In the ‘City Sky’

Young Chang

When Molly Lynch and writer John Glore sat down to talk about possible

stories to turn into ballets, they brainstormed about relationships,

growing up, living in a big city, having to survive there and having to

do all this at a young age.

Their story, “City Sky,” ended up being about a young girl facing

challenge after challenge in a new and huge city.

The story is a timeless one, said Lynch, the choreographer.

She first presented the work six years ago with Ballet Pacifica. Lynch

is the company’s artistic director.

Ballet Pacifica will present “City Sky” again today and Saturday at

the Irvine Barclay Theatre as part of its second Dance Concert Series

production.

The multimedia dance-theater piece is more specifically about a young

girl who moves to a daunting city and witnesses a tragedy while there.

The event affects her daily life, and the story, written by former South

Coast Repertory dramaturge Glore, comes full circle as the character

faces the possibility of the same tragedy happening to her.

Since the work was first staged, women have continued to move to big

cities and take on the challenge of making it, Lynch said. Her niece is a

recent Big Apple import.

“It’s a piece that still applies to people today,” Lynch said. “To me,

it’s a universal piece about trying to make something of your life.”

The rest of the program for the concert includes “Allegro Brillante,”

“Ravelesque” and “Blackberry Winter.”

“You don’t come and sit and just see one long piece,” said Ballet

Pacifica’s President Janet Ray. “There’s some variety.”

“Allegro Brillante” is an abstract, neoclassical representation of the

George Balanchine style set to Tchaikovsky’s Third Piano Concerto.

“Ravelesque” is by choreographer Robert Sund, who was inspired to

create the dance by Maurice Ravel’s piano etudes.

“Blackberry Winter” is a contemporary number incorporating moments of

gymnastics, break dancing and other genres, including pop dance and

jazz..

Finally, “City Sky” is also contemporary ballet with women who will be

on pointe and a cast dressed in street clothes. There are more emotions

to the piece, which is first on the program. Edward Hopper images

backdrop the work, and Aaron Copland’s “Music for the Theatre” guides the

story.

Lynch chose the Copland work because she felt it was appropriate for

the “American” tale.

“Copland’s music is so strongly American and about progress and

development,” said the choreographer, who was recently awarded the

Choo-San Goh Award for choreography.

The Hopper images were integrated in the show to create different

atmospheres without having to deal with multiple scene changes.

“It’s contemporary ballet based on the classical,” Ray said. “That’s

the mission of Ballet Pacifica. To introduce the audience in Southern

California to, rather than tried and true classics, to contemporary

ballet and the new choreographers that are up and coming.

FYI

* What: Ballet Pacifica’s second production for its Dance Concert

Series, which includes “City Sky”

WHEN: 8 p.m. today, 2:30 and 8 p.m. Saturday

* Where: Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Drive, Irvine

* Cost: $10-$27

* Call: (949) 854-4646