Running Time: Approx. 5 minutes

Music: Basie, Reinhart, et al

     Four Classic Swing Pieces

Dancer Requirements:

Three Women and Two Men

Women must have strong pointe work.

Men must be good partners and jumpers

Technical Requirements:

Stage Size: at least 30 x 20 preferred

Crossover needed

Center center pool of light

Costumes:

Ladies: Three different short 1940's style dresses, each in a different color, with hair up in 1940's fashion. 

Pink pointe shoes and tights

Men: Black slacks white shirts, one in vest and tie (no jacket), one in suspenders and tie. (no tie tacks) 

Black jazz shoes.

Costumes not available for rent.

Description

Swing is a short contemporary ballet in four movements to classic Sing-era music.  The choreography incorporates swing steps, such as The Jitterbug, and impressive Swing-style lifts such as "The Flying Dutchman," flips, straddles and partnered cartwheels into contemporary ballet.  It is an upbeat, crowd-pleasing ballet that makes a great opener or closer.

The first music is brassy, exciting and fast.  Each dancer or couple has a featured section with lots of high-energy dancing,  followed by a short group section in the dancing. 

The second movement is the slowest segment, focusing on the solo lady while the two couples dance fun, humorous pas de deux with lots of unusual pointe work and partnering. 

The allegretto is a fun piece of music choreographed for the three women to really display their pointe work.  Each lady gets a short solo, including hops of pointe, pirouettes and even a "tap dance" on pointe!  The steps are very musical.  New York choreographer and former Doug Elkins dancer Jane Weiner compared this section to Twyla Tharp's work for pointe.

The final movement begins with a short duet for the men.  The gentlemen soar across the stage in exciting jumps, turns in unison, Russian-style men's partnering and a flying leap frog at full standing height! When the women re-enter the stage, there's a raucous "party" sequence with each dancer or couple dancing different choreography, followed by a fast, exciting unison section with petite allegro and a crowd-pleasing finish.

History:

Swing was first performed by Houston's renowned High School for the Performing & Visual Arts Chamber Ensemble in 1997.  It was selected to appear in a second performance in the Ruth Denney Theatre later that same year.