At its premiere in 1942, Agnes de Mille’s Rodeo was one of the first ballets set in the Wild West and the first to be danced by one of the most prestigious companies of its time – the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. The ballet is distinctive right down to the pronunciation of its name. To dancers and urbanites it is roh-DAY-oh, even if the real West would pronounce it ROH-dee-oh. The unique pronunciation has stuck ever since the ballet was first performed; the foreign dancers liked the name to sound fancy and foreign. However one pronounces it, Ballet British Columbia’s production of Rodeo is guaranteed to deliver both comedy and romance, through an energetic combination of ballet, tap, and square dancing. Ballet British Columbia will bring Rodeo to The Banff Centre’s Eric Harvie Theatre on Saturday, October 6.
Ballet British Columbia’s artistic director John Alleyne describes Rodeo as “charismatic and unabashedly theatrical”. Agnes de Mille’s most beloved and frequently presented ballet, Rodeo tells the story of a tomboyish cowgirl hopelessly in love with the head wrangler at the Burnt Ranch. On rodeo day, the dusty, pants-wearing cowgirl realizes the only way to beat the other girls at their own game and win the wrangler’s heart is by dressing like a ‘lady’. Rodeo’s world famous score was written by Aaron Copland and features the now well-known square dance tune Hoe-Down. The ballet’s popularity led to the creation of the musical theatre sensation Oklahoma!.
Ballet British Columbia is consistently acknowledged by audiences, critics, and the artistic community as an innovative, creative, and risk-taking company. Respected for their performances regionally, nationally, and internationally, the company has developed a bold and sophisticated signature performance style. Ballet British Columbia consists of 18 classically trained ballet dancers chosen for their power, strength, and dramatic performance style.
Ballet British Columbia’s October 6 program will also include Balanchine’s classical piece Allegro Brillante, set to the music of Tchaikovsky and Lar Lubovitch’s modern work Elemental Brubeck, set to the music of jazz great Dave Brubeck.
The Banff Centre’s fall 2007 Playbill Series continues with Daredevil Opera Company Cirkus Inferno (October 12), Harry Manx (October 14), Tri-Continental (October 17), The Barra MacNeils 20th Anniversary Tour (October 22), and Strunz & Farah (October 26).
Tickets for all Banff Centre events are available through The Banff Centre Box Office: 1-800-413-8368 or 403-762-6301.
For a high resolution, downloadable photo of Ballet British Columbia Rodeo
http://www.banffcentre.ca/media_room/images/playbill/
For more information on the fall 2007 Playbill Series:
http://www.banffcentre.ca/events/playbill/
