Ballet Philippines welcomes guest choreographer, George
Birkadze! Currently a resident
choreographer in Festival Ballet of Providence, Birkadze is in the Philippines
to stage two of his works, “Farandole” and “R/J” for Ballet Philippines, thanks
to the efforts of dance enthusiast Norman Turner. These neo-classical pieces will be featured
in the Blue Moon Gala in September 26 and 27.
 |
| George Birkadze with Norman Turner |
“R/J” condenses the ubiquitous Romeo and Juliet love story
in a 7-minute pas de deux, which ends right before the moment Juliet awakens
from her drug-induced slumber.
“Farandole” is a group dance set to music from George Bizet’s “Carmen”,
and showcases the dancers’ athleticism and bravura with a slight Spanish flair.
·
* *
George Birkadze was
born in Tbilisi, Georgia. As a young
boy, he started taking ballet classes because he dreamed of travelling around
the world. At age 15, he received an
invitation to study at the prestigious Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow. During his stay in Moscow, he encountered the
bullies and that is why he took up martial arts – namely karate and judo.
At age 18, George has to place his dancing career on hold
for the 2-year mandatory military service for the Soviet Army. During his service period, George perfected
his martial arts skills for he was part of the Special Forces Division. Here he developed the liking for
Juijitsu. For him, it is the smoothest
way of disarming an opponent without being aggressive or violent. After his discharge from the Army, George
returned to dancing at Moscow Bolshoi Theater.
Later he joined the exclusive cast of Kremlin Ballet and travelled the
world. With the increasing tension
between Russia and his home country- Georgia, when the Soviet Union fell apart,
he decided to leave his country and further his career. He spent many years teaching dance and
choreography in Portugal, France and Spain.
Currently he is part of the Boston Ballet, Sarasota Ballet
and Rhode Island Ballet. Not only is he
a dancer on stage but he can also dance around any opponent in the MMA
field. He is a head coach of MMA and
A.M.A.C. in Belmont, MA. At present, he
resides in the US.
·
* *
The Blue Moon Gala is the second of three programs in the
Blue Moon Series, a two-week mini festival celebrating Ballet Philippines’
Sapphire milestone. For inquiries, visit
www.ballet.ph, send an email to info@ballet.ph or call Ballet Philippines at
551-1003. For tickets and reservations,
call the CCP Box Office at 8323704 or Ticketworld at 891-9999.
Photos:
(All photos used were personally taken by me during the open media rehearsal event)
 |
| George Birkadze, Margie Moran, Norman Turner and Paul Morales |
 |
| George B. with the male dancers of Ballet Philippines |
 |
| George B. with some of the female dancers of Ballet Philippines |
Walang komento:
Mag-post ng isang Komento