A new choreographic force is rising at American Ballet Theatre, and, this time, it’s one of ABT Studio Company’s own dancers.

Brady Farrar, a member of ABT Studio Company since 2022, recently premiered his original choreographic work Night Falls – a pas de deux set to Frédéric Chopin’s Nocturne No. 19 in E Minor No. 1. – at The Joyce Theater with ABT Studio Company.

The Joyce Theater engagement also featured another one of Brady’s original works titled Flight of the Bumblebee, a challenging and rapid solo for a male dancer, set to the iconic Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov score.

Brady was overjoyed when his pieces were picked for ABT Studio Company to perform, as it was the first time his choreography was danced in a Company program.

“It gave me more confidence and reassurance that I’m doing something right, which in turn makes me less afraid to express my feelings authentically,” he said.

This Summer, Night Falls will be featured at the BAAND Together Dance Festival, part of Lincoln Center’s Summer for the City program. BAAND features pay-what-you-want performances from New York City’s most prominent dance companies: Ballet Hispánico, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, and Dance Theatre of Harlem.

When Brady heard that Night Falls was chosen for BAAND, he was speechless.

“It was a milestone moment for me,” he said. “With every piece of my choreography that I showcase, there is some self-doubt, but for my work to be recognized and licensed by my dream company, it gives me even more inspiration to push the boundary of what I can do.”

For Brady, original choreography has been a part of his dance journey since the early days.

Since he was 16 years old, Brady has been choreographing works for dance schools to use for showcases or competitions. His knowledge of the “choreographic process” came from his dance teachers, Victor Smalley and Angel Armas, who he accompanied on choreography bookings.

Brady said that his own choreographic process begins with the musical score. “Picking music that takes the audience on a journey is important. I try to match the steps to the music, so it looks as if the dancer is completely embodying what the musician is playing,” he explained.

For Flight of the Bumblebee, Brady tried to “make the movements frantic and fast, to resemble what a bee would look like during flight.” He called the solo his “playful interpretation” of the Rimsky-Korsakov score.

For Night Falls, he was inspired by Chopin’s Nocturne No. 19 and how it “sets the tone of an intimate setting between two characters.”

“In my head,” said Brady, “the pas de deux is a representation of what happens when your day starts to slow down, the tranquil few hours from dusk to dark. As the sun sets, and night falls, how does the light change affect the mood and energy of oneself.”

For Brady, working with ABT Studio Company and teaching them his choreography was “something very special,” as he loves to see his peers’ unique interpretations of his work.

However, for BAAND, Brady was required to teach members of the main Company his choreography: Principal Dancers Thomas Forster and Chloe Misseldine, Soloist SunMi Park, and corps de ballet member Joseph Markey. Although he was nervous at first, he soon became inspired by their artistry.

“Their work ethic and desire to perfect each movement is very inspiring; I loved being able to see how professionals learn and pick up choreography,” said Brady. “They each have their own beautiful ways of hearing the music and executing the steps. Every time I step into a rehearsal with them, I am in awe.”

For Brady, having his original work chosen by ABT is only the beginning of his journey.

“It shows me that the future can be bright, and that there’s nothing to be afraid of.”

“Como agua para chocolate” is a Mexican idiom: translating to “like water for chocolate” in English, it essentially means “your emotions are in danger of boiling over,” referring to the repetitive process of bringing water to the brink of boiling before it can be used to make hot chocolate. Inspired by Laura Esquivel’s novel of the same name, the title phrase of Christopher Wheeldon’s full-length ballet, Like Water for Chocolate, alludes to the intense emotions simmering just beneath the surface in a tale of family saga and forbidden love set on a Mexican ranch during the Mexican Revolution. In this modern classic of magical realism, cooking and the kitchen’s heat suffuse the production, transforming rising passions into balletic movement set to music of a distinctly Mexican essence.

When composer Joby Talbot undertook the monumental task of scoring Like Water for Chocolate, his goal was clear: to infuse the score with a “DNA” of Mexican sound, rather than merely imitating it. Just as Mexican cuisine is rich and varied, Talbot’s score is seasoned with various rhythms from traditional Latin dances to trace the emotional turmoil of the lovesick central character, Tita, and the dramatic influence her impassioned cooking has on those around her.

In Act I, Tita prepares a dish of quail drizzled in rose petal sauce to the slow tempo of a danzón, a sensual dance rhythm that originated in Cuba at the end of the 19th century and later spread to Mexico. This amorous musical tone parallels Tita’s physical desire for her neighbor, Pedro, which manifests as an aphrodisiac in her cooking and consequently has an erotic effect on her sister, Gertrudis.

