Pointe of Departure 8/12

Classic and modern ballet highlight POINTE OF DEPARTURE at Cain Park

When the Cleveland Browns snuck out of town in 1995, it left a void, but three years later the team was resurrected. When the Cleveland San Jose Ballet waltzed to San Jose in 2000, another void was left in the city’s psyche.

Unfortunately, there has been no resurrection, so the city is left with no professional ballet company.

The void is sometimes filled when Dance Cleveland brings in a touring company whose specialty is classic dance, but that doesn’t provide a consistent diet for ballet aficionados.

Locals had hoped that, due to their strong local ties, former Cleveland Ballet wunderkinds, Karen Gabay and Raymond Rodriguez, would make Cleveland the permanent home for Pointe of Departure, their small nonprofit ballet company, and grow it into a local treasure.

Point of Departure originated here in 1998 as a collaboration between violinist Lev Polyakin, Assistant Concert Master for the Cleveland Orchestra, and Gabay. After sold-out performances at the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Cleveland Institute of Art, the collaboration got a name and a mission. It’s purpose is to “erase the stereotypical antiquated image of classical ballet and launch it into the 22^nd century as an art form in demand!”

Though still “based” in Cleveland, the company appears in other venues, performing locally once a year. Next week, for example, they will be bringing their repertoire to the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts in the California south bay area. That performance will feature 16 Ballet San Jose dancers in contrast to the eight who recently performed at Cain Park.

The Cain Park concert consisted of seven pieces, four of which were Gabay’s choreography. The rest were “after Petipa.”

Marius Petipa was a French ballet teacher and choreographer who is considered the most influential ballet master of all time. Many of his creations are used as the basis for other choreographers to stage works “anew.” These are traditionally listed in dance programs as “after Petipa.”

Gabay’s own pieces were the highlights of the program.

The evening started with a delightful Z BLUES, in which Rodriguez spent most of the number dancing with his feet in the air as he stood on his head, in white face, while Gabay attempted to be the classic female tutu-costumed ballerina. The short piece delighted the audience as the duo proved that even though they are past their prime as featured dancers, they can still grab, hold, and delight an audience.

The rest of the first act were classical after Petipa selections. There was generally a lack of variety in the prescribed movements, making for little visual variance.

The young dancers sometime seemed overwhelmed by the complexity and required precision of the choreography. A late entrance, shallow pointe work, difficulty in freezing moves, uncertain lifts, and lack of confidence were sometimes evident. The most accomplished selection, LE CORSIRE, featured dynamic and talented Jing Zhang and proficient, high flying Damir Emric. The lovely Amy Marie Briones handled her role in Black Swan Pas De Deux with proficiency and appeal.

The second act, dedicated to modern balletic and contemporary dance pieces, was highlighted by RUSSIAN BLUE, in which the entire company displayed free form movement, well fitted to their skill levels, resulting in a dynamic connection to the audience.

Gabay and handsome gym toned Maykel Solas, combined to present a sensual selection which was both titillating and satisfying.

The wonderful live violin interpretations by Lev Polyakin and pianist Elizabeth DiMio were a highlight of the evening.

Capsule judgement: Cleveland needs a resident ballet company. Though not world class, Pointe of Departure would be a wonderful permanent addition to the local scene. It can only be wished that Gabay and her company will find the desire and financing to make their home here, permanent. For information about the company go to: www.pointofdeparture.com

Side note: Dennis Nahat, who served as the long time artistic director of the Cleveland Ballet and later the Cleveland San Jose Ballet, was dismissed as the Ballet San Jose’s artistic director earlier this year.

Dance, dance and more dance (Pointe of Departure, Verb Ballets)

Dance, dance and more dance!

The area has had a healthy dose of dance in the last couple of weeks, with more to come. Since the past programs aren’t going to be repeated, here are some quick comments about each and then some previews of what’s next.

POINTE OF DEPARTURE

On July 31, POINTE OF DEPARTURE, Karen Gabay and Raymond Rodriguez’s ballet company, took center stage at Cain Park. The duo, the former wunderkinds of the Cleveland San Jose Ballet, are local favorites. Several years ago they returned to the area for a summer concert with the promise of forming a permanent ballet company. Such a corps is needed as local companies are basically modern and contemporary groups.

