My interview in the Chronicle today:
“When ballet showman Michael Smuin died last year, he left behind a lively legacy, a company of devoted dancers and a choreographic protege, Amy Seiwert. “Boss,” as Smuin Ballet dancer Seiwert called him, always championed her sharply innovative, formally dazzling ballets, which she began choreographing about a decade ago. In June, Seiwert retired from the stage to become Smuin Ballet’s resident choreographer. Her latest work, “Been Through Diamonds,” premieres this week alongside Smuin’s “Dances With Songs” and Robert Sund’s “Carmen.”
Q: The new ballet sounds quirky.
A: (Company director) Celia (Fushille) asked me to do something celebrating the company’s 15th anniversary. I can be moody and dark, but she wanted a celebration, to classical music. I spent about 100 hours listening to Mozart before I chose the String Quintet in C Minor. It has a beautiful humor about it.
The title is a lyric from the J. Geils Band song “Love Stinks.” There’s another line from the song, “You love her, but she loves him,” and that kind of relationship started going through my mind. For the first section of the dance, I created a flow chart. Shannon loves Brooke, but Brooke loves Shane, Shane loves Erin, Erin loves Matt, Matt loves Robin. The dancers would ask, “So does Robin love Shannon?” And I was like, “No. Shannon doesn’t get any love.” ”
Click here for the full interview.
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