Neumeier’s “Little Mermaid” in SF

My review for San Francisco Classical Voice:

“This is for her,” another critic said to me Saturday during the rapturous standing ovation that greeted the U.S. premiere of John Neumeier’s The Little Mermaid at the San Francisco Ballet. My colleague was referring to Yuan Yuan Tan, the Chinese-born, exquisitely delicate ballerina, who for more than two hours had let herself be maimed, disfigured, pushed about in a wheelchair, rejected, and humiliated as the titular sea creature in Neumeier’s violent saga. And I believe my colleague was right, and not only because to see Tan surrender her elegance makes for great novelty. Rather, from her dejected stare to her wrenching, grotesquely twisted limbs, this was a performance of absolute commitment, and a career milestone.

But the crowd also gave a rousing cheer for Neumeier’s curtain call, and for good reason. The choreographer studied theater in his native Wisconsin but has conducted his artistic career in Germany for four decades (37 years as director of the Hamburg Ballet). His story ballet spectacles are popular in Europe though new to San Francisco, and The Little Mermaid makes an appealing introduction.”

That said, I have one serious reservation about this ballet, and agree with Allan Ulrich in the Chronicle that this is not Neumeier’s finest. Click here to keep reading.

Neumeier Q and A

My interview with John Neumeier is in tomorrow’s Chronicle:

“The biggest mystery of San Francisco Ballet’s 2010 season is this week’s U.S. premiere of John Neumeier’s “The Little Mermaid.” Neumeier, for 37 years the director of Germany’s Hamburg Ballet, hasn’t taken any cues from Disney: His ballet makes writer Hans Christian Andersen a character in the story, and he presents the mermaid as a tragic creature whose exquisitely flexible movement is inspired by Balinese dance styles.

Neumeier’s place in the ballet world is as singular as his interpretation of the tale. Born in Milwaukee, he started dancing late and studied at Britain’s Royal Ballet School before beginning his performing and choreography careers at the Stuttgart Ballet. While many American choreographers followed George Balanchine’s influence and created pure movement ballets, Neumeier pursued large-scale story productions, from an idiosyncratic revision of “Swan Lake” to dance versions of dramas like “A Streetcar Named Desire.”

Neumeier, who also designed the costumes (check out Tamara Straus’ Arts and Ends column today for more on that), says he is having his “American year,” with American Ballet Theatre performing his “Lady of the Camellias” in May. He spoke from Germany.

Q: We should quickly dispel any idea that your “Little Mermaid” is a kid production.

A: Yes, for one thing, the violence in the story is quite strong. The mermaid allows herself to be literally torn apart to get to her goal. And she meets an ambiguous ending – it certainly isn’t happy. She refuses to kill the prince, and attempts suicide instead. But she’s rewarded by becoming a daughter of the air. She continues her search in another realm.

Q: Unlike 19th century story ballets, in your work the story comes across entirely without pantomime.

A: The viewer can read the story purely through the physicality. There’s an important contrast between the underwater characters and those on earth. When the mermaid comes to earth, the people look extremely weird to her. And when she must conform to the human world, we see an ungainliness in her.

Q: It strikes me that, far more than most choreographers I speak with, you always return to talking about the story.

A: I believe dance is about the human being, not the human body. How interesting can physicality be when it has another dimension? Story and movement – the two things together for me have a power that’s incredible.

But emotional response is where story starts. I don’t think story is about facts and information, like in the newspaper. The stories we can tell in dance are emotional responses in human relationships. Yet the great tendency now in contemporary ballet is that it is only about the movement.”

Click here to keep reading.

San Francisco Ballet’s “Swan Lake”

San Francisco Classical Voice asked me to review:

“No one enjoys breaking the news that San Francisco Ballet artistic director Helgi Tomasson’s production of Swan Lake, unveiled last year, has serious flaws. After all, even a distantly faithful combination of the Tchaikovsky score and what has been handed down of the 1895 Ivanov/Petipa choreography is practically guaranteed to cast a spell on a general audience — who wants to kill that buzz? Fortunately, a singular ballerina in the dual role of Odette and Odile can make even seasoned ballet fans forget this staging’s shortcomings and walk out in a swoon. And fortunately, such a transcendent interpretation was delivered Wednesday night by Sarah Van Patten.

