Igor Stravinsky’s “Les Noces”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yi-5mugSiX4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiazdmmZF_8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-ni8XUOqdM
“Nijinska’s Les noces is considered to have feminist elements. Les noces deserts the upbeat nature of a typical wedding, and instead brings to life the restrictive nature of a woman’s duty to marry. The dark and somber set provides the backdrop to the simple costuming and rigid movements. The individuality of the dancer is stripped away in Nijinska’s choreography, therefore displaying actors on a predetermined path, as marriage was regarded as the way to maintain and grow the community. The choreography exudes symbolism as, huddled together, the women repeatedly strike the floor with their pointe shoes with rigid intensity, as if to tell the tale of their struggle and ultimate reverence. The Russian peasant culture and the dutifulness it evokes in its people is represented in Nijinska’s piece.”
i was a dance major for half of my college life. i also was a dance major in high school. basically i danced every day of my life from when i was very young until i was 21. (yes i’m counting all those dance routines to Prince songs i made up when i was 7.)
i know Les Noces is not for everyone, first of all it’s full of the typical Stravinsky dissonance and also choc-full of operatic singing in russian, second of all… it’s weird.
but there are parts in the second act that will ALWAYS make me wanna bound around the room and dance wildly when i hear it.
this tea is dark and no frills and a little dour. but just a little.
point is. i can see it sitting and steaming on the lid of stravinsky’s piano.
and i can see the Russian peasant girls brewing it before their wedding.
