The Sleeping Beauty The story Ballet terms
Transcription
The Sleeping Beauty The story Ballet terms
Pacific Northwest Ballet presents: Join Princess Aurora, Prince Florimund and the rest of the kingdom every Wednesday through January 27 in The Seattle Times. What is a ballet? A ballet is a theatrical performance that communicates stories, ideas and feelings through movement and music, without the use of words. Ballet terms Adagio: A slow tempo. Choreographer: The person who composes or invents a ballet or dance, and arranges the steps. Choreography: The actual steps and patterns of a dance. Corps de ballet: A group of dancers who perform in support of soloists and leading dancers. Grand jeté: A big, traveling jump in which both legs are outstretched in the air. Pas de deux: A dance for two people. Principal: A leading dancer in the ballet company. Révérence: A bow or curtsey performed at the end of a class or a performance. Soloist: One of the ranks in a ballet company. A dancer who performs alone. Variation: A solo dance in a classical ballet. Pacific Northwest Ballet (PNB) principal dancer Mara Vinson and PNB company dancers. (Photo © Angela Sterling) The Sleeping Beauty The story “The Sleeping Beauty” is a ballet that was created in Russia in 1890 by Marius Petipa and Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Petipa choreographed the ballet and Tchaikovsky composed the music. “The Sleeping Beauty” is a collaboration of dance, music and design that continues to influence ballet today. Prologue “The Sleeping Beauty” is divided into four sections: the Prologue, Act I, Act II and Act III. (Roman numerals indicate the number of the act: I = 1, II = 2, III= 3.) These four parts of the ballet are similar to chapters in a book because they separate the sections of the story. Introducing the main characters As you read about “The Sleeping Beauty,” record what you learn about each character below: Princess Aurora King Florestan Queen Catalabutte Carabosse Lilac Fairy Prince Florimund In the fairytale court of King Florestan and his queen, a gathering has assembled to celebrate the birth of the royal Princess Aurora. Catalabutte, the master of ceremonies, greets the fairies as they arrive with gifts of beauty, temperament, purity, joy, wit, generosity and wisdom for Princess Aurora. Suddenly, the sky darkens and malevolent music announces the arrival of Carabosse, an evil fairy who had not been invited to the christening. Enraged over being left out, she attacks the terrified Catalabutte and mocks the kind fairies who have gathered together. Her gift to the infant is a curse: At the age of 16, Aurora will prick her finger on a spindle and die. But the Lilac Fairy, who has withheld her gift until now, announces that the young Aurora will instead fall into a deep sleep lasting 100 years, only to be awakened by an enthusiastic young prince with a promise of marriage. Act I Catalabutte greets the peasants who are allowed to present flowers on the occasion of Princess Aurora’s 16th birthday. An old hag enters with a spinning wheel to the horror of Catalabutte, You can find “The Sleeping Beauty’s” latest chapter location in the newspaper at seattletimes.com/nie. Newspapers In Education (NIE) provides teachers and students in the Pacific Northwest with electronic access to the newspaper, lesson plans and curricula. To register for NIE, e-mail [email protected] or call 206/652-6290. who warns her that hunting party in the forest. spindles are banned in The group dances a series the kingdom; anyone of rustic rounds before who breaks this rule will taking off for the chase, be punished. The king but the prince lingers arrives and begins to behind to enjoy his time sentence her, but the alone. The Lilac Fairy queen intercedes and and her nymphs appear. the hag is hurried away. She tells the prince of the Aurora arrives and is beautiful princess asleep in courted by four visiting the forest, awaiting the kiss dukes, who lead her in of a prince. She creates the famous Rose Adagio. a vision of Aurora, who But then Carabosse enchants the young man enters and presents the with her dance. princess with a spindle. The prince joins the Enchanted by her gift, Lilac Fairy in a journey Aurora dances joyously to the palace, where until she pricks her they find Aurora asleep. finger. The curse has One kiss, and she and been achieved. The Lilac her sleeping court are Fairy returns to prepare PNB principal dancers Kaori Nakamura and Olivier Wevers. awakened. the princess and her (Photo © Angela Sterling) court for the 100-year Act III sleep. Thick vines and foliage rise around the For the marriage of Aurora and Florimund, a grand palace to protect it from intrusion. celebration is held in the palace to which fairy tale characters are invited. They arrive bearing precious Act II jewels, and each entertains the guests with a One hundred years have passed. Prince Florimund divertissement. Aurora and Florimund affirm their of a nearby kingdom has joined his friends for a love in a grand pas de deux. The Pacific Northwest Ballet will be performing “The Sleeping Beauty” starting February 4. To learn more about these performances and the EYES ON DANCE student matinee on February 12, visit pnb.org. To find out more about this classic fairy tale, stop by your local library and check out Charles Perrault’s “The Complete Fairy Tales” or “Sleeping Beauty.” Next week: The making of “The Sleeping Beauty”
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