There
probably wasn’t a dry eye at the final performance of Rochester City Ballet’s
spring season, but the overall feeling was upbeat. The company’s April 26
concert, at Canandaigua Academy, began with a video tribute to Timothy M.
Draper. Beautifully composed by videographer Timothy Leverett (for example, an
inspiring photo of Draper at work appeared onscreen just as we heard the word
“hero” in “Wind Beneath My Wings”), it moved from obituary to filmed
history of the school and company. With personal reminiscences, stunning
performance shots, and pictures of Draper and his dancers winning major
international awards, the memorial ended by addressing Draper directly:
“So tonight, in loving tribute to you, we dance.”
They danced thrillingly. They were
mostly adolescents and high school kids, but in performance, they looked like
finely trained, artistically polished artists — the best ballet company in
this region. Even jaded ballet experts have expressed enthusiastic admiration
for what Draper achieved with his dancers. Now the challenge is to build on and
advance that achievement.
Recovering from the shock and
tragedy of losing their young founder, teacher, and director, the company has
plans to do more than just continue. Those plans include expanding into a new
school; adding a performance of Cinderella
in addition to their current collaboration with the Rochester Philharmonic
Orchestra (The Nutcracker); and the
pursuit of new ballets, like the quirky Correspondence,
by acclaimed choreographer Robert LaFosse, which they danced with élan on this
program.
A national search is in the works
for a new artistic director, but their acting director, Jamey Leverett, is a
priceless asset. She is not only responsible for continuing the company’s
superbly rehearsed, homogeneous style and technique, as well as its gracious
performance sense; she is also an unusually gifted in-house choreographer. Her
two sophisticated, modern ballet pieces that opened the concert are a delight.
Leverett is also co-choreographer and stager of the company’s classic
repertoire, like the impressive Firebird that ended the program. I hope RCB can find (and afford) an established artist
to help them grow, but not at the cost of losing Draper’s main protégée, Ms.
Leverett.
Most of RCB’s young, local stars are
now dancing in some of the world’s greatest ballet companies (American Ballet
Theatre, New York City Ballet, The Joffrey Ballet, etc.). That Draper’s local
phenomenon continues was evident in the noticeable growth of many of the
company’s remaining young artists. Jim Nowakowski and Jonathan Davidson have
visibly matured, both physically and stylistically, just since The Nutcracker in December. And Hayley
Meier assumed the prima ballerina roles, especially as the
“Firebird,” with all the panache of her predecessors. Tim would be
proud.
This article appears in Apr 30 – May 6, 2003.
