JAMES SEWELL BALLET -- Saint Mary's University Page Theatre Professional Series

Three dances.

KLEZMER DANCES
music: Giora Feidman
choreography: James Sewell
lighting: Kevin A. Jones
costumes: Amy B. Kaufman
dancers: Penelope French, Brittany Fridenstine, Chris Hannon, Justin Leaf, Nicolas Lincoln, Sally Rousse, James Sewell, Emily Tyra

A beautiful piece. Innovative choreography that blended so nicely with the unique music and the gorgeous costumes. Easily the best number of the evening.


BRAHMS DUET
choreography: Sally Rousse (in collaboration with Mariusz Olszewski)
music: Johannes Brahms (Piano Concerto No.1 in D Minor)
dancers: Sally Rousse, Mariusz Olszewski
lighting: Kevin A. Jones
costumes: George Tachet

The words I hear from nearly everyone are, "I could have done without this one."

There was nothing particularly wrong with it, but it didn't seem to move anyone. It wasn't tremendously beautiful or touching. I got no sense of storyline. It was just a dance to a typical, slow, Brahms duet.

I could have done without this one.


GUY NOIR: THE BALLET
characters created by: Garrison Keillor
storline: James Sewell and Sally Rousse
narration: Garrison Keillor
choreography: James Sewell
dancers: James Sewell, Emily tyra, Justin Leaf, Penelope Freeh, Nicolas Lincoln, Brittany Fridenstine, Sally Rousse
music: Richard Dworsky and The Guy's All Star Shoe Band, Chopin, E.H. Hagen, Horace Silver, Billy Strahorn
lighting: Kevin A. Jones
costumes: Mary Hansmeyer
properties: Kevin Jones, Mary Hansmeyer

This was the reason we were here. We wanted to see the Guy Noir ballet. It was ambitious, with moments of wonderful creativity, humor, and exellent dance, but over-all it lacked a cohesive focus. Sometimes I thought people were just wandering around the stage for no reason, distracting from what was going on elsewhere.

This particular performance was riddled with prop problems, but that aside, I felt that the storyline needed more of Sewell as Guy Noir dancing, and less attempt at establishing a plot.

This had/has potential, but perhaps it needs an outsider's eye to let Sewell and Rousse know how to fix it.