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Aladdin: A Conversation with Attila Mosolygo

junior company aladdin grand rapids ballet michigan

Learn more about Grand Rapids Ballet School Junior Company’s production of Aladdin

A Q&A with Grand Rapids Ballet’s Marketing Coordinator, Julie Lesniak

junior company aladdin grand rapids ballet michigan

Before Aladdin opens on March 13 and runs for two weekends at Peter Martin Wege Theatre, I went behind-the-scenes with choreographer, former professional dancer, and current Grand Rapids Ballet School and Junior Company Director, Attila Mosolygo. I wanted to learn more about his creative process and what audiences can expect from his production of this classic story.

Q: Attila, thanks for taking the time to answer some questions today. Is this your first time choreographing Aladdin?

A: You’re welcome. Yes, this is my first time choreographing this story myself and on the Junior Company. It’s very exciting to bring new material to the city and to our student dancers.

Q: What inspired your choice?

A: As a child, I read Aladdin and really enjoyed it. Fast forward to now and my son and daughter are big fans of the story, too. I thought it would make a great children’s ballet since it is obviously a story that is loved by many generations. My family is the perfect example.

aladdin grand rapids ballet junior company michigan

Q: What are the similarities and differences between this production of Aladdin and the Disney movie with which so many audiences are familiar?

A: Though my interpretation of the story is based on a folktale from the book One Thousand and One Nights and not the Disney movie, there are similarities. For instance, our story will have some of the same characters, but a key difference in ours is Aladdin’s mom is part of the ballet. Also, there will be not one but two genies in our version: the Genie of the Ring and the Genie of the Lamp.

Q: Who doesn’t need more magical genies in their life, right? That’s great! I hear a giant dragon will make an appearance, too. Tell us more.

A:  The dragon opens our story so he’s very important in setting the tone for the entire production which is why I’ve been working so hard to create him myself. This addition was my idea as I wanted to give a little background on the origins of the magic oil lamp. Building the dragon was a challenge, since I had never made one before. But I like a challenge as people know. There was a lot of paper, foam, and glue involved and I used vibrant colors to catch the attention of the audience right away. His character is as important as any other in the show and I know he’s going to love the applause (laughs).

aladdin grand rapids ballet school junior company michigan

Q: Wow, we are certainly excited to see him on stage! What about costumes and lighting? How will each compliment the dragon?

A: For both costumes and lighting I wanted strong, energetic colors; I want to make a big statement on stage. Costumes are designed by our costume shop manager, Ronald Altman. Once costumes are in place, we can begin designing the lighting plot, so that’s still very much a work in progress. It will be eye-catching and full of excitement, though. I can guarantee it.

aladdin grand rapids ballet junior company michigan

Q: Before you get back to work, how would you describe this production of Aladdin in one word?

A: The first word that comes to mind — or I would like audience members to think of when they see the ballet— is inspiring. The Junior Company dancers work very hard to bring my vision to life and they take my directions very seriously. For some, it is their first time performing with the group, so they have to give me their trust and be willing to try new things. Senior members of the company are wonderful role models for the new dancers as I am asking them to do things they have never done before. It makes for a very exciting creative process for everyone involved. This ballet is a great way to introduce children and adults to the wonderful world of costumes, lights, sets, props, choreography, storytelling, music, and the magic of dance. This is certainly a production full of adventure that you and your family don’t want to miss!

See the Grand Rapids Ballet School Junior Company preform Aladdin, March 13- 15 and 21-22 at Peter Martin Wege Theatre. Tickets are on sale now on Ticketmaster, our website, and our box office at 341 Ellsworth Avenue SW, or by calling 616.454.4771 x10 today.

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Love Stories: Company Dancer James Cunningham

grand rapids ballet eternal desire valentine valentine's day

Learn more about the love stories fueling the passion behind the scenes of Eternal Desire

A Q&A with Grand Rapids Ballet’s Marketing Coordinator, Julie Lesniak

 

grand rapids ballet eternal desire valentine valentine's day

Company Dancer James Cunningham and his wife Chisako Oga; photo by Jessi Petty

In the spirit of Eternal Desire, our Valentine’s Day weekend program, we thought it would be meaningful to share the love stories of some of your favorite Company dancers. Today, we’ll start with James Cunningham, who joined us in 2019. His wife, Chisako Oga, is a second soloist with Boston Ballet.

