Life Goes On

This morning I had a meeting with the Seattle Theatre Group, who will host the Heddy Maalem Dance Company's production of Le Sacre du Printemps, or the Rite of Spring. Originally choreographed by Nijinsky, and to the infamous score by Stravinsky, the first performance of Le Sacre du Printemps was met with thunderous boo's and the throwing of vegetables--it was too modern for its time. It is very much about the earthiness of the body, which is in stark contrast to the classical themes and expectations of ballet dancers' ethereality. Now, it has been choreographed by Maalem and features his French-African dance company. Additionally, he also choreographed and filmed Black Spring, which is a "meditation" on war in Africa and expectations of both African dance as a form and as a way of expressing war.

On my life list of things to do, I have listed that I want to see a live performance of Le Sacre du Printemps. Now, I have the chance. Not only do I have the chance, but I get to take my students at Cornish to see it and to discuss its importance in class. We also get an exclusive screening of Black Spring AND an offer to attend (for those of us who have a dance background) a Master class with Maalem. Holy fuck.

Life, indeed, goes on....