The program, which was a series of duets, was danced to recorded music, and was well balanced as the classics blended with more modern pieces. The highlights included a delightful opening (COPPELIA, EXCERPT FROM ACT II) staring Gabay and Rodriguez. Also appealing was NUTCRACKER, GRANDE PAS DE DEUX, ACT II. Jing Zhang was lovely and the dynamic, high flying Damir Emric, displayed compelling stage presence. RAYMONDA, PAS DE DEUX AND VARIATIONS, ACT III, which showcased Gabay and the exciting Ramon Moreno, was another program highpoint. NUTCRACKER, SNOW PAS DE DEUX, ACT I, was exquisitely performed by Zhang and Emric.

The women dancers were generally good, the males with the exception of Moreno and Emric, were weak, doing more posing and walking then dancing.

Capsule judgement: The area needs a ballet company. It’s too bad the economy won’t support making POINTE OF DEPARTURE a local fixture.


VERB BALLETS

On August 7, the stage of Cain Park lit up with the reinvigorated Verb Ballets. Having reorganized itself, adding new performers, and expanding its repertoire, the company took another forward step, though there were a few glitches.

The program opened with what appeared to be the under rehearsed URBAN STUDY, a mirror of the gritty and cold atmosphere of NYC, as choreographed by Ginger Thatcher. The unit timing was generally off, and the hand and body angles of dancers often not in sync. The highlight was a duet section performed by Brian Murphy and Jennifer Moll Safonovs.

ELEGIAC SONG, a Heinz Poll piece, as restaged by Jan Startzman, was a “wow” selection, with choreography perfectly matching the plaintive tones of Shostakovich’s music. Jennifer Moll Safanovs, again shone forth. Unfortunately, newcomer Antwon Duncan, as was the case throughout the evening, was flatfooted, not precise, and showed little enthusiasm. The women were excellent and Trad Burns lighting added greatly to setting the proper mood.

Safonovs and Murphy were strong in TSCHAIKOVSKY PAS DE DEUX as choreographed by George Balanchine. The duo works well together. Their partnering is precise, their moves fully executed, their talent shining through.

LADY BE GOOD, in its world premiere, closed the program. Choreographed by Gary Pierce to the music of George Gershwin, it was a well danced piece with formality, fun and smart moves. It was a pleasant way to end the evening.

Capsule judgement: The Cain Park Verb performance was a solid program. With the exception of several male dancers, the company did an excellent job of changing moods and dance style requirements.


JOFFREY BALLET

The Blossom Festival will present ballet performances, for
the first time since the 1988 season. On August 22 and 23 The Joffrey Ballet will perform four signature works, accompanied by the Cleveland Orchestra. Place: Blossom Music Center, 1145 W Steels
Corners Rd., Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44223. For tickets: (330) 920-8040 or
www.ticketmaster.com.


DANCING WHEELS

On August 20, Dancing Wheels, will perform at Cain Park. The company is the first modern dance ensemble to integrate professional stand-up and sit-down (wheelchair) dancers. . For tickets call 216-371-3000.


DANCE SHOWCASE AT PLAYHOUSE SQUARE

Playhouse Square presents its seventh annual Dance Showcase on Friday, September 11 at 7 p.m. in the Ohio Theatre. Featuring eight of Northeast Ohio ’s professional dance companies, the performance highlights a wide array of dance styles from contemporary to ballet.

The companies performing are Antaeus Dance, Dance/Theater Collective, The Dancing Wheels Company, Foreground Dance, Inlet Dance Theatre, Ohio Dance Theater, Travesty Dance Group and Verb Ballets.

For tickets call 216-241-6000 or go to www.playhousesquare.org.

Pointe of Departure (Cain Park)

Is Pointe of Departure the answer to the area’s ballet void?

With the apparent demise of Ohio Ballet, the Cleveland area is left without a major ballet company. Yes, there is Ohio Ballet Theatre, Denise Gula’s Oberlin based group, but it mainly performs in Lorain County, though it is expanding into the Cuyahoga County area, and has only a small company of dancers.

A void exists. Can that void be filled by Pointe of Departure?

Pointe of Departure, which originated in 1998 as a collaboration between Lev Polyakin, Karen Gabay and Raymond Rodriguez, recently performed at Cain Park to a fair-sized house. The program notes state, “The future of the company is to expand the length of the season and to offer more performances throughout the year.” It can only be hoped that this is true.

