CheekyChicago

For those of you who may have noticed the billboards, the taxi tops, the bus terminal posters, seen the commercial and read the reviews,  it’s obvious that a certain rags-to-riches princess has  come to town.  Cinderella, one of the Joffrey Ballet’s most celebrated performances,  is seldom performed  throughout the world and Chicago is the current host of its short but sweet run.  It is an even rarer occasion to get an opportunity to talk to the man behind the fairytale magic.  Cheeky spoke with Sir Ashley C. Wheater, the company’s Artistic Director, and asked a couple questions about the power of hope, what maintains the excellence of the Joffrey, and of course, what “cheeky”means to him.

Cheeky: Having worked directly with the originator of Cinderella, Sir Frederick Ashton, how do you feel that experience impacted this revival?

Ashley C. Wheater: Having worked with Sir Frederick Ashton, I gained a very clear sense of the demands of his choreography.  He loved the dynamic involved with exceptional footwork, be it pointe work for the women or soaring jumps and batterie for the men as a counterpoint to a very shaped upper body.  One could never bend enough for Ashton.  The use of epualement and port de bras was essential to Ashton’s choreography.  Ashton never wasted any steps.  Each element of his choreography has a reason, and particularly so with his narrative work:  the movement tells the story.  As someone who had an extraordinary ear for music, the choreography originated with and responded to the musical score.  Music was everything for him.  I believe that helping the Joffrey dancers understand and execute all of these things has been a great experience for every member of the company.

Cheeky: Why do you think the Cinderella story resonates with so many?

ACW: We are always, in one capacity or another, dreaming.  This is the essence of hope:  the desire for something wonderful that does not currently exist.  As I wrote in my program letter for Cinderella, when Ashton choreographed this piece in 1948, London was digging itself out of the rubble of World War II, and Cinderella provided a glimpse of hope for a weary population.  Based on the response we have had from audiences, the Cinderella story resonates in 2010 as well.

Cheeky: Why such a limited engagement?

ACW: We base our performance schedule on our record of ticket sales and subscriptions from previous performances of similar ballets during previous seasons.  We try to study trends and current conditions to determine the right number of performances to support our audience.  This can be a relatively in-exact science, though, and we are very pleased when audiences turn out in support of our programming.

Cheeky: What’s your favorite moment of the ballet?

ACW: This is a bit like asking a father to pick his favorite child.  Honestly, I love the entire ballet, but if I must pick one moment, I suspect it would be the shear brilliance of the structure of the choreography with fifty-plus people on stage as the clock strikes midnight, and Cinderella realizes she must escape the ball or be discovered for her lowly stature.

Cheeky: The Joffrey Ballet is one of, if not the most, prestigious ballet companies in the world.  As the artistic director, what do you think are the key attributing factors that uphold such a reputation?

ACW: You are only as good as your most recent performance.  Excellence is ephemeral, and must be constantly maintained.  All the values of a production, including the lighting, music, scenery, costuming, and of course, dancing, must be held to the highest standard.

Cheeky: What does the word “cheeky” mean to you?

ACW: Since I come from the United Kingdom, the word “cheeky” is an endearing term for mischievousness – cocky, but with charm.