{"id":511,"date":"2013-10-10T20:03:54","date_gmt":"2013-10-11T01:03:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/19designstudio.com\/preview\/BestofSWLA\/?p=511"},"modified":"2013-10-10T23:05:22","modified_gmt":"2013-10-11T04:05:22","slug":"creative-collaborative-local","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bestofswla.com\/2013\/10\/10\/creative-collaborative-local\/","title":{"rendered":"Creative, Collaborative, Local"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Beautiful Legacy Of The Lake Charles Civic Ballet Is Poetry In Motion<\/strong><\/p>\n

By Brad Goins<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As the Lake Charles Civic Ballet moves into its 45th year, it keeps \u201ca very clear vision of creativity \u2026\u201d says longtime supporter Kelley Saucier. \u201cWhat is most interesting about the Civic Ballet is that they create their own work from the ground up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Artistic<\/a><\/p>\n

Artistic director emeritus Lady Leah Lafargue Hathaway leading a rehearsal on stage.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

From the beginning, such creation required a variety of art forms \u2014 dance (of course), but also new choreography, costumes and settings, lighting schemes, photography and, at times, original musical scores.<\/p>\n

And because the work was indeed done from scratch, it was necessary for local artists to be the creative forces and to collaborate as they created.<\/p>\n

This vision of local artists collaborating to create entirely new ballets that use a variety of art forms was called \u201ctotal theater\u201d by Lady Leah Hathaway when she brought the ballet to life 45 years ago.<\/p>\n

The idea of a total theater that seamlessly blended a number of the arts was one that was in vogue in the U.S. and Europe at the time. Lady Leah, who was Lake Charles theater pioneer Rosa Hart\u2019s last student, may have inherited notions of the concept from her teacher. It\u2019s said that Hathaway used to sit for hours, just listening to Hart talk about theater.<\/p>\n

The total theater approach of collaboration on the part of a diverse group of artists in behalf of a public performance was still an innovative idea in 1968 \u2014 especially for a mid-sized city deep in the South. The insistence on working with and appealing to local talent was also innovative.<\/p>\n

\"Current<\/a><\/p>\n

Current artistic director Lady Holly Hathaway Kaough. Photo by Romero & Romero Photography<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

All these elements are still crucial to the mission of the Ballet 45 years on. The Ballet remains \u201ca platform for Louisiana artists, choreographers and dancers, and a medium for building dance in the area,\u201d says Saucier.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs an arts organization, you really need to work with others to survive these days. It makes it more interesting. By bringing multiple artists to the stage, you broaden your reach.\u201d<\/p>\n

Saucier talks about using this firmly established but flexible approach to take the Ballet to \u201cthe next level.\u201d This level would, she thinks, be one of \u201cmore collaboration, diversifying, but also remaining true to those classical roots.\u201d (Later in the story, we\u2019ll see how the Lake Charles Civic Ballet company continues to use its thorough training in classical ballet and thorough ongoing reliance on classical music to create new and intriguing ballet works.)<\/p>\n

\"Founders<\/a><\/p>\n

Founders Debi Buras White and Lady Leah Lafargue Hathaway enjoying working on costumes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The Local Angle<\/b><\/p>\n

Trying to organize a full-scale ballet strictly by local means in a place like Lake Charles must have been an invigorating prospect 45 years ago. Then, as today, the approach also happens to coincide with fundamental values of the Lake Area\u2019s culture. Lake Charles, and surrounding areas, like to keep things local. They like to see the local boys and girls make good.<\/p>\n

So it pleases local audiences that at Civic Ballet productions, it\u2019s a matter of \u201cSouthwest Louisiana creating things right here,\u201d as Saucier puts it. \u201cThe only place you can see it is right here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is local dancers,\u201d says Saucier. Even when the Ballet performs the most established works from the repertoire, it doesn\u2019t call in ballet troupes from Houston or Atlanta. The dancers you\u2019ll see in this Christmas season\u2019s Rudolph will be locals \u2014 200 of them, in fact. The youngest local ballet dancer on stage will be just 3 years old.<\/p>\n

