No Complaints about this DeTour
February 9, 2007
For the typical college student, a night of classy cocktails consumed in a swanky lounge among breathtaking models is little more than a fantasy. Although reruns of Sex and the City may be the closest that most get to such an event, the real thing exists and is occasionally affordable. As marketing and advertising of benefits do not generally extend to the average undergraduate, it is often difficult to find a way into the luxurious world of the runway. It is therefore not surprising that the Boston Ballet’s annual fashion show was not highly attended by Tufts students. Admittedly an unusual night on the town, “DeTour,” was an incredible opportunity to see company members out of their typical tutus and in some of Newbury Street’s finest boutique wear. Choreographed dance routines interwoven with runway modeling distinguished the affair from the cold, distant atmosphere of typical fashion shows. Housed in Boston’s chic French Restaurant, Mantra, the fundraiser produced by company members Melissa Hough and Katelyn Prominiski, was a visual, musical, and financial triumph.
Although the cost to attend the pre-show cocktail reception, sponsored by Silk Vodka, was rather expensive, ($100 for standing room, $250 for leather seats and a bucket of champagne), the general public was welcome to attend the regular fashion show at the reasonable price of $20. In spite of the fact that the open vodka bar was closed by the time these more economical spots became available, guests were invited to schmooze in the darkly lit club and congregate with other standing VIP members to view the performance.
Although the “annual” tradition of the ballet-fashion bash began only last year, it is sure to be a staple event in the financial boost initiative of the Boston Ballet Dancers Resource Fund in the upcoming years. Because of the show’s success last year, Alyssa DiPasquale of Side Hatch Entertainment was asked to head public relations for a second time this year. Although she was happy with the show last year, DiPasquale said she was thrilled to see an even stronger turn out this time around.
Building on last year’s success, DeTour 2007 saw new improvements. DiPasquale explained that they chose to use a different stage configuration for this year’s catwalk, rather than re-use the twisty path that wound around Mantra’s prominent Buddha statue last year. This year the models and dancers were centered in the lounge on a long, forked pathway.
“The show is really great because it gives the dancers a chance to do something different from traditional ballet,” DiPasquale explained. “It’s still a lot of work though,” she added when considering the long hours the choreographers and dancers have put in to prepare for DeTour in the past few weeks.
Music coordinator and fifth-year company member, James Whiteside, expressed his enthusiasm in arranging the music for this year’s event. Taking a few minutes to sit down with the Observer before he finished hair and makeup, the dancer sat, shirtless, with hair clips twisting his short haircut into supermodel perfection. Whiteside explained that “a week before the show, we decided we could do better than the music we originally planned to use, and so we started over with only a week to go.” Although the task of revamping the numbers with so little time seemed daunting, Whiteside expressed his confidence in choreographer Melissa Hough. Together, choreographer and music-coordinator arranged the dance sequences with a doll theme. Whiteside explained that they were using this theme throughout the performance, including numbers with toy soldiers, ballerinas, marionettes, and a masquerade. Although the forty dancers that would make up the show are all renowned ballerinas, the dance numbers were based in hip-hop, ballroom, and modern ballet.
Drawing on the larger doll theme, models were made up with bright makeup and black streaks drawn on their cheeks and eyelids. Hair for the show was teased into tight balls worn in a variety of styles, high up on the dancers’ delicate heads. Shimmery makeup and bright coloring added to the sense of drama and the doll-like quality of the performers. Although the makeup and hair were largely standardized for all of the models, the fashion exhibited showed great diversity in style as the clothing was provided by Newbury boutiques including Nanette LePore, Stel’s, iBoutique, Mnski, Stil, and Calypso.
Dispersed throughout the crowd were many ballerinas of the Boston Ballet company as well as dancers from other groups in the Boston area. Young, first-year dancers stood in the front parlor to help sell raffle tickets to further the evening’s cause. A wide variety of prizes were available at the reasonable price of $5 a ticket. From framed photos of the dancers, to dinners at some of Boston’s finest restaurants, to 60 minute “gyrontonic sessions” (massages), the raffle provided added entertainment and excitement to guests awaiting the show.
