Life is full of surprises! I had an unexpected call last Tuesday night and was told that a surprise was in store for me on the Wednesday evening – a Mother’s Day surprise. Needless to say, I was delighted. The surprise was an evening at the ballet to see
“Swan Lake” performed by the world-famous Bolshoi Ballet. The giver of this wonderful surprise was my son who shared this magical evening with me. This is what inspired me to do this collage.
Bolshoi means “big” in Russian. In more than one way, this was a big evening for me. I was mesmerized by the graceful dancers and their skill, the beautiful costumes, and the way in which they brought the “Swan Lake” story to life. I could see right before my very eyes that the choreographer had done a good job.
“A ballet may contain a story, but the visual spectacle, not the story, is the essential element. The choreographer and the dancer must remember that they reach the audience through the eye – and the audience, in its turn, must train itself actually to see what is performed upon the stage. It is the illusion created which convinces the audience, much as it is with the work of a magician. If the illusion fails the ballet fails, no matter how well a program note tells the audience that it has succeeded.”
As I enjoyed the wonderful spectacle unfolding before my eyes, there was another layer of thoughts and feelings taking place within me. This was in relation to the dance of life and the steps in the dance that we had danced together for the choice of a ballet performance for our evening out together. This was a different kind of magic for me. Many seemingly ordinary occurences to a younger person affect an older person in quite a different way.
As with the ballet dancers, there were simple steps and difficult steps along the way, some movements were fast and some were slow. The music was constantly changing and the dances too. There was the question of leading and following and whether the performance would be solo or a partnership. All the elements of the dance were there. It wasn’t only the ballet, but the tango, the waltz, the meringue, and other styles of dance as well.
The dance of life continues and there are other steps to take and learn along the way. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of “Swan Lake” and my Late Bloomer heart was filled with joy. Hope you enjoy this collage and here’s something for you to think about: “Life is like dancing. If we have a big floor, many people will dance. Some will get angry when the rhythm changes. But life is changing all the time.” – Don Miguel Ruiz
~ George Ballanchine, 1945, “Notes on Choreography.”