Gabay and Rodriguez are best known as the wunderkinds of the now-departed Cleveland-San Jose Ballet. For years, their local performances were met with critical and public adulation The duo still performs with the company which now makes San Jose its home. They are getting rather old to continue to dance full time, and their emotional fan base is in the Cleveland area, so it is an obvious place for the duo to put down their choreographic and teaching roots.

Making the company into a permanent resident company will take lots of money. With corporations abandoning the local area, some of the financial fund raising base is gone. However, if the county commissioners’ proposed cigarette tax is enacted, and some local donors, who gave heavily to the previous professional company, can be convinced that this group will not lavishly over spend, like the previous artistic director did, then the purse strings may loosen.

Pointe of Departure, as it is presently constituted, is not a world class, nor even a high-level dance company. Since it performs only sporadically, the dancers have little time to meld together. This was obvious in their Cain Park performance, where uneven timing of corps movements was the general case. In addition, the professional dance level of the performers is also questionable. Yes, Gabay and Rodriguez were superb, especially in their pas-de-deux ‘MOON REFLECTION OVER CRYSTAL SPRING,’ which got a spontaneous and well-deserved screaming standing ovation, but there was weakness among the others.

The women, especially lovely and sprightly Jim Zhang, DeAnn Petrushke and Erena Ishii, were quite good; but the males were generally weak. Travis Walker, though rather stone-faced, was the most consistent of the gentlemen. He performed some fine jumps, did a good job of partnering and had an air of confidence. Jurijs Safanovs performed a competent Zorba-inspired segment, but was awkward in other roles. Peter Kozak seems comfortable with the contemporary moves, but was lacking in the classical segments. Maximo Califano was all affect, feigning hand movements and facial expressions and doing a great deal of posing, but was short on partnering skills and dance style.

Karen Gabay has good choreographic instincts. Her ‘HOORAY FOR HOLLYWOOD,’ though a little long, had many highlight segments. Rodriguez and Gabay’s ‘NAPOLI’ staging was innovative.

With strong modern and contemporary companies, such as Verb Ballets, Groundworks and Inlet Dance that segment of the local dance scene seems well covered. It will be interesting to see what develops on the classical dance scene. Hopefully, Pointe of Departure, or some similar group, will come along and fill the void. It would be a shame that an area with such a strong arts reputation should be lacking in this performance area.

Point of Departure --6/1/2004

POINTE OF DEPARTURE makes a positive point!

The Cleveland area has many fine dance companies such as Groundworks and Verb. What is missing, since the departure of Cleveland/San Jose Ballet is a fine ballet company. But, some might respond, there are the Ohio Ballet and Ohio Dance Theatre. Unfortunately, Ohio Ballet has proven to be inconsistent and there does not appear to be much hope that in the near future there will be much change in that status. Ohio Dance Theatre, Denise Gula’s Oberlin based group, does a nice job for a small company with limited resources, but, it doesn’t produce world class productions.

Fortunately for the area, each summer former CSJB wunderkinds Karen Gabay and Raymond Rodriguez return to the area to give a limited number of performances by their Point of Departure company. This year the local season is limited to three outings, the just completed two performances at the Cleveland Play House and an August 5 night at Cain Park’s outdoor theatre.

As it again proved in its Play House programs, it’s really a shame the company can’t be in residence here all year long. The program was excellent!

Pointe of Departure has four things going for it. First and foremost, is the wonderfully creative choreography and fine-tuned directing of Karen Gabay. Second is the dancing of Rodriguez. Third is the dancing of Gabay. And fourth is the female corps de ballet.

Gabay’s choreography, much like the person, is full of energy, a sense of delight and an eye on precision. Her dancers are almost always in sync. The movements fit the musical tones and textures. Her story ideas are clear. Her dancers tend to know what to do and how to achieve the end result.

Though Rodriguez is getting a little long-in-the-tooth by dancer’s criteria, and his once razor thin body has thickened up a bit, he hasn’t lost a bit of his talent. He out-danced every male on the stage in the recent performances, some of whom were half his age. His secret is not only his dancing, but his attitude and understanding that emotions must be felt, not acted. It is a lesson that someone like Maximo Califano could well learn. Califano is tall, dark and handsome. He danced the lead in several numbers. He seems to have good dancing instincts, but his execution is sloppy, he feigns feelings, and lacks body control. His leaps often end with him off-balance. His hands flop around never completing a movement with finality. His eyes never show intensity or glee, as is fitting certain segments of dance. He feigns feelings rather than feeling them.

