We first met Sarah Longoria, founder of Municipal Ballet Co., when she submitted an application to perform at The Fourth Annual Craft Lake City DIY Festival, back in 2012. We became enamored with her creative vision for exploring contemporary ballet performances, and inspired by her love for dancing.
(Left to Right) Members of St. Bohéme rehearsing with Municipal Ballet Dancers, Elissa Butler and Brian Nelson.
When we heard that Municipal Ballet Co. had a new collection of work debuting the last two days of February, Our ears perked with excitement. We were happily surprised to hear that we inadvertently connected the two creators of this project, Sarah Longoria of Municipal Ballet and Beaux Underwood, the director of local musical group, St. Bohéme.
We had the opportunity to chat with Sarah about the show and how the collaboration came about.
CLC: What is the history of the dance company?
MBC: I started Municipal Ballet Co. in 2012, partially as a project for my graduate studies in Ballet at the University of Utah, but mostly because I wanted a ballet company like this to exist in Salt Lake City. Our first performance was at Craft Lake City [DIY Festival] the summer of 2012. Most of the dancers and choreographers come and go with each performance, but Cynthia Jackson has danced in every Municipal Ballet Co. performance.
CLC: Your members are classically trained. Is this dance training primarily in ballet?
MBC: They are all trained in classical ballet, but their dance vocabulary goes beyond that. I like dancers and choreographers who are good movers, who can really bring something more to ballet technique.
CLC: Why did you feel the need to deviate form the classical ballet platform?
MBC: I think that classical ballet has a bit of a reputation for being boring, elitist, or something that only little girls like. Some of this is warranted, but I think most of it is because of a lack of exposure to the art form (maybe because it is sort of elitist?) I want to present ballet as an art form, in smaller venues, in the streets and public spaces, using local dancers, musicians, and artists collaborating to create something for all of the people in our community. I wanted to give local ballet dancers and choreographers an outlet to share their art. And, I feel that, given the chance, people might end up loving ballet just as much as we do.
MBC: Municipal Ballet Co. has performed the the Craft Lake City DIY Festival for the past two years. Why do you like performing at this event?
MBC: I like sticking ballet in the middle of contemporary culture. Maybe it’s sort of like those artists who embroider or knit, creating contemporary pieces from an old-fashioned art. That’s what I hope to do with ballet. I like that a large group of people see our ballet performance at Craft Lake City, and that it might be the first time they’ve ever seen ballet, or maybe the first time they’ve seen it like that, and maybe they start to think a little differently about it. Our first performance at Craft Lake City felt kind of revolutionary . . . I loved seeing the ballet dancers hanging out with Princess Kennedy and some hip-hop artists back stage. We’re usually so stuck in our own little ballet world, but the more we get out there and start collaborating with others, the more relevant our art will be.
CLC: You are collaborating with the musicians in St. Bohéme for your upcoming performance, Son et Lumière. Can you describe how you met and how you became inspired to work together?
MBC: I saw St. Bohéme perform at the Craft Lake City [DIY Festival Participant] Mixer, and picked up a card from them. I saw that they perform pieces by Yann Tiersen (of the Amelie soundtrack) and Edith Piaf, and we happened to be performing a piece to a Yann Tiersen song and one to Edith Piaf at Craft Lake City, and so I asked them if they’d like to accompany us. It didn’t work out that time, but I kept them in mind for the future. I didn’t actually know if Municipal Ballet Co. would perform again until I walked into the Ladies’ Literary Club building for the first time. I wanted to see ballet in there, and I imagined that the sound of St. Bohéme would be perfect for the space as well.
CLC: Is this the first time you have worked with live musicians in order to create an exclusive performance?
MBC: Yes, it is! But it’s been my hope from the beginning that we could work with local musicians. It’s sort of a dream come true for me.
CLC: Tell us about Son et Lumière, what is story behind this particular work?
MBC: Son et Lumière was really inspired by the building and the music. I could picture, at the end of February, people coming in from the cold to a sort of beautiful, summery, French festival inside the Ladies’ Literary Club building. I later found out that the style of architecture inside the building originated from France. Son et Lumière is the name of an actual French Festival, although it is much more extravagant than our production. The name translates to Sound and Light, which I liked because that is all that a ballet dancer needs . . . sound and light, to create art.
CLC: Who did the poster artwork?
MBC: Trent Call did the poster art for the show, and he did our last poster as well. He has such a range of styles, and they’re all amazing. I feel pretty lucky to have him do our posters. This one turned out so beautifully . . . it makes me want to go and dance on a grassy hill in the summer wind.
CLC: Can you describe the process of collaboration with St. Bohéme?
MBC: Beaux Underwood, the director of St. Bohéme gave me a list of their repertoire. I sat and listened to all of it, and chose my favorites for the show. They recorded them for me, and I distributed them to all of the choreographers. There is one song that they added to their repertoire at my request. It’s a first time experience for both of us, and I think our first rehearsal with the dancers and musicians together will be challenging, but a lot of fun. I’m looking forward to it.
CLC: Is this a on-time get-together or can we expect to see more works together in the future?
MBC: I would love to do some more performances with St. Bohéme in the future. I would also love to collaborate with other local musicians, as well. I feel like ballet is well suited for a lot of different styles of music, and it’s fun for the choreographers and dancers to change it up every once in a while.
CLC: Where can the public see you perform?
MBC: We hope to be back at Craft Lake City this summer! I’m hoping to get some ballet out on the streets of Salt Lake City when the weather warms up, as well . . . so watch out for that!
CLC: Are members of Municipal Ballet also in other dance companies?
MBC: Past members of Municipal Ballet Co. are now performing professionally across the country and even abroad. Most of our current dancers are students at the University of Utah Ballet Department, and will most likely be auditioning to perform around the world upon graduation. A couple of dancers just want to live and dance locally, so I’m lucky to have them. Of the choreographers, some have danced professionally and now live and teach locally.
CLC: Has the line-up changed over the years or stayed the same?
MBC: The cast and choreographers have changed with each of Municipal Ballet Co.’s performances. One of these days, I would love to have the resources to maintain a steady group of dancers. They are so talented, and I feel like it’s a shame that most of them have to leave Utah in order to do what they love.
CLC: Do you have any advice for ballet dancers who were classically trained, have stopped dancing, but may be interested in going back to ballet?
MBC: If you miss ballet, get back into it! Usually, ballet dancers feel like they’re past their prime at 25 years old. But, if it’s your art, and you feel like you still have something to say, do it. I’d love to get rid of all of those stereotypes in ballet, and show that it can be a diverse, expressive form of art. I never had the “right” body for ballet, or even a knack for choreography, I just love it and I never wanted to give up on it. I feel really lucky to have had enough people willing to go along with my idea that I’ve been able to present ballet just the way I like it.
Together, Municipal Ballet Co. and St. Bohéme have created a new collection of works that will debut Thursday, February 27, 2014 and Friday, February 28, 2014 at Ladies Literary Club (850 East South Temple), 7:30pm. Municipal Ballet Co. St. Bohéme and Utah Heritage Foundation Present Son et Lumière. $10 suggested donation.
Poster Art Work By Craft Lake City DIY Fest Alum, Trent Call.
(Left to Right) 6 Municipal Ballet Dancers, David Riskin, Stacie Riskin, Hannah Bowcutt, Cynthia Jackson, Elissa Butler, and Brian Nelson.