Love Lies Bleeding Analysis

I have chosen to review the Alberta Ballet’s performance of Love Lies Bleeding for my dance production critique. Preceding the show I had relatively low expectations since I am not an Elton John fan and the show was set to his music and was inspired by his journey. Fortunately, my expectations were surpassed considerably. Love Lies Bleeding was a zestful, dynamic, and alluring theatrical experience unlike no other. This production was built on a strong foundation of classical ballet technique and repertoire but heavily infused with pop and rock style. The ballet technique was not hidden or shied away from. I was impressed by the successful integration of the classical style into the rock and roll type theme. The ballet vocabulary ranged from basic practices of turnout, épaulment, posture and pointe work …show more content…
The principal dancer Yukichi Hattori, who played the lead role Elton Fan, was given complex phrases with tours, pirouettes and elevated jumps that were always technically sound. To ensure that the coupling of ballet and rock was as seamless and as natural as possible, many of the traditional steps were executed with contrasting stylistic choices. Pelvic thrusts were introduced dozens of times throughout the show as well as some moves influenced by swing, cabaret and even burlesque. Elton John and Bernie Taupin created all of the music featured in the performance. Classics such as Bennie and the Jets, Rocket Man and Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting faultlessly corresponded with the struggles of John’s Life and the choreography. The music was just as dynamic as the dancing was, ranging from piano rock all the way to pop, there was never a moment when the music was ill fitted. Even though I am not an Elton John or Bernie Taupin fan, I recognized all of the songs except for two or three. Instead of