DANCE REVIEW : Sunny Ballet Becomes Gothic Nightmare for Fledgling Company

The unseasonal and long-overlooked ballet classic “La Fille Mal Gardee” showed up amid the Christmas crush of “Nutcrackers” last weekend. The comic masterpiece--often credited with paving the way for the great Romantic ballets of the 19th Century--was ensconced at La Jolla High School’s Parker Auditorium for two performances Saturday and Sunday.

This full-length classic--dating back to 1789--heralded the official debut of the Gilleen Ballet Ensemble, a troupe that recently declared independence from the North Coast Ballet School.

Unfortunately, a round of 11th-hour cast changes (most notably the sudden pullout of the company’s female lead, ex-Cincinnati Ballet dancer Lisa Barborak) turned the sunny ballet into a Gothic nightmare for founding director Kathleen Gillie--and made this first outing by the fledgling ensemble less than auspicious.

Gillie was not scheduled to appear in this production, but she avoided a total disaster by filling in for the lead. She danced the role in soft ballet slippers (rather than traditional toe shoes), however, thus sacrificing ballet’s most beautiful icon--the ballerina poised delicately on pointe.

“La Fille Mal Gardee” (The Unchaperoned Daughter) abounds in broad humor and bucolic charm, and some of that was captured in Saturday night’s opener. However, most of the corps dancers were too busy concentrating on the steps to communicate the wit and pastoral poetry of this sprightly period piece.

The happiest moments belonged to Phil Hatcher, who mugged the juicy role of Mother Simone (danced in drag, as tradition dictates), and David Azarewicz, a guest dancer with the Gilleen Ensemble. Azarewicz clowned his way through the amusing antics of the dull suitor with relish, although his dancing lacked polish. Mark McCulloch made a strong partner for Gillie as the rambunctious peasant who steals her heart, but he was awkward in his solo work.

The scenery and costumes were definitely the strong suit of this production. The lush, rolling meadows behind wealthy widow Simone’s farm were nicely painted on the backdrop, and a good approximation of the thatched- roofed cottage was placed on the stage, along with other authentic-looking props.

The lighting designs offered only meager support, however, which made the sudden rainstorm in Act II go almost unnoticed by the audience.

The company kids--decked out in bright yellow feathers--had their day as dancing hens and chicks, and many of the little ones were also pressed into service for ensemble work, for want of enough mature dancers. The village girls sported pretty bonnets and aproned skirts. And the men were all appropriately and colorfully clad.

The Gilleen Ballet’s maiden performance got off to a poor start when the taped overture turned out to be static-ridden. The house lights were turned on, and repairs were made after a “short break,” but static interfered with the musical accompaniment again several times during the three-act ballet.

Gillie choreographed the company’s version of the 18th-Century ballet after Frederic Ashton’s designs for the British Royal Ballet’s 1959 revival--but the emerging dancers lacked the virtuosity to carry off some of the buoyant jumps and ebullient movements.

Nevertheless, the ballet may serve the company well in the future--when the dancers gain experience and technical assurance, and remnants of the ill-fated opening night fade from memory.

California Ballet moved into the Civic Theatre last weekend with a more sophisticated and ultimately more satisfying staging of “The Nutcracker” than the modest one it showcased during a weekend stint in El Cajon earlier this month.

This production features live music in the pit, elaborate scenic accouterments, and first-line casting--which added up to more “Nutcracker” magic for the audience at Friday evening’s opening.

Some performances at the Civic will still feature “alternates” in leading roles. That’s a basic California Ballet strategy, designed to groom future generations of principals for the school-based company. But most of the second-stringers will be relegated to minor roles during the Civic run.

Both Otto Neubert and Denise Dabrowski--the top attractions in this year’s “Nutcracker”--were featured on Friday’s roster. However, director Maxine Mahon cast each of them with different partners.

Neubert reigned over the Snow Kingdom, with Karen Evans as his queen, displaying a noble line and carriage well-suited to the role. His attentive partnering to Evans enhanced her performance in the icy, snow-capped wonderland. Unfortunately, the minimal choreography for the king gave Neubert very few opportunities to shine.

Dabrowski was teamed up with Mark Lanham for the Grand Pas de Deux, and they seemed even more comfortable with each other than at the performing arts center. Even the ensemble dancing looked more secure Friday night--after several performances at the center to help smooth over the rough edges.

Although the orchestra was sluggish in spots, the presence of live music is always a big plus for the dancers--and the audience.