Van Patten gave one performance in the role last season and is among five casts this year (she dances again Saturday); I saw all six casts in 2009, and Wednesday’s show confirmed Van Patten as outstanding. Her Swan Queen Odette is tragic in a self-contained way — rather than saying to Prince Siegfried, “I’m a needy victim, help me,” her regretful and womanly strength telegraphs, “Can’t you see I’m doomed? It’s impossible between us.” That impossibility makes you understand why Siegfried would then desire her all the more ardently. And because Van Patten’s searing Black Swan, Odile, presents a different kind of romantic impossibility, taunting and teasing, you then understand Siegfried’s universal dilemma: How do you tell the difference between love and seduction?”

Click here to keep reading.

San Francisco Ballet Gala

San Francisco Ballet’s season opening gala Wednesday marked Helgi Tomasson’s 25th year as artistic director, which explains the decision to load the program of star-studded snippets with his works. The net effect was very, very grey—a fitting if less than celebratory representation of this Iceland native’s creative output. The sampling of pas de deux (and a pas de trois) was restrained, frequently gloomy, sober. Much of the music was Baroque or Baroque-influenced. A lot of the works are perfectly lovely (especially Tomasson’s “Concerto Grosso” for six men who prowl the stage like a pride of dignified lions, tossing off elegant feats). But taken together, these ballets don’t make for much of a party. It fell to Gennadi Nedvigin to liven things up after intermission with the “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” solo from Paul Taylor’s “Company B.” By no fault of his own, he came across like an obnoxious teenager crashing a funeral. Then the stunningly clean, high-flying technique of Taras Domitro was called upon to end everything with a bang. It was hard to feel too uplifted, though, when he was dancing an excerpt from Tomasson’s “Le Quattro Stagione” (”The Four Seasons,” to Vivaldi) in which a man faces death.

But in truth, despite Tomasson’s proficiency and occasional inspiration as a dancemaker, his greater gifts as director manifest in the international roster of incredibly diverse dancers. And despite the preponderance of grimness, they delivered sparkling tribute to their boss. The evening’s high point: Frances Chung and Elizabeth Miner in the “Sleeping Beauty” wedding act pas de six, stylish and crisp through fiendishly fast petite allegro. Also especially delectable: Sarah Van Patten’s sashaying shoulders and storytelling eyes in the “Man I Love” pas de deux from Balanchine’s “Who Cares?,” partnered by a flirty Pierre-Francois Vilanoba. And Vanessa Zahorian was exquisite, really masterful in her precision of plastique, in Tomasson’s “Chaconne,” with muscular-yet-refined Davit Karapetyan. Meanwhile, it was a night to admire how many “boys” are developing in Tomasson’s standard of excellence, from the still-young yet preternaturally commanding Anthony Spaulding partnering Sofiane Sylve in the old Arthur Mitchell role from Balanchine’s “Agon,” to even younger young’uns like Diego Cruz holding their own alongside the mature virtuosity of Pascal Molat in “Concerto Grosso.”

Yuan Yuan Tan was her irrepressibly otherworldly self in two selections, the better of which was “Chi-Lin.” And Maria Kochetkova gave her first San Francisco portrayal of Juliet in the balcony scene opposite Joan Boada’s Romeo, to mixed effect: She has the innocence and girlish sweetness, undoubtedly, but I don’t yet buy her passion—and I think these hormonally raging teens need a dose of lust. Kochetkova, lusty? We’ll find out later in the season during the full “Romeo and Juliet’s” run.

The other international roster Tomasson has to his great credit, beside his dancers, consists of the huge range of choreographers he’s brought into the rep. This season he’s taking an interesting gamble on John Neumeier’s full-evening “The Little Mermaid.” I’m also especially curious about Christopher Wheeldon’s new “Ghosts,” and premieres from Yuri Possokhov and Renata Zanella. In the meantime, Tomasson’s “Swan Lake” opens this weekend. www.sfballet.org for information.

