On Saturday, October 15th, I took a journey into a world of majestic wonder. Chandeliers. Ornately decorated ceilings. Seats enclosed in crimson velvet. An immense stage laid out before me. These are the elements of a fine theater, such as the Citizens Bank Opera House in Boston – the location of the Boston Ballet’s new show, My Obsession, which I went to see on that very October day. This particular performance was a compilation of four quite different ballet pieces, some of which were Balanchinean renditions and others that were fairly new. Overall, this show is “…a mixed bill that explores obsessions and devotions – to gods, lovers, music, and each other” (Mikka Nissinen). While there were elements about each piece that sparked my interest, the two performances that specifically stood out to me were the more contemporary works, “Tsukiyo” and “DEVIL’S/eye.” As a dancer who values connection and musicality, there was something about these two pieces that greatly peaked my interest and made My Obsession that much more meaningful to me as a spectator.
I have always held a special place in my heart for pas de deux. There is so much raw emotion evoked when two dancers connect onstage, and the nature of a duet puts this genuine connection at the forefront. Such deep emotional intertwining between two dancers is what made “Tsukiyo” my favorite piece of the performance. Created by Helen Pickett for the Boston Ballet in 2009, this pas de deux has its roots in the Japanese fable, “The Woodcutter’s Daughter.” According to Thea Singer from the Boston Globe, “The dance is a paean to romantic mystery, each partner sensing the other first through sheer chemistry, later by touch.” This particular performance of “Tsukiyo” was danced by Tyson Clark and Madysen Felber, who are both artist-level dancers in the Boston Ballet company.
The dance started out with a young woman waking up in front of a large moonlike window. Smoke filled the stage to enhance a sense of mystery and godliness – something supernatural and beyond human existence. As the woman began to wake up, she used intricate hand, wrist, and arm movements, as if she was discovering her body and form for the first time. While exploring her movement, this spritely figure met a man, who cautiously walked over to her from across the stage. The chemistry between them was crystal clear, despite the fact that they were not even touching one another yet. They were both quite timid, but they finally got enough courage to begin making physical contact with one another, and so, little by little, they started to dance and rely on each other for movement and exploration. As the two beings became more and more connected, they began to further discover their own movement. The man and woman found trust in one another, and this trust was shown physically through the constant sculpture of their bodies as they danced across the stage. The woman’s develope in arabesque was particularly beautiful, and these extensions made this human sculpture that much more lively. There were moments when one dancer would take control of the other, but they would always come back together in union afterwards.
This pas de deux was set to the song, “Spiegel im Spiegel” by Avro Part. The simplicity of this piano-based song allowed for the emotional connection of the dancers to come to the forefront. The dancers, during the silence between the notes, filled the space with their movement and connection to one another – leaving something meaningful and awe-worthy on the stage long after the dance was finished. The costumes were also quite simplistic, with the man in a loose, brown muscle shirt and pants and the woman in a white leotard with a short skirt. Such choice of costuming showed off their lines and movement as the two forms intermingled with one another. Thus, stripped of excessive music and costumes, a great sense of mystery and supernaturality took center stage, making this performance equally moving and memorable.
The other piece from My Obsession that greatly peaked my interest was “DEVIL’S/eye,” a contemporary ballet dance to a compilation of songs by The Rolling Stones. Choreographed by Stephen Galloway, the work first debuted fairly recently, in March of 2022. In the words of Galloway himself, this is “…a ballet about joy, relationships…all of the things we experience on a daily basis.” As a spectator to this production, I found it to be quite relatable and real. Oftentimes, when watching ballet, I feel distanced. The particularity and precision of each movement makes it amazing and beautiful to watch, but such precision does not necessarily mimic the movement of the reality of our lives. Life is messy. It is unexpected. Nothing is perfectly placed. That is exactly the attitude depicted in “DEVIL’S/eye.” These are songs to which everyone can relate, and the movement of the dancers was freeing as opposed to choreographically placed. Such is the movement of life.
It was outwardly noticeable that the dancers were having such a good time. They were able to let their bodies free through grooves improvised by their own selves. This positive attitude the dancers evoked while performing was contagious, and as an audience member, I could not help but move in my seat to the music. As a dancer who grew up in a competition setting as opposed to going to a ballet school, I would interpret the choreography to these songs in a quite different manner. However, the unlikely way Galloway interpreted the choreography to this classic rock music made it that much more intriguing and exciting for me to watch. Such varying choreographic choices showed me that music can be interpreted in so many different ways. That is what makes dance so special. It moves with the mind and body of the choreographer and the dancer, which explains why no two people dance exactly the same.
Overall, My Obsession was an experience that will stick with me for a long time. As a dancer always yearning to open myself up to new kinds of movement and style, this show was a window into the great wide world of variation that dance offers. Art truly manifests in many forms, and My Obsession is just the tip of this iceberg.