Ballet 422, directed by Jody Lee Lipes, opens in New York at the Film Society of Lincoln Center, and the Landmark Sunshine Cinema, on Friday, February 6th, 2015.
Have you ever wondered how a ballet gets created, the costumes get designed, the timing is mastered, and the pointe shoes get sewn on?
Ballet 422, transports you backstage to the making of the New York City 422nd ballet, “Paz de la Jolla,” set to the musical composition by Bohuslav Martinu from 1950, “Sinfonietta La Jolla.”
Founded in 1948, the NYC Ballet staffs a full orchestra, costume shop, lighting department, production crew and 91 full time dancers. 25 year old, Justin Peck, has been a member of the NYC Ballet since 2007, and was commissioned to choreograph the only new ballet in the 2013 winter season, with only 2 months to prepare.
Justin Peck: “My whole process of choreography is based on the music exposing the details, the complexities, and the textures of the orchestra."
Observe the elite principal dancers (Sterling Hyltin, Tiler Peck, and Amar Ramasar), practice their:
Pas de Chat’s (‘the step of the cat’ The dancer jumps sideways, and while in mid-air, bends both legs up (two retirés) bringing the feet up as high as possible, with knees apart),
Grand Jete’s (a split in the air),
Pas de trois (a dance by three dancers),
Passe’s (placing or passing the working foot near the knee of the supporting leg. When passing by the knee, the foot passes from front to back or back to front and then may slide down the supporting leg to the floor or transition into a position such as arabesque or attitude),
Arabesque’s (A body position in which a dancer stands on one leg (the supporting leg) with the other leg (the working leg) turned out and extended behind the body, with both legs held straight),
and
Assemble’s (A jump that lands on two feet).
Two months, two weeks, one week, as the premiere of “Paz de la Jolla” draws closer, the film reflects back on all the hard work and practice rehearsals that it took to lead up to the big night.
How will it be received?
Heavenly!
One World Cinema
ABELLA Sharon 
