Going Out Golden

The Tulsa Ballet will close its 50th Anniversary Season this weekend with a trio of ballets, collectively called "Legends in Motion." The program includes "Troy Game", choreographed by Robert North, "Por Vos Muero" by Nacho Duato and "Nine Sinatra Songs" by Twyla Tharp.

"I wanted to close our 50th Anniversary season with a big bang," said TB's Artistic Director Marcello Angelini. "Each one of these pieces is a mighty force in itself--imagine the power of the three of them together."

"Troy Game", he said, is the most athletic work he's ever seen and provides an opportunity for the men of the company to really show off--out of the shadows of the women.

"I call it 'the revenge of the guys against tutus,'" Angelini said. "Male dancers spend a great time of their career hidden behind a girl, or a tutu.

"When Robert North created this work, it became the rage of the dance world. Every company on the globe wanted to do it and eventually did, as long as they met the standards of his work."

"Troy Game" is sexy, athletic and even a bit humorous, the dancers (which include all of the males in the company except Alfonso Martin and Wang Yi, who needed to save their strength for the other dances of the evening) romping all over the stage, leaping diagonally by each other and performing gymnastic feats such as handstands and pushups. The piece is a myriad of solo and group dances, with the men wearing minimal costumes.

"Troy Game is one of those works that, if you are a dancer, hurts you just watching it," Angelini said. "It is so taxing for (the dancers)that, at the end of the London world premiere, the dancers failed to get up from the floor for their bows at the end of the show. When the curtain came up, the best they could muster was to wave their hands to the audience.

"Robert was, at first, outraged and then liked it so much that it remained this way ever since."

Something Spanish

Next on the bill is "Por Vos Muero", Angelini's favorite work by Spanish choreographer Duato for its "beautiful choreography," contemporary in nature but with undertones of Spanish folk dancing and accompanied by 16th century Spanish music.

The ballet is based on a Spanish sonnet of the same name by Garcilaso de la Vega. The ballet is dimly lit, the dancers draped in shadow throughout. Six couples dance the ballet.

"It has passages that seem to celebrate the joy of life, while others are so romantic," said Angelini. "Parts of the work are very intimate, while others are poignantly moving. The title, 'For Thee I Did,' says it all."

Something Sinatra

The closing piece is "Nine Sinatra Songs", choreographed by the legendary Tharp, danced by seven couples dressed in costumes designed by Oscar de la Renta.

"We close the evening, and the season in Tulsa, with another work of high energy, high romance, pyrotechnic partnering and exciting dancing," Angelini said. "The evening, and the season, could not finish on a better note."

The ballet is set to recordings by Frank Sinatra, songs including "Strangers in the Night," "All the Way," "That's Life," "My Way," "One for My Baby (And One More for the Road)," "Softly As I Leave You," "Something Stupid," and "Forget Domani." "My Way" is split in two, serving as two songs.

Premiered in 1982, "Nine Sinatra" Songs is a showcase of 1950s ballroom dancing with a 1980s interpretation.

Traveling Road Show

Although this is TB's last show of the season in Tulsa, the company isn't done yet. After this, they travel to Oklahoma City to perform Swan Lake and then in April they'll begin their European Tour, for performances in Nis (at the prestigious Nis Opera House); Serbia, Montenegro, Zagreb (at the Croatian National Theater) in Croatia and at the Belgrade Dance Festival at the Belgrade Drama Theater.

The Belgrade Dance Festival is a four-year-old, prestigious event, hosting international ballet groups from all over the world, and this year, along with TB, the Netherlands Dance Theater and the Cullberg Ballet will perform.

"Every dance organization in the world wants to be a part of this festival, but very few companies are chosen to participate," Angelini said. "Those who are include organizations that are making a difference in the international field of dance, the ones that have historically made a difference in the growth of the field, and the ones that represent where dance is today.

"The fact that Tulsa Ballet has been chosen once again to represent our city, our state and our nation in a major European festival is an honor."

TB will perform three pieces in Europe--Backstage, choreographed by Young Soon Hue and danced to music by Mangred Leutcher and Tae-Gun Kim, premiered in the U.S. in Tulsa last spring, Without Words by Duato and set to music by Franz Schubert and Nine Sinatra Songs. Alfonso Martin and Ballet Mistress Daniela Buson will reunite to dance Without Words.

The community is invited to a send-off event at TB's studios, at 4512 S. Peoria, Tue., Apr. 17, where excerpts from Without Words and Backstage will be performed. Seating is limited, so call 749-6030 for reservations. The company leaves April 19.

Block Party Weekend

This Saturday, though, you can join TB for a year-end block party, from 6pm to midnight on 3rd St., between Main and Cincinnati. Entrance to the party is free, and booze and food (catered by Table Ten, Tsunami Sushi, Blue Dome Diner, The Palace Café, Rib Crib, Bodean's Seafood and Mazzio's Pizza) are available at a small cost.

The Full Flava Kings will perform, and K-Hits will broadcast its live Saturday night dance party from the Block Party. Also, TB will auction off the Harley Davidson motorcycle it has been using in its promotional campaign all year. Raffle tickets will be available until about 10pm, and the bike will be auctioned around 11pm.

Angelini said this season has met and exceeded his expectations. The Exceeding Expectations Campaign has been overwhelmingly successful, with TB already having raised $11 million of its $12.5 million goal. Work has already started on the studio's expansion of its Center for Dance Education, and the company is adding on an extra show to next year's program, to be performed in the studio's new Kivisto Performance Hall.

Also next year, TB will perform Romeo and Juliet and The Great Gatsby, as well as works by Val Caniparoli and Luciano Cannito and new works by Jerome Robbins and Nacho Duato. TB will present, for the first time ever, four world premieres by outside choreographers in a single season.

Angelini called the 50th Anniversary season "the year that changed the face of Tulsa Ballet," and it seems to have been a very good change.