Classical, modern ballet productions travel to West CoastBy
Cheryl Klein
Daily Bruin Contributor
From the classic love story of Don Quixote to the eccentricities
of Twyla Tharp, ballet can be a far-reaching medium. And after a
lifetime in dance, David Richardson, assistant director of the
American Ballet Theatre (ABT), can attest to this.
"There is a tremendous contrast between something like ‘Don
Quixote,’ which is classical and very traditional, and Twyla
Tharp’s choreography, which is offbeat and extremely dynamic,"
Richardson says. These two pieces will be featured in the American
Ballet Theatre’s upcoming visit to Los Angeles.
On Wednesday and Thursday, the dance company will perform a
repertory at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion that includes new
material by Tharp. It will be followed by "Don Quixote" on Friday
through Sunday.
"Los Angeles has always been a loyal audience," Richardson says.
Though based in New York, ABT has traveled around the world and
Richardson always looked forward to stops on the West Coast. "We
used to come to L.A. every year," he says, noting that this is no
longer the case.
Nevertheless, he hopes that Southern California’s dance fans
maintain the open minds required to view "Don Quixote." Richardson
explains that the piece is not too complex to comprehend but
possibly too simple.
"It would be sad if the audience thought they were too
sophisticated for it," Richardson says. "It’s a lighthearted
ballet, and hopefully people will see the free spirit of the
production."
Incorporating this tone into the dancers’ movements was where
Richardson came in. He helped the lead performers interpret the
story of Kitri and Basilio. The ballet focuses on two lovers,
obstacles with the in-laws and a lucky encounter with the famous
dreamer, Don Quixote.
"It’s a love story," Richardson says simply. "The roles are all
sort of straight-forward, cartoon style."
Richardson notes that shaping the comic interactions between the
characters can be one of the most enjoyable aspects of the
production process.
"It was great fun to watch the dancers discover the flirtation
in their parts and find out who their characters really were,"
Richardson says.
But of course acting doesn’t always come easily to
non-professional actors, especially when it is in addition to
complicated technical work.
"There were some very difficult passages, which I think was
frustrating for the dancers," Richardson explains. "Also, comedy is
hard  harder even than high drama. You can’t overplay it or
you look silly."
The more modern and dynamic choreography of Tharp is far from
humor and storytelling. Instead of focusing on a plot, Tharp
conveys intense emotions through intricate choreography.
"Twyla Tharp’s ballet is done at a consistently high level. It
definitely falls under the category of the new approach to ballet,"
he says. "The music opens with a bomb going off and then all the
dancers bounce around all over the stage. It’s kind of quirky and
full of energy."
Richardson himself exudes energy  he apologizes for just
having awakened from a nap but still speaks rapidly and
enthusiastically about ABT. Perhaps his ability to quickly bring
knowledge and expertise to any situation in the field of dance
stems from his years of experience in the ballet community.
Trained in a handful of New York’s prestigious ballet schools,
Richardson served first as a dancer then as a ballet master. The
latter position meant carefully coaching the principal dancers,
fine tuning their skills. He also worked alongside George
Balanchine, who choreographed "Theme and Variations," an additional
piece in the ABT repertory.
Needless to say, a familiarity with the choreographer’s own
style helped Richardson create the best possible performance of the
ballets.
"I don’t want to sound like I’m my own press agent," Richardson
laughs, "but I think my strength is in knowing that style. I mean,
I have this long background in New York and in ballet, so I try to
bring that into my creations."
DANCE: The American Ballet Theatre performs a Twyla Tharp
repertory program on June 26-27 and "Don Quixote" June 28-30 at the
Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. TIX: $15-60. For more info call (213)
972-7211.
Paloma Herrera (center) of the American Ballet Theatre during a
performance of "Theme and Variations."
Instead of focusing on a plot, Tharp conveys intense emotions
through intricate choreography.