One of our quests to the Open House, Arthur Fink of Arthur Fink Photography -- of dancers and other people sent us a wonderful note recapping the evening: We didnt need lights or curtains to define the moment. Dancers walked on stage, paused, and then it all began -- an exercise in what at first might have seemed like absolute absurdity. Dancers moving with unimaginable lightness and grace, balanced delicately on their toes (or were they lifted into the air), exquisitely unfolding their classical and modern scripts. And I left the world of real, left judgement (and the rules of gravity) behind, and entered into this world of emotion and story telling, of grace and beauty, of resonant music and perfect form -- a world where any absurdity becomes a new and wonderful reality. It was over too soon (but not really too soon for this sneak preview), and choreographer Nell Shipman began to speak. She soon offered a disclaimer, as if she might lose it in the emotions of this moment, as she reflected on her life in dance. She didnt, but I did . . . tears gently streaming down my face as I embraced the enormity of this event, the beauty, the gift of this theater and the generations of dancers whose artistry will bring it alive each new day. Yes -- we need this. Its not just ballet, and not just Portland Ballet. Dance matters. But this is our company, and our only professional dance company. Its artistic groups like this that keep us whole and human, that invite us into their fantasy, and then remind us that hope and vision and creativity and beauty are absolutely real. To all those who gave birth to this new theatre, and to that night of dance -- thank you. (My Portland Ballet friends will surely jump in and remind all of you that the campaign to finish and fund the theatre is still very much alive. Yes -- its money they want, but money that will quickly be used to nourish our souls.) Thank you Arthur for the kind words, we look forward to sharing future performances with you.
Posted on: Thu, 24 Oct 2013 15:03:29 +0000
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