The First State Ballet Theatre presents a trio of newly-choreographed works later this month in Wilmington.
The performance, called “Triple Bill,” features new choreography from Viktor Plotnikov, Blake Krapels, and Carlos Martinez.
The ballet’s Claire McGregor says all three have connections to the company. Ukraine-born Plotnikov has worked with the ballet before, most recently on their performance of “Romeo and Juliet” last fall. Krapels, who has also worked with the ballet, is based in Philadelphia, while Martinez will be a familiar face to people who have attended the ballet in the past.
“He's a member of the company and so he dances, and all of the performances you see him, you know him, but he's taking on a new role this year as a choreographer," she says.
McGregor says working on new material lets the dancers express themselves in new ways, and believes that the audience will notice.
“So it really develops and extends the range of a dancer's artistry," she said. "And I think that is what audiences can really look forward to seeing - the depth of artistic expression.”
McGregor says seeing newly-choreographed works is a different experience, and one that is designed to open the creative minds of the audience as well.
“You know you can read the program notes, you can get some idea about what the choreographer was thinking about, but it's really about how the piece makes you feel," she said. "And I think that's what's so great about going to a contemporary ballet performance.”
“Triple Bill” opens on Friday, February 21 at the Baby Grand in Wilmington and runs through Sunday, February 23.
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.