In another scene, alongside a climactic encounter between Tita and Pedro, Talbot recreated a sentimental petenera, one of the most melancholic and romantic styles of flamenco music. The origins of the petenera are older, dating back to the 17th century with ties to the zarabandas, another dance form popularized in Spain and the Spanish colonies.

The joropo, a much livelier Latin rhythm, provides a festive melody to which the troops commanded by Gertrudis energetically dance around a fire at the conclusion of Act II. A grand mixture of African, Indigenous, and European roots, the joropo is a traditional couple’s dance from Venezuela characterized by quick turns and jaunty footwork. According to Mexican conductor and music consultant Alondra de la Parra, Talbot’s musical arrangement for this scene aligns more with cumbia, known for its percussion-heavy, upbeat rhythm with Afro-Colombian roots.

While the blend of diverse Latin rhythms in Talbot’s score brings the characters’ earthly passions to life onstage, the mystical fusion of pre-Hispanic instruments with the orchestra introduces a new musical texture that embodies the essence of magical realism. Playing an indispensable role in the compositional process, de la Parra suggested incorporating the ocarina, a type of Aztec ceramic flute that lends the work a deep, ethereal quality reminiscent of birdsong. The percussion section of the orchestra expanded greatly under de la Parra’s guidance, with the inclusion of two types of Aztec drums—the teponaztli and the huéhuetl—as well as the marimba, featured in a challenging solo piece. Talbot’s complex yet whimsical compositions for the harps further amplify the thread of magical realism that reverberates throughout the work.

The main characters in the ballet are meaningfully tied to specific instruments in the composition, akin to a leitmotif: Tita with the delicate ocarina, Nacha with the warm cedar flute, Mama Elena with the tempestuous wooden rattles and chimes, and Pedro with the sultry guitar. Perhaps at the core of this entrancing whirl of sound is the guitar, strummed by Mexican musician Tomás Barreiro to the beat of Mexican sones and other Latin rhythms, both as a solo performance onstage and in the orchestra pit.

For the final pas de deux between Tita and Pedro, Talbot turned to an unconventional musical source, rarely found in the classical ballet repertoire: the human voice. Composed for a mezzo soprano, Talbot’s vocal piece features Spanish lyrics from the 1957 poem “Piedra del Sol,” or “Sunstone,” by Mexican Nobel Laureate Octavio Paz. The soaring soprano section brings the passionate tale of Like Water for Chocolate to a close, delivering a powerful performance about the cyclical nature of time and the transformative power of love, reserved only for those who recognize its constant return.

Sources:

Azar Boldo, Lázaro. “A Well-Seasoned Composition…” Program for Christopher Wheeldon’s Like Water for Chocolate, London, The Royal Ballet, 2022.

Royal Ballet and Opera. “Insights: Like Water for Chocolate – Music and Design.” YouTube, 27 May 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrWsYo8fU9g.

The writer, Jackeline Fernandes, was an ABT Press Intern for Summer 2024.

In this final installment of  Behind the Ballet for the 2024 Summer season, ABT Principal Dancer Herman Cornejo joins Elizabeth Kaye to discuss Like Water for Chocolate and its layered three-act story. From adapting to a non-balletic character and demanding acting scenes to onstage sensuality and heartbreak, this exclusive interview offers a unique perspective on two-time Tony Award® winner Christopher Wheeldon’s full-length ballet, based on Laura Esquivel’s iconic novel of the same title.

In this installment of Behind the Ballet, Elizabeth Kaye revisits the creation of The Royal Ballet (1965) in the wake of World War II, which sought to bring back “what was lost after the war—the gentleness of life.” Kaye then explains how Shakespeare’s timeless tragedy is translated into movement through four heart-wrenching pas de deux and three acts of forbidden young love that reveal the universal language of ballet in Romeo and Juliet.

This episode of Behind the Ballet takes on the third production of the 2024 Summer season: Swan Lake. Described by Elizabeth Kaye as the “crown jewel of classical ballet,” Kaye offers a sneak peek into this production’s premiere in 2000 featuring current Artistic Director Susan Jaffe in the role of Odette/Odile. Kaye chronicles the tragic story of Swan Lake and how Tchaikovsky’s ethereal score shapes this iconic 19th Century tale.

This segment of Behind the Ballet delves into the contemporary masterpiece that is Wayne McGregor’s Woolf Works. Elizabeth Kaye’s informative lecture offers a rich understanding of choreographer Wayne McGregor’s history and a glimpse into the ballet’s layered content. Join ABT for an enlightening discussion that promises to leave you with much to think about and even more to anticipate on stage with this electrifying performance.

As part of ABT’s Pride Month initiatives, the ABT RISE Legacy Committee is honored to feature Leopold Samuel Allen (1945-1989), the first resident Hair and Makeup Artist for American Ballet Theatre and a cornerstone of the Company from 1978 to 1988.

