Understanding of Dance: The Little Ballet

Understanding of Dance

The Little Ballet was indeed a perfect little thing as danced. This was such an understated and fluent and bravura performance that the dance was hard to imagine anyone dancing the role considering the fact that the role was played by Mikhail Baryshnikov, while Elaine Kudo and three other dancers in a sweet-tempered, fluid work that makes subtle allusions. The style each dancer’s movements were very graceful, soft and controlled.
Baryshnikov was dressed in business casual clothing with white socks. Kudo and the rest of the ballerinas were dressed in cocktail dresses with pointe shoes and hair in a bun. The ballerinas were gracefully in the background as Baryshnikov and Kudo danced. The music would change the tone and harmony with the dancers every movement. There props used was candles, long drapes and a screen in the background. The lighting was dim colors as red, blue, and pink.
Baryshnikov was outstanding dancer in The Little Ballet, his technique was very impressive. Baryshnikov is trying to win Elaine Kudo’s love. He dances with her so passionately but she ignored him all throughout the performance. Kudo would leave the stage as Baryshnikov would express his feelings with his dance movements. The three ballerinas would come and dance around Baryshnikov and Kudo as the couple danced, as sign that they were met to be together. The dancers were dancing on and flat stage. Kudo was basically just seen right through Baryshnikov dancing and his feelings toward her. The expression on Baryshnikov was as he was so in love with Kudo he was embarrassed that she didn’t want anything to do with him. The dance attracted my attention on how Kudo was a strong independent women and how she didn’t just give into Baryshnikov love for her.
The choreography of the performance was to understand that Baryshnikov was in love Kudo and how she didn’t love him back. Yet she is making him do all he can to prove his love for her. I think the choreography of the performance was very interesting on how the leading dancers were the main focus of the whole dance. The choreographer also wanted to have a different feel and outlook on the whole performance, by having the type of props, set pieces, lighting and costumes.
The Little Ballet is a performance about love and passion so the choreographer was showing how you can so your emotion and expression through your movements. The overall shape of the performance was very entertaining and a great piece to watch and really feel the emotion of the dancer’s emotions.