Throughout a decade Paul Destrooper lead Ballet Victoria through more 400 performances in Victoria and on tour and developed dancers who have gone on to careers on stage in San Francisco, Montreal, Gdansk, Berlin, San Jose and Oklahoma. The company continues to shine this March as they present Director’s Choice, a mixed program that includes the Rite of Spring and other works.

The evening begins with 1490 choreographed by the internationally renowned Peter Quanz. The brilliant Canadian uses the famous Spanish music of “La Folia” in a high-octane work that explores playful movement built around solos, duets and groups.

Destrooper’s Belgian Songs follows using the beautiful poetry and music of the timeless work of Jacques Brel. This work holds a more classical and lyrical vocabulary with delicate and highly technical pas de deux work. Destrooper visits his Belgian cultural heritage with love, humour and a few satirical tirades.

Rite of Spring closes the evening with a look at the primal driving force of humanity: Love and its balance. Dressing both men and women in tutus, Destrooper’s interpretation offered interesting musical and thematic challenges for the troupe, moving through neo classical (en pointe) and contemporary vocabulary and going from controlled movement to free flowing, and wild abandon. Stravinsky’s score created riots when it was first performed and has stood the test of time providing a beautiful accompaniment to today’s performances.

Director’s Choice is on stage at the Royal Theatre on March 6 and 7. Tickets are available at www.rmts.bc.ca or 250-386-6121.

editor@oakbaynews.com

ballet victoria

Paul Destrooper (Black Press file) Paul Destrooper