The story of a beautiful village girl, combined with a dance that has lived through centuries, came together in downtown Buffalo for the final performance of a renowned local dance company.
Last Thursday, the Neglia Ballet Artists dance company brought the famous French ballet, Giselle, to Shea's Performing Arts Center.
Giselle is the story a girl from the Rhineland of the Middle Ages who falls in love with Duke Albrecht, a visiting nobleman disguised as a simple traveler. His arrival coincided with the village's celebration of the grape harvest, which presented many opportunities for the villagers to dance and be merry.
Eventually, the Duke's true identity was revealed to Giselle when his betrothed Bathilde pays the village a visit. When Giselle discovers the Duke is not who he says he is, she dies of a broken heart.
Act two introduced the audience to Giselle's grave; she became part of the Wilis, a sisterhood of ghosts who all have suffered the pains of unrequited love and their spirits roam the earth, trapping any men who enter the cemetery and making them dance their dance of death.
Afterward, the guilty Albrecht visited Giselle's grave to offer flowers, but the Wilis find him and begin their terminal dance, which leads the young girl to face the decision of whether to spare his life.
"I thought the show was great," said 24-year-old Cassandra Longnecker of Buffalo. "This was the first time I had ever gone to the ballet, so I wasn't exactly sure what to expect. I kind of wish there was a little more drama, though."
Longnecker went on to add she was glad that she went and thought the dancers in the company were stellar. What she thought was lacking resided in the story itself.
Giselle is categorized as a romantic ballet, which UB dance lecturer and ballet instructor Karen Georger said is most related to the historical style of dance more than anything.
"The ballet was very much a product of the 1850s; there were very strict rules as to the form of dance. Things like the length of the tutus, the length of the calf, etc.," Georger said. "But there is also that typical element of romantic ballets which deal with the idea of unrequited love."
Georger added the period was famous for showcasing a quality of dancing which is meant to present the feeling of "other-worldliness" - showing the metaphorical reach for something beyond this world through exceptional dancing.
The dancers alluded to strong themes like seduction, celebration and even magic during their performance, specifically in act two, a trait 22-year-old Alex Duringer of Buffalo enjoyed.
"I thought it was so cool that we could pick up on so many different messages of the show through dancing," Duringer said. "I studied English in college, but I really liked how you can still pick up the strong metaphors even without spoken language."
Duringer thought the show dragged in parts, but during the big dance numbers, he and his friends were vastly entertained. This seemed to be the general consensus from most of the audience in attendance that night, as well.
When it comes to creating a production like this, Georger said choreography of this stature has been passed down through generations. The style's notorious conservatism comes from its historical legacy.Every detail of production is taken into consideration and that resonated through Giselle.
Although Giselle is the final production for the Neglia Ballet Artists, those interested can visit them at their office at 1685 Elmwood Ave.
Email: arts@ubspectrum.com
