Ross Freddie Ray - new Bolero

[FionaM]

Many, many congratulations to Ross Freddie Ray on his beautiful, and emotional choreography for this project inspired to support and raise awareness for multiple sclerosis sufferers, sponsored by Merck Russia.  Do watch.  It begins poignantly with Rudyard Kipling’s poem ‘If’ (spoken in Russian, with English subtitles)

 

As some here know, Ross trained at the Royal Ballet School, where he was a winner of the Ursula Moreton choreographic award.  He was previously a dancer and choreographer with Romanian National Ballet.  He is now mostly a choreographer.  Though he will be seen dancing as Lord Capulet in Johan Kobborg’s R&J at the Royal Albert Hall later this year.

This is an extraordinary project with incredible visuals from Tuen Van Der Zalm (Hollywood visual artist), beautiful costumes by Dmitry Loginov (Russian high end fashion designer) and clever makeup by Yuri Stolyarov (top MUA to Maybelline USA).  The visuals are so amazing ... it feels like the stage is floating in space. 
 

▪️Note to mods:  please do not merge this with the ‘multiple Sergei Polunin news’ that you have combined into one thread elsewhere. (There is lots more coming to fruition that I haven’t mentioned yet .. I will do it in that thread.)
 

Ross Freddie Ray deserves his own recognition for this exceptional choreography.  And there is more to come from him 😉

In this project, yes, Sergei Polunin is the dancer and the ‘name’ that will sell the video, as well as being the networker bringing these top end creatives together.  But .... the creativity, concept and the choice of music are all Ross’s own.  We will hear more about the relationship of the movements to the choreography in a documentary to follow.

 

 

 

[FionaM]

also from Ross Freddie Ray today .....

 

And another one 🎥🚀🔥
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@poluninink , @antoncorbijn4real , @depechemode and some dancey moves by me. Is a shock still that my name is attached to a project with these people.
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The day we filmed this will remain with me always. On the Island of Terschelling in November with the icy winds smashing into us. Everyone except Sergei wrapped up in coats and blankets to not freeze. But out walks Sergei and dances topless for what must have been 12 hours of filming. We were on set from morning until evening and Sergei didn’t even mention the conditions, he just danced. Everyone on set that day left feeling inspired, thrilled and a little bit cold in the toes. @poluninink is who he is because he will do anything for his art form. 

 

Check out the full video at the link below 

 

 

 

[FionaM]

Ross Freddie Ray is is London today for first ever in-person rehearsals with Sergei Polunin of Bolero ahead of the performance at the London Palladium tomorrow, Friday 15 October 2021.

 

Ross created the role with the help of virtuoso dancer Christi Preda in a studio in Romania and then via Zoom with Sergei, who was back and forth between Miami and Moscow.  
 

The performance at the Palladium will also be the first time that Ross will see his own ballet performed live.  
 

He could not travel for the filming of the video whose concept was to raise awareness of Multiple Sclerosis, not could he travel to the pre-premiere short version at Baikonur.

 

Sergei has since performed the full ballet live in Sevastopol (in support of the Eifman international summer school) and in Belgrade (to raise funds for his foundation).

 

Ross had ideas on how to alter the choreography from the video (obviously not performed in whole) for a live version, but Sergei chose to not change it.   It is a demanding ~17 minute solo.

Edited October 13, 2021 by FionaE
Correction

[FionaM]

Ross explaining about the first full live performance, in Sevastopol

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CRs02mBADzq/?utm_medium=copy_link

Edited October 13, 2021 by FionaE
Explanation

[Angela]

 

- Oh, I’d really like to do the Bolero on the red table! All the great dancers did it.

- I’m sorry, Sergei, the Béjart Trust is very picky with the rights for that one.

- Couldn’t we do something similiar, Ross?

- Well, I could borrow the round table, just make it black and bigger, I could borrow the arms and hands from Béjart’s beginning and this bobbing movement, up and down in the knees... We’ll put some veils on you and use a dramatic background...

 

I’m very sorry, FionaE, please don’t get angry, but too much of this is plainly stolen from Maurice Béjart’s choreography. Let’s hope the Béjart Trust’s legal department won’t see it. Please watch the original somewhere on Youtube before you answer. Please, please.

[FionaM]

@Angela I’m familiar with Bejart’s Bolero … having seen a large number of dancers perform it on YouTube from Jorge Donn, Maya Plisetskaya through to more recent performances like Vishneva.

 

I’m not the choreographer or dancer here … so please don’t attack me!

 

And yes I agree there are references to Bejart’s choreography here … I noticed it immediately too.  But only the rocking motion you mention.   And that doesn’t last anywhere near as long in Ross’ version.  
 

However this version moves around the stage which Bejart’s does not being limited by the red table.  That’s a big difference.
 

You raise a good question though … when does a reference become a compliment vs plagiarism?   
 

Did you notice that the colour palette and costume fabrics reference Torvill & Dean’s famous Olympic routine?   Though I doubt that the costume maker is aware of that routine.  He’s too young.  

Edited October 13, 2021 by FionaE
Clarification

[FionaM]

Whooops posted the wrong video earlier ….

 

Here is the documentary about the ‘making of’ the Bolero video in which Ross explains about the MS features addressed in it.  

 

And we can see how they worked remotely.  
 

(With subtitles)

 

 

 

Edited October 13, 2021 by FionaE
Clarification

[FionaM]

And I’ve just been reminded that it was Ross who proposed Ravel’s Bolero music for this project as he has always wanted to do a version.   
 

Which is why I started this thread in the first place.  It is Ross’ concept and choreography.  
 

The project collaboration with Merck was the idea of producer Sergei Borisenko.   Sergei Polunin is ‘just’ the dancer here.  

Edited October 13, 2021 by FionaE
Additional info

[Angela]

2 hours ago, FionaE said:

so please don’t attack me!

 

Fiona, I did not attack you, I even apologized for posting this.

 

2 hours ago, FionaE said:

But only the rocking motion you mention.  

 

The hands moving up close to the upper body in the very beginning, one after the other, that's Béjart. The round platform or stage is Béjart.  No, Béjart did not invent a round stage, but he used it with this piece music, with these same movements on the same music. 

 

2 hours ago, FionaE said:

when does a reference become a compliment vs plagiarism?   

 

I'm sure Gil Roman (who grants the rights) is generous enough to laugh about this, it's not the first time - though really cheeky. And lucky for Mr. Ray that the Béjart Ballet has problems of its own right now.

 

[FionaM]

@Angela

 

Please watch the ‘making of’ documentary posted above.
 

The curved background (it’s not a round stage) is to create the illusion of immersion in space with the videographer’s wonderful nebulae visuals. 
 

FYI the hand movements represent Multiple Sclerosis issues.  I agree some of the start is similar.  I noticed it also on first viewing … on subsequent viewings not so much.  
 

I’ll also copy IG links from the producer in the next post which explain the project.
 

Once you understand the motivation for this version, I hope you might change your mind about how much intention there was to mimic any previous versions in full.