STUDY GUIDE AMERICAN INGENUITY

STUDY GUIDE AMERICAN INGENUITY Ballet: Artifact Suite Choreographer: William Forsythe Dancer(s): Artists of Pennsylvania Ballet Photo: Alexander Iziliaev Image provided courtesy of Pennsylvania Ballet 0

What s inside? Information for Teachers... 2-4 Before We Begin... 5-8 Welcome to American Ingenuity... 9-16 You Try It: Activities... 17-22 Appendices... 23-26 1

Information for teachers 2

American Ingenuity: Learning Objectives Students who attend the performance and utilize the study guide will be able to: Describe and demonstrate straight, curved and angled shapes as they relate to dance; Define and discuss the concept of ingenuity as it applies to choreography and life; Describe at least one of the works on the American Ingenuity program through words or pictures; Demonstrate appropriate audience behavior. American Ingenuity: 117.106. Music, Elementary TEKS Addressed (5) Historical and cultural relevance. The student examines music in relation to history and cultures. 117.205. Dance, Middle School (4) Historical and cultural relevance. The student demonstrates an understanding of cultural, historical, and artistic diversity. 127.3. Exploring Careers, Middle School (1) The student explores personal interests and aptitudes as they relate to education and career planning 114.22. Languages Other Than English Levels I and II (4) Comparisons. The student develops insight into the nature of language and culture by comparing the student's own language and culture to another. 117.205. Dance, Middle School 3

(5) Critical evaluation and response. The student makes informed personal judgments about dance and the meaning and role of dance in society. 117.306. Dance, High School (5) Critical evaluation and response. The student makes informed personal judgments about dance and the meaning and role of dance in society. 4

Before the Performance 5

ATTENDING A BALLET PERFORMANCE Going to see a ballet performance is the SAME as going to a movie: The lights dim before the performance begins and the theater stays dark during the ballet. Audience members are expected to stay quietly in their seats during the performance. Audience members may NOT take any pictures or video during the performance. This is distracting to the dancers and other audience members, AND American Ingenuity is copyrighted artistic material. All cell phones and other electronic devices should be powered OFF as soon as you enter the theater. Going to see a ballet performance is DIFFERENT than going to a movie: Ballet is performed live. The dancers can see and react to the audience! Audience members can show the dancers when they appreciate their performance! If something is funny, you can laugh! If the dancers are doing a great job, then you can clap! At the end of the show, the dancers all bow. This is called a curtain call. If you really loved the show, you can give the dancers a standing ovation to show that you appreciate their hard work! School clothes are appropriate, but some people like to dress up for ballet performances. Just make sure you are comfortable. Photos by Cameron Durham 6

Ingenuity in America What is Ingenuity? Ingenuity is the quality of being clever, original, and innovative. Let s meet some people whose ingenuity has changed their lives and others! Dr. José Hernández-Rebollar Dr. Robollar was born in Puebla, Mexico in 1969. He came to the US in 1998 as a Fulbright Scholar. He attended George Washington University where was receive 8 Ph.Ds. Dr. Robollar is most noted for his invention of the AcceleGlove. This machine translates the American Sign Language into spoken and written words. Dr. Robollar says his invention is driven by his desire to help others live fuller lives. Mikaila Ulmer What makes Mikaila s lemonade different from others is her recipe. Her special recipe calls from fresh and organic lemons, mint leaves, and flaxseed which she sources locally from Austin farmers. Her honey comes from local beekeepers that use sustainable farming methods to keep the bees safe and healthy. Mikaila s unique lemonade recipe is a healthy alternative to soda and other sugary beverages. Steve Jobs Steve Jobs was an American entrepreneur and inventor. He was most well known as being the co-founder of Apple. He began his electronics career as a video game designer with Atari. Mr. Jobs and his co-founder, Steve Wozniak, later started Apple Computers in 1976. Apple was the most innovative computer of its time due to its design, cheaper price, and everyday accessibility for its customers. Critical Thinking and Writing Opportunity: Talk with a partner or small group about what makes each of these creations ingenious (clever, original and innovative). In at least 5 sentences, summarize your findings. 7

What Ingenious Ideas Do YOU Have? Do you have an idea to make the world a safer, easier place to live? Step One: Identify a problem. Step Two: Brainstorm a solution on your own or with a friend. Step Three: Draw or write about your solution in the space below. 8

