Boo Jian Wen Jeremy
In Step Up 2: The Streets, Blake Collins, director of Maryland School of the Arts, couldn’t see any similarities between traditional ballet and street dancing. Likewise, one might wonder how does this hip-hop dance film relate to ballet and contemporary dance company Singapore Dance Theatre (SDT).
However, on Mar 11, scores of people attended a fundraising preview screening of Step Up 2: The Streets at Plaza Singapura, in support of SDT’s 20th anniversary celebrations. And that was only the beginning.
From this Thursday to Sunday, as an official start to their 20th anniversary celebrations, SDT organises Giselle In The Park. With a rather self-explanatory name, the event is about Giselle,two-act ballet show, being staged in Fort Canning Park. (No, I’m sure some of you will be disappointed to be informed that you will not getting alone time with the übermodel with a similar name, Gisele Bündchen).
The unusual venue was selected for a practical reason as Fort Canning has the perfect greenery for this ballet. Usually, when ballet companies produce Giselle, they had to simulate the outdoors in their theatres; the ballet tells a tragic love story between village maiden Giselle and nobleman Albrecht. Act two also takes place in a cemetery.
With the freedom offered by Fort Canning Park, creative solutions are employed to add realism to the ballet. “In act two, I am looking at some clever lighting to connect the park, and its setting, to the ballet,” ballet master Paul DeMasson told national daily The Straits Times.
The location isn’t the only thing that audiences should look forward to. After all, like how form is nothing without substance, a ballet performance is laughable without talent. SDT lead dancer Xia Hai Ying told The Straits Times, “I’m playing Giselle for the second time. I played the role about 4 years ago in an SDT production as well, and I feel I know her role better. I am more involved with her character this time round.”
Such confidence is reassuring – the role of Giselle is highly coveted by ballet dancers, because the role requires great technical and dramatic skills, in addition to grace and lyricism.
It is also with such confidence that UrbanWire encourages you to watch this renowned piece of art. Even though you might think that you don’t appreciate ballet, you might just change your mind after watching this ballet…like how Collins changed his opinions of street dancing by the time Step Up 2: The Streets ended.
If you book your tickets now, Sweet Sixteen tickets are available for all students and NSmen at $16 (SISTIC charge not included). At the door, all tickets are priced at $29.
The gates at Fort Canning open at 5pm for people who want to picnic, but the performance only starts at 7.30pm.
Visit SDT for more details.