Last Thursday, I was lucky enough to be offered tickets to see Boston Ballets Winter Experience. This two-and-a-half-hour show was absolutely beautiful, and I am honored that I was one of the first eyes to see this incredible display of art. The ballet has two parts: Helen Pickett’s two short ballets, TO BE ONE and Petal, and Mikko Nissinen’s Raymonda.
Helen Pickett is an incredibly talented woman choreographer. Her ability to capture the audience’s attention with the seamless movement of her dancers is beyond comprehension. The choreography side of the ballet world is dominated mainly by men; it is thrilling to see that the Boston Ballet is working to include the talents of women more than ever.
The world premiere of TO BE ONE did not disappoint. The telling music, simple costumes, and gorgeous dancing captured my attention immediately. The ballet expresses bravery, determination, uniqueness, and community so clearly. Picket describes the ballet perfectly: “Our ethereal art only truly lives in the present, and this fleeting but potent, inspirational energy is infused with bravery, vulnerability and beauty. Dance taught me: Change is the only constant. And committing to this life concept has offered and can offer extraordinary possibilities.”
(photo by Rosalie O’Connor, courtesy of the Boston Ballet)
Petal, a colorful and fun ballet, showcases a setup similar to TO BE ONE but focuses more on the relationships between dancers. The music is much more enthusiastic and exciting, the backdrop changing colors from vibrant yellows to pinks, blues, and oranges. I personally prefer Petal’s upbeat and vibrant nature. It has a way about it that fully entranced me, and I could not look away. Chills ran down my arms as I watched the pas de deux (dance of two, referring to partner pieces in ballet) between dancers. Both TO BE ONE and Petal are contemporary ballets featuring modern costumes and a simple backdrop of colors.
(photo by Rosalie O’Connor, courtesy of the Boston Ballet)
The main attraction of the Winter Experience is, in my opinion, Raymonda. This ballet is of classical origin, created in the late 19th century. As a reflection of the time, the original ballet features a Muslim villain who attempts to ruin the relationship between the story’s two protagonists. However, when talking to the Boston Ballet’s Chief Marketing Officer, Deborah Moe, we discovered that Nissinen’s reimagined version of Raymonda excluded this character. The Boston Ballet wanted to ensure that the story reflected their values, Moe explains. The Raymonda we watched is a love story between two characters, Raymonda and Jean de Brienne. In Nissinen’s reimagined version, the ballet is shortened to one Act, where the two characters fall in love and get married.
The sets are stunning, as are the costumes. The set features what appears to be a broken frame, and the costumes feature a vast display of color, texture, and sparkles. The principal dancer, Ji Young Chae, does an incredible job capturing the true spirit of Raymonda.
(photo by Rosalie O’Connor, courtesy of the Boston Ballet)
My favorite part of this ballet is an upbeat number performed by the corps de ballet. On the Wedding Day, a group of dancers opens the ceremony with a fun and fast-paced performance that showcases the women wearing heels and both men and women in bright costumes. The music immediately made me smile, and I could have watched them perform this number for hours on end.
(photo by Rosalie O’Connor, courtesy of the Boston Ballet)
My night at the ballet could not have been more spectacular. I highly recommend seeing the Winter Experience while you can. Tickets and dates for the ballet can be found here. Use code BBTIX40 for $40 tickets.