Thoughts about ‘Clear’ from BSJ dancers Damir Emric, Josh Seibel and Francisco Preciado

Corella Ballet performs Stanton Welch’s Clear in Barcelona (2009)

Ballet San Jose’s upcoming Program of Premieres, opening this Friday, April 13, features an eclectic mix of classical and contemporary pieces—the most hauntingly memorable of which may be Clear, a 2001 creation by Houston Ballet Artistic Director Stanton Welch. Drawing inspiration from the events of September 11th, Clear is a male showcase in five movements described as an “abstract study of life’s connections.” It is unlike anything we have seen on BSJ’s stage in recent years.

For the last month, BSJ dancers have worked tirelessly to perfect the piece with the help of Dawn Scannell, former Ballet Mistress of Houston Ballet and stager of the piece, as well as BSJ Artistic Consultant Wes Chapman. BSJ corps de ballet dancers Damir Emric and Francisco Preciado and apprentice Josh Seibel appear frequently throughout Clear; Damir and Josh dance the duet in the second movement, and Francisco is one third of the pas de trois in the third. Damir, Francisco and Josh shared some fascinating thoughts about the work when I sat down with them during a rehearsal break last week.

Rediscovering “Splendid Isolation”: A Conversation with Maria Jacobs-Yu

Ballet San Jose Principal dancer Maria Jacobs-Yu in rehearsal for Jessica Lang's 'Splendid Isolation III.' Photo by Chris Hardy.

Choreographer Jessica Lang, a graduate of The Juilliard School and former member of Twyla Tharp’s company, THARP!, has choreographed over 75 works  for ballet companies across the country. Ballet San Jose will perform  the San Francisco Bay Area premiere of Lang’s Splendid Isolation III during Program Two, the Program of Premieres that will run April 13-15.

Jessica Lang describes her pas de deux, Splendid Isolation III, as a romantic duet set to Mahler’s “Adagietto” from his 5th Symphony. The original inspiration for the creation came from the life of Gustav Mahler and his wife Alma. In their story, Mahler asked Alma to give up her career as a composer before he would marry her, so she could devote herself totally to him and support his career instead. Splendid Isolation III explores the intimacies between a man and a woman and examines the idea of giving up part of who you are for a relationship. The work focuses around the woman enveloped in a large skirt that defines the boundary between the lovers. Through the evolution of the piece, the skirt that once separated the couple becomes the object that binds them together in their splendid isolation from the world.

Based on such a rich, incredible story, it is no wonder that BSJ Principal dancer Maria Jacobs-Yu is thrilled to be dancing the principal role in this piece for BSJ’s upcoming Program of Premieres.