© Terry Gannon Smuin 'Christmas Ballet' reviews recent Smuin reviews more Renee Renouf reviews Discuss this review (Open for at least 6 months)

The Christmas Ballet is divided in two kernels; one reverential; the other contemporary and very sociable. Smuin appealed to the comfort level of his audience; he also recently included choreography by company members creditable. appropriate to this seasonal bonbon. Alas, all the pieces get danced to recordings; given the diversity, live music would add diamond-cost demands to the company budget.

Several off notes could be traced in Robert Sund’s Selva Morale; he employed sudden plies on pointe, on cue, jarring tone and theme, sticking the movement in to complete a phrase.

The projections on scrim before the Part I dancing were closeups of Renaissance angels and cherubim singing, playing instruments, all mighty soulful. Soft-hued curtains tied with gold cord marked the flies, evenly spaced at stage back, the lighting luminous, in the finale Tiffany lamp sunrise hues. The company members wore white, men Russian-type tunics, women switching from short to long skirts according to needs of a number, their hair sporting modest circlets like bristly silver tree trim.

Smuin had no compunctions in borrowing from other choreography where they suited music and theme. He drew on the Berioska signature of women walking, hands clasped, single file in formation, a practice echoed in other folk traditions. His restraint in employing it with Veni, Veni Emanuel, sung by a women’s chorus, reminded me when Smuin hit a genuine note it reverberated.

With something for everyone, two numbers were devoted to Klezmer music and quasi-Ashkenaz Jewish tradition – Licht Bensh’n and Dobra Notsch, next to The Gloucestershire Wassail blending Irish clogging and Morris dances.

Perhaps the most startling convergence of dancer, music and theme came with Placido Domingo’s singing La Virgen Lava Panales, a 2006 Smuin contribution interpeted by Matthew Linzer; Linzer possesses a body and facial profile which could belong amongst Renaissance musicians and angels. His classical qualities and height brought extra distinction.

The finale, Jauchzet Frohlocket, provided a Smuin accent to the bursts of “wonderful’, “counselor” - lifted women executing sudden supported grand jetes. Unusual to see holiday religious music as background for ballet essays, Smuin, Burke and Seiwart delivered interpretations consistent with the music.

Part II enjoyed snow falling on the scrim projection of the program title, falling off at a given signal. The numbers ranged from a tribute to San Francisco - Christmas by the Bay - to a take off on Elvis with Blue Christmas; there was a Cajun Christmas, a jazzed up version of Greensleeves, shiny red hula strips and red bras for Christmas Island, some tokens of gold digger luxe in Eartha Kitt’s rendition of Santa Baby, two smashing solos in Drummer Boy and Bells of Dublin, finishing off with Bing Crosby’s White Christmas, flakes falling on the audience as well as the dancers,with a slow curtain descent while the dancers knees to feet were displayed jiving.

Robin Cornwall shared the gold digger honors in Santa Baby with Susan Roemer and Courtney Hellebuyck. I drew Roemer, tall, blond and clearly sensual. Hellebuyck’s chance to distinguish herself came in Christmas Island, her assiduous correctness in classical technique well blended with hula knee flexes and the usual revolving hips.
 

Virtuoso pieces provide minor adrenalin rushes to the audience body and Part II contains two such: Drummer Boy which Ikolo Griffin shares with Koichi Kubo and Shannon Hurlburt. Smuin choreographed it in 1995, and while drawing comparison to David Lichine’s memorable creation for Graduation Ball, Drummer Boy’s inflections are unique to the music and this country’s rhythm. Hurlburt danced it December 19; I want to see all three exponents have a go at it.

Griffin was confined to Riu, Riu, Chiu in Part I and Baby It's Cold Outside in II; he dances Spanish with authority and seduction with tenderness. Kubo's turn came with Hurlburt's Greensleeves, new this season, a jazzy Mutt and Jeff romp with Aaron Thayer.

This is the third time seeing Shannon Hurlburt in Smuin’s Bells of Dublin, another 1995 creation, the first at San Francisco State University during an American College Dance Festival,the second at Smuin’s August memorial. From body nuance to pitos, to tapping feet encased in red-tipped white shoes, Hurlburt’s rendition is magisterial, a memorable solo.

The women in Smuin Ballet range from petite to approaching amazon, their decidedly womanly proportions trimmed by the practice of their craft. They tend to be square of shoulder, minus swan necks,qualities vetoed or sought in larger companies. Like the men, they are good troupers. Happily now are many competent male dancers, multi- cultural in ethnicity, decent in manner, versatile in style. With these components, The Smuin Ballet looks toward a hardy future for audiences wanting an uncomplicated, pleasurable evening of ballet danced by distinctive, accomplished professionals.