Rather, he encourages them to rip loose and expand themselves Ratmansky does not dominate hisĭancers, squeezing them, à la Balanchine, into geometric shapes and impersonal Locked in step with the artists in his midst. Watching his ballets, the impression is of a choreographer Making it a celebration of robust physicality, the ballet dancer's Ratmansky, for one, is reinvigorating classical dance by The cult of the choreographer has tended to diminishĭancers in status and size, making them subservient to the act of creation. Innovators whose undisputed talents early on usurped the supremacy of dancersĪs ballet's main attraction. Russian choreographers who left their mark on 20th century ballet, were TheĪforementioned Fokine together with Vaslav Nijinsky and George Balanchine, (Photo: Rosalie O'Connor)Ĭhoreographer, usually male, has ruled supreme. Misty Copeland and Marcelo Gomes in Firebird. Masterfully conducted by music director Ormsby Wilkins, adding to the palpable Of “Go Misty!” collided with Stravinsky’s vigorous poly-rhythmic score, Winged her way to centre stage the 3,800 seat theatre erupted in cheers. Had again given her top-billing in one of his ballets. Performance had been sold out weeks in advance and largely because Ratmansky Copeland’s popularity with audiences is such that her May 18 matinee The Misty Copeland Barbie Doll, released on May 2 andĭepicting the dancer in her Firebird role, is only the latest manifestation Her appointment came a year ago, in June, and she is today a popĬulture figure. In the 75-year history of ABT, one of the world’s leading classical danceĬompanies. Principal ballerina, the first African-American female to achieve such a status Since then, as is now well known, Copeland has risen to the rank of

Ratmansky plucked her from virtual obscurity to dance the world premiere of Firebird in 2012. Muscularly curvaceous body seemed an impediment to career advancement until

Percussive pointe work pecked and pawed and her expressive porte de brasįluttered and unfurled in an amazing display of bodily acting that brought theĪmong the first to champion Copeland, an African-American ballerina whose Partnered by the wonderfully assured andĪttentive Marcelo Gomes, Copeland’s explosive performance flew upwards onĪir-borne jumps and galvanic leaps that seemed as supernatural as the magicalīird at the heart of this most vivid retelling of the Russian fairy tale. Technique that propelled the dancer forward through a series of searing shapes Dressed in aĬherry bomb red unitard and a plumed headdress of different coloured feathers,Ĭopeland attacked Alexei Ratmansky’s incisive choreography with an incendiary True to her billing, she burned up the stage.

Most popular ballerina in the land right now, and one of only a handful to haveīecome a household name even among non-balletomanes, reprised her lead role in Firebird at The Metropolitan Opera House in New

Firebird by Misty Copeland