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| Thursday, 4 November 2004 |
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Symphonic variations, a platform for composers by Gwen Herat "Choreographed by Sir Fredrick Ashton, the Symphonic Variations is a 1 Act ballet to the music of C. Franck and mounted by Fedorovich on 24 April 1946 for the then Sadler's Wells Ballet (now Royal Ballet) at Covent Garden, London.
The six performing dancers were, Margot Fonteyn, Pamela May, Moira Shearer, Michael Somes, Brian Shaw and Henry Danton. This ballet is a plotless one, reflecting the mood and flow of the music employed. Symphonic Variations have not been performed by any other company and remains as the best masterpiece choreographed by Ashton in 1 Act ballet. It reflected the true spirit of the Royal Ballet at that time. It derived its sensation from the Symphonic Ballets from a term coined during the 1930s. Massine created his first set of ballets to symphonic music and claimed they projected the pure music content and formal developments thereafter for ballet. Extra-music messages were conveyed by this medium. This development and access paved the way for Les Presages with Tchaikovsky's 5th Symphony in 1933, Choreartion with Brahms's 4th Symphony in 1933, Symphonic Fantastique with Berillioz's in 1936, La Septiene Symphonic with Beethoven's 1938, and Rouge et Noir with Shostakovich's 1st Symphony in 1939. When Balanchine choreographed Symphonic Ballets, he avoided relating a story when he used their scores. This is what influenced Ashton when he mounted Symphonic Variations. Today, many historians in Russian ballet tend to talk about 'symphonization' of choreographic forms when they trace it back to the time of Ivanov's second Act in Swan Lake. Choreographers before Massine created Symphonic Ballets using Beethoven's 6th Symphony in London in 1829, Beethoven's 7th Symphony in New York in 1905, Glazunov's 5th Symphony in Moscow in 1915 and Beethoven's 4th Symphony in Leningrad in 1923. The haunting and lovely music seldom found its way into full length ballets but they made their presence felt when Beethoven's were commissioned for symphonic variations. Apart from him, many great composers found it a platform to create their genius in movements of ballet.
These were followed by Symphonic Concentrate, a ballet in 3 movements, choreographed by Balanchine to the glorious music of Mozart in 1947, Symphonic Fantastic choreographed by Massine to the Music of Berlioz. There was Symphony in 4 movements choreographed by MacMillan in 1963 for the Royal Ballet. He used the Music of Shostakovich and Massine used the same music later on in another version. Symphonic Variations created cross fertilization of many symphonic productions and highlighted the very essence of purity found both in classical ballet and classical music. Composers became relevant to such inclusions as the public began to appreciate the intensity of its combination. Symphonic Variations are in reality abstract ballet and when Sir Fredrick Ashton created the masterpiece, the Royal Ballet had just moved to Covent Garden and was his first composition to mount the big stage there. He created something as lovely a thing as English lyrical poetry to the Music of Cesar Franck. His symphonic melodies appeared to have been scored especially for this or whether Ashton was inspired by the score still unexplained. He opted for six dancers. Three males and three ballerinas. Margot Fonteyn danced the central role and her partner was David Blair. Many ballet critics believe that in some way the Symphonic Variations paved the way for contemporary movements but the fact remains that this ballet with its intricacies never saw its way into many leading companies, strangely. Here where the dancers are free to express themselves in movement as well as in their own steps and 'lifts' spare the chronographer much work. In fact, he revolves his ideas around their expressions, sometimes allowing them the freedom to change his choreography on impulse while performing. If ever Symphonic Variations was mounted, it had only six performers to date.
Lankan adjudicator at int'l dance championships
Dance instructor and Dancesport Championship Organiser Dharshan Wijesooriya, will be in Hong Kong and Macao to officiate at two International Dancesport Championships. The Macao United Dancesport Association and the Hong Kong International Professional Dancesport Council has invited Dharshan to adjudicate at their 2004 championships which will be held on November 13 and 14. He will also adjudicate at the sixth Stardust Dancesport Grand Prix 2004 in Singapore on November 28. The British qualified dance trainer Dharshan, has been travelling to many countries to adjudicate during the last few years and to-date he has officiated in 19 International Dancesport Championships. He was in Singapore early October to adjudicate at the Merlion Dancesport Championships. Two of Sri Lanka's leading dance couples from El Litino, Kevin Nugara and Kaushali Tillekeratne and Daminda Damalage and Dilkushi Wickremasinghe will be accompanying him as competitors representing Sri Lanka. They competed in the Hong Kong championship last year and won their respective events, competing against couples representing over seven Southeast Asian Region countries. This year both couples will take part in five dance amateur events. Footwork, an organisation working towards the development of Dancesport in Sri Lanka will sponsor the air travel cost of two dancers. The standard of Sri Lankan dancers have risen tremendously during the past few years and they are considered a force to reckon within the international arena. Talking about his visits abroad Dharshan says, though it's a strenuous job, he enjoys adjudicating in Dance Championships and meeting dancers from other countries including world famous dancers who demonstrate at these events. Judging an international competition is a full days affair where you have to start around 10 a.m. and it ends only at 12 midnight he added. Dharshan is the organiser of the Footwork Dancesport Championships and in April 2003, he organised the first International Dancesport Championship ever to be held in Sri Lanka. 25 couples from six countries took part in the championship which was a tremendous success. Next year he plans to invite couples from European countries and will include professional events as well. In addition to the Dance Profession he also heads Footwork (Pvt.) Limited which is now a leading entertainment and event production company. (Press release)
Cultural tour to Europe by CPA artistes
An intercultural troupe comprising Tamils, Sinhalese and Muslim artistes led by Mariyanayagam Sam Pradeepan, Deputy Director of Thirumarai Kala Manram (Centre for Performing Arts) Jaffna branch left for Europe to participate in cultural programmes with the view to promote peace, justice, equality among the people of various countries and communities. In fact, this troupe will be visiting nearly eight countries with their veteran artistes and the Centre for Performing Arts is the first and the only Cultural Centre in Sri Lanka to take its artistes to eight countries which is indeed a tremendous achievement by CPA since it is taking every possible step to bring about peace among all communities. The troupe will participate in cultural programmes depicting the traditional Sinhala dances, Bharatha Natyam by Tamil students and musical drama by Muslim students conveying the message of peace in a wordless play. The veteran senior artiste Mahes from Kalutara and Imitiaz Mohamed of Trincomalee Thirumarai Kala Manram will accompany this troupe. The Tamil artistes Tharmini Edward Premakumaran, Sutharshini Loothinathan and Mariya Korathi Arulanathan of Thirumarai Kala Mandram of Jaffna branch will perform Bharatha Natyam and various other dances including dramas. Professor Rev. N. M. Saveri, Director of the Centre for Performing Arts who is accompanying these artistes on this cultural tour will render all possible assistance, cooperation and guidance for the success of this glorious cultural programmes. In fact, Professor Rev. Saveri is an eminent personality with a vision and foresight is greatly involved in peace building mission through cultural activities. The Centre for Performing Arts has arranged several peace camps where children from all parts of the country and from all ethnic and religious groups participated in a spirit of brotherhood. Undoubtedly, to a society lost in error, beset by illusions of time, weighed down by perplexities, trials and tribulations, conflicts and contradictions the cultural activities of this nature for peace, unity and communal harmony will redeem people from violence, hatred and misunderstanding. - CM |
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