Abstract
Retrieving the Sylph, for solo dancer (male or female), was the first of three interrelated Performance as Research projects investigating choreographic processes in ballet that focus on somatic awareness of ballet principles and repertoire and their pedagogic underpinnings. The series interrogated an historical moment, gesture and principle exemplifying received ballet culture and developed this as choreographic form. It built on my sustained professional and academic enquiry into alternative creative methods in ballet, refining ideas explored in New Beauties, a dance/music collaboration with Patrick Wood (Surrey Associate) and Tom Armstrong (Surrey Composer). Developed in workshops at the Gotland International Summer School, this project considered the archetype of the Romantic Sylph (moment), notions of 'other' and the idealised feminine in twenty-first century ballet practice. Movement was developed through tasks constructed around somatic, first person interrogations of the form of ballet gestures (the Sylph shape), academic class material (tendu, port de bras) and principle (the vertical line of the aplomb) [See 1.2, 1.3, 1.5]. Tasks referencing the interrelationship of spatial and musical frameworks considered points in space as places of movement initiation both inside and outside the body, in imaginative relationship with the Pleiades constellation [1.1]. Press commented on "re-thinking of ballet" , "unpredictable immediacy and clarity" (Spectator) and "sharply-structured", "simple and wrapt" (Guardian). Roles as Principal investigator: Choreographer, Seminar leader Music: Urmas Sisask, Seven Musical Moments "The Pleiad" (2002) from Starry Sky Cycle Costume design: Harry K Choreographic investigation: Dancers - Jackson, Jenny Nilson, Pontis Lidberg, Fred Koch, Michael Rolnick Dancer: Jenny Nilson (Royal Swedish Ballet) Musicians: Janna Sarkisova, Stephan Matsson. Seven performances - August-November 2005 Gotland: St Nikolai Kirche Stockholm: Vitsbergparken, Opera House (Friends of Royal Swedish Ballet) London: Linbury Theatre Evidence: DVD compilation comprising video examples of research questions and complete performance, Gotland. National press: Spectator, Observer, Guardian http://arts.guardian.co.uk/reviews/story/0,11712,1580393,00.html Duration: 10-mins