Memoir Classes in January

I’ll be teaching two memoir classes at the San Francisco Writers Grotto this winter, beginning in late January. The four-week memoir intensive was so rewarding this past August and October, thanks to great students who experimented fearlessly and made terrific leaps forward in their work; I’ll be offering that class again beginning January 25. And for memoir writers who want to take the next step, I’m excited to launch an eight-week workshop, starting January 26. Full information on each class is below. Contact me at rachel dot howard at gmail.com for registration details. And check out all the great Grotto classes, in everything from poetry to travel writing, at www.sfgrotto.org.

Also, a heads up about the new Grotto Class Notes monthly newsletter, which you can sign up for here. Much more than the latest on the Grotto’s wide array of class offerings, Grotto Class Notes shares tips on writing, exercises to try, and recommendations of favorite books. A little shot of monthly writing motivation for your inbox!

Memoir Intensive: Fact Is Not Truth – Memoir and the Art of Honesty
Instructor: Rachel Howard
Contact:rachel dot howard at gmail.com
Number of sessions: 3, with optional 4th session for personal critique
Meeting times: Monday evenings, 6:30 – 9:30, January 25 – Feb. 8. Optional
critique session 6:30 – 9:30, Monday, February 22.
Course fee:$195. Optional critique session $75

Description: You want to tell your story and you want to tell the truth. But how does truth differ from mere fact in memoir? And how do we find and give form to the deeper truths that compel readers to compulsively turn pages?

Memoir poses a contract with the reader—“this really happened.” Whether your story is outrageous or ordinary, compelling memoir need not depart from facts. But it must dig beneath them to unearth a deeper emotional honesty.

In this class, we’ll use Vivian Gornick’s craft book The Situation and the Story to help examine the personal story you’re trying to tell, and how you can best tell it. We’ll look at excerpts from memoirs by such writers as Jo Ann Beard, Alexandra Fuller, and Susan J. Miller, and do lots of in-class writing of our own which we will share and discuss. We’ll explore how memoirists use fictional techniques to transport the reader beyond surface factuality, and we’ll find the truth that can drive your personal story. Each student receives private feedback on his or her writing between classes, and individualized writing assignments. Plenty of time reserved for practical Q and A. Ethical quandaries—“What will my family think if they read this?”—welcome.

In the optional fourth session, participants submit up to 20 pages of their memoirs-in-progress for in-depth group discussion and a detailed letter of personal critique.

This class is for students already at work on a memoir, as well as those just starting out. It serves as an introductory class for students who would like to continue on to the Intermediate/Advanced Memoir Workshop.

Memoir II: Intermediate/Advanced Workshop
Instructor: Rachel Howard
Contact: rachel dot howard at gmail.com
Number of sessions: 8
Meeting times: Tuesday evenings, 6:30 – 9:30,January 26 – March 23 (no class February 16)
Course fee:$455.
Class limited to 10 students

Description: This weekly workshop provides ongoing craft discussion and critique for committed memoir writers. During the opening portion of each class we’ll talk about a variety of published readings, including Sven Birkert’s “Art of Time in Memoir.” Then we’ll turn to your work, aiming to reflect back to the writer what has been communicated, and then to describe the further opportunities we see. We’ll point to strengths, and offer ideas for revision in a supportive, thoughtful environment. Every writer in the class will have the opportunity to submit to workshop twice during our eight weeks together. Ultimately this class will help you gain greater perspective on your work by listening to others. But my deeper goal is to help you build a strong personal writing sensibility by encouraging you–amidst the flurry of feedback–to listen foremost to yourself.

Note: This class is geared to intermediate and advanced memoir writers. Admission requires submission of a short writing excerpt to assure correct placement, or completion of an earlier Memoir Intensive.