Q: Jimmy, thanks for sitting down with me today and sharing your story. Let’s start with the easy question: How did you and Chisako meet?

A: My pleasure. Chisako and I met dancing at Cincinnati Ballet. We were paired together to dance, but it took almost an entire year for me to work up the nerve to ask her out. Finally, one day in the spring, I spontaneously asked her over to my apartment for dinner, she said yes, and the rest is, well, history.

grand rapids ballet valentine valentine's day eternal desire

Photo by Peter Mueller

Q: How do your personalities balance each other?

A: We are almost total opposites, so I would say we are living proof that opposites attract. Although we challenge each other sometimes, it only helps us to grow and become more connected and build trust in the end. One of the major differences is I am introverted and she is very extroverted. I find it is easier to learn about yourself and grow when you and your partner have a healthy balance. When there is respect for these differences, it is nice to have the other person there to help you with your challenges because they understand you but they also have another helpful point of view.

Q: What does love look like to you in one word or sentence?

A: Great question. For me it’s “Forgiveness.”

Q: You’ve dated and married a dancer. What’s the best part of that relationship and what’s the most challenging?

A: The best part is easy: We understand each other’s unique passion for the art form. We are both extremely dedicated and empathize with the ups and downs of our careers.  In some ways, only a dancer knows a dancer’s struggle.  The not so best part is finding balance in your life. It’s hard to not bring work home making it easy to lose balance in your relationship and life. Also, we live in different states for the time being and this long distance poses obvious challenges. A dancer’s career is relatively short, so for us the best part and the worst part work together in a way to help us understand each other even better.

grand rapids ballet valentine valentine's day eternal desire

Photo by Peter Mueller

Q: An ideal Saturday with Chisako?

A: Sleeping in with lots of morning snuggles followed by brunch at a fun restaurant and, of course, lots of conversation over great coffee.  Then maybe a seasonal activity, preferably outdoors. If we decide to stay in, we love to cook, so we usually treat ourselves to a nice meal we prepare together starting with a cheeseboard and finishing with some sort of chocolate dessert. Then probably Netflix and chill…as long as I don’t let her browse the endless options for too long!

See James and the rest of your favorite Grand Rapids Ballet dancers in Eternal Desire, February 14-16 at Peter Martin Wege Theatre. Tickets are on sale now on Ticketmaster, our website, at our box office at 341 Ellsworth Avenue SW, or by calling 616.454.4771 x10 today. 

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Meet Helen Daigle

Helen Daigle: Staging Cold Virtues for a West Michigan Audience

A Q&A with Grand Rapids Ballet’s Marketing Director, Michael Erickson

grand rapids ballet firebird cold virtues

Helen Daigle photo by Bailee Columber

Our powerful production of Yuri Possokhov’s Firebird is just a part of of what promises to be an exceptional presentation of dance. The show also includes a world premiere from our resident choreographer, Penny Saunders, entitled Again; Artistic Director James Sofranko’s Mozart Symphony for the first time on the Peter Martin Wege Theatre stage; and Adam Hougland’s Cold Virtues. Adam is the Principle Choreographer for Louisville Ballet and Resident Choreographer for Cincinnati Ballet. He is also Artist in Residence at The Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas.

grand rapids ballet firebird cold virtues dance

Terez Dean with the full company of Smuin Ballet performing Adam Hougland’s Cold Virtues. ©Keith Sutter

Adam’s a very busy man, to say the least, and was unavailable to come to Grand Rapids until a week before opening night — this is often the case with in-demand choreographers due to previous commitments and grueling schedules. It’s also true that, regardless of their availability, many choreographers don’t restage their own work and often prefer to bring in someone with that specific skill set. That’s where Helen Daigle comes in.

