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A comic ballet in two acts, The Bright Stream tells the story of the members of a Russian farm collective in the 1930s and their humorous interactions with a group of visiting performers during the harvest festival.
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AMERICAN BALLET THEATREWOR KI NG R E H EARSAL
The Bright Stream
Choreography by Alexei Ratmansky
Music by Dmitri Shostakovich
David M. RubensteinChairman
Michael M. KaiserPresident
Darrell M. AyersVice President, Education
The Presidency of John F. Kennedy: A 50th Anniversary Celebration is the 2011Rubenstein Program and is made possiblethrough the generosity of David and AliceRubenstein.
Additional support is provided by The Morrisand Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, AltriaGroup, Constance Milstein de La Haye St.Hilaire and Jehan-Christophe de La Haye St.Hilaire, Ambassador Elizabeth Frawley Bagley,and David Gregory and Beth Wilkinson.
American Ballet Theatre at the KennedyCenter is supported through the generosity of The Lee and Juliet Folger Fund.
American Ballet Theatre acknowledges TheToni and Martin Sosnoff New Works Fund forits generously endowed support of The BrightStream. This production has been madepossible with public funds from the NationalEndowment for the Arts.
Additional support for the Kennedy CenterBallet Season is provided by Elizabeth andMichael Kojaian.
Additional support is provided by the U.S.Department of Education, Verizon Foundation,Mr. Martin K. Alloy and Ms. Daris M. Clifton, the Carter and Melissa Cafritz Charitable Trust, The Morris and Gwendolyn CafritzFoundation, The Clark Charitable Foundation,DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities,Fight for Children, The President's AdvisoryCommittee on the Arts, National Committeefor the Performing Arts, and Dr. Deborah Roseand Dr. Jan A. J. Stolwijk.
www.artsedge.kennedy-center.org
Cuesheets are produced by ARTSEDGE, aprogram of the Kennedy Center EducationDepartment. ARTSEDGE is a part of VerizonThinkfinity, a consortium of free educationalWeb sites for K-12 teaching and learning.
For more about the performing arts and artseducation, visit the Kennedy Center’sEducation Department online atwww.kennedy-center.org/education
The U.S. Department of Education supportsapproximately one-third of the budget for theKennedy Center Education Department. The contentsof this Cuesheet do not necessarily represent thepolicy of the U.S. Department of Education, and youshould not assume endorsement by the FederalGovernment.
© 2011 The John F. Kennedy Center for thePerforming Arts
ABOUT THE CHOREOGRAPHERAlexei Ratmansky (ah-LEX-ee rat-MAN-skee), isa dancer and choreographer who was born in St.Petersburg, Russia. He began his training at theage of 10 at the famed Bolshoi Ballet and hasperformed withmany companiesaround the world. He is currently ABTArtist in Residence.
Ratmansky reworkedThe Bright Streamwith his ownchoreography whilehe was the Artistic Director of the Bolshoi. This revised version premiered in 2003. In it,Ratmansky maintained the libretto, or theoriginal story of the ballet, and the farm setting.
WHAT DID YOU FIND FUNNY?The Bright Stream is one of a few evening-length comic ballets in history. Did you laughduring the performance? Identify a characteryou found funny. How did his or her movementhelp to create a sense of character? How didthey use costumes and props to comic effect?
PHOT
O BY
FAB
RIZI
O FE
RRI
AMERICAN BALLET THEATRERecognized by an act of the United StatesCongress as America’s National BalletCompany™, American Ballet Theatre, orABT, is a ballet company based in NewYork City. The company was founded in1940 with the goal of keeping the bestballets from the past alive, whileencouraging new ballets by emergingchoreographers.
A BANNED BALLETIn this working rehearsal, you will see ABTrun through The Bright Stream, a Russianballet that was originally choreographed in 1935 by Fyodor Lopokov (pronouncedfuh-YOH-dorh loh-POH-kov) with music by Dmitri Shostakovich (dih-MEE-treeshos-tuh-KOH-vich). The ballet is a comedyabout life and love on a community farm in the former Soviet Union, now known asRussia. Joseph Stalin, the communistleader at the time, felt the humor in theballet was not respectful of Sovietlaborers. His disapproval meant the balletwas banned during his rule.