Instructor Bio: Rachel Howard is the author of the memoir The Lost Night: A Daughter’s Search for the Truth of Her Father’s Murder, one of the San Francisco Chronicle’s Best Books of 2005. Her personal essays have appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle and O, the Oprah Magazine. Her advice is quoted extensively in The Autobiographer’s Handbook: The 826 National Guide to Writing Your Memoir. She received her MFA from Warren Wilson College.

Saint Mary’s in September

I’m excited to be reading at Saint Mary’s College of California in Moraga on September 23, as part of the MFA program’s Creative Writing Reading Series. Free and open to the public:

Creative Writing Reading Series-Rachel Howard

Who: A former freelance dance correspondent for the San Francisco Chronicle, Rachel Howard has published her work in the New York Times; O, the Oprah Magazine; San Francisco Magazine; the Village Voice; Dance Magazine; and other publications. Her first book, The Lost Night, a memoir about the emotional aftermath of her father’s unsolved murder, was published in 2005. A member of the San Francisco Writers’ Grotto, she lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.

When: Wednesday, September 23, 7:30 p.m.

Where: Albert Hall Library, Saint Mary’s College of California, 1928 St. Mary’s Rd., Moraga

Contact: MFA Program at (925)631-4457.

Writers Grotto Meet-the-Teachers

We’re hosting a meet-the-teachers night at the Writers Grotto for our upcoming classes, including the memoir intensive I’m teaching in October:

Meet the Teacher Night September 9!
Join us at the Grotto (490 Second St. at Bryant) for a glass of wine and the finest snacks Trader Joe’s can offer. This is a terrific opportunity to check out the Grotto, as well as chat with our teachers (and some of their students) about upcoming classes. Wednesday, September 9, 5:30 pm until 7:30 pm.

For full information on our classes, including the four-week memoir intensive I’m teaching beginning October 26, click here.

Writing Classes This Fall

Two ways to study writing with me this fall. Registration for my creative nonfiction course through Stanford Continuing Studies’ Online Writer’s Studio opens August 17. Click here for details. And here is the course description:

“Writing the Creative Nonfiction Book: Getting a Full Draft

(EGL 321 W)

So you’ve written the opening pages of a memoir. Or you’ve been mulling over ideas for a book of creative nonfiction and a concept has clicked into focus. Congratulations. You’re over the biggest hurdle—getting started—and now you’re on to the most fulfilling but trickiest part. Working toward a full draft of your nonfiction book can be incredibly rewarding. But maintaining momentum requires keeping your eye on the book’s “big picture” and giving yourself freedom to experiment with the “small picture”—then staying flexible as your discoveries inform an evolving plan.

In this course, we will keep you writing toward a full draft. We will also look at how three very different creative nonfiction books work on the big-picture and small-picture levels. Weekly writing assignments will help you discover and strengthen the style, tone, and structure of your creative nonfiction book. Each student will complete a new chapter for workshop response. Whether you’re just starting or you’re feeling muddled in the middle, this course will give you the tools to finish a solid full draft.

Rachel Howard, Author

Rachel Howard is the author of the memoir, The Lost Night: A Daughter’s Search for the Truth of Her Father’s Murder, one of the San Francisco Chronicle’s Best Books of 2005. Her personal essays have appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle and O, The Oprah Magazine. Her advice is quoted extensively in The Autobiographer’s Handbook: The 826 National Guide to Writing Your Memoir. She received an MFA in fiction writing from Warren Wilson College.”

Meanwhile, my memoir intensive at the Writers Grotto has been such a delight (thanks to a delightful group of students) that I’ll be offering the four-week class again come October. Registration, limited to ten students, is open now. Click here to visit the class listing on the Grotto website. Or read the details below:

“Memoir Intensive: Fact Is Not Truth – Memoir and the Art of Honesty
Instructor: Rachel Howard
Contact: rachel dot howard at gmail dot com
Number of sessions: 3, with optional 4th session for personal critique
Meeting times: Monday evenings, 6:30 – 9:30, October 26-November 9. Optional
critique session 6:30 – 9:30, Monday, November 16.
Course fee:$195. Optional critique session $75

Description: You want to tell your story and you want to tell the truth. But what does ‘truth’ in a memoir really mean? And how do we find and communicate the deeper truths that compel readers to compulsively turn pages?