After 20 seasons with Louisville Ballet, Helen retired and transitioned to the Company’s artistic staff as ballet mistress. One of her myriad responsibilities there includes working with other companies to stage productions from its extensive repertoire. And we were lucky to have her spend time in our studios perfecting Adam’s Cold Virtues on our dancers. Let’s learn more about her and her process, shall we?

Q:  Welcome to Grand Rapids Ballet, Helen. Tell our readers a little about yourself.

A:  Thank you. Sure, I started dancing at the age of seven and received my early training from Baton Rouge Ballet Theater before attending Joffrey Ballet School and The School of American Ballet in New York. My professional career started at 18 with Feld Ballets/NY and Ballet Hisapanico before joining Louisville Ballet.

Photo by Bailee Columber

Q:  Have you worked with Grand Rapids Ballet before? If not, what are you finding most surprising about the Company and its dancers?

A:  I have not had the pleasure of working here before, and it is a pleasure. The dancers are lovely and very quick to take in the material I am throwing at them every day.

Q:  So, you’re here staging Cold Virtues for our production, Firebird, opening October 18. Tell us about this rather deliciously dark work – what does it mean to you and what will the audience take away from it? Is there a “story?”

A:  This was the first Ballet Adam created new on Louisville Ballet and it truly holds a special place in my heart. It is a somewhat dark work both in lighting and mood and while it does have a narrative, I feel it is more of a journey both for the dancers and audience. Certainly the two featured women are altered by their experiences during the piece, and I think the audience will be, too.

grand rapids ballet firebird cold virtues

Photo by Bailee Columber

Q:  How do you approach the acting component. I mean, it’s one thing to teach steps, but how do you work with the dancers to pull out the emotion?

A:  I talk a lot about the energy or intent of a step. Dancers act with their whole bodies so if they feel the intent of each step then the emotion will be imbued in every step they dance.

Q:  What’s the best piece of dance advice you’ve received and from whom?

A:  John Magnus, with whom I studied at The Joffrey Ballet School, said to me: “Never bring the outside world into ballet, but always take ballet into the outside world.” I took it to mean I had permission to let everything go when I stepped into a studio and only dance and, in turn, I could dance my way through the rest of my life and that was OK, too. It’s a lovely thought, isn’t it?

Q:  It really is. We could all benefit from dancing through life a bit more, couldn’t we? Speaking of dancing through life, what’s next for you?

A:  Louisville Ballet has a triple bill October 18-19, so I start work with the stager for George Balanchine’s Serenade first thing on Monday.

For even more information on Helen’s time here, listen to her recent appearance with Artistic Director James Sofranko on WGVU Morning Show with Shelley Irwin.   

See Helen’s efforts when Cold Virtues runs as part of Firebird October 18-20 at Peter Martin Wege Theatre. For tickets, call 616.454.4771 x10 or visit grballet.com today! 

 

 

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Meet Anne Mueller

midsummer nights dream grand rapids ballet michigan dance anne mueller

Staging A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a dream come true for Anne Mueller

A Q&A with Grand Rapids Ballet’s Marketing Director, Michael Erickson

anne mueller midsummer nights dream grand rapids ballet michigan dance

Photo by Bailee Columber

A ballet company’s rehearsal schedule is complex and layered; at any given time, the dancers may be working on as many as four or five different productions. That’s why it’s not at all surprising to see Anne Mueller in Studio A staging the final production of our moving 2019-20 season, associate artistic director of  the National Ballet of Canada Christopher Stowell’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which will not open until April 24, 2020.

So, when I saw this multi-faceted and amazingly accomplished dance professional taking a rare (and short) lunch break, it seemed as good a time as any to sit down for a lightening-round Q&A to get to know her a little better.

Q: First, welcome to West Michigan. We’re so happy you’re here.

A:  Thank you. I’m loving Grand Rapids and Grand Rapids Ballet; the vibe is wonderful in both the city and the studios, which makes my job an absolute pleasure.

Anne Mueller staging Stowell;s A Midsummer Nights Dream; photo by Damion Van Slyke

Q:  Speaking of Grand Rapids Ballet, what sets a company like ours apart from others with which you’ve worked.