To see school children of 3 \u2014 or of any age \u2014 perform ballet with a symphony \u201cis not common for a town this size,\u201d says Saucier.<\/p>\n

Lady Holly Hathaway, the Ballet\u2019s artistic director and creator of much of its choreography, finds her own artistic drive enhanced by the efforts of young, local dancers to stay the course. \u201cThey\u2019re dedicated athletes,\u201d she says. \u201cThey work through blisters and sore muscles.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lady Holly\u2019s vision of the sort of creative work taking place at the Ballet is in sync with that of her mother Lady Leah, who was, of course, the Ballet\u2019s first artistic director and also did extensive choreography. \u201cThe Ballet was created to enhance the creative ability of people in the Lake Area,\u201d says Lady Holly. There is, she says, \u201ca wealth of talent in Southwest Louisiana \u2026 To use that is so much fun. It fuels my creativity.\u201d<\/p>\n

She hopes that young people in the audience who see what their peers can accomplish will be inspired to become active in artistic endeavors themselves, whether as a dancer or as some other artisan.<\/p>\n

\"Current<\/a><\/p>\n

Current and long-time technical director Fred Stark giving instructions on stage. Photo by Cameron Durham<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Assembl\u00e9<\/b><\/p>\n

Both in its name and its content, the Civic Ballet work Assembl\u00e9 is an ideal example of the collaborative, multi-genre approach that makes up \u201ctotal theater.\u201d<\/p>\n

Of course, \u201cassembl\u00e9\u201d is a ballet step in which the feet come together. But it also signifies an \u201cassemblage\u201d of art forms. In the Civic Ballet productions titled Assembl\u00e9, local creative figures from a variety of artistic backgrounds come together to make what Saucier says is \u201ctruly a multi-faceted creative project.\u201d<\/p>\n

A perfect example is \u201cThe Fable\u201d episode from last year\u2019s Assembl\u00e9. The score was written by late local composer Keith Gates. The three instrumentalists of the small musical ensemble were seated on stage. This minimal musical accompaniment was mirrored by \u201csparse, beautiful light\u201d by longtime Ballet lighting supervisor Denver Kaufman. Just in case all this wasn\u2019t striking and quirky enough, a large scale papier mache elephant (designed by Fred Stark) moved here and there on stage. Lady Holly created the original choreography.<\/p>\n

Other new, multi-genre approaches to ballet will come together in the next assemblage of works that will make up the Ballet\u2019s second \u201cAssembl\u00e9,\u201d which will be performed in March, 2014, at the Rosa Hart Theater.<\/p>\n

Entirely new will be a ballet based on the upcoming children\u2019s book The Tortoise and His Hair by local author Eloise Huber. The score was composed by Sulphur native, and current Loyola student, Theresa Romero (whose father, Danley, is photographer for the Ballet).<\/p>\n

Although Lady Holly will create the choreography for this piece, she has \u201cjust gotten started,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

What she\u2019s waiting for is Romero\u2019s completed score. \u201cI\u2019ve got ideas about where I\u2019d like it to go,\u201d says Lady Holly. \u201cPart of the fun of it is to see what the musician is going to do with this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Cinderella<\/a><\/p>\n

Cinderella will be part of Assembl\u00e9 2014 with the Lake Charles Symphony. Photo by Romero & Romero Photography<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

There will also be a novel approach to a ballet standard. While one of the traditional classical scores for Cinderella will be used, the version will be an hour-long selection, rather than one that consumes an entire evening. Lady Holly will do some of the choreography for this segment.<\/p>\n

Ensuring that the assemblage will be plenty eclectic, there will be a selection of dances by Bob Fosse, whose choreography Saucier describes as \u201cvery, very stylish and cool.\u201d<\/p>\n