Memoir poses a contract with the reader—“this really happened.” Whether your story is outrageous or ordinary, compelling memoir need not depart from facts. But it must dig beneath them to unearth a deeper emotional honesty.

In this class, we’ll use Vivian Gornick’s craft book The Situation and the Story to help examine the personal story you’re trying to tell, and how you can best tell it. We’ll look at excerpts from memoirs by such writers as Jo Ann Beard, Alexandra Fuller, and others, and do lots of in-class and between-class writing of our own which we will share and discuss. We’ll explore how memoirists use fictional techniques to transport the reader beyond surface factuality, and we’ll find the truth that can drive your personal story.

Plenty of time reserved for practical Q and A. Ethical quandaries—“What will my family think if they read this?”—welcome.

An optional fourth session will be reserved for critique of excerpts from students’ memoirs-in-progress. Each participant in this session (limited to six students) will receive a written personal critique from the instructor.

This class is for students already at work on a memoir, as well as those just starting out.

Instructor Bio: Rachel Howard is the author of the memoir The Lost Night: A Daughter’s Search for the Truth of Her Father’s Murder, one of the San Francisco Chronicle’s Best Books of 2005. Her personal essays have appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle and O, the Oprah Magazine. Her advice is quoted extensively in The Autobiographer’s Handbook: The 826 National Guide to Writing Your Memoir. She received her MFA from Warren Wilson College.”

No Dance Writing from Me this Fall

It’s official! I’ve notified my editor at the Chronicle, and I will not be writing about dance for the paper this fall. This was a difficult decision, but with each day that passes I feel more strongly this is the right decision. After six years of reviewing dance as a freelancer, I’m excited about taking time out to regroup (and happy about going to sleep at a decent hour instead of writing until two a.m. under tight deadlines). I’ll be teaching creative writing this fall, and working intensively on my novel-in-progress.

I don’t know what the paper’s plans are for dance coverage this fall and beyond; as a freelancer, I am not involved in that kind of planning. However, I felt more comfortable stepping down at this time because my fellow Chronicle freelancer Mary Ellen Hunt does such a fine job writing about dance.

I admire and love the Bay Area dance scene and its artists more than ever. And I’m thrilled about sitting in the audience as a non-critic. My last piece for the Chronicle will be the fall dance preview appearing in September. I’ll revisit the possibilities of dance criticism in 2010.

Summer and Beyond

Hello friends, this week I’m off to Asheville, NC, where I’ll be attending my final residency as a student at Warren Wilson College’s wonderful writing program, and graduating with my MFA in fiction on July 12. The graduation marks a moment of great change, uncertainty, and most of all optimism in my life.

Dance fans may have noticed that I haven’t been writing much for the Chronicle recently. I hope I’m not telling tales out of school when I explain that the paper cancelled all of my June, July, and August review assignments, due to a reduced freelance budget.

The slow-down at the Chronicle has coincided with my growing personal desire to pursue the teaching of writing, and to focus on non-journalistic work. I’m excited to say I’ll be teaching creative nonfiction this fall through Stanford Continuing Studies–more details soon. Meanwhile, I’m dedicating July and August to intensive work on a book-in-progress.

I’m not certain where this leaves my dance writing for the latter half of 2009. I keep contemplating taking a “dance writing sabbatical,” and then keep backing away from announcing such a decision when I realize how much I’ll miss reporting on all the inspiring dancers and thought-provoking choreographers I’m so fortunate to observe here in the Bay Area. Still, in my gut, I suspect a substantial break would be for the best.

Meanwhile, I’m thoroughly enjoying designing the class I’ll be teaching this fall, and I’m working happily every day on my own writing endeavors. So this is just an update to say that you won’t see much of me in the paper this summer. As for fall, we’ll take things as they come.