A:  Well, every company has a unique culture, of course, but what I’m loving here is the generosity and openness the dancers have in their work process.  They seem excited to receive and apply information, which makes the staging process fun and effective.  They are taking on their characters beautifully, which is so important in a story ballet, especially one with a fairly complex plot.

Q:  Enough about us. Tell us more about yourself.

A:  <laughs> Sure. I live in Boise, Idaho with my husband, Lars, and dog, August.  I work for Ballet Idaho as Artistic Associate, which is a fancy way of saying I spend a lot of time in the studio with the company dancers teaching class, running rehearsals, staging ballets, assisting visiting choreographers and stagers, and supporting the work of our artistic director, Garrett Anderson.  Before my current job, I was co-artistic director of The Portland Ballet, was managing director for a theatre company, and held several positions on the artistic staff of Oregon Ballet Theatre (OBT), where I also danced for 15 years.  At OBT, I worked for many years with Christopher Stowell who was artistic director there from 2003 to 2012.  Christopher brought an amazing repertoire of ballets to OBT and also choreographed a number of original works.  He and I enjoyed working together a great deal on new works, so I frequently danced in his ballets and sometimes assisted him as his choreographic assistant. I was also a co-founder of Trey McIntyre Project and danced for the company during the summers of 2005 to 2007.  I’ve staged ballets for McIntyre, Stowell, and Nicolo Fonte and have worked recently with the National Ballet of Canada as an assistant to choreographer Guillaume Côté and as a guest rehearsal assistant on The Second Detail and on Karen Kain’s Swan Lake.  

Yuka Oba-Muschiana and Steven Houser in Stowell’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream; photo by Bailee Columber

Q:  You mention the term “staging” which you’re doing for our production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Can you tell our readers what that means exactly?

A:  Of course. In terms of my work here now, I’m responsible for teaching the dancers in certain roles all of the steps that they’ll do as they portray these roles; this includes musical, spacing, and qualitative information, as well as elements of storytelling and character.  I’m tasked with re-creating the choreography in a way that’s as true to the choreographer’s intent as possible.  Sometimes small adjustments can be made to make things “fit” better with the current cast of dancers, but these changes are generally small tweaks rather than major changes.

Q:  How interesting! So in addition to teaching the actual dance steps, you’re also an acting coach. Which makes me wonder: What do you enjoy most about dance personally and professionally?

A:  At this point in my career — being almost ten years past my performing career — what I love most is connecting with dancers artistically and passing on information to them that I’ve gained throughout my journeys in dance.  I love to help them find ways to do things better and to improve. I find it very satisfying.

Q:  That’s a perfect segue to my next question: What’s the best piece of dance advice you’ve received and from whom?

A:   I’ve received a ton of great advice from many brilliant teachers and coaches through the years, but one that sticks out was, coincidentally, from Christopher Stowell. Early in my time with him, he was coaching me on Balanchine’s Duo Concertant which is one of my favorite roles; he observed I really felt my dancing in my legs rather than my upper body.  When he told me this, it shifted my thinking dramatically; in the years that followed, I enjoyed a whole new and different way of exploring movement, and it helped me grow considerably as an artist.

See Anne’s efforts when A Midsummer Night’s Dream runs April 24-26 and May 1-3 at Peter Martin Wege Theatre. For tickets, call 616.454.4771 x10 or visit grballet.com today!

 

 

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About Firebird

grand rapids ballet firebird 2019-20 season dance
firebird grand rapids ballet michigan dance

Yuka Oba-Muschiana in Yuri Possokhov’s Firebird; photo by Damion Van Slyke

 

The Firebird is a magical bird who appears in a number of Russian fairy tales and legends. Even just a feather from her tail is enough to light up a whole room. This magic bird represents the passion and inspiration that is found in many exquisite and unique Russian lacquer works of art and was the inspiration for the Russian tale, The Firebird. The story was the source for one of the most famous folklore ballets composed by Igor Stravinsky under commission from Sergei Diaghilev and his Ballets Russes. Stravinsky once said that Russian legends have as their heroes men who are “simple, naïve, sometimes even stupid, devoid of all malice, and it is they who are always victorious over characters that are clever, artful, complex, cruel and powerful.”

