For the past several years I’ve been intrigued to watch the progress of Susan Tenney’s evening length dance, set to the music of Georges Delerue. Delerue is well-known for such scores as Francois Truffaut’s Jules and Jim, and he won an Oscar for “A Little Romance.” Enamored with his music, Tenney has based “Je me souviens…I remember” on his work.
Every time I see “Je me souviens” it taps hidden emotions, in part because it focuses on a young girl, Cynthia Yank, who grows into a woman, Samantha Gullace. It’s hard to explain, but I have tried to write about it here, and here are the choreographer’s notes, and here is an article by Valerie Sudol.Tenney has shown parts of this piece on various unprepossessing stages, including in the Princeton Ballet School studio (with dancers and watchers within arms reach of each other) and on the green at Palmer Square. Now she is making the Big Leap to show it in New York, this Saturday (October 29) at 7:30 p.m.
Try to get there if you can. It’s not often that a Princeton choreographer can gather the resources to present in Manhattan. I’m looking forward to seeing the piece on a real stage at the Florence Gould Hall, 55 East 59th Street, between Park and Madison. The cast includes Gary Echternacht, Yoshie Driscoll, Alexandra Fredas, Anya Kalishnikova, Naoko Cojerian, Kelly Meir, Alexis Branagan, and Pam Pisani.
Tickets are $25 ($75 includes the patron reception), or $15 for students with an ID. They are available on line or at the door.
Tenney worked closely with the composer’s daughter, Claire Delerue, who offers an appreciation for the program notes. An excerpt:
Great choreographers who use music from various sources other than the ballet repertoire acknowledge the beauty and intensity of the emotions which such music conjures; creating dance around it, they give it renewed life and meaning.
Therefore it is wonderful to know that Georges Delerue’s film music, which has made such a powerful impression on film lovers over the years, will also now create new emotional connections for audiences through it being danced to.
I thank Susan Tenney for having tapped into her superb creativity and found new, singular ways of making people vibrate to the sound of these beloved pieces of music.
Photo: Tenney, far left, with the company.
Post script: Another Princeton choreography takes her work to The City, but this time, Philadelphia. From Marie Snyder: I will be showing a new work blending modern and Latin style dancing on Sunday at 9:30. I think this is the first time a modern choreographer was invited to the Philly salsa fest… so excited!!http://philadelphiasalsafest.com/cart/index.php?main_page=page&id;=13&chapter;=0
Post script: Another Princeton choreography takes her work to The City, but this time, Philadelphia. From Marie Snyder: I will be showing a new work blending modern and Latin style dancing on Sunday at 9:30. I think this is the first time a modern choreographer was invited to the Philly salsa fest… so excited!!http://philadelphiasalsafest.com/cart/index.php?main_page=page&id;=13&chapter;=0
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