The new Assembl\u00e9 program is still very much a work in progress. An Assembl\u00e9 show takes an entire year to prepare. Lady Holly spent some of her summer watching guest choreographers do staging for the Fosse numbers.<\/p>\n

She seems to be especially excited about a portion of the show titled \u201cLouisiana Saturday Night\u201d in which Chris Miller and Bayou Roots play roots (pardon the redundancy) music from the area.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all original choreography,\u201d says Lady Holly. \u201cIt\u2019s fun for the musicians and the audience alike.\u201d Given the nature of the music, she anticipates such audience interactions as humming and clapping along.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Rudolph<\/b><\/p>\n

Part of the 45th anniversary celebration is the performance of the ballet\u2019s popular Rudolph ballet \u2014 a work that premiered in Lake Charles in 1968.<\/p>\n

That first-year production was a good instance of local artists collaborating towards an end. Denver Kaufman, who is in now in charge of Rosa Hart Theater, worked with Tommy Johnson, Jimmy Dupuis and Lady Leah to build the original set for Rudolph in 1968. Hathaway even did some of the construction herself. Kaufman recalls this early ballet as a work that was entirely Lady Leah\u2019s.<\/p>\n

Of course, she did the choreography for the ballet. Kaufman and Johnson did the original lighting.<\/p>\n

Although the Ballet doesn\u2019t perform Rudolph every year, because of its seasonal nature; its popularity; and its family-friendly content, the ballet is performed often. \u201cIt\u2019s such a fun Christmas event,\u201d says Saucier. \u201cKids love it. It\u2019s just very Christmassy.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Lake Charles Civic Ballet works to continue to make the work new and relevant. For instance, the Ballet\u2019s board now sees Rudolph as an opportunity for the Ballet\u2019s educational outreach effort to convey a lesson about bullying to local students, who are often treated to performances by the Ballet.<\/p>\n

\"Rudolph<\/a><\/p>\n

The board, which now numbers almost 40, has prepared lesson plans about the aspects of bullying in the Rudolph story and about ways to prevent and stop bullying. These plans can be found at the ballet\u2019s Web site, as can a list of reading materials about bullying compiled by a local teacher.<\/p>\n

Performances of Rudolph won\u2019t begin until December 14. But if you\u2019d like information about tickets, or more information about the troupe\u2019s history, the ballet\u2019s web site \u2014 lakecharlescivicballet.com \u2014 is full of information. Note in particular the Ballet\u2019s extensive blog.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

An \u2018Unbelievable\u2019 Accomplishment<\/b><\/p>\n

Because Saucier has been so enthusiastic about the Lake Charles Civic Ballet for so long, she\u2019s perfectly serious and calm when she says, almost nonchalantly, \u201cAll it takes is time, money and more volunteers.\u201d There isn\u2019t even a hint of a joking tone.<\/p>\n

Still, she\u2019s aware of the scope of what\u2019s been done. Saucier thinks it\u2019s \u201cunbelievable\u201d for a ballet with such a broad artistic agenda \u201cto still be here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Forty-five years is enough time for a group to build a legacy. Saucier notes that the Ballet has had two generations of artistic directors with the same family roots.<\/p>\n

Remaining faithful to the original artistic goals, and continuing to keep everything local, are other features of the legacy that all those affiliated with the Ballet can be proud of.<\/p>\n

\"Present-day<\/a><\/p>\n

Present-day Rudolph. Photo by Romero & Romero Photography<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Beautiful Legacy Of The Lake Charles Civic Ballet Is Poetry In Motion By Brad Goins   As the Lake Charles Civic Ballet moves into its 45th year, it keeps \u201ca very clear vision of creativity \u2026\u201d says longtime supporter Kelley Saucier. \u201cWhat is most interesting about the Civic Ballet is that they create their [&hellip<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":526,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[4],"yoast_head":"\nCreative, Collaborative, Local - BestOfSwla<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/bestofswla.com\/2013\/10\/10\/creative-collaborative-local\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Creative, Collaborative, Local - 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