Tuesday, January 26 at 7:30 p.m., Fine Arts Center Concert Hall, Chamber Seating
$40, $35, $20; Five College, GCC and 17 & under $15, $12, $10
Dada Masilo has become one of the most celebrated choreographers in South Africa, renowned for her reworking of classical ballets. In this creation of Swan Lake, her company of male and female African dancers revisit this great classic with a modern scope, keeping Tchaikovsky’s music, themes, tutus and pointes intact but weaving high-energy, down-to-earth South African pantsula and gumboot into the mix. Re-imagining this ballet through a South African lens, Masilo tackles the issues of sex, gender and homophobia in a country confronting the impact of AIDS on its people. Partial nudity. Recommended for ages 14 and up.
Audience members are invited for a pre-concert talk at 6:30 p.m. in the Concert Hall lobby, and to stay for a post-performance talk with the company immediately following the performance.
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I thought this was a masterpiece of ingenuity, wit, deep political commentary, personal story intertwined with some of the most masterful dance/choreography I’ve seen. Each dancer, unique and powerful, was able to master a fusion of classical ballet, African dance, and modern in a way that kept my head spinning and my heart open. It was phenomenal and I wrote last night to all my New York City friends urging them to see Swan Lake when it comes soon to the Joyce Theatre. Congratulations on bringing them to UMass. Truly a gift to our community to have them here (and thanks also for a great talk-back with a wise and insightful UMass dance professor and the articulate Dada and company.
Last night’s performance of Dada Masilo’s performance was so incredible that I needed to reach down and check if my socks were still on or if they had been knocked off! The creative reinterpretation of not only this ballet, but ballet as an art form was inspiring. Who knew that African dance and classical ballet could be integrated so seamlessly? Thank you FAC for bringing yet another world-class performance to the Pioneer Valley.
Over 35 years, I have seen dozens of dance performances here at the FAC, in NYC and Boston, but Dada Masilo’s Swan Lake has inspired me to write my first comment. Just AWESOME. The opposites in this Swan Lake are reinterpreted in many new ways. A male was the only dancer on pointe, and I found the juxtaposition of two dance traditions in the choreography magnificent. The movements of the dancers made the performance feel like crossing tradition with contemporary popular dance.
My daughter and I attended last night’s show. We were welcomed upon arrival by the terrific FAC helpers, and enjoyed the pre-show talk. The performance was really a treat, and connected us politically, emotionally and viscerally to Dada’s expression of Swan lake. Dada, you are one of the greats- the world truly needs you and your troupe. Thanks and blessings to you.
This performance was absolutely amazing. Someone during the Q&A pointed out that it was all about breaking boundaries and I agree – race, gender, genre, class, even emotions. From what little I know about Tchaikovsky I think he would love it too. This “Swan Lake” is both intelligent and very very sensuous. Thank you Dada Masilo, dancers, and UMass!
First comes the familiar music of Swan Lake, and then the dancers come on stage, dancing with their backs to the audience. And what beautiful backs they are, with their arms and back muscles moving like wings, and lo, the male dancers are wearing tutus!
Those tutus were to really shake throughout the piece! This was the start of a beautifully different Swan Lake. I was moved to tears at the closing dance. Thank you Dada and your dancers!
Dada Masco’s Swan Lake. Breathtaking! Fantastic! This is why we subscribe. Thanks for bringing this extraordinary company to Amherst.
Very unique twist on standard! Not your typical Ballet, I would hesitate to recommend this performance to others.
This was one of the most unique, outstanding, and aesthetically beautiful performances I have had the privilege to experience in a long time. There were moments when I was moved to tears and moments for laughter.The director /choreographer Dada Masilo is a genius and she should be recognized as such . Who would have thought of juxtaposing Classic South African dance with European Classical Ballet only a genius could!
With such high crowd energy during the standing ovation, I am still absorbing the wondrous experience of Dada Masilo’s Swan Lake. The playful look at the classic piece in the beginning invited fresh eyes to open and later take in the beautiful complexity of human relationships and community. The troupe poignantly represented the pain of rejection and death. The depth of expression was incredible- throughout I felt a connection to each individual dancer’s story and to the whole as well. Truly a soul-filled, sensory experience. Bravo!!
A pleasure to have been witness to this brave, bold, and beautiful show! It really pushes the envelope in our understanding of ballet, dance, cultural traditions, love, marriage, race, and gender. I have been thinking about it long and hard since the showing. There is so much more to know, learn, and understand.
I was transfixed by the seamless visual blending of classical and traditional dance, black and white, male and female. Swans have never been so beautiful. This was a true love story. Thank you FAC.
Dada Masilo’s Swan Lake adaptation was a provocative masterpiece. By radically breaking every boundary of traditional ballet she inspired creativity.
My husband and I have seen Swan Lake performed many times by men & women. I must say this was one of the most breathtaking performances. It was as if time stood still during their rendition of the ballet. I was brought to tears at the end of the ballet.
Act 2, 5. Siegfried and Odile
Did anyone notice Odile’s shadow when dancing for Siegfried? The shadow appeared as if it was the body of a russian ballet’s archetypal female lead; I cried. Dada Masilo’s Swan Lake was the most poignant presentation of tradition, gender, and sexuality I’ve seen in any context. It was accessible to everyone, but constantly tugged on our familiar notions of dance, love, and life. I only wish that everyone in the world could see it.