Frankfurt dancers get vocal

The unique cultural monument that is William Forsythe’s Frankfurt Ballet is scheduled to be demolished at the end of the 2003-04 season -- though not before the German company dances a last hurrah at the Orange County Performing Arts Center in June.

But in the meantime, some of the dancers slated for dismissal have decided to sing for their suppers. They have cut a CD, “Cool Moves,” for the Frankfurt-based label powerhouse records. Besides singing, this group composes music, writes lyrics and plays instruments under German producer Dittmar Becker in styles ranging from jazz to rhythm and blues.

The principal artists include Frankfurt dancers Alan Barnes, Francesca Caroti, Noah D. Gelber, Francesca Harper, Demond Hart, Nicole Peisl, Tony Rizzi, Christopher Roman and Richard Siegal.

Forsythe isn’t involved in the project, but he gets an acknowledgment from Harper “for many years of inspiration.” And some balletomanes just might believe that Roman’s lyrics for “It’s All About You” represent a personal response to the Frankfurt city fathers’ decision to end Forsythe’s 20-year tenure:

It’s all about you, I didn’t stand a chance.

You got what you wanted, and left me alone to dance.

It’s all about you, and now I understand,

You got what you wanted, I just didn’t fit in your plans.

-- Lewis Segal