Eva Kistrup

US TOUR 2011 Get a Glimpse from Guggenheim

A small ensemble from RDB dances small segments from the tour repertoire in a small scale event at a small stage in Guggenheim. If you can handle seing big ballet pieces in minuture and is able to look above the wrong scales you canl get a pleasant glimpse of the tour material and some of the leading dancers at the tour online at 

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/worksandprocess

The glimpses included a lenghty outtake of Hübbe and Lund's Bournonville variations, a fine Jockey dance with Alban Lendorf and Thomas Lund, a segment of Elo's "Lost on Slow" and bigger segments of "La Sylphide", "A Folk's Tale" and "Napoli". The programme also include a lenghty interview with Nikolaj Hübbe about his career and his directorship. Hübbe describes himself as a rather conservative ballet master with a preference for the classical school, and he lift the lid on next year repertoire, which will include more of his NYCB heritage and that a certain Russian choreographer will call by Copenhagen the season after next.

He also said that Johan Kobborg will reprise the role of the dance teacher in "the Lesson" on the tour. 

 

Getting to Grips with Bournonville

August Bournonville: A Folk Tale

Directed by Nikolaj Hübbe

The Royal Danish Ballet

March 2011

 

"A Folk Tale" is the third Bournonville production by Nikolaj Hübbe, following his successful and rather conservative "La Sylphide" and a controversial "Napoli". Like his previous productions Hübbe's "A Folk Tale" shows his skills in making Bournonville come alive, but it likewise shows his problems in accepting some of the core issues in Bournonville's own values. Hübbe has major problems in accepting the christianity in Bournonville's work and he also have problems in accepting that Bournonville is what he is, a genius maker of steps, a pragmatic man of the theatre, who could turn every contemporary successful concept into an effective and pleasing ballet, but Bournonville is not a philosopher nor an artist, who designs his works from a deeper understanding or plan.