The ballet centers on the journey of its hero, Prince Ivan. While hunting in the forest, he strays into the magical realm of Koschei the Immortal, whose immortality is preserved by keeping his soul in a magic egg hidden in a casket. Ivan chases and captures the Firebird and is about to kill her; she begs for her life and he spares her. As a token of thanks, she offers him an enchanted feather that he can use to summon her should he be in dire need.

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San Francisco Ballet in Possokhov’s Firebird. (© Erik Tomasson)

Prince Ivan then meets thirteen princesses who are under the spell of Koschei and falls in love with one of them. The next day, Ivan confronts the magician and eventually they begin quarreling. When Koschei sends his minions after Ivan, he summons the Firebird. She intervenes, bewitching the monsters and making them dance an elaborate, energetic dance (the “Infernal Dance”).

The creatures and Koschei then fall into a deep sleep. While they sleep, the Firebird directs Ivan to a tree stump where the casket with the egg containing Koschei’s soul is hidden. Ivan destroys the egg and with the spell broken, the magical creatures that Koschei held captive are freed and the palace disappears. All of the “real” beings, including the princesses, awaken and with one final hint of the Firebird’s music, celebrate their victory.

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San Francisco Ballet in Possokhov’s Firebird. (© Erik Tomasson)

The choreographer of our production, Yuri Possokhov, took this tale from his native country and created his own version from among other variations. He changed it to include a love triangle. The Firebird loves Prince Ivan but she realizes that she should allow the Prince to be with the Princess he loves.

See beauty and strength come to life October 18-20 at Peter Martin Wege Theatre. Tickets are available online or by calling 616.454.4771 x10.

Choreography: Yuri Possokhov
Music: Igor Stravinsky
Costume & Scenic Design: Yuri Zhukov
World Premiere: February 28, 2004, Oregon Ballet Theatre, Keller Auditorium, Portland, Oregon
Grand Rapids Ballet Premiere: October 18, 2019, Peter Martin Wege Theatre, Grand Rapids, Michigan

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Meet our New Costume Shop Manager, Ronald Altman

 

Photo by Katie Aaberg

By Katie Aaberg

Meet our new costume shop manager, Ronald Altman. Originally from northern Wisconsin, he has lived and traveled all over the US and abroad. His interest in dance and costuming started almost simultaneously early in his life: In high school he developed an interest for costuming and soon after started his dance career in college. Ron went on to dance with several dance companies including, Duluth Ballet, Academy of the Tidewater Ballet, Joffrey Concert Group, North Carolina Dance Theater, St. Louis Ballet, and New York Theater Ballet. Apart from this, Ron has danced in countless guest performances across the US, and in Japan and Iceland.

In total, he danced for over 20 memorable years, all while refining and developing his costume-design skills. Unlike other performers, Ron simultaneously worked in the studio and in the costume shop. During his time as a performer he created countless costumes for short dance works and full length ballets. While in New York, he worked with costume designer Barbara Matera Ltd. to create costumes for Broadway musicals such as Beauty and the Beast, Sunset Boulevard, Damn Yankees, Carousel, Crazy for You, and A Christmas Carol.

Photo by Katie Aaberg. “I am thrilled to be working with a ballet company I have observed for years.”

He received his Masters Degree in Dance from Ohio State University and joined the faculty and staff at the University of Nebraska at Kearney in 2017. During his time in Nebraska, he worked as the costume shop manager for theater and dance, and taught costume design, costume technology, costume history, and ballet technique classes.

Ron’s unique background of both being a performer and costume designer will be valuable in the upcoming season. He states that he has “great empathy for the dancers – having been one myself – and recognize the importance of functionality in a costume. I want the dancers to feel good and comfortable in what they are wearing.” 

Welcome, Ron! We are excited to present his work to you in our upcoming season. 

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Meet Brian Enos Choreographer of Alice in Wonderland

alice in wonderland grand rapids ballet

alice in wonderland grand rapids ballet

By company dancer Connie Flachs

Brian Enos stands in the front of the studio, dressed head to toe in black. His focused gaze is directed on the three girls learning Alice, waltzing across the center of the room.

