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Life & Arts

Aspiring dancers show grace, jitters

by SARAH TRESSLER
The Daily Cougar

Dancers from the Houston Ballet's Ben Stevenson Academy were teetering on the edge of perfection at their performance in the Moores Opera House Friday night.

The dancers performed on a completely bare stage in order to showcase their mastery (or lack thereof) of their craft. This forced the audience's attention on the performers' skill level, which ranged from shaky and unsure to tight and controlled. For some, their nervousness was palpable; their uncertainty was betrayed by their "deer-in-the-headlights" stares and wide, plastered-on smiles. Others exuded confidence from the moment they stepped on the stage, impressing the audience with their deft, sure-footed grace and relaxed demeanor.

Some performers showed difficulty mastering some of the key aspects of ballet, such as timing and flexibility. This was the case for the two female dancers in the opening pas de quatre from Sleeping Beauty. The show was off to a bumpy ride with their missteps. 

But their unpolished performance was followed by a near perfect performance by Stephanie Maiorano in a pas de deux. Her tight turns and controlled movements demonstrated eit her an innate ability or hours-upon-hour s of practice. 

"Excerpts from Sleeping Beauty" was followed by the best-received portion of the evening's performance, "Chairman Dances," taken from Nixon in China. 

The dancers' costumes were unisex, utilitarian outfits typical of China's peasant class. The music, by John Adams, was frantic and hurried, as was the choreography. The dancers were like broken mechanical toys, moving together in perfect succession. 

About halfway through "Chairman Dances," the music and movements melted into a smoother, more flowing aesthetic. The performers' grasp of the contemporary choreography used in the piece and their ability to dance as a single entity in terms of spacing and togetherness made this the best part of the show.

The second half was set to classical renditions of songs by the Beatles, from "The Long and Winding Road." The dancers leapt and twirled in black tutus and leotards to songs that included "Paperback Writer," "Here Comes the Sun," and "Michelle." The show closed with a full-cast performance to "Carry that Weight." 

These dancers, in the final level of the Ben Stevenson academy, should be able to audition for a spot in professional level ballets starting in April. With any luck, and plenty of time at the barre, some dancers will be seen in next year's performances by the Houston Ballet.
 

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