The year was 1913 and the place was Paris. Young Ballet Russe choreographer Vaslov Najinski was given a near impossible task: convey a terrifying tale of Russian folk life and ritual sacrifice to a brand new score by the now famous composer Igor Stravinsky. The score was unlike anything anyone had heard prior, so much so that the musicians would frequently stop rehearsals to point out what they thought were errors in the score. Of course this was not the case. What the musicians heard were sounds that they were unaccustomed to encountering from the orchestra. So was the way with the choreography. Highly skilled ballerinas filled the stage with feet turned inward rather than out, knees knocking and hands cupped. What was this creation that the Parisians came to see on that night in May? Love it or hate it, it was something brand new for the world to encounter.
The now infamous opening night performance which was marked by boos, hisses and patrons shouting out, “UN DOCTEUR! UN DENTISTE!” (A doctor, call a doctor! A dentist, call a dentist) has also been described as something so original, both musically and choreographically, that the dancers and musicians had no idea what it is they were performing on the stage. And how could they? Perhaps in the creation process one might have understood that this work would be new, or original, but to understand that this would be a work that would change the artistic world is implausible at best.
And so it is with The Rite. 100 years after its premiere this work has become a standard part of the orchestral canon, and has been performed by countless ballet and contemporary dance companies across the world. Not only have companies restaged the original Najinski version, but as well, numerous choreographers have created their own versions of this captivating tale, from Martha Graham to Pina Baush.
This July, Chicago Repertory Ballet’s founder Wade Schaaf will stage their new concept and choreography for The Rite in an outdoor setting on Chicago’s Montrose Harbor. Schaaf staged a version of The Rite in 2013 when CRB was in its formative years (only the second performance for the young company). Rather than re-stage the 2013 version Schaaf has re-conceptualized this ballet for the July premiere. “While I loved what I made in 2013 for the company, I have grown and changed alongside CRB and I wanted to make a version that really speaks to who we are as a company today.”, said Schaaf.
With costumes by resident designer Nathan Rohrer, lighting by Sarah Lackner, and an outdoor setting, Schaaf hopes to bring a sense of humanity and realism to their production. “I want the audience to encounter this group of people and to be able to relate to them and the situation in which they find themselves. These events, this sacrifice, should feel like something that could happen to any of us under the right set of circumstances. I’m also taking this opportunity to explore and present what this society might look like and how these people might behave without some of our current trappings about gender and sexuality.” Schaaf says that exploring gender and sexuality in ballet has become a hallmark of their work with CRB. “Ballet has traditionally been a gendered and heteronormative art from with roots in imperialism and misogyny. These aren’t ideas that I affirm. I’m working within a framework for which I have a deep love and respect to completely re-imagine the art-form. It’s time to tell stories differently so that all people might see themselves on the concert dance stage, rather than a select group.”
Catch The Rite Of Spring and Other Works July 23 - 25 at Cricket Hill on Montrose Harbor. Tickets range from pay-what-you-can seats on the lawn to premium seating at $45. Tickets are available at www.crb.dance.
*some material may be inappropriate for young children*