WELCOME TO AMERICAN INGENUITY! 9

AMERICAN INGENUITY Houston Ballet s American Ingenuity program features the work of three distinct and important 20th century American choreographers. George Balanchine George Balanchine was born in 1904 in St. Petersburg, Russia. His training began in 1913 when he enrolled in the Imperial Theatre Ballet School in St. Petersburg. Balanchine moved to the United States in 1933 and founded the School of American Ballet in 1934. Though he was born in Russia, George Balanchine is considered the father of the American ballet style. Balanchine took his Russian Classical base and expanded, heightened, and streamlined it to fit the overall energy and speed of American dancers. He was the founding director and primary choreographer for New York City Ballet until his death in 1984. Theme and Variations World Premiere: 1947 Composer: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Costume Design: Karinska Even though he was considered the father of neo-classical ballet, George Balanchine created Theme and Variations as homage to his past and to evoke that great period in classical dancing when Russian ballet flourished with the aid of Tchaikovsky s music. Though the dancers wear traditional tutus and tunics, the only hint of Classical Era sets are chandeliers hanging. Joseph Walsh and Artists of Houston Ballet In George Balanchine s Theme and Variations Photo: Amitava Sarkar 10

Jerome Robbins Jerome Robbins is world renowned for his work as a choreographer of ballets as well as his work as a director and choreographer in theater, movies and television. Robbins was born in New York, NY in 1918. When he went to college, he studied chemistry and modern dance. Robbins decided to make his career in dance, working in musical productions and choreography for the American Ballet Theater and New York City Ballet. Throughout his career, Jerome Robbins choreographed many ballets, movies, and Broadway productions, including West Side Story & Fiddler on a Roof. Other Dances World Premiere: 1976 Composer: Frederic Chopin Costume Design: Santo Loquasto Jerome Robbins created Other Dances especially for two very famous ballet dancers, Gelsey Kirkland and Mikhail Baryshnikov. It is a pas de deux (dance for two) for a man and woman set to several short piano pieces. He made it for a fundraiser for the Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center in New York City. The choreography references one of Robbins most famous ballets, Dances at a Gathering. Gelsey Kirkland and Mikhail Baryshnikov In Jerome Robbins Other Dances 11

William Forsythe William Forsythe was born and raised in New York and received his training in Florida. Forsythe danced with the Joffrey Ballet and later the Stuttgart Ballet, where in 1976 he was appointed Resident Choreographer. Forsythe is best known for his groundbreaking contemporary dances. He has incorporated spoken word, experimental music, and elaborate art installations into many of his dance pieces. Artifact Suite World Premiere: 2004 Composers: J.S. Back and Eva Crossman-Hecht Costume Design: William Forsythe Artifact Suite is a group of dances from William Forsythe s full-length ballet Artifact (1984). Artifact is remarkable because it is an evening length work, but there is no story. It is neo-classical. For Artifact Suite, Forsythe selected duets and several group pieces that push the limits of the dancers bodies, their pointe shoes and the art form of classical ballet. Artists of Pennsylvania Ballet In William Forsythe s Artifact Suite Photo: Alexander Iziliaev 12

What Does NEO-Classical Mean? The prefix neo comes from Greek and means new. So, neo-classical ballet means a new version of ballet. Female dancers usually still wear pointe shoes, and many of the same steps exist in both classical and neo-classical ballet. In classical ballet, the dancers posture is usually upright or vertical. The shapes are usually balanced and symmetrical, and the dancers make straight shapes. The costumes and backgrounds of classical ballets are very elaborate. And classical ballets tell stories and fairy tales. Sleeping Beauty is an example of a classical ballet. In the photo below, notice the elaborate sets and traditional tutu and tunic. Connor Walsh, Sara Webb and Artists of Houston Ballet In Ben Stevenson s Sleeping Beauty Photo: Amitava Sarkar Neo-classical ballet, on the other hand, is less rigid and precise than classical ballet. In neo-classical ballet, more focus is placed on the dancing rather than the background and costumes. Dancers take their posture off of center, bending in all different directions. Shapes can be angled and asymmetrical. The backgrounds and costumes for neo-classical ballets are usually very plain and simplistic. And there is usually no story in neo-classical ballet. The objective is to focus all the attention on the technique and ability of the dancers and the shapes their bodies are making. George Balanchine is considered the father of Neo-classical ballet. Four Temperaments by George Balanchine is an example of a neo-classical ballet. In the photo below, notice that the dancers are wearing practice clothes, and there are no sets at all. Artists of Houston Ballet In George Balanchine s Four Temperaments Photo: Amitava Sarkar 13

