Running Time: 3 and a half minutes

Music: Aaron Copland's "Hoedown" from Rodeo

Dancer Requirements:

Eight Women and One Man

Man must be charismatic with intermediate technique, good turning ability and moderate partnering knowledge.

All women must have charisma and intermediate technique. Although this ballet was originally choreographed for soft slippers, it could easily be augmented for pointe work.

Technical Requirements:

Stage Size: 30 x 20 preferred

No crossover needed

This piece was created with touring in mind, so technical aspects are minimal.

Costumes:

Women: Originally set with prairie-style skirts and blending leotards in all warm tones, pink tights and soft ballet slippers.  Could easily be augmented for pointe work.

Cowboy: Jeans, Flannel shirt, Cowboy hat.  Black ballet shoes.

Owned by: Georgia Ballet, Marietta GA

Square Dance

First Pas de Trois

Adagio Pas de Trois

Finale

Description

Rodeo is a ballet in one movement with three sections: Allegro, Adagio and Allegro again.  Copland's music is familiar to audiences and is fun, exciting and creates an entertaining crowd pleaser every time.

The choreography incorporates traditional Texas dance steps (my home state) from old Cowboy dances and square dances into a classical ballet vocabulary, and gives the dancers an opportunity to act, partner and fly across the stage in exciting, fast combinations of leaps, temps leve, turns and other allegro.

Rodeo opens with the Cowboy standing on stage alone, as the music begins with loud horns, he spirals into action with impressive pirouettes, then the ladies enter, group-by-group with allegro across the stage. After many small group crossings, some partnering, some playful, flirtatious dancing and a "showdown" of two of the groups, the music crescendos to the main melody for the entire company to dance an upbeat, highly-musical unison combination before the square dance with the lead male in the center of the square performing grand pirouettes.

Following the square dance, there is a highly musical solo for the man, which becomes a cute pas de trois with two ladies. After the trio, more full company dancing ensues, culminating in a ménage which finishes with a crash in the music before the adagio.

The short adagio is a lovely, sweet pas de trois for the man and two different ladies, demonstrating lovely lines and fluidity.

The finale is quick, joyful and invigorating with a repeat of the original unison section, grand allegro, partnered tour jetes and a gleeful exit of all the women, leaving the Cowboy alone on stage once more for the finish.

History:

Rodeo was first commissioned by Michele Ziemann-DeVos for the performing ensemble of the school of The Georgia Ballet. It was met with great joy from the dancers, their parents and local audiences.  Due to its great success, Rodeo was performed again and again everywhere from large theatres to shopping malls!  I finally lost track of how many times it was performed.