“˜Giselle’ re-styles classic ballet with spunk
By Kathleen Mitchell
Jan. 28, 2004 9:00 p.m.
“Giselle” has got a brand new bag.
On Sunday, UCLA’s Theater Underground, an independent,
student-run organization that provides the means to stage student
productions, presents a modernized rendition of the 163-year-old
ballet “Giselle,” infusing the classical with
contemporary dance styles and music.
“It’s hard to relate to classical dance at this
age,” said Kim Weisberg, a second-year theater student who
produced “Giselle.” “We contemporized the ballet
with salsa, jazz, hip-hop, Evanescence and Pink so that we could
include everyone and share this story and dance. But we still kept
parts of the original score and choreography.”
The 20-student production was literally “years in the
making.” Kat Rogers, a fourth-year theater student and the
show’s director, first encountered the ballet in its pointe
form when she was 9. Her ballet teacher (Rogers first slid on
slippers at age 3) had always lauded the subtle beauties and
fantastic entrances in “Giselle,” and as soon as Rogers
saw it, she too adopted what would become an enduring
admiration.
Rogers and Weisberg met last year in Theater Underground’s
production of “Swan Lake,” relished the experience,
and, before the performances even took the stage, decided to
collaborate on “Giselle.”
“I’ve always loved “˜Giselle.’ It’s
very dynamic with strong women who rise up against the men who
abuse them,” said Rogers.
In terms of the cast, this year’s production of
“Giselle,” which features more female characters, is
also a far cry from last year’s “Swan Lake.”
“After doing “˜Swan Lake,’ which required an
equal number of men and women and took place in a strip joint,
(“Giselle”) was a role reversal and logistically
easier.”
“Giselle” evokes other classical ballets in that it
is a story of love and betrayal, revenge and death. Giselle lives
amongst the poor but attracts the affections of a nobleman. The
man, who is already engaged, disguises himself as a peasant because
his life bores him.
Even though Theater Underground’s “Giselle”
glorifies women’s strength, its director and producer chose
to shirk explicit feminist overtones. Instead, they emphasize the
ballet’s poignancy as a communally shared language.
“In dance, you don’t need blood and guts. The
audience comprehends basic gestures. The body expresses emotions
““ we all have emotions ““ so all can understand
dance,” said Rogers. “Our main message is to draw
people to theater, art and dance ““ our passion. With our spin
on “˜Giselle’ we hope to pass on that love.”
“Giselle” will play Sunday in Macgowan 1340 at 2
p.m. and 7 p.m. Free admission.
