Helen Pickett’s Terra: A Community of Creation

By Hannah Krafcik Helen Pickett strolled into the cafe of Powell’s Books on a surprisingly sunny afternoon in March, smiling brightly through her green-rimmed sunglasses, which were set off by her fiery curls. We were meeting at this quintessentially Portland locale, per Pickett’s suggestion, to discuss her new work, “Terra,” commissioned by Oregon Ballet Theatre.… Read More

A Journey to Naples Via Copenhagen and Portland

A JOURNEY TO NAPLES VIA COPENHAGEN AND PORTLAND: Bournonville’s Visual Aesthetic and the Set Design Process By Claire Willett For the residents of Copenhagen in August Bournonville’s era, Italy was a golden-hued and romantic dream of exoticism and sunshine. Wilhelm Marstrand, one of the most renowned artists of the Golden Age of Danish art, painted… Read More

Choreographer’s Corner: August Bournonville, pt. 2

Choreographer’s Corner: August Bournonville By Claire Willett August Bournonville – the Royal Danish Ballet’s most famous son and national legend – was virtually unknown in the United States until after World War II.  But his joyful choreography, precise technique and exuberant artistry have made his works works beloved in the ballet canon for a century… Read More