“Good, good,” he declares softly. Approaching one of them, he asks her to stretch her leg farther in the arabesque pique and turn her pirouette more quickly. He demonstrates with fluid agility and she follows his lead, moving farther and with more dynamic range after incorporating these corrections.

Enos himself is a study in contrasts. Soft-spoken but direct. Kind but demanding. Even his succinctly styled mohawk hair is the opposite of what one would expect from a ballet choreographer. In essence, this makes him the perfect choice to choreograph Grand Rapids Ballet’s production of the classic story Alice in Wonderland, returning May 3-5 and 10-11, 2019, after it’s triumphant 2017 premiere.

Enos’ choreographic style draws on classical ballet technique, but the steps you will see on stage are a far cry from Swan Lake. The Mad Hatter and March Hare tango, the Cheshire Cat slinks jazzily across the floor, the White Rabbit spins neurotically with ferocious abandon. The score arranged by Brendan Vincent keeps with this fresh and modern feel. The story is taken out of the Victorian age and into a more abstract, timeless place. While the production has elements of the Disney version and is assuredly family-friendly, the ballet is modernized and complex.

Enos began his conception of the production by reading the original Lewis Carroll story. Despite the story’s original reception as “sheer nonsense,” Carroll’s puzzling world has persevered over time, appealing to both children and adults alike. Enos determined the ballet would follow the book more closely than the movie, incorporating some of the darker elements of the story and keeping with his sensibilities as a person.

Originally from San Francisco, Brian began studying ballet at 16. After his training at the Maria Vegh Ballet Centre and Houston Ballet Academy, he joined Houston Ballet at 18. He went on to dance for the acclaimed Hubbard Street Dance Chicago for eight years, before retiring from the stage in 2010. He is currently the artistic director of The Big Muddy Dance Company in St. Louis, Missouri.

Don’t be late for this very important date! Get your tickets to Alice in Wonderland today.

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Meet Alice in Wonderland Visual Artist, LUIS GRANÉ

grand rapids ballet alice in wonderland michigan dance

LUIS GRANÉ: MEET THE VISUAL ARTIST BRINGING OUR WONDERLAND TO LIFE

Born in Argentina, Luis Grané studied medicine and worked in a human anatomy laboratory at Buenos Aires University before studying ine arts and graphic design. Following his true passion, Grané moved irst to London where he worked in advertising for almost four years, and then to Mexico, where he worked in visual arts and advertising and became strongly influenced by Mesoamerican Art.

Grané then moved to Toronto, where he won the Dick Friesen/Zlatko Grigic Award for Excellence in Animation at Sheridan College in 1996, and was recruited by DreamWorks Animation SKG. This meant relocating to Los Angeles, where he worked as an animator, visual effects artist, and character designer for DreamWorks, Pixar, Disney, Laika, Sony Pictures, Aardman, and Warner Brothers.

His credits include films as diverse as The Prince of Egypt, Spirit, Spiderman 2 (Academy Award Winner for Best Visual Effects), The Matrix, The Aviator, Ratatouille (Academy Award Winner for Best Animated Feature), Hotel Transylvania, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and The Boxtrolls. He has also collaborated with numerous renowned directors such as Sam Raimi and Richard Linklater.

While pursuing his career in Hollywood, Grané attended Peter Liashkov’s painting workshops for two years and studied painting with Bonita Helmer at Otis College of Art. Grané’s original work as an independent artist has been featured in group exhibits at the Pozzi Gallery in Buenos Aires, the Cartoon Museum in London, and the Enisen Gallery in Los Angeles, and worldwide as part of the Sketchtravel Book art project.

His work was also selected as the cover of the Totoro Forest Project book, an artistic venture that gathered prominent artists from around the world to save a forest in Japan. Grané currently works in his studio in the Arts District in Downtown Los Angeles and recently published his first solo book, Sad Stories.

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Meet Ellida Wangel from Val Caniparoli’s Ibsen’s House

extremely close grand rapids ballet michigan
extremely close grand rapids ballet michigan

Connie Flachs as Ellida Wangel in Val Caniparoli’s Ibsen’s House. Photo by James Sofranko.

