Béjart Ballet Lausanne Stages Legendary 'Boléro' Performance at Granada Festival
Key Points
- The Béjart Ballet Lausanne company continues its rehearsals to stage the 'Boléro' performance at the Generalife Theatre in Granada.
- Maurice Béjart's 1961 choreography broke new ground in dance history by transforming Ravel's work into a collective ritual form.
- With this piece, Béjart gave male dancers an independent stage language and artistic power of expression beyond classical ballet.
- The company's artistic director, Julien Favreau, stated that the choreography is preserved as a written document, but each dancer adds their personal interpretation.
By the Numbers
The Béjart Ballet Lausanne company is staging Maurice Béjart's legendary 'Boléro' choreography in the Generalife Gardens as part of the Granada International Music and Dance Festival. This work, which forever changed the history of dance in 1961, transforms Ravel's famous melody into life, desire, and a collective ritual, turning the stage into a space of collective ceremony.
The red circle at the center of the choreography has become a symbol used as a sacred altar by the world's most important dancers, from Maya Plisetskaya to Sylvie Guillem. The company's artistic director, Julien Favreau, states that while each dancer brings their own personality to the choreography, the strong structure of the piece remains unchanged. This long and physically highly demanding performance requires the artists to unite their inner worlds with the stage over time.
Béjart's revolutionary approach also stands out by taking male dancers beyond being mere accompanying figures to female artists, granting them their own freedom of expression. During this year's rehearsals, principal dancer Oscar Eduardo Chacón takes on the role of 'Dionysos', appearing on stage in the footsteps of the god of wine and freedom. Chacón emphasizes that Béjart goes beyond technique, positioning the dancer as a spiritual and individual being.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Why is the Boléro choreography so important in dance history?
- This work, created by Maurice Béjart in 1961, broke the rules of the performing arts and changed dance history by transforming Ravel's music into a collective ritual themed around life and desire.
- What was the role of male dancers in Béjart's choreography?
- Béjart brought male dancers—who were previously seen merely as supporting figures for female dancers—to the center of the stage by giving them their own freedom of expression and independent stage languages.
- Where is the performance taking place in Granada?
- The performance is being staged at the open-air theater in the Generalife Gardens as part of the Granada International Music and Dance Festival.
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