First State Ballet’s Triple Bill features three world premier ballets created for First State Ballet.
Delaware’s professional ballet company and the Resident Ballet Company at The Grand Opera House present Triple Bill February 23rd through 25th at the Baby Grand in Wilmington.
The new ballets are from choreographers Zachary Kapeluck, Maeghan McHale and Viktor Plotnikov, and each represent efforts to blend classical ballet with contemporary dance.
McHale fell into choreography accidentally, taking on a last-minute fill-in opportunity. That led to more instruction, creation and choreography.
She says she embraced the new challenge.
"I never really thought that teaching and choreography would be something I would go into - I felt like once I retired from dancing, that would be it, I would just go and watch shows and be a spectator and enjoy the artistry on the stage. I never really thought that was going to be my next step, but I’ve really grown to love it, so I continue to keep growing at it."
McHale’s offering at First State Bllet’s Triple Bill is titled “Revolving Doors'.
Kapeluck’s selection was inspired by the music of 20th century Finnish composer Jean Sibelius.
"He did most of his compositions in the early 1900s, and I loved his music - a lot of piano in the score that I jumbled together. The idea and inspiration behind what we’re going to do didn’t come until much later with that music. I just knew I wanted to use that music."
The third piece on the bill is Plotnikov’s “Wings’. Plotnikov says his piece is abstract and will inspire the audience.
“Somehow I had images of angels and wings throughout the piece. None of it is biblical or religious, just an idea of beautiful bodies with wings.”
FSBT’s Triple can be seen at the Baby Grand Friday, February 23 and Saturday, February 24 at 7 pm - and a Sunday matinee February 25, at 2 pm.
Delaware Public Media' s arts coverage is made possible, in part, by support from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency dedicated to nurturing and supporting the arts in Delaware, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.
