DANCE : Gerstler to Share ‘Knowledge’

Choreographer Tina Gerstler found herself going in unanticipated directions as she worked on a new piece for Ballet Pacifica.

“The original idea was to examine the different roles men and women of my generation--I’m in my 30s--were raised with and how those roles changed through the media,” Gerstler said in a recent phone interview.

“But what ended up happening is that this piece is more about the effect on all of us as the roles have gotten confused.”

Ballet Pacifica will give the premiere performances of Gerstler’s “Personal Statements/Common Knowledge” on Friday and Saturday at the Irvine Barclay Theatre.

Gerstler found herself influenced by the company dancers and the artists who are collaborating on the project, Venice-based composer Lisbeth Woodies and Oakland artist Mark Stock.

“What came out of them is that there seems to be confusion between what people say they want and what they actually do want,” Gerstler said.

“Men seem to want independent, assertive women, but not too assertive; women say they want sensitive men, but not men who are soft and wimpy. It’s a fine line we’re dealing with. But what ends up happening is that everyone has a sense of isolation and confusion,” she said.

Gerstler described the 25-minute work (for four women and three men) as “really challenging” for ballet dancers because it requires “a completely different use of weight and the upper body” than they’re used to.

“For them to take on this kind of challenge is admirable.”

Because her own training and performing background is in modern dance, Gerstler added that the commission “also was a challenge for me--trying to choreograph a piece that is a modern ballet rather than a modern dance, to confine it within the ballet vocabulary and yet push at those boundaries.

“A lot of the works I do are very psychological and very abstract in movement. But there is a lot of movement in this piece, a lot of it balletic and a lot unballetic.”

Gerstler’s collaboration with Woodies and Stock began in December.

“Mark decided to deal with the media aspects. How confusing the portrayals have been! When we were growing up, women were portrayed as homemakers, then career women, then besides that, they were associated with ‘male’ activities.

“He has painted six different panels depicting men and women in such different roles. One shows a woman in lingerie and shorts, and she’s carrying a tire! These images really affect how we relate to each other.”

Woodies’ score ranges from rock ‘n’ roll to electronic transformation of human voices.

“What I wanted was female voices,” Gerstler said. “She’s created music that sometimes sounds like wolf cries.”

The choreographer hopes that the work will convey an important message. “The main thematic statement of this piece is that you have to be sure that what you ask for is what you want,” Gerstler said. “You have to think things through and examine your own behavior to be able to have relationships with people.

“That’s not just talking about love relationships. It’s talking about friendships and community relationships. We isolate ourselves in general by not fully realizing the consequences of our acts.”

Ballet Pacifica will dance Tina Gerstler’s “Personal Statements/Common Knowledge,” commissioned by the company, on Friday at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 2:30 and 8 p.m. at the Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Drive, Irvine. Works by Antony Tudor and others complete the program. $12 to $15. (714) 854-4646.