Ballet Arkansas to present 'secret' dance competition

The Visions Choreographic Competition is not your grandmother's ballet.

"If you're thinking it's just tutus and pointe shoes and very structured choreography, then you need to come because it's a lot different," says Ballet Arkansas Executive Director Karen Bassett.

This is the second year Ballet Arkansas has presented Visions, a competition designed to encourage young choreographers by giving them a chance to show their craft to an audience of professionals, enthusiasts and newcomers alike.

For this year's competition, 31 choreographers competed for the five finalist slots. Those five finalists have each created a short work three to four minutes long, which will be performed by Ballet Arkansas company dancers at the final competition, 7 p.m. Saturday.

For now, though, Bassett says, the dances themselves are a mystery.

"We have no idea what the dances look like. No idea whatsoever. It's exciting."

It's easier to keep the dances a secret when there are no elaborate costumes, sets or lighting schemes to work with. Visions is a "stripped down" affair.

"It's strictly just pure dancing," Bassett says. "It's an experience that's very true to the art form without all the flash."

On the night of Visions, there will be a video introduction followed by the performance for each of the five choreographers. But it's not strictly a performance. Bassett likens the structure to the TV show So You Think You Can Dance, with a trio of professional judges, including Glenn Edgerton, artistic director of Chicago's Hubbard Street Dance, giving feedback to the choreographer after each performance.

Bassett points out that this format will help the audience learn even more about the art form and what it takes to create a good, successful dance.

After all the performances, the audience will get to weigh in themselves as they vote for their favorite dance, acting as the fourth judge. In the event of a tie, the audience vote will be the tiebreaker.

The winner will receive a commission to expand his short piece into a full-length, 15-minute work to be performed at the Ballet Arkansas spring show in May, Under the Lights.

It is, Bassett says, an excellent opportunity for all involved. The choreographers get the chance to have their work seen by an audience. The Ballet Arkansas company dancers will be exposed to different choreographers and the audience can learn more about dance from the judges and will be exposed to five different dance styles in one evening.

Last year's Visions performances were all in a more modern dance style. As Bassett points out, they don't yet know what the styles will be this year. There may well be a classical ballet piece or two in the mix.

Interested audience members can have a chance to visit with the 13 Arkansas Ballet company dancers and all five choreographers at the Meet the Artists Party, 6:30-8:30 p.m. today at Good Food by Ferneau in North Little Rock.

As for the Visions show itself, this year they're offering 100 discounted "Try Ballet" tickets for first-time audience members.

The goal, Bassett says, is to educate the public and encourage them to discover the beauty, power and diversity of ballet: "They're encouraging the development of young choreographers around the country and a continuation of dance in the country. They're supporting the art form. They're supporting their ballet company when they come out and see our dancers."

Weekend on 08/20/2015