Running half an hour behind schedule, the fashion-dance show began at 9:30 p.m. The audience, comprised of sophisticated supporters of the ballet, friends of company members, and young art enthusiasts, was not impatient. With the comforts of the lounge, the attentiveness of the bartenders and the sporadic glimpses of the stunning ballerinas, it is conceivable that the crowd would have happily waited all night. When the lights dimmed and a former member of the Boston Ballet ascended the stage to represent the Dancers Resource Fund, most guests hushed in anticipation. Explaining the importance of the DRF in providing resources for dancers who generally retire in their early twenties, due to the physical and emotional strain the profession requires, the slender man in tightly clad black apparel thanked the crowd and expressed his debt to contributors. The speech was, however, difficult to endure as the availability of a microphone was the one necessity overlooked during event planning. Younger guests who acted on the impulse-control that an open vodka bar predicts called out and cheered during the short speech, furthering the strained reception.
Once the lights dimmed and ten silhouetted dancers ascended the stage, respectful attention and tasteful cheering ensued. The show began with stiff armed marionettes appropriately introducing the “doll” theme. Toy soldiers shuffled in a dance-salute onto the catwalk, followed by models that weaved through the posed soldiers as if they were little more than static scenery. The men’s clothing was very casual, predominately consisting of sweaters and slacks. The female models strutted across the stage with all of the confidence and elegance of supermodels; though the extreme fashion choices seen at typical shows were replaced by tight black leggings worn under casual (yet expensive) t-shirts or cocktail dresses. By this time, the initial hush of awe was replaced by the excited hollering that overcame the active and enthusiastic crowd.
The next sequence involved a ballroom masquerade of female dancers wearing dramatic tutus and males adorned in formal vests and black dress pants. Four pairs of couples, two coed, one girl-girl, and one boy-boy danced in traditional and graceful ballroom style before the next set of models appeared on stage. As the female dancers exited the stage, baby-doll models wearing bathing suits and formal gowns were paraded around the stage with the remaining male masquerade escorts.
The techno music and pulsating lights set the stage for the next group of dancers who entered the stage as puppets and puppeteers. Female dancers posing as marionettes were followed on stage by long graceful white ribbons tied to their arms and legs that were wielded by male dancers dressed in white costumes and positioned on stilts. The marionette sequence was expertly executed with the movements of the tied legs perfectly synchronized across the three puppet-dancers. Breaking free of their ribbon confines, the female dancers then glided to the back of the stage in time for the new set of models to enter. Female models in this portion of the show wore black stilettos, black boy-short undies and funky, dramatic t-shirts.
In the last segment of the fashion show, doll-like ballerinas flooded the stage in one-piece bathing suits, en pointe! Walking the runway in pointe shoes, their long, lean dancer figures were a wonder to behold.
As the half-hour fashion show came to an end, the crowds rose out of their leather cushions and put down their champagne to cheer elatedly. The show’s success was obvious when models, dancers, supporters, crewmembers, boutique agents, friends and press grinned collectively in admiration. Far from the typical fashion show or ballet performance, DeTour exposed the well-rounded dancing ability and creativity of company members.
Although DeTour only comes around once a year, and the admission price is a bit more than Sarabande performances on campus, the talent and energy that comprise the Boston Ballet is worth experiencing. As the ballet season does not come to a close until mid-May, there is plenty of time to venture into town to see a performance. This spring, the company will perform “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” beginning on February 8th, “New Visions,” March 1st, “Classic Balanchine,” on May 3rd and will conclude with “Giselle” on May 10th. Housed at the Wang Theater in Boston, the Boston Ballet offers a variety of specials including the “2-2 Club,” the ticket program for young Professionals (ages 22-39), and “Friday Night Out,” for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender communities. If the talent and professional excellence that made DeTour remarkable in any way predict traditional performances, Boston Ballet shows are well worth the price of admission.
For more information about the Boston Ballet, visit www.bostonballet.org. Tickets available at 617-695-6955. Mantra is located at 52 Temple Place, two blocks from the Park Street T.