WHAT’S SO FUNNY?Dance communicates through movement,rather than words, so humor must beshown in a physical manner. As you watchthe ballet, notice how comedy can becommunicated through costumes,movement, timing, and the use of props.
THE STORY OF THE BRIGHT STREAMAct IA dance troupe arrives to entertain theworkers on a collective farm during aharvest festival. Zina, the festival’s eventsorganizer, recognizes The Ballerina, who isan old friend. A series of romanticcomplications arise when Zina’s husbandPyotr (pronounced Peter) falls in love withThe Ballerina. In addition, two old dachadwellers, or Russian country folk, areenchanted by The Ballerina and her partner.
The Ballerina asks Zina to participate in acomplicated trick to end the flirtatiousadvances by Pyotr and the dacha dwellers.To do so, The Ballerina dresses like hermale partner, her partner dresses up in aballerina’s costume, and Zina dresses asThe Ballerina wearing a mask.
Watch for…
■ the dance of the dacha dwellers. Howdoes Ratmansky show humor in themovements of this couple, and in theway they are dressed? Do they dance inrhythm with the music?
■ the tractor driver who flirts with a milkmaid. What happenswhen he tries to milk hercow? Watch for his change of costume.
Act IIThe trick is played when thevarious couples come together. Zinadances with Pyotr, who thinks she is TheBallerina. The Ballerina and her partner,dressed as each other, meet up with thedacha dwellers to put an end to theirunwanted attentions. Zina and TheBallerina, both with masks on, dancetogether at the harvest festival. Theyreveal their identities to Pyotr, who begsZina for forgiveness. The ballet ends with a celebration.
Watch how…
■ Zina communicates her feelings whenshe dances with Pyotr. Her heartbreak isshown with bent shoulders, and heranger is expressed with fast footworkand forceful arm movements.
About the Working
Rehearsal
A Comic Ballet in Two Acts
COVER PHOTO COURTESY OF THE LATVIAN NATIONAL BALLET
AMERICAN BALLET THEATRERecognized by an act of the United StatesCongress as America’s National BalletCompany™, American Ballet Theatre, orABT, is a ballet company based in NewYork City. The company was founded in1940 with the goal of keeping the bestballets from the past alive, whileencouraging new ballets by emergingchoreographers.
A BANNED BALLETIn this working rehearsal, you will see ABTrun through The Bright Stream, a Russianballet that was originally choreographed in 1935 by Fyodor Lopokov (pronouncedfuh-YOH-dorh loh-POH-kov) with music by Dmitri Shostakovich (dih-MEE-treeshos-tuh-KOH-vich). The ballet is a comedyabout life and love on a community farm in the former Soviet Union, now known asRussia. Joseph Stalin, the communistleader at the time, felt the humor in theballet was not respectful of Sovietlaborers. His disapproval meant the balletwas banned during his rule.
WHAT’S SO FUNNY?Dance communicates through movement,rather than words, so humor must beshown in a physical manner. As you watchthe ballet, notice how comedy can becommunicated through costumes,movement, timing, and the use of props.
THE STORY OF THE BRIGHT STREAMAct IA dance troupe arrives to entertain theworkers on a collective farm during aharvest festival. Zina, the festival’s eventsorganizer, recognizes The Ballerina, who isan old friend. A series of romanticcomplications arise when Zina’s husbandPyotr (pronounced Peter) falls in love withThe Ballerina. In addition, two old dachadwellers, or Russian country folk, areenchanted by The Ballerina and her partner.
The Ballerina asks Zina to participate in acomplicated trick to end the flirtatiousadvances by Pyotr and the dacha dwellers.To do so, The Ballerina dresses like hermale partner, her partner dresses up in aballerina’s costume, and Zina dresses asThe Ballerina wearing a mask.
Watch for…
■ the dance of the dacha dwellers. Howdoes Ratmansky show humor in themovements of this couple, and in theway they are dressed? Do they dance inrhythm with the music?
