Three summers ago, the New York City Ballet returned to St. Petersburg, Russia, 20 years after the death of the troupe's visionary co-founder, George Balanchine, who was born there.
Director Richard Blanshard's film of the trip, the company's first to St. Petersburg since 1972, airs Sunday (Nov. 12) on 131 PBS stations across the United States.
On one level, the title "Bringing Balanchine Back" is a straightforward description of NYCB's return to Russia, which is captured in the film through a mix of interviews, performance excerpts and always-entertaining backstage footage. On another, not-so-subtle level, the title echoes the subtext driven home throughout the documentary: how well NYCB is thriving two decades after Balanchine died, leaving his company with an incredible wealth of ballets and an enormous pair of shoes to fill.
Produced by Blanshard, former board member Earl Mack and former director of external affairs Christopher Ramsey, "Bringing Balanchine Back" trumpets the company's health in unabashed fashion. Fewer glowing dancer testimonials and audience exit polls wouldn't have hurt the film, nor would the addition of a measured discussion concerning the issues involved in sustaining the great works of any late choreographer. This is hinted at during a news conference, when one Russian reporter asks, "How do you know what you're doing is true Balanchine? Do you watch videos?"
But where would the art world be without a little propaganda? The Cold War may be over, but the Battle for Balanchine is alive and well.
And, self-congratulatory moments aside, the 80-minute film captures some fascinating episodes, such as the evaluation of the Americans by their Russian counterparts. The verdict? Great legs, but the arms could use some work.
Balanchine began his storied career at St. Petersburg's legendary Vaganova School, which was then called Imperial Ballet School. And in the documentary, when two dancers from Vaganova participate in NYCB's morning class, the Russian dancers seem overwhelmed by the speed and detail of the steps.
Lovely to see, too, are the lengthy performance excerpts, from the poignant footage of Wendy Whelan and the now-retired Jock Soto to the opening section of Balanchine's "Serenade," one of the company's signature ballets. Even on tape, the choreographer's sublime answer to Tschaikovsky's stirring composition sends chills down the spine.
The charismatic Danish choreographer Peter Martins, who left an indelible mark on the company as a dancer, was given the daunting task of following Balanchine's reign. To some, he is admirably fulfilling his mentor's vision; to others, he is mauling it in egregious fashion. It's a fiercely partisan squabble that shows no signs of letting up.
But the pursuit of perfection comes at a cost. The film's most engaging moment is also its most uncomfortable - and most human - focusing on the offstage struggles of Alexandra Ansanelli, who was then a newly minted NYCB principal and has since moved on to the Royal Ballet.
Ansanelli was set to make her Russian debut as the lead in "Serenade," but she was replaced at the last minute after a disastrous rehearsal with Martins in which the high-spirited dancer's command of the role deserted her.
One of the most common gripes about the current company regime is the lack of sustained coaching given to dancers. The continuing development of other dancers in the company offers evidence to the contrary.
Still, the Ansanelli rehearsal briefly highlights a far more complex - and provocative - reality regarding the demands and pressures at a major ballet company than the one being sold in this often charming but puffy film.
"Bringing Balanchine Back" airs Nov. 12. Check local listings for exact times and air dates.
Posted by Maryam Zarkesh on November 11, 2006 8:20 AM
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