Pacific Northwest Ballet First Look Evolution

PNB Principal Dancer Carrie Imler with Ken

Last evening, Ken and I attended the black-tie opening night celebration of Pacific Northwest Ballet; First Look Evolution 2011 at McCaw Hall.  The evening began with a cocktail reception and dinner backstage prior to the ballet performance.  The menu was great and in addtion to the entree of beef tenderloin with roasted potatos and summer squash corn ratatouille included my favorite which was a delicious peach and endive salad with Serrano Ham, arugula and Banyuls vinaigrette.  

Sarah & John Rindlaub with Carrie Imler

We were seated with PNB Principal Ballet Dancer, Carrie Imler, who was not dancing until the next evening.  Also seated at our table were Sarah & John Rindlaub and Gaylee & Jim Duncan.  The event was filled with friends and other PNB ballet aficianados including Dan & Michele Heidt, Peter Horvitz, Aya Hamilton, Lynn & Frank Lindsay, Leena & Mel Sturman, Norma Cugini, Gail James, Rian & Peter McLeod, Caroline Goedhart, Betty Tong, Margaret Dell'Osso, Jane & David Davis, Sandra Dunn, Sharon Richardson, Bob Cremin, Carole Ellison, Jeanne Tweten & Jim Leslie and dozens of others.  (Ken doesn't actually admit to being a ballet aficianado, but I am still working on him!)

Following dinner, PNB Artistic Director, Peter Boal, announced and introduced several dancers new to PNB this season and on stage announced the promotions of both Lesley Rausch and Rachel Foster as Principal Dancers  Each was presented with a big bouquet of flowers onstage to thunderous applause. 

Carrie Imler

The performance was incredible.  It was ALL WHEELDON, a program with all works choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon and included Carousel (A Dance), Polyphonia, Variations Serieuses and After the Rain pas de deux.  My personal favorites were Carousel and the After the Rain pas de deux.  Carousel was exquiste with Principal Dancers, Carla Körbes and Seth Orza dancing the lead roles and After the Rain was breathtakingly beautiful danced by Principal Dancers, Maria Chapman and Karel Cruz.  At the performance I sat next to PNB Soloist Dancer, James Moore, who was cast to dance the After the Rain pas de deux on the next night with newly announced PNB Principal Dancer, Rachel Foster.  I didn't hear him even breathe during the entire performance by Maria and Karel.

After the performance, the evening ended with an onstage dance party, where the party patrons and professional ballet dancers had a wonderful time dancing together into the wee hours.