Dominic's Thoughts.

A friend of ours was just promoted to “Etoile” at Paris Opera Ballet!  Here is a video of Eleonora Abbagnato with the legendary Manuel Legris in “Rubies.”  She is so subtle and charming, it’s not an easy interrpretation to make.

She was dancing the title role of “Carmen” in Roland Petit’s version.  I met her in 2006 while in Paris to see her debut of Swan Lake.

There is also a post below of another Petit ballet called “L’Arlesienne”, she’s brilliant in that too.

Congratulations Eleonora!!

One of the best parts of what I do has to do with the fascinating people I find myself exchanging ideas with.  In part, I measure my professional satisfaction by the interest level I hold toward the people/artists I meet and create with.  A few years back I was asked to create a work for the Blaffer Gallery to works by Gabriel Kuri, now I’ve been commissioned to make a work in response to an exhibition by Geraldine Ondrizek, called The Sounds of Cells Dividing, Cellular, and Chromosome Painting. http://academic.reed.edu/art/faculty/ondrizek/ One aspect of the exhibit are sounds of human cells -some healthy, some dying- recorded through their vibrations.  This spoke to me as an example of resonance and our innate knowledge and phycological understanding of clean and healthy sound, and how we react/feel about it and it’s absence.  One of my birthday traditions is to find an Italian church to spend time in.  This year, I stumbled upon one where the organ was being tuned. It was an enormous instrument in a comparatively small church and the theme of sound’s resonance re-visited me.  It’s a little like a musical cord is searching for it’s own purpose or vocation in the world of sound, falling out of balance, then finding it’s way back on track.  It was simple experience, yet thought-provoking visit. Photos are of us creating some of the work in the gallery at U of H Clear Lake.

One of the best parts of what I do has to do with the fascinating people I find myself exchanging ideas with.  In part, I measure my professional satisfaction by the interest level I hold toward the people/artists I meet and create with.  A few years back I was asked to create a work for the Blaffer Gallery to works by Gabriel Kuri, now I’ve been commissioned to make a work in response to an exhibition by Geraldine Ondrizek, called The Sounds of Cells Dividing, Cellular, and Chromosome Painting. http://academic.reed.edu/art/faculty/ondrizek/

One aspect of the exhibit are sounds of human cells -some healthy, some dying- recorded through their vibrations.  This spoke to me as an example of resonance and our innate knowledge and phycological understanding of clean and healthy sound, and how we react/feel about it and it’s absence. 

One of my birthday traditions is to find an Italian church to spend time in.  This year, I stumbled upon one where the organ was being tuned. It was an enormous instrument in a comparatively small church and the theme of sound’s resonance re-visited me.  It’s a little like a musical cord is searching for it’s own purpose or vocation in the world of sound, falling out of balance, then finding it’s way back on track.  It was simple experience, yet thought-provoking visit.

Photos are of us creating some of the work in the gallery at U of H Clear Lake.


The Nederlands Dans Theater distributed another film last Sunday (Nov. 25) and Tuesday (27th) in theaters across the country.  It is a rare opportunity for those who cannot hop on a flight to Holland to see this amazing company in a live performance, so needless to say I’m grateful for these opportunities.  It is not easy to film dance without loosing so much of it’s essence, but the videography and editing is very thoughtfully executed. What I found profound was the impact of Kylian’s work from over 20 years ago; each choice of choreography and gesture, clearly made with a great deal of care and integrity.  I never sensed a frivolous statement or a meaningless movement, and moreover, what came across from the artists performing the works, was nothing but sincerity and devotion to the work and to their craft.  It was transcendent, poignant and purposeful.  Unfortunately, in the west, the identity of the craft is increasingly being whittled down to a perception through the eyes of a toddler.  Marketing campaigns of many companies demonstrate an incessant need to be accessible to all, rather than upholding the great mysterious esoteric beauty it intrinsically holds.  I fully understand our economic situation and the importance of keeping our companies going, but I feel more and more we are extracting it’s dignity and watering down the sophistication, as though these are the “problems” with dance.   I came away from the film uplifted, as though importance and purpose was once again bestowed on the craft through the maturity of the work and dancers. I saw the great deal of care used in each choice, and the sophisticated science accessed through their bodies.  I saw the mind at work in dynamic, free and organized ways, demonstrating rich educated skills in dancing. I felt similarly when seeing a week of performances by the Paris Opera Ballet in Chicago this summer.  I share these thoughts only to inspire research.  Humility is the flame that can reignite the motivation to continue searching on with ernest devotion.  I’m humble and motivated…

The Nederlands Dans Theater distributed another film last Sunday (Nov. 25) and Tuesday (27th) in theaters across the country.  It is a rare opportunity for those who cannot hop on a flight to Holland to see this amazing company in a live performance, so needless to say I’m grateful for these opportunities.  It is not easy to film dance without loosing so much of it’s essence, but the videography and editing is very thoughtfully executed.

