monday, january 30, 1978
page 6
daily nebraskan
Royal Winnipeg Ballet sparkling jewel in rough setting
By Charlie Krig
The next time I attend a Lincoln Com
munity Concerts program, I'm going to
wear sunglasses and earplugs.
Undoubtedly, that will decrease my
enjoyment of the performance, but at
least I won't be distrubed by insensitive,
unappreciative audience members as was
the case Saturday night.
The Royal Winnipeg Ballet performed
superbly in five dances, ranging from
classical to modern ballet.
i
Photo courtesy of Tha Royal Winnipeg Ballet
The Royal Winnipeg BaDet's Bonnie Wyckoff performs in Rodeo, choreographed
by Agnes de Mille with music by Aaron Copland.
arts and
Energetic performance belies
slippery winter complications
By Casey McCabe
For Larry Raspberry and the High
steppers, a two-night stint at Lincoln's
Royal Grove was just another in a hectic
tour.
To complicate matters, the band was
caught last week in the country's worst
weather and was unable to leave Ohio in
time to make their scheduled Thursday
opening.
But if the ordeal was a strain on the
30-year-old Larry Raspberry, you could
not tell it by his active stage performance.
Looking resplendant in a long white
tuxedo top, cut-off blue denims and no
shoes, Raspberry was energetic as he took
the stage by storm with his rock antics.
Touring like this can get pretty harrow
ing," said Raspberry in his thick Tennessee
accent. "Being exposed to midwest winters
is a thing in itself.
"It's taxing to drive all day and night,
slide off the road or whatever, and then
get on stage and work.
The justification for it all comes from
playing our music and putting on a good
show."
The High Steppers have been with
Raspberry since 1972, but the band only
has played with its current lineup since
last summer.
The band has opened for such acts as
The Ozark Mountain Daredevils. The J.
Ceils Band, Black Oak Arkansas and Head
East.
But, according to Raspberry, the band
was pulled from the -Ozark Mountain Dare
devil tour after crfy one show becausf
they pUyed "too high energy ' music which
contrasted with the Daredevils' style.
The exposure helped the band gain a
following and sold some records for them,
although they never were able to become
popular on their own. Raspberry admitted
the current tour is out of necessity.
"We play for a living, so we have to play
the market that supports the band," he said.
"And that happens to be dances, bars and
sometimes a small concert. We're hoping to
land a record affiliation in the near
future."
Larry Raspberry and the Highsteppers
play uninhibited rock, with a firm bse
built upon early influences like Chuck
Berry and little Richard. Raspberry said it
is his duty to inspire the crowd by coaxing
people to dance artd clap their hands.
Most songs are original compositions
from the band's two albums, High Step
pin' and Fancy Dancin ' and In The Fink.
Some more memorable selections are "Jive
Ass", "Rock and Roll Warning" and "Baby
Get Out of Bed."
While hard rock is the obvious force
behind the band, Raspberry said playing
dance able music often is a necessity. The
band members, all Tennessee natives,
listen to such artists as Billy Joel, Boz
Scaggs and the Commodores.
"If you heard th band a year ago. you
could see the changes that have taken
place." Raspberry 6aid.
"We've become a guitar band, and little
harder-edged. If the people accept what
Uey hea: we think we've been sincere
about our music."
Unfortunately, it was difficult to absorb
the dancers' expertise while surrounded by
unruly children running in the aisles,
loud conversations between hard-of-hearing
people, popcorn munchers, popcorn bag
cracklers and slamming doors.
But the dance company surpassed the
interruptions with precision matched only
by the Pennsylvania Ballet's appearance
last year in Kimball Recital Hall.
Festival opened the evening with bright,
snappy choreography, perfectly coordi
nated lighting and colorful costumes.
Kerry Duse conducted the 15-piece orches
tra in a Flavio Venturini composition that
Duse arranged. The result was sublime.
Oscar Araiz (choreographer of Festival)
torpedoed the senses with two more works,
Adagietto and Women. The first used
motion as an abstraction for love with the
movement framed by an ebony stage and
accented with cool blue lights.
Women emphasized forceful, dynamic
movement and was arranged on a cut from
Grace Slick's Manhole album. The five
ladies' sensuousness, frustrations and anxie
ties broke out of the dance with long,
loose hair and white costumes resembling
nightgowns.
The theme of repressed sexuality was
coupled with stark white lighting. The
austere scenery was sufficiently potent to
hold the audience in astonished silence.
Others were offended enough to walk
out of the performance.
A typically classical Balanchine crea
tion, Glinka Pas De Trois, satisfied those
who expected more "traditional" ballet.
Balanchine painted graceful motion on
music by composer Mikhail Glinka and the
trio of dancers gave grand and stylish per
formances. There might have been an ulterior
motive for placing Rodeo last on the
program. People who disliked the modern
works repeatedly commented that the
title sounded more promising than the
first selected. It- delivered what they
expected.
The entire company wore polychro
matic cowboy costumes, with scarves and
hats to emphasize the motion and mood.
Choreographer Agnes de Mille incorporated
some down-home tap and square dancing
that immediately elicited spontaneous
applause.
The production's resemblance to the
movie and stage versions of the musicai
Oklahoma undoubtedly was a factor in its
acceptance, as was Aaron Copland's
western style music.
In retrospect, the Royal Winnipeg
Ballet was a treasure. Each solo perfor
mance (of which there were too many to
mention here) was a gem set in a golden
crown of composition. Superior orches
trations and technical help offered substan
tial support.
But, in consideration for the dancers,
Pershing Auditorium and the audience
were only remotely prepared for a produc
tion of this style and accomplishment. It
revived the realization that Lincoln needs
an adequate perfoinance hall for major
companies.
In addition, the performers deserve
sophisticated audience members who
attend the arts for cultural appreciation,
not as a social event.
Woodwinds recital Tuesday
Two instructors in the UNL School of
Music will present a free, public recital
Tuesday at 8 pjn. in Sheldon Art Gallery
Auditorium.
Gary Echols, bassoon instructor, and
Robert O'Boyle, oboe instructor, will
play three pieces: Quartet in D Minor
(from Tafelmusik, 1733) by Telemann,
and Concerto for Bassoon in E minor
(F. VIII No. 6) by Vivaldi.
They will be accompanied by Harvey
Hinshaw, David Van de Bogart, Priscilla
Parson, Gay Kohl, Brenda Manuel, Marilyn
O'Boyle, Maureen O'Boyle and Ronald
Arden.
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