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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:Palatino">Classic and modern ballet
highlight POINTE OF DEPARTURE at Cain Park</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Roy Berko</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Palatino">(Member,
Dance Critics Association)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">When the Cleveland Browns
snuck out of town in 1995, it left a void, but three years later the team was
resurrected.<span style> </span>When the Cleveland
San Jose Ballet waltzed to San Jose in 2000, another void was left in the
city’s psyche.<span style> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Unfortunately, there has
been no resurrection, so the city is left with no professional ballet company.<span style> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">The void is sometimes
filled when Dance Cleveland brings in a touring company whose specialty is
classic dance, but that doesn’t provide a consistent diet for ballet
aficionados.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Locals had hoped that,
due to their strong local ties, former Cleveland Ballet wunderkinds, Karen
Gabay and Raymond Rodriguez, would make Cleveland the permanent home for Pointe
of Departure, their small nonprofit ballet company, and grow it into a local
treasure.<span style> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Point of Departure
originated here in 1998 as a collaboration between violinist Lev Polyakin,
Assistant Concert Master for the Cleveland Orchestra, and Gabay.<span style> </span>After sold-out performances
at the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Cleveland Institute of Art, the
collaboration got a name and a mission.<span style>
</span>It’s purpose is to “erase the stereotypical antiquated image of
classical ballet and launch it into the 22<sup>nd</sup> century as an art form
in demand!”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Though still “based” in
Cleveland, the company appears in other venues, performing locally once a
year.<span style> </span>Next week, for example, they
will be bringing their repertoire to the Mountain View Center for the
Performing Arts in the California south bay area.<span style> </span>That performance will feature 16 Ballet San Jose dancers in
contrast to the eight who recently performed at Cain Park.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">The Cain Park concert
consisted of seven pieces, four of which were Gabay’s choreography.<span style> </span>The rest were “after Petipa.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"><span style> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Marius Petipa was a
French ballet teacher and choreographer who is considered the most influential
ballet master of all time.<span style> </span>Many of
his creations are used as the basis for other choreographers to stage works
“anew.”<span style> </span>These are traditionally
listed in dance programs as “after Petipa.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Gabay’s own pieces were
the highlights of the program.<span style> </span>The
evening started with a delightful Z BLUES, in which Rodriguez spent most of the
number dancing with his feet in the air as he stood on his head, in white face,
while Gabay attempted to be the classic female tutu-costumed ballerina.<span style> </span>The short piece delighted the audience
as the duo proved that even though they are past their prime as featured
dancers, they can still grab, hold, and delight an audience.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">The rest of the first act
were classical after Petipa selections.<span style>
</span>There was generally a lack of variety in the prescribed movements,
making for little visual variance.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">The young dancers
sometime seemed overwhelmed by the complexity and required precision of the
choreography.<span style> </span>A late entrance,
shallow pointe work, difficulty in freezing moves, uncertain lifts, and lack of
confidence were sometimes evident.<span style>
</span>The most accomplished selection, LE CORSIRE, featured dynamic and
talented Jing Zhang and proficient, high flying Damir Emric.<span style> </span>The lovely Amy Marie Briones handled
her role in Black Swan Pas De Deux with proficiency and appeal.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">The second act, dedicated
to modern balletic and contemporary dance pieces, was highlighted by RUSSIAN
BLUE, in which the entire company displayed free form movement, well fitted to
their skill levels, resulting in a dynamic connection to the audience.<span style> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Gabay and handsome gym
toned Maykel Solas, combined to present a sensual selection which was both
titillating and satisfying.<span style> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">The wonderful live violin
interpretations by Lev Polyakin and pianist Elizabeth DiMio were a highlight of
the evening.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style><span style="font-family:Palatino">Capsule judgement:<span style> </span>Cleveland needs a resident ballet company.<span style> </span>Though not world class, Pointe of
Departure would be a wonderful permanent addition to the local scene.<span style> </span>It can only be wished that Gabay and
her company will find the desire and financing to make their home here,
permanent.<span style> </span>For information about
the company go to:<span style>
</span><a href="http://www.pointofdeparture.com">www.pointofdeparture.com</a></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Side note: Dennis Nahat,
who served as the long time artistic director of the Cleveland Ballet and later
the Cleveland San Jose Ballet, was dismissed as the Ballet San Jose’s artistic
director earlier this year.</span></p>