Balanchine’s Jewels Sparkles at the Boston Ballet

The visceral gasps as the curtain rises to reveal an array of emeralds, rubies, and diamonds, accompanied by the delicate taps of the dancers’ pointed shoes as they glide across the stage. 

The soft chatter of the crowd, adorned in suits and dresses, during intermission. Their necks are craned to the row behind them to talk to friends, or planted next to their rows as a cure to the hour of sitting — even if that sitting occurred in the cushy, velvet seats of the Citizens Bank Opera House just off the Commons in Boston. 

It was the first night of Balanchine’s Jewels at the Opera House, and the first time of the show’s revival in more than a decade. 

Most of my childhood was heavily influenced by ballet; I spent many hours a week after school in the studio jumping, bending, and twisting to my Russian teacher’s classical music. For many years during my adolescence, my dad and I attended the infamous Nutcracker performance at my hometown’s professional ballet company. There is a comfortable familiarity that accompanies the Christmastime ballet; perhaps it is the acquaintance with the material. But no matter my familiarity, I always leave the theater accompanied by the same basket of emotions: a feeling of inspiration alongside experiencing mesmerization.

Attending the Boston Ballet was my first experience witnessing professional ballet (besides the company in Delaware). And not to sound like a cranky old record: it felt like a dying art. Lizzy — my date for the night — and I couldn’t help but notice the retired couples outfitted in their best suits and dresses, the fawning over the dancers during the intermission, and the attentiveness that came when in the presence of the dancers. 

The company commanded the stage. The first act — Emeralds — was perhaps the most quintessential “ballet” in terms of movement. As the name suggests, their costumes were a rich green, and the women’s skirts were flowing tulle. This act is meant to represent Balanchine’s roots in France and the classic moves that trace the origins of ballet. Their moves were fluid and effortless. There was such beauty to the sheer amount of elegance presented on the stage; their dance was not done to flaunt or boast, but to showcase the refinement in their technique. The music aided in this pursuit wonderfully, the classical, yet lively music I grew up dancing to in my studio. 

Then, for the crowd favorite, Rubies. In the program, it was defined as an ode to Americana and the style Balanchine came to create and refine during his time in New York City. The women’s skirts this time became dangerously short and adorned with little rubies on the hem, so with each leap a slight jingle rang out, adding to the playfulness of the piece. If Emerald was elegant, Rubies was almost assertive. It was athletic and dynamic in every possible way, while not a principal dancer, Alexandria Heath shone through, a look of determination present on her face as she struck her leg in the air. And all the while, an element of ease stayed present within the dancer’s bodies. While the choreography was fast-paced, there was never a moment of hurriedness; there was accuracy and mindfulness with each move. 

As a final act of the ballet, Diamonds began with the slow rise of the curtain and a collective gasp from the audience. During the intermission, crisp drapes were hung from the stage’s ceiling to create a dream-like atmosphere. While at times Diamonds performed similarly to Emeralds in the trance-like quality created, there was an even greater weight of grace with this final act. Troves of dancers paraded around the stage in excellent symmetry, each turn done in unison. As the music swelled, their moves quickened, and then, with the final cue, it was over. 

Balanchine’s Jewels was created to succeed: the three separate, very distinctive acts, which range from graceful to even a little silly, keep the audience constantly engaged with the material. 

It was the opportunity of a lifetime to attend and experience the atmosphere of the crowd and, even more than that, the dedication to the craft of ballet.

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