What I found profound was the impact of Kylian’s work from over 20 years ago; each choice of choreography and gesture, clearly made with a great deal of care and integrity.  I never sensed a frivolous statement or a meaningless movement, and moreover, what came across from the artists performing the works, was nothing but sincerity and devotion to the work and to their craft.  It was transcendent, poignant and purposeful. 

Unfortunately, in the west, the identity of the craft is increasingly being whittled down to a perception through the eyes of a toddler.  Marketing campaigns of many companies demonstrate an incessant need to be accessible to all, rather than upholding the great mysterious esoteric beauty it intrinsically holds.  I fully understand our economic situation and the importance of keeping our companies going, but I feel more and more we are extracting it’s dignity and watering down the sophistication, as though these are the “problems” with dance.  

I came away from the film uplifted, as though importance and purpose was once again bestowed on the craft through the maturity of the work and dancers. I saw the great deal of care used in each choice, and the sophisticated science accessed through their bodies.  I saw the mind at work in dynamic, free and organized ways, demonstrating rich educated skills in dancing.

I felt similarly when seeing a week of performances by the Paris Opera Ballet in Chicago this summer.  I share these thoughts only to inspire research.  Humility is the flame that can reignite the motivation to continue searching on with ernest devotion.  I’m humble and motivated…

Ballet. I Napoletani (Stabat Mater) Photo. Amitava Sarkar

Ballet. I Napoletani (Stabat Mater)

Photo. Amitava Sarkar

This is one of my favorite images of Domenico.  There is something about his open expression that wraps up the complexity of not only the elements of the poem and musical composition of Clair de Lune, but also his vast understanding and delivery of the subtle emotional content he displays in much of his work.  Tomorrow he will perform Clair de Lune and Without Words as part of the 200 year anniversary of the Teatro di San Carlo ballet school.  I wish I could be there… The opening section of I Napoletani to the score of Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater, is my little homage to Europe’s first ballet school.  It all happens behind a black scrim with an image of the famous proscenium projected all around the scene.  I always find the spirit of San Carlo similar to the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow.  There are such abstract stories in the walls, dressing rooms and wings. Photo - Gabriella Nissen

This is one of my favorite images of Domenico.  There is something about his open expression that wraps up the complexity of not only the elements of the poem and musical composition of Clair de Lune, but also his vast understanding and delivery of the subtle emotional content he displays in much of his work. 

Tomorrow he will perform Clair de Lune and Without Words as part of the 200 year anniversary of the Teatro di San Carlo ballet school.  I wish I could be there…

The opening section of I Napoletani to the score of Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater, is my little homage to Europe’s first ballet school.  It all happens behind a black scrim with an image of the famous proscenium projected all around the scene.  I always find the spirit of San Carlo similar to the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow.  There are such abstract stories in the walls, dressing rooms and wings.

Photo - Gabriella Nissen

It will be wonderful to see how Danielle adapts to the title role in our Miller Theatre performance of Camille Claudel.

I’ve always thought she had great acting instincts, and this will certainly be an opportunity for her to utilize them. 

It’s so rewarding for me to work with this whole cast for our Miller show.  All such great artists and good people.

feeling grateful….

wonderful moments with baby Emily today…

wonderful moments with baby Emily today…

Bio-lin…It’s been years since I’ve seen this video.  I have such great memories of this trip to Mexico, working on the debut of Bio-lin and the film version, before we opened the company in 2003.  

I have always loved Mario’s esthetic of scenic design and choreographic composition wrapped in a theatrical experience that has the ability to transcend.  

It’s a gem of a piece, I hope we can do it again in the near future…

It is rare that I see a ballet and it’s interpretation by the artist, that I fantasize getting up in a moment to dance it.  This happened last week in Chicago where I saw the Paris Opera Ballet do L’Arlesienne by Roland Petit danced by the brilliant Jeremie Belingard and Isabelle Ciaravola. (this video is Eleonora Abbagnato who is divine as well).

In my opinion there are few dance/actors to the caliber of these great artists.  I felt so lucky to be there and experience the live performances.  Jeremie is my new hero.

See it if you can this week all my New York friends!

say goodbye to Bomar…

say goodbye to Bomar…