■ the tractor driver who flirts with a milkmaid. What happenswhen he tries to milk hercow? Watch for his change of costume.
Act IIThe trick is played when thevarious couples come together. Zinadances with Pyotr, who thinks she is TheBallerina. The Ballerina and her partner,dressed as each other, meet up with thedacha dwellers to put an end to theirunwanted attentions. Zina and TheBallerina, both with masks on, dancetogether at the harvest festival. Theyreveal their identities to Pyotr, who begsZina for forgiveness. The ballet ends with a celebration.
Watch how…
■ Zina communicates her feelings whenshe dances with Pyotr. Her heartbreak isshown with bent shoulders, and heranger is expressed with fast footworkand forceful arm movements.
About the Working
Rehearsal
A Comic Ballet in Two Acts
COVER PHOTO COURTESY OF THE LATVIAN NATIONAL BALLET
AMERICAN BALLET THEATREWOR KI NG R E H EARSAL
The Bright Stream
Choreography by Alexei Ratmansky
Music by Dmitri Shostakovich
David M. RubensteinChairman
Michael M. KaiserPresident
Darrell M. AyersVice President, Education
The Presidency of John F. Kennedy: A 50th Anniversary Celebration is the 2011Rubenstein Program and is made possiblethrough the generosity of David and AliceRubenstein.
Additional support is provided by The Morrisand Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, AltriaGroup, Constance Milstein de La Haye St.Hilaire and Jehan-Christophe de La Haye St.Hilaire, Ambassador Elizabeth Frawley Bagley,and David Gregory and Beth Wilkinson.
American Ballet Theatre at the KennedyCenter is supported through the generosity of The Lee and Juliet Folger Fund.
American Ballet Theatre acknowledges TheToni and Martin Sosnoff New Works Fund forits generously endowed support of The BrightStream. This production has been madepossible with public funds from the NationalEndowment for the Arts.
Additional support for the Kennedy CenterBallet Season is provided by Elizabeth andMichael Kojaian.
Additional support is provided by the U.S.Department of Education, Verizon Foundation,Mr. Martin K. Alloy and Ms. Daris M. Clifton, the Carter and Melissa Cafritz Charitable Trust, The Morris and Gwendolyn CafritzFoundation, The Clark Charitable Foundation,DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities,Fight for Children, The President's AdvisoryCommittee on the Arts, National Committeefor the Performing Arts, and Dr. Deborah Roseand Dr. Jan A. J. Stolwijk.
www.artsedge.kennedy-center.org
Cuesheets are produced by ARTSEDGE, aprogram of the Kennedy Center EducationDepartment. ARTSEDGE is a part of VerizonThinkfinity, a consortium of free educationalWeb sites for K-12 teaching and learning.
For more about the performing arts and artseducation, visit the Kennedy Center’sEducation Department online atwww.kennedy-center.org/education
The U.S. Department of Education supportsapproximately one-third of the budget for theKennedy Center Education Department. The contentsof this Cuesheet do not necessarily represent thepolicy of the U.S. Department of Education, and youshould not assume endorsement by the FederalGovernment.
© 2011 The John F. Kennedy Center for thePerforming Arts
ABOUT THE CHOREOGRAPHERAlexei Ratmansky (ah-LEX-ee rat-MAN-skee), isa dancer and choreographer who was born in St.Petersburg, Russia. He began his training at theage of 10 at the famed Bolshoi Ballet and hasperformed withmany companiesaround the world. He is currently ABTArtist in Residence.
Ratmansky reworkedThe Bright Streamwith his ownchoreography whilehe was the Artistic Director of the Bolshoi. This revised version premiered in 2003. In it,Ratmansky maintained the libretto, or theoriginal story of the ballet, and the farm setting.
WHAT DID YOU FIND FUNNY?The Bright Stream is one of a few evening-length comic ballets in history. Did you laughduring the performance? Identify a characteryou found funny. How did his or her movementhelp to create a sense of character? How didthey use costumes and props to comic effect?
PHOT
O BY
FAB
RIZI
O FE
RRI