The first installment of Behind the Ballet for the 2024 Summer season unearths the emotionally charged classic ballet Onegin. ABT Dance Historian and New York Times #1 best-selling author Elizabeth Kaye gives us an in-depth glance of the plot structure in this ballet adaptation of the original verse-novel by Alexander Pushkin, and explains exactly why this ballet remains an audience and dancer favorite. 

From tying satin ribbons to wearing dazzling sequined tutus, what a dancer wears on stage captivates the audience’s attention as much as their flawless pirouette or stunning penché. As the world of ballet enters a contemporary era of storytelling, costuming is living beyond the tulle tutus of Swan Lake to a statement of inclusivity with Wayne McGregor’s Woolf Works.

Before the creation of modern tutus and pointe shoes in the seventeenth century, male dancers wore tonnelets or fabric wired skirts, while female dancers wore costumes that resembled court dresses. No matter the gender, both males and females danced in heeled shoes. By the eighteenth century, costuming began to shift with everyday fashion trends. Male dancers wore vests and breeches while female dancers began to shorten their court style dresses for more flexibility to dance.

In 1832, there was a substantial change in costuming with Marie Taglioni debuting the Romantic tutu and the first version of pointe shoes at the Paris Opera. In the ballet La Sylphide, Taglioni’s multilayer below the knee-above the midcalf tutu caught the attention of other dancers who wanted to dress in the same style on stage, thus creating a future for costuming in ballet. Today, versions of the Romantic tutu are worn by current ABT corps de ballet members in Giselle.

During the1880s, the Romantic tutu was shortened as footwork became more intricate. From the cut of the Romantic tutu, the Classic tutu that is seen in Swan Lake was created. There are four versions of the Classic tutu that vary in different framing, netting, hoops, and pleats, with all tutus protruding from the hip and shorter in length. The pancake tutu is short, has a wired hoop, pleated, and has layers of tulle. The platter tutu is like the pancake tutu but has a flat top layer that is decorated instead of pleats. On the other hand, the bell tutu has layers of netting and does not have a wired hoop allowing for the tutu to fall into a bell shape. Finally, the powder-puff tutu does not have a wired hoop and has layers of netting allowing it to be more free forming. These tutus are seen in majority of classical ballets worn by female dancers.

Both the Romantic and Classic tutus have become a universal symbol to represent ballerinas. Along with their stunning designs and the ability to display complex footwork, their original intent was for female dancers to look weightless to connect with the femineity of the characters they portrayed on stage. When male dancers switched from tonnelets to vest and breeches in the hopes of matching fashion trends, they were trying to distance themselves from the connotation between long skirts and womanhood. Once this distinction was made, using gender fluid costuming became a storytelling element, as it is used in Woolf Works to focus on versality of character.

Inspired by the life and work of Virigina Woolf, Wayne McGregor’s full-length ballet, Woolf Works, does not limit costuming by gender when paying homage to the novel Orlando. Written in honor of the romance of Virginia Woolf and Vita Sackville-West, Orlando is the story of discovering one’s identity across centuries and gender.

From Orlando, McGregor created “Becomings,” during which costume designer Moritz Junge uses costuming inspired by the seventeenth century to remind the audience of internal identity being genderless. One example of this being: in the act, both male and female cast members are draped in a solid gold dress that has similar properties as the classic tutu by protruding from the hip but with a skirt that extends to the floor level further than a romantic tutu. To allow for movement the costume’s seam is backed with elastic fabric.

Additionally, as “Becomings” is performed, the cast is seen in gender androgynous costuming that includes calf level leggings and miniature tutus in solid gold fabric. The fabric of the tutu is folded on top of itself, creating its own structural support. Both types of costumes include Elizabethan style collar that are tributed to the seventeenth century. Additionally, some of the female characters in the scene wear black, platter tutus that have an addition of black sheer like fabric that is in between the length of the gold dress and a Romantic tutu.

The costume’s color gold is used as a reflective element for dancers to stand out on stage against the dark background. Ninety percent of the fabric is metal and is from a fabric manufacture based in Switzerland. This fabric stylistically complements the use of lasers throughout the ballet. These lasers are used during Woolf Works to show a change in time.

Woolf Works’s innovative costuming makes a statement on character and casting in the ballet industry. The beautiful collaboration between choreographer Wayne McGregor, costume designer Mortiz Junge, and lighting designer Lucy Carter shows how the future of ballet can explore gender identity.

The evolution of court dresses to Romantic tutus to Classic tutus for female dancers and from tonnelets to vest and breeches for male dancers is disregarded as “Becomings” in Wayne McGregor’s Woolf Works highlights the styles of the seventeenth century while using Virigina Woolf’s influence of gender androgyny.

The writer, Camron Wright, was the ABT Press Intern for Spring 2024.