Gabay still moves like a feather and shows total glee in being before an audience.

The female corps are all fine. It’s hard to pick out one to highlight as they all performed well. Special nods go to Christine Schwaner for her performance in “Abrazo” and “A Vision in White,” and Catharine Grow in “Blues.”

On the other hand, the males are inconsistent. Jekyns Pelaez does an excellent job in his leaps, but is inconsistent in his timing. Demetrius King is a strong dancer and conveys the correct attitudes, but is also inconsistent in his dance interpretations. Ramon Moreno dances well in “Trabada,” he failed to convey to appropriate sensuality need.

“Gare Du Midi” centers on riders waiting for a train in a station. Leonard Bernstein’s music, “Divertimento for Orchestra” contains a melange of musical sounds including the waltz, samba, turkey trot, blues and march. The choreography perfectly matched the musical sounds. Highlight segments included “Sphinxes,” “Mazurka,” and “Turkey Trot.”

“Pas de Deux from Swan Lake, Act II featured Alexsandra Meijer as Odette, the Swan Queen and Maximo Califano as the Prince. Meijer dances well, but she failed to compel the audience to watch her. Much of the problem centered on her stoic attitude which lacked the necessary vulnerability and enchantment of the character.

“2-2 Tango” was again Gabay at her choreographic best. She took the audience through ten different emotional levels, all based on tango music. Highlight segments included “Sentado” which again proved that as dancers and partners Gabay and Rodriguez still have it! Their “Mordida” was another highlight segment. Gabay, along with Patricia Perez and Christine Schwaner performed excellent toe-work in “Cordia.”

The delightful jazz induced “The Other Side of the Road” completed the evening. Again Rodriguez sparkled. Every segment of the Gabay choreographed piece was unique and well executed.

The final curtain was greeted by a deserved standing ovation by the near capacity audience. Interestingly, there were no sets, the music was recorded and the costumes minimal but fine. As Pointe of Departure proved, it doesn’t take gimmicks to produce wonderful dance.

It would be wonderful if Pointe Of Departure could become a year long community fixture. With the right benefactor or series of benefactors that could become a reality.

Some person or persons or group needs to step forward and fund this fledgling organization. No one better deserves this support than Karen Gabay and Raymond Rodriguez. If you have a check to write, big or small, or a suggestion of who might be angel to give the area its ballet company, contact Point of Departure at 216-881-0353 or write Gabrod, Inc. at P.O. Box 719, Lakewood, OH 44107 or go on-line to www.pointeofdeparture,com.

Pointe of Departure needs your help...a commentary

Wonderful dance company, Point of Departure, needs your help!

With the demise of The Cleveland-San Jose Ballet several years ago, the area was left without a major ballet company. This is a major missing link in the arts chain of excellent in Greater Cleveland. The Cleveland Symphony and Cleveland Museum of Art symphony have international reputations. The Playhouse Square area is renowned for its theatres. The Cleveland Play House is the oldest theatre of its type in the country. The Great Lakes Theatre Festival is in the midst of a wondrous rebirth. The Cleveland Opera and many smaller theatres such as Dobama and Cleveland Public Theatre have given the area a solid performance reputation. Without a ballet company, however, Cleveland can’t be considered a complete arts center.

The two wonders of the CSJB, dancers Karen Gabay and Raymond Rodriguez, Clevelanders by choice, want to do something about filling the void. There is a love affair between Gabay, Rodriguez and Cleveland ballet audiences. We have seen them grow from wunderkindts to mature dancers and Gabay into a creative choreographer. This was clearly seen at their recent appearance at Cain Park. The applause was great. In the talk-back following the program, accolades from the audience pored forth.

Point of Departure is what the area needs. So, what’s the problem? The answer: $$$$$$. Without money the company can’t exist.

Point of Departure been living on a subsistence since it was conceived. Dancers are jobbed-in. They want to come here and run a complete season. The area has a fine reputation and Gabay and Rodriguez reek from talent, drive and dedication. Why can’t the company get the likes of $45,000 to stage shows like that done at Cain Park? They aren’t extravagant. They don’t throw money around like the CSJB did. They perform without sets and a culled-down production staff, yet the productions are glorious.

