Comments on 'Ballet 422'

We saw 'Ballet 422' Friday afternoon at the Film Society of Lincoln Center's Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center -- a classy venue with a nice 'take-out' cafe, Indie, and $9.00 tickets for seniors -- $3.00 less than the nearby multiplex.

Poster for 'Ballet 422'

'Ballet 422' is a documentary film about the making of Justin Peck's 'Paz de la Jolla' -- the 422nd ballet created for New York City Ballet -- which premiered during the 2013 Winter season.  Unlike many documentaries, it does not use either voice over narration or on-camera interviews.  A few stark chapter headings let the audience know where we are in the timeline to the premiere which starts two months before the opening night.

At the time, Justin was still a relative choreographic neophyte.  His ballets 'Year of the Rabbit' (October, 2012) and 'In Creases' (July, 2012) preceded 'Paz de la Jolla' into the Company's repertory.  At 25, Justin was still a member of the Company's corps de ballet.

Justin Peck working on 'Paz de la Jolla' in the studio.  Photo: still from 'Ballet 422' by Jody Lee Lipes

'Ballet 422' simply watches as Justin goes through the days leading up to the premiere.  For his music he has selected 'Sinfonietta la Jolla' by Bohuslav Martinu a score for small orchestra and piano soloist from 1950 which was commissioned by a small musical group from La Jolla, CA, a suburb of San Diego -- where Justin grew up.  The selection of the music seems to lead to the ballet's design -- the beach at La Jolla in 1950.

Justin is working with a cast of 18 -- three principals (Sterling Hyltin, Tiler Peck, and Amar Ramasar), 10 corps women and 5 corps men.  The thematic idea of trios -- two women and one man -- seems to occur throughout the ballet as it develops.

The film shows Justin working on a solo with Tiler Peck and a duet with Sterling and Amar in the studio.  For a young corps dancer, he seems both assured and circumspect -- coaxing and coaching them in dancing the passages as he has envisioned them.  There is a nice sense of give and take between Justin and the dancers to achieve what is either possible or comfortable for them within the framework of his creative vision.

With the corps dancers, Justin seems a bit more assertive, going over movements until they are done to his satisfaction.  With all of the cast, Justin knows what he wants and seems to have the knack of getting it from each of them.  The film shows a humorous moment as Justin works out a move when Tiler and Sterling have to brace Amar as he falls back.  Initially the ladies apply unequal strength, causing Amar to slip sideways.  It takes several tries before they get it to Justin's satisfaction without dissolving in giggles.  

Albert Evans is the ballet master working with Justin on 'Paz de la Jolla'.  At one point Albert halts a rehearsal to give Tiler a 5-minute break -- required by the dancers' and musicians' union contracts.  At other points, as Justin develops the piece Albert is there to record and remember the sequences, since he will be responsible for restaging the work and rehearsing other dancers who may take over from the original cast.  Albert also gives Justin a sounding board for his notes and thoughts as the rehearsals proceed.

Sketch of costume for Tiler Pack by Reid Bartelme & Harriet Jung from the NYC Ballet archives.

Justin is seen with the lighting designer, Mark Stanley, and his lighting crew working out the lighting that will give the ballet the on-stage atmosphere he's looking for.  Justin goes over costume ideas with the designers Reid Bartelme and Harriet Jung and interacts with them and Marc Happel, the head of the Company's costume shop.  Later some of the dancers try on the costumes to make sure that they give Justin the look he's after while still allowing the dancers to dance the steps he's created for them.  Each dancer has a different costume to give the effect of a crowded summer day at the beach circa 1950.

Costume designs for 10 of the 15 corps dancers by Reid Bartelme and Harriet Jung from the NYC Ballet archives.

Cameron Grant, the Company's principal piano soloist, is a presence throughout the creative process -- playing for studio rehearsals as the ballet is developed and then in the pit as piano soloist for orchestra rehearsals with Andrews Sill conducting the orchestra.  Just before the final rehearsal, Grant suggests that Justin give the orchestra a pep talk to thank them for their efforts and rev them up for the premiere.  Following the rehearsal Justin asks the conductor for time to say a few words.  It is a touching moment as the neophyte takes the advice of a mentor (Grant) to get the orchestra's buy-in to his creative process.

While the creation of the ballet proceeds, the rest of Justin's life goes on in parallel.  He takes company class, dances in the repertory, goes home to an empty apartment in Morningside Heights.

Finally, the night of the premiere of 'Paz de la Jolla' arrives.  Justin dons his dark suit, white shirt and tie, puts on his round horn-rimmed glasses and mingles with the Company's benefactors before the premiere.  He takes his seat in the second ring and watches 'Paz de la Jolla'.  Justin seems pleased with the result.  When the curtain comes down he rushes down to the stage to take part in the curtain calls.

Then, negotiating the deserted hallways backstage to his dressing room, he takes off the suit, puts on his costume and make-up and goes on stage to perform in the corps for the last work of the program -- Alexei Ratmansky's 'Concerto DSCH'.

'Ballet 422' was directed and photographed by Jody Lee Lipes.  Lipes is the husband of Ellen Barr, a former New York City Ballet dancer, who is now the Director of Media Projects for the Company and one of the film's producers.  To me, it was a surprise that Peter Martins doesn't appear in the film and gets minimal coverage in the credits.  Did Peter really stay that far in the background?

Banner for 'Ballet 422'

You can watch the trailer for 'Ballet 422' here:

http://www.magpictures.com/ballet422/

But you really should just go see the movie while it's in town.  It really does take you behind the curtain at New York City Ballet to see how the pieces of a very complex puzzle fit into place and to get a sense of how a young choreographer goes from 'let's put on a show' to actually getting the show onto the stage in something like his original vision.  Despite all of its insight it leaves you wanting to know even more.  It also leaves you wanting to see and savor 'Paz de la Jolla' in a live performance now that you know a bit about how it came into being. 

Of course, Justin Peck has gone on from 'Paz de la Jolla' to create even more ballets for New York City Ballet and other companies.  Just this week, his new ballet to Aaron Copland's orchestral suite from 'Rodeo' opened at NYC Ballet -- we'll see it on Sunday, February 8th.  He has been promoted from corps de ballet to soloist and has been named the Company's resident choreographer.  Benjamin Millipied, the director of dance at the Paris Opera, just announced that Justin will create a work for them in 2016.  This film is a glimpse at the creative process of one of the 21st century's most promising choreographers.