From May 11 through May 13, 2016, the Quartz–Scène nationale de Brest Theatre will be hosting the dancers of the Paris Opera Ballet for a series of four neoclassical ballets, all of which re-examine and question the traditional codes of dance.

From May 11 to May 13, 2016

Le Quartz-Scène nationale de Brest
Square Beethoven, 60 rue du Château
29210 Brest   

The four choreographic works in the Ratmansky/Balanchine/Robbins/Peck programme are strongly influenced by the American School. Each of them the product of a different artistic movement, they reinvent the dialogue between dance and music, emotion and motion, rupture and academicism.

As artist in residence at the American Ballet Theater, the Russian choreographer Alexei Ratmansky drew inspiration from the music of Domenico Scarlatti to create Seven Sonatas in 2009. The result is a highly poetic moment of silent dialogues.

In George Balanchine’s Duo concertant, created in 1972 to music by Igor Stravinsky, dance and music become one: a pianist and a violinist perform their impetuous score on stage next to the two dancers. The latter listen, then observe, then surrender themselves to their dance with panache.

The evening continues with Other Dances by Jerome Robbins, set to music by Frédéric Chopin. This virtuoso choreography places high demands on the dancers, but it does not prevent the accomplished performers from moving about the stage with admirable ease.

The programme closes with In Creases by Justin Peck, created in 2012 to the music Four movements for two pianos by Philip Glass. A young dancer from New York City Ballet, Justin Peck offers an energetic group ballet in which his art of movement and construction are a marvel to behold. Following in the footsteps of illustrious predecessors like Balanchine and Robbins, he transports his performers into a new form of modernity.