When tragedy strikes, it’s human nature to try to make sense of it all and engage in things that foster healing for those affected. In Raffaella, the new full-length story ballet, the goal is just that: to embody the idea that “beauty will save the world.”
In 2018, the professional ballet dancer Raffaella Stroik died by drowning in a lake near where she lived. At 23, she had just started her life and career, and was known to be a bright light in the world. Her parents, an artist and an architect, commissioned the ballet as a way to honor her life and her motto that beauty will save the world.
Former New York City Ballet (NYCB) Soloist Claire Kretzschmar, and recently appointed Artistic Director of Ballet Hartford, will choreograph her first full-length ballet. The ballet will premiere at the end of June in South Bend, IN, to a score by Michael Kurek and feature professional dancers from around the country, including NYCB Principal Isabella LaFreniere and NYC-based freelance artist Jonatan Lujan.
Dance Informa had the opportunity to speak with Kretzschmar about the process.
We don’t often see new full-length story ballets these days. So much new work produced these days is more abstract and concept-driven. How did the process work once it was decided to tell a story honoring Raffaella’s memory?
“This story was written by Duncan and Ruth Stroik, the parents of Raffaella Stroik, who died. Ruth is a visual artist, and Duncan is a classical architect. So they are very much steeped in the arts community and in the practice of art. It’s a very beautiful story, and they did such a great job with bringing it into life and bringing together all of these different artists to build a brand new ballet. I looked at the libretto, and then ultimately made some edits to the story so that we could put it in a ballet context. Because even in a long, full-length ballet, there’s only so much that you can tell in that time. The fairy tale is inspired by the life of Raffaella. It’s not a strict telling of her life, but it’s inspired by the things that happen to her. We all just worked together to build the story that captures the heart of Raffaella Stroik, but it’s also this fairy tale that transcends the life of a young woman.”
For this production, the cast includes professional dancers from all over the country. Logistically, how has the rehearsal process been with all the dancers so spread out?
“We actually are just finishing up our first week of rehearsals. We have five weeks of rehearsals before tech week, and we are working with the ensemble for the first two weeks of rehearsal. And then we are slowly bringing in some of our principal dancers and children. Because another part of the story is that back in January, I went to South Bend to audition local dancers and, specifically, local children and adults. So in the coming weeks, we’ll be adding on all these different cast members and just slowly building everyone’s role and slowly building the whole show!”
Generally speaking, as you transitioned from dancing full-time with NYCB toward other aspects of dance, did you have a clear vision of what you wanted to do, and what skills required for choreography were already built in from your performing career verses what did you have to learn?
“The first reason why I was drawn to choreography was because I love music so much. And because of my ballet background and training, I naturally am drawn to want to put movement to music. That just drew me into this business of choreography. I started doing it out of necessity during COVID just to stay present with the art form of ballet while theaters were shut down, studios were closed and to be able to continue to practice what I was doing. So, I started making a lot of solos. I even curated dances with small numbers of people. I presented them from my parent’s garage in North Carolina, and I found it really rewarding. I loved that I could pick the music, and I could figure out what moves go where. But choreography is definitely a skill that I am really working on. The parts that come more naturally are things like building solos and putting the purity of movement to music without worrying too much about storytelling. The parts that are challenging to me, at this moment, are figuring out partnering. I didn’t get training on how to, you know, hold someone, and turn someone, and lift someone, so I’m really learning how to teach choreography. I’ve been fortunate to have a lot of help from different men with these kinds of things. It also feels like it’s such a deep and integral part of who I am to do this, that I’m excited to learn and I’m enjoying it.”
Between this choreographic undertaking and your recent promotion to Artist Director at Ballet Hartford, how do you feel about where you are in your career at this point?
“I’m just so excited to be doing what I’m doing, and I’m so excited in particular with both the Raffaella ballet and with Ballet Hartford, to be supported by such a joyful and talented team. That makes me really grateful every day, and I look forward to doing what I’m doing. And yes, it’s work, but it’s the best kind. I’m happy and grateful to be doing it. And I’m really grateful to be supported by so many kind and talented people.”
Raffaella will be performed on June 29-30, at the Morris Performing Arts Center in South Bend, Indiana. For tickets and more information, visit raffaellaballet.org.
By Emily Sarkissian of Dance Informa.
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