It Takes Teamwork: There are 2 in a Pas de Deux! In ballet, a pas de deux is a dance duet in which two dancers, typically a male and a female, perform ballet steps together. When a male and female dance together and support one another, we call this partnering. All three of the ballets in American Ingenuity feature pas de deux, and they are all different! In Balanchine s Theme and Variations, we see traditional Classical Ballet partnering where the man is helping the woman stay on pointe and lifting her high in the air. Joseph Walsh and Sara Webb In Balanchine s Theme and Variations Photo: Amitava Sarkar In Robbins Other Dances, we see a combination of ballet partnering and folk dancing, so sometimes the dancers are holding hands just like you would every day. Mikhail Baryshnikov and Patricia McBride In Robbins Other Dances In Forsythe s Artifact Suite, the dancers use counterbalance, and the men and women actually pull each other off balance on purpose! They pull away from one another equally, so that neither one falls down. Artists of Pennsylvania Ballet In Forsythe s Artifact Suite Photo: Alexander Iziliaev 14

Review & Reflection 1. What does the prefix Neo mean? 2. Compare and contrast the posture, shapes, & design of sets and costume of classical and neo- classical ballet. 3. What are the differences in the use of partnering or pas de deux in the 3 ballets in American Ingenuity? *This question can be answered based on the reading or after the performance for a more detailed response* 15

Why do they wear that? Dancers, like athletes, have to wear special clothes for both practice and performance. Class and Rehearsal: In rehearsal, both boys and girls wear leotards and tights. Just like football players at the line of scrimmage, dancers need to move fast. It s best not to have lots of clothing in the way to add friction. So dancers and many other athletes wear extra tight pants to help them move faster and more clearly. Team USA Track Outfits Houston Ballet Academy in Class Photos: Cameron Durham Performances: Houston Ballet dancers wear all different kinds of costumes, depending on the ballet they are performing In classical ballets, women wear tutus, and men wear tunics. In the photo at right, the Sugar Plum Fairy is wearing a classical tutu, pointe shoes and tiara. Her Cavalier is wearing a tunic, tights and ballet slippers. Pointe shoes are satin ballet slippers that have a hard tip that allows female dancers dance on the tips of their toes. In neo-classical ballets, dancers wear all kinds of costumes. In the picture at left, the male dancer is wearing tights and ballet slippers, and the female dancer is Houston Ballet II Dancers Photo Credit: Amitava Sarkar wearing a leotard, skirt and pointe shoes. U of H Football Uniform Houston Ballet Academy Photo Credit: Cameron Durham 16

YOU TRY IT: ACTIVITIES 17

You try it: Dancing Shapes Activity Learning Outcomes By the end of this activity, student will be able to: 1) Create straight, curved and angled shapes with their own bodies; 2) Critically observe and discuss others movement choices; 3) Demonstrate the difference between classical and neo-classical ballet shapes. In dance, we divide shapes into three categories: straight, curved and angled. We can see these in the world around us, and we can make them with our bodies. Straight Curved Angled Activity 1: The Shapes Around Us 1) Teachers have your students look around your room and find straight shapes. Remember: we are not looking for geometric shapes necessarily. Anything with a straight line works. 2) Have a volunteer come to the front of the room (or the center of the circle) and make a straight shape with his/her body. Try this with a few volunteers. 3) Repeat with Curved and Angled Shapes. Activity 2: Moving Our Shapes 1) Put on some upbeat music and have the dancers move around the room. With younger dancers, you can call out gross motor skills, such as march, hop, skip, gallop. With older dancers, you can call out qualitative movements, such as float, creep, dart, slither, etc. 2) When the music stops, the dancers should stop moving. Call out a kind of shape (straight, curved or angled). If you are seeing a lot of the same shapes, encourage dancers to try different levels (low, middle, high) or different directions, or ask them to change one body part. Straight Shape Barbara Bears and Sean Kelly Photo Credit: Drew Donovan 18