By company dancer Connie Flachs

We continue our series of introductions to the famously strong female characters of playwright Henrik Ibsen that appear in Val Caniparoli’s Ibsen’s House in Extremely Close April 12-14 at Peter Martin Wege Theatre.

Here we are introduced to Ellida Wangel from his 1888 five-act play, Lady from the Sea.

Lady From The Sea diverges slightly from Ibsen’s general attachment to realism, including some folklore and fantasy. Indeed, the story is based on the same tale Hans Christian Anderson derived The Little Mermaid from. The text explores craving and desire and the battle between ego and self in reconciling what one has with what one wants. Unlike many of the women we will meet who leave their husbands, turn away from convention, or regret their lifelong devotion to society’s norms, the free spirit of Ellida eventually chooses to remain with her kind and honest husband, Dr. Wangel.

You are greeted at the Wangel residence with streaming rays of sun and the warm air of summer. You’ve rarely visited in the past: There isn’t much to do here in this small town but admire the flowers that dot the hills.

“We are so glad you’ve come!” Dr. Wangel greets you, welcoming and earnest as always. “Ellida (played by company dancer Connie Flachs) has really been in a terrible state as of late. I hope an old friend can bring my wife back to high spirits. She’ll be right along, she’s just nearly finished her daily bathing.”

Sure enough, a few minutes pass and Ellida wanders up the hill, her hair drying in the breeze, still damp from her ritual swim in the inlet.

You’ve always been a bit jealous of Ellida. Most call her strange, wild even, especially in this provincial area. Yet, you envy the aura of mystery she carries with her and her freedom of spirit.

“Ellida, my dear. It’s lovely to see you, and on such a beautiful day!”

“Lovely. Nothing has seemed lovely to me for a while now.” Her eyes drift over the garden gate, out to the ocean.

You’re a bit taken aback, but the Doctor had warned you she’d been suffering as of late.

“What has been bothering you?” You ask tentatively.

“I am tormented. Oh, my dear friend, it’s terrible! There is so little to keep me busy here in this stifling town. I long for the sea and for that strange, American sailor (played by company dancer Matt Wenckowski) I met long ago. Do you remember how I spoke of him? I told you of our romance right after it occurred. A passion like I had never know, flowing and crashing like the waves of the ocean.”

“But why does it torment you so? I see it as romantic, the young love of two free spirits-”

“You do not understand.” Ellida says, standing and pacing the garden restlessly. “I have no desire to think of this man. I want him out of my mind. I have a wonderful, devoted husband here and duties to his girls. But the obsession infests me, worms its way inside not just my brain but my body.”

“What can you possibly mean by that? Ellida, you’ve always been known to speak of things more intensely than most, but no memory can alter one’s physical being!”

“My son. My son that I lost so quickly. The son of Dr. Wangel and myself. He had… He had…” She swallows hard, composing herself. “He had the stranger’s eyes.”

You feel any envy of Ellida’s mystique receding, leaving with the tide. Instead, a true picture of her torment emerges, just like the boat cutting through the fog on the horizon.

“It’s him!” Ellida screams, noticing the boat. “The sailor is on that ship, I’m sure of it.”

“What—what will you do?” You ask, at a loss.

“I must speak to Dr. Wangel at once. I must talk with the stranger free from any obligations. I know I want to stay here. All of my logic tells me I should. Staying is convenient, sensible, right. But my body has a terrible attraction towards the sea… And I cannot choose freely between the two if I am anchored still to the doctor.”

She exits in a frenzy. You are left to sit with your own struggle between reason and feeling. Because of course, Ellida is mad. That sailor could not have given his eyes to her son. And she would be crazy to throw away the security of her life on this island to be with a man she knows only from memory. But, more deeply, below the logical rationalizing of your brain, you feel how she yearns for freedom to speak with this stranger. Ellida, when you were close to her in your youth, was never one to avoid the ocean on the days when the water was choppy. She would test the water for herself. Here, in her safe, secure life, she has been landlocked. The Doctor must unmoor her if he can ever hope for her to float back to choose a life on dry land.

