Pacific Northwest Ballet principal dancers Ariana Lallone andOlivier Wevers in Ulysses Dove’s Red Angels. Photo © Angela Sterling.
Pacific Northwest Ballet is bringing three works by the late Ulysses Dove (1947–1996): Vespers, Red Angels, and Serious Pleasures (“3 by Dove”). The program will also feature the return of Suspension of Disbelief by contemporary dance-fusion choreographer Victor Quijada who credits Dove among those who have inspired his work.
Ulysses Dove (1947-1996) was an independent choreographer who worked in both the modern dance and ballet idioms. After attending a Martha Graham performance in 1967, Dove gave up his pre-med studies at Howard University to dance professionally with Merce Cunningham, Alvin Ailey, and Anna Sokolow. His first choreography, I See the Moon…and the Moon Sees Me (1979), was commissioned by Ailey.
PNB Artistic Director Peter Boal: “Ulysses’ works are danced by many companies, but rarely gathered under one roof. His gifts as a choreographer are great enough that he deserves an opportunity to have several seen in one program. He was robbed of a long life, but his choreography deserves to live on.”
Pacific Northwest Ballet company dancers inUlysses Dove’s Vespers. Photo © Angela Sterling
The program’s lineup will include:
Red Angels (Premiered May 9, 1994) – 14 minutes.
Dressed in scarlet leotards and bathed in white and red hot light, four dancers perform with powerful athleticism to a riveting score for electric violin.
Vespers (Premiered October 18, 1986) – 19 minutes.
Vespers was inspired by memories of Ulysses Dove’s grandmother, her energy and the small wooden building where she met with other women to worship. Set to a driving percussion score by Mikel Rouse, six women in black dresses assemble and reassemble themselves in and around wooden chairs.
Pacific Northwest Ballet principal dancer Jonathan Porretta inVictor Quijada’s Suspension of Disbelief. Photo © Angela Sterling.
Suspension of Disbelief (Premiered November 2, 2006) – 22 minutes.
Writing in 2006 about his style and the opportunity to work with Pacific Northwest Ballet, Victor Quijada explained, “I work with a fusion of classical, contemporary, and urban dance experiences to explore human relations while searching to re-invent the way we experience live performance.
Serious Pleasures (Premiered March 24, 1992) – 30 minutes.
Serious Pleasures, Pacific Northwest Ballet’s fourth Dove acquisition, presents an atmospheric view of contemporary urban social issues in a series of athletic solos and duets that feature Dove’s own fusion of ballet and modern dance.
Pacific Northwest Ballet’s 3 by DOVE (and 1 by Quijada) runs from March 18 to March 28 at Seattle Center’s Marion Oliver McCaw Hall. Total show time with two 20 minute intermissions is about two hours and ten minutes.
Tickets range from $25 – $160. Patrons 25 years and younger can purchase one ticket for $15 and two for $25 (with valid ID) for the Thursday and Friday evening performances. This offer is good for the March 18, 19, 25 and 26 7:30pm performances only. Discounted rush tickets for students and senior citizens (with valid ID) may also be purchased 90 minutes prior to showtime, subject to availability. For more info and tickets, visit www.pnb.org.
Backstage Pass, PNB’s group for adults age 21 to 39, will hold The Sixth Annual Backstage Bash on Friday March 26, 2010 from 10pm – 12:30am called When Doves Fly. The theme for this year’s Backstage Bash is not only a nod to PNB’s 3 by Dove, but also an invitation for guests to “come dressed to the Cloud Nines!” Attendees will enjoy delicious food, complimentary wine and beer, and the opportunity to mingle with PNB Company dancers – on and off the dance floor. Tickets to the Backstage Bash are just $35 (Tickets to 3 By Dove are sold separately).
