Above: choreographer Luca Veggetti with dancers Kristi Capps and Yusha Sorzano
On April 17th, 2013, Kaija Saariaho's ballet MAA will be presented in Paris in a production choreographed by Luca Veggetti. The International Contemporary Ensemble will perform the Saariaho score, as they did when the ballet was seen at the Miller Theater, Columbia University, in September 2010. The upcoming performance is part of a Parisian festival celebrating Saariaho's work.
Luca generously invited me to drop in at the Martha Graham studios where he is preparing the dancers for the Paris performance. I had planned to stay for an hour, but was drawn in by both the working process and the beauty of the individual dancers...
...as well as the marvelous light streaming into the studio as the sun began to sink over the Hudson River. All the light in the above image is 100% natural.
Luca broke the rehearsal into segments so as to work with the individual dancers; eventually the ensemble passages will be woven together. There are time constraints, so Luca chose dancers with a strong affinity for his style: a highly individual and poetic dialect of dance unlike any other that I've experienced.
Dancers Zack Winokur and Olivia Ancona
Luca working with Olivia
Zack and Olivia
Yusha Sorzano, who appeared in Luca's creation BACCHAE for MORPHOSES, then arrived along with...
...Kristi Capps.
Yusha and Kristi
Yusha and Kristi
The final hour of the rehearsal was given over to PeiJu Chien-Pott, the lovely dancer from the Martha Graham Dance Company. Luca worked thoughtfully with her on the details of an extended solo, and what a pleasure to watch PeiJu dancing in the early evening light.
Luca and PeiJu
PeiJu Chien-Pott
Luca and PeiJu working on the details. My thanks to them, and to all the dancers for a wonderful dance experience. And Bon Voyage to all as they head for Paris.