Ballet Under the Stars 2010

Singapore’s most popular outdoors arts event, Ballet Under The
Stars (BUTS), is back this July to bring entertaining dance performances to the audience. BUTS is an annual occasion for family outings and social gatherings, where audiences can savour a
leisurely picnic while enjoying a medley of modern and classical dance performances. The children are not forgotten, as fun activities like face painting and glitter tattooing are available for
a nominal fee.

This year, don’t miss the specially curated programme featuring an inspiring ballet lineup which includes Concerto Barocco by George Balanchine, Piano Concerto No. 2, Opus 102 by Edmund
Stripe, Don Quixote pas de deux, and the premiere of Evening at the Ritz by American choreographer Molly Lynch.
Don Quixote is a ballet with four acts, with choreography by Marius Petipa and music by Leon Minkus. Till today, this highly stylised pas de deux has since been performed countless times by
dance companies around the world.

Balanchine created Concerto Barocco to Bach’s Double Violin Concerto in D for a tour to South America in 1914, with American Ballet Caravan, one of the forerunners to the New York City Ballet. The ballet was performed as the first work on the opening evening of the New York City Ballet in 1948. Over the next 35 years, Balanchine continued to refine the ballet and constantly updated elements of it in terms of choreography and costumes. He pared down the look of the dancers, dressing them in pure white leotards and skirts to accentuate their line. The ballet is considered to be one of the most musically attuned pieces in the world and virtually flawless in
terms of choreography.

Concerto Barocco consists of two principal ballerinas with eight women who form the body of the work. A single male dancer partners the female principal dancers in an extended adagio
movement in the middle of the ballet. The third and final movements of the ballet are one of those most demanding and fast paced pieces of choreography Balanchine has ever devised.

One can watch it repeated times and always see something new. Over the years dancers’ techniques have become more sophisticated and elegant and yet still they struggle to achieve the choreographic demands of Concerto Barocco. To dance the ballet with accomplishment is a major achievement in the life of any dancer privileged enough to be cast in it.

Next is the premiere of Evening at the Ritz by American choreographer, Molly Lynch. Set in the 1920s to 1930s in a glamorous and elegant ballroom, “The Ritz”, this piece consists of a
compilation of songs by Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, and Rodgers & Hart. Stating her inspirations, Molly says “We will explore and discover the people and relationships in this setting
which includes the intrigue and interactions of these people and their entertaining antics at “Evening at the Ritz”. It is inspired by the wonderful pairing of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.”

Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers were arguably the most famous dancing partners in the 1950s, with 10 musicals together, such as Top Hat (1935), Swing Time (1936), Shall we Dance (1937)
and The Barkleys of Broadway (1949). Till today, many have regarded “Fred and “Ginger” as the most successful dance partnership.

BUTS offers the perfect ground for meeting SDT’s objective of education and outreach by offering a platform where people from all walks of life can be exposed to a range of different
dance-forms. Dance groups from local schools and tertiary institutions, as well as Youth Dancers (Singapore) will be invited to perform during the pre-show segment.

Standard Ticket: $25
Children/Student/NSmen/Senior Citizen: $15
Free admission for children below six years old