Activity 3: Critical Observation & Discussion 1) When the dancers are comfortable with moving shapes. Break them into two groups, and ask them to observe one another. This is a great opportunity for critical thinking and discussion. What do they notice? What do they see? WHY do they think that? They should answer with evidence in the form of specific description. 2) NEO-CLASSICAL Extension. One group is the clay, the other the sculptor. The clay makes a straight shape with his/her body. The sculptor changes the clay s shape and makes it a neo-classical shape by creating angles, making it asymmetrical, taking it off balance, etc. This can be done by the sculptor actually touching the clay OR the sculptor can copy the clay s shape and make a change in his/her body. Activity 4: Writing Extension Curved Shape Students will write about their experience trying different shapes with their bodies. What kind of shapes felt most comfortable? Why? What kinds of shapes did they observe their classmates making? What was most interesting? Why? Angled Shape Melissa Hough in Jiri Kylian s Forgotten Land Photo: Amitava Sarkar Maria Kowroski and Craig Hall In Jorma Elo s Slice to Sharp Photo: Paul Kolnick 19

You Try It: Fantastic Feet Try making all 5 positions. Which one is hardest? 20

You Try It: All About Arms Try making all 5 positions. Can you keep your back straight while you do them? 21

You Try It: Word Search Activity American Ingenuity A Y M S F Z E R N S C E Y X S J F L B B Q P C I G K R P U W Q U W E U H P V T K A L Y D Q C U O Q D C R A J Z N M A F I O C E J O D K G S M R J X N E C B P I H M S O H Q R S K Y O C T K F T K Z H A U S O Q N T V R F L I E Y Y H D Q B H A N T K M N E T P U U V S V S X K O T T H H C F I N G R J V F L K V D N Y Z A J L Q G I N S Z E N I H C N A L A B O U J T T D V Q S Q R U D R C C S N I B B O R B D A I H A S E K B G Z A N U R A J V T M D L R L V A G E Y W N Z R I I Q P E E L I M O X D E N Z W X O H C D I Y N X B C L H G L O V Z U H Y S L T G P H M C R Q H Y X K A V E N B R H E Y T Y I D G D I X Q A O T R L O Q V L R I V H D S E K Y G S O H K G O T U S B H A Q R F A J P E H J E E Q N V X N A V X T U Y T H Q I J G G N D J C V N T T E W L L X W G T C O S U V L T O L S C L I K U M N R S C E V Z K C Z H R X M W Y B A A U E N T U T U I K E N G M P F F S Y K L E Z P Q L J I U K W Y G X O Q V A M R Y H C O M P O S E R D O B T A B P U Q C P B V J P U J Y L T W K N J W J D L H H W Y Y E T P C N O A O H I X S L D Q E P L W I T D S L P E Z S W N Q T X E Q J R K U M S L H G T H Z S F U F F D V Y R H E V N P C W G T L F F G E Z L F Q S X B S W X C P K X I I B K Q I M C E F Q K A U W C A O P K A B T A D Z H R N A Y V D G D O Z V M W L P A B Y J D BALANCHINE CHOREOGRAPHER COMPOSER COSTUMES COUNTER BALANCE CURTAIN CALL DESIGNER FORSYTHE INGENUITY PAS DE DEUX POINTE SHOE ROBBINS SETS TIARA TUNIC TUTU 22

Appendices 23

Appendix A Houston Ballet 1955-Today The mission of Houston Ballet is to inspire a lasting love and appreciation for dance through artistic excellence, exhilarating performances, innovative choreography and superb educational programs. Houston Ballet Foundation was formed in 1955 and Houston Ballet Academy, a school for nurturing talented dance students with dreams of professional dancing, was established that same year. In 1969, the professional resident company was founded drawing upon the strength of the Academy. In 1976, the Houston Ballet conducted a national and international search for an Artistic Director. Ben Stevenson, formerly director of the National Ballet of Washington D.C., Principal Dancer and Ballet Master with the London Festival Ballet, was hired and served as Artistic Director until 2003. Through his exceptional leadership and direction, Houston Ballet developed a broad repertory including both classical and contemporary works as well as an Academy with a first-rate professional training school. In 1987, the company moved into its new performing home, the magnificent Wortham Center, a facility with which few performing arts houses in the world can compare. In July 2003, the acclaimed Australian choreographer Stanton Welch assumed the leadership of Houston Ballet, America's fourth largest ballet company, as artistic director. Since his arrival, Mr. Welch has transformed Houston Ballet by raising the level of classical technique, infusing the company with new energy, drive and vision; introducing works by distinguished choreographers to the repertoire; and attracting some of the world's best coaches to Houston to work with the dancers. He has created works for such prestigious international companies as Houston Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, The Australian Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet, and Royal Danish Ballet. In 2011, Houston Ballet moved into its new home, the largest dance center in North America, Houston Ballet s Center for Dance; with over 70,000 square feet, and a bridge connecting it to the Wortham Theater. 24