For tickets to Extremely Close, call 616.454.4771 x10 or tap or click here.

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Meet Mrs. Alving from Val Caniparoli’s Ibsen’s House

grand rapids ballet extremely close michigan
grand rapids ballet extremely close michigan

Alexandra Meister-Upleger as Mrs. Alving in Val Caniparoli’s Ibsen’s House; photo by James Sofranko

By company dancer Connie Flachs

We continue our series of introductions to the famously strong female characters of playwright Henrik Ibsen that appear in Val Caniparoli’s Ibsen’s House in Extremely Close April 12-14 at Peter Martin Wege Theatre.

Next, we meet Mrs. Helen Alving from the 1881 three-act play Ghosts which premiered in Chicago, Illinois.

Like many of Ibsen’s plays, Ghosts was the subject of great controversy, especially because of its inclusion of sensitive topics including religion, venereal disease, and infidelity. While Nora in A Doll’s House deals with breaking the standing moral code, Ghosts illuminates the tragic consequences of conforming.

You’ve journeyed a long way out of town to call upon Mrs. Alving (played by company dancer Alexandra Meister-Upleger), and nothing about her home lends a sense of ease after your extended travels. There is a chill in the air and the cold rain soaks through your overcoat as you hurry down the path to the front door.

You’re welcomed in by Regina—the young maid Mrs. Alving has always treated as a member of her own family. As you warm your hands by the fire, Mrs. Alving arrives, her image wearier than your memory of her: The lines around her mouth are deeply creased and a droop interferes with the proud posture of her youth. She is the portrait of a woman who has spent years holding herself together.

She places a book in your hand: It is not a text you would ever be caught reading.

“I admire your curiosity and thirst for information, Mrs. Alving, but really, I couldn’t possibly read a piece of literature that deals with—”

“Now, I know that Pastor Manders would never approve,” she interjects, “But I’ve found all sorts of information in this tome that I resonate with…”

She carries on talking about the radical novel, but you find yourself distracted by the smile dancing on her lips as she refers to Pastor Manders. It was rumored they were quite fond of each other and that she fled to him for refuge from her tumultuous marriage to the Captain, who is now deceased. But prior to his death, their son, Oswald (played by company dancer Isaac Aoki), was born and she and the Captain moved out here and the rumors were quelled.

“Oh! Oswald is doing beautifully!” She proclaims with a positivity that seems out of place in this dreary estate. “You should see the latest painting he’s been working on; it’s just wonder—”

She seems to have lost her voice, as well as her cheery air; Oswald is an artist who is now suffering due to the sins of his father.

“I have to tell you,” she whispers hoarsely. “All is not well. Oswald is contaminated. He’s been so tired, listless, since he’s returned home from abroad. He can’t work on his art. His joy for life has been infected. His doctor told him there is no chance of recovery. I tried so hard to save him, to keep him away from the influence of his degenerate father. I spent my life covering up my husbands’ infidelities and loose affairs. I had heard the talk of—was Nora her name?—the vile rumors about that woman who left her family. People would have spoken of me that way! I had to maintain order, uphold the law of my marriage, protect my son and our family’s reputation.”

“You chose nobility,” you offer, attempting to assuage her obvious distress.

“I chose cowardice,” Mrs. Alving refutes. “And for what? Devotion to duty did not result in devotion from my Captain.  Now, Oswald has the sickness.  This is my last chance to be brave.  I must choose whether to hold my son to the duty of life or to help him towards freedom.”

A silence falls between the two of you. Is she hinting at the unspeakable?  You’re not quite sure you understand her. You don’t know what to say.

“And now, I must ask you to take your leave. Regina will escort you back to town. Oswald, come say goodbye to our guest!”

Regina and Oswald appear at the staircase. For a moment, standing in the gloomy shadows of the hallway, their resemblance is striking. Regina steps out of the darkness with your jacket; she seems eager for you to leave.

“Goodbye Mrs. Alving, Oswald,” you nod to the mother and son who stand on the stoop, waving to you. You take one last look at the eerie estate, and when you turn back for a final wave the two have vanished.

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