By Michele E. Stinson
To see Ballet Jorgen is to see a company that is definitely one step ahead of the rest. “It was experimental and spontaneous,” said Deepak Ramachamdran, a merry theatre-goer.
Ballet Jorgen performed at the Premiere Dance Theatre last weekend in a show that was both unique and varied. The company is Canada’s only choreographic ballet company, providing development opportunities to emerging choreographers to work through the creative process.
“Ballet Jorgen has been very valuable in my development as a choreographer,” said Crystal Pite, one of the company’s supported choreographers. “It gives a new choreographer not only the valuable opportunity to experiment with good dancers, but the experience of the whole creative event.”
The company is dedicated to commissioning and presenting original contemporary ballets. Four new ballets were performed at the Winterdance Showcase.
“I loved it,” said Gigi Uson, who attends the dance-intensive school associated with the company. “It was a great show and all the choreography is completely original.”
The eight dancers of the company come from varied backgrounds, which adds to the uniqueness of the experience for the audience. The dancers are classically trained, but are versatile and disciplined enough to handle the modern and experimental ideas that the choreographers thrust on them.
At times, the cast did not move as an ensemble, but that was overshadowed by moments of pure artistry. Bengt Jorgen, founder and artistic director of the company, danced in two of the pieces. Each member of the company works, with obvious joy, to ensure that Ballet Jorgen can continue to stride into the future.
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