aubert for this beautiful pas de deux. Eva Trapp, in her stunning and glittery pink tutu, did an impressive solo on pointe. Her partner, Toby George, in gray leotards with pink trim, executed athletic leaps, earning the couple shouts and cheers from the audience for their skilled performance.
The fourth ballet was danced to a set of Frederic Chopin's (piano) "Mazurkas," choreographed by Jose Limon and first performed in 1958. He created it as a tribute to the heroic spirit of the Polish people. The dancers were clothed in peasantlike costumes: simple dresses, and shirts, baggy pants and black boots for the men, creating an earthy, folksy feel.
Colorful ending
The evening ended with a ballet choreographed by Ohio Ballet Artistic Director Jeffrey Graham Hughes, to orchestral music by Ravi Shankar, a piece called "Upon Rays of Light." The men and women were all dressed the same, in peach leotards with glittery trim. The lighting was in brilliant sunset tones -- oranges, pinks, rusts -- as the dancers alternated between meditative and high-energy moves; a very expressive work.
The curtain closed with a standing ovation for this excellent performance.