Where have the CSJB donors gone? Why aren’t local businesses giving the needed funds? Why has no local production venue offered their home to Point of Departure? Yes, there is a recession going on. Yes, companies have left the area. Yes, all of the arts organizations need funds as was displayed by the number of theatres last year who had to cut their seasons short and the disappearance altogether of the Berea Summer Theatre and the Halle Theatre at the Jewish Community Center. But, there are still very wealthy people around and very productive companies. Average folks can help by giving small donations, but that’s not enough.

The window of opportunity for Pointe of Departure is closing fast. Gabay and Rodriguez are near the end of the their dance careers. They will move on to other activities if the local area doesn’t come through. This is not a threat, it’s real. They each want to settle down someplace and produce their art. If it is not here, and they get funding elsewhere, they will go elsewhere and do their thing. It will be this area’s lose.

Some person or persons or group needs to step forward and fund this fledgling organization. No one better deserves this support than Karen Gabay and Raymond Rodriguez, the co-artistic directors of Point of Departure. If you have a check to write, a suggestion of who might be the angel to give the area its ballet company, contact Point of Departure at 216-881-0353 or write Gabrod, Inc. at P.O. Box 719, Lakewood, OH 44107 or go on-line to www.pointeofdeparture,com.

Point of Departure--2003 (Cain Park)

POINT OF DEPARTURE deserves standing “O”

Most local dance lovers know Karen Gabay as the long-time premiere female dancer with the Cleveland San Jose Ballet. Few realize, however, that she is also a very creative and talented choreographer. As her dance career comes to its climax she has segued into the role of dancer-choreographer. She is proficient in both roles.

She, along with her long-time talented partner, Raymond Rodriquez, followed the local dancers to California when financial problems, poor artistic choices, and a changing economy forced the CSJ Ballet to void its Cleveland ties. The duo loves the audiences in this area. They wanted to return and form their own company. Entitled Point of Departure the three year-old fledgling group is seeking financial means to create the kind of company that will again make Cleveland proud of its ballet tradition.

Point of Departure’s latest performance was staged at Cain Park. A near capacity audience was on it’s feet at the conclusion, applauding and screaming. The standing O was deserved as they had just seen a fine evening of dance.

This is not to say the performances were flawless. The ensemble, because of financial constraints, had only eight rehearsals to polish their dancing. Even making this more difficult was that Gabay had created “The Other Side of the Road.” a lengthy piece specifically for Rodriquez. It had its world premiere at this appearance. All of this led to some uncertainty at times. This did not, however, take away from the over-all wonder of the program.

Gabay’s “Nouveau Flamenco” danced to the music of Ottmar Liebert, found the cast in traditional flamenco costumes. Consisting of interesting couplings, often each pair doing different moves at the same time, the choreography showed creativity. The dancers executed stylized Spanish movements which nicely paralleled the moods of the guitar music. Gabay featured each of the dancers as soloists. The individual dancing and partnering were fine, but they were slightly off-sync when everyone was required to move as a unit.

“Meditation,” was a pas de deux displaying the fine partnering abilities of Rodriquez and Gabay. This was a selection using classical movements with modern overtones. The couple’s hand and arm use and their synchronization was superb. The dancers were accompanied by the excellent live piano fingering by Carolyn Warner and the fine bowmanship of violinist Lev Polyakin.

Sayaka Tai and Ivan Bielik were featured in the Pas de Deux from ‘DON QUIXOTE.’ After a mechanical start the duo’s confidence increased and shined brightly in their featured solo segments. Tai’s toe work and Bielik’s circle leaps were excellent.

Danced to a series of musical selections from Polyakin’s new jazz recording “The Other Side of the Road,” the ballet by the same name gave the youthful forty-something Rodriquez a chance to display his multi-talented abilities in classical ballet, modern dance, soft shoe, swing-dance, and theatrical movement. Gaby’s talent as a creative choreographer was showcased throughout. “Feast or Famine” which featured Rodriquez in a kick-line routine with four women was cheered loudly by the audience. He partnered effectively with Christine Schwaner in a pas de deux. Gabay and Rodriquez delighted as an exercise class duo in “Running out of Time.” The program’s highlight was the concluding segment. The entire company displayed fine style and message development in a reenactment of dancers trying out for a theatrical chorus line, portraying “Life is an Audition.”

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT: The Pointe of Departure company deserves financial and audience support to keep giving the area their high level of dance performance. Their recent Cain Park presentation showed again the quality and talent of Gabay and Rodriquez, not only as dancers, but as co-artistic directors.