Appendix b Stanton Welch, Artistic Director Mr. Welch was born in Melbourne to Marilyn Jones, O.B.E., and Garth Welch, A.M., two of Australia's most gifted dancers of the 1960s and 1970s. In 1986 he began his training at the late age of seventeen, quickly winning a scholarship to San Francisco Ballet School. In 1989 he was engaged as a dancer with The Australian Ballet, where he rose to the rank of leading soloist, performing such principal roles as Des Grieux in Sir Kenneth MacMillan's Manon, Lensky in John Cranko's Onegin, Camille in Ronald Hynd's The Merry Widow, and Alan Strang in Equus. He has also worked with internationally acclaimed choreographers such as Jiří Kylían, Nacho Duato, and Maurice Béjart. In 1990 he received his first choreographic commission from Australian Ballet, the beginning of a series of commissioned works over the next 14 years. For The Australian Ballet he has created The Three of Us (1990); Of Blessed Memory (1991), for which he was voted best new choreographer in 1992 by readers of the British magazine Dance & Dancers; Divergence (1994), which has been performed at The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and City Center in New York; full-length productions of Madame Butterfly (1995), Cinderella (1997), La Bayadere (2010), and Romeo & Juliet (2015). In 2005, Mr. Welch created a lavish new staging of The Sleeping Beauty for The Australian Ballet. Madame Butterfly has become a signature work for Mr. Welch internationally, and is in the repertoires of Houston Ballet, National Ballet of Canada, Atlanta Ballet, Singapore Dance Theatre, and Boston Ballet. In 1995, Mr. Welch was named resident choreographer of The Australian Ballet. Mr. Welch has been extremely active internationally, receiving numerous commissions from the world s leading companies. For Houston Ballet, he has choreographed Indigo (1999), Bruiser (2000), Tales of Texas (2004), Blindness (2004), Bolero (2004), Nosotros (2005), Brigade (2006), a spectacular new staging of Swan Lake (2006), The Four Seasons (2007), Punctilious (2007), The Core (2008), A Doll's House (2008), Mediæval Bæbes (2008), Marie (2009), Elements (2009), 40 (2009), La Bayadere (2010), and Zodiac and Romeo & Juliet (2015). Play by Stanton Welch- Artists of Houston Ballet Photo: Amitava Sarkar Maninyas by Stanton Welch- Artists of Houston Ballet Photo: Amitava Sarkar 25

Appendix c Glossary Act: How the story of the ballet is divided up. Similar to chapters in a book. Asymmetrical: Angled and uneven; lacking in symmetry Choreographer: The person who makes up the steps for a dance. Composer: The person who writes the music. Costumes: What the dancers wear in a ballet. Counterbalance: The use of one weight to balance another weight Curtain Call: the bow dancers take at the end of a performance. Designer: The person who decides what the costumes and sets should look like. Neo-Classical: a new version of ballet Ingenuity: The quality of being clever, original, and innovative Intermission: A break between acts that allows the dancers to rest and the audience to get up and move around. Partnering: When a male and female dance together and support one another Pas de Deux: A series of dances for a lead female and lead male dancer. Pointe Shoe: A ballet shoe with a hard tip worn by women that allows them to dance on the tips of their toes. Sets: The stage decorations that help us understand where and when a ballet takes place. Standing Ovation: A period of prolonged applause during which those in the audience rise to their feet and clap for the performers Tiara: A small crown that a female dancer wears on her head. Tunic: A long shirt worn by a male ballet dancer in classical ballets. Tutu: The costume worn by female dancers in classical ballets. It can be long or short. 26