Spins on a fairytale

CHENNAI: At 23, Ann Toner, a ballet dancer, first opened a ballet dance school, The School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance, in the 80s. And for more than 25 years, the school has attracted dancers in the city. Ahead of the school’s performance of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s The Sleeping Beauty at Lady Andal School’s Auditorium today, Ann opens up about the perception of society during the 80s and what continues to inspire her while choreographing,

“I was always fascinated by the wraithlike, ethereal figures floating and flying through the air...the grace and beauty of movement, were like a dream. I wanted to be a part of that dream,” smiles Ann. “I chose ballet because styles like waltz and jive were common at teenage get-togethers. So I looked for something more challenging and here I am.”

But how challenging was it for someone to become a ballet dancer in the 80s? “Fortunately, I always thought outside the box and had the courage to follow my passion. There weren’t many takers for ballet at that time and most people sniggered or were shocked at the supposed ‘intimate’ support given by a man. But they weren’t the connoisseur’s of ballet, just laymen and slowly I learned to shrug off their ignorance,” she avers.

Just after seven years of training she opened her school in Chennai, which at the time, was not a open-minded city as it’s today. “In those days, the Russian Cultural Centre was the only place where you could learn the dance from,” she adds. Four years of training and Ann began to teach ballet at the centre. Did the learning and teaching go on simultaneously then? “In a way. I still  consider myself a learner. There’s no end to learning and every experience in life is a part of it,” she says.

The school does not take part in competitions not because they are incompetent but because it believes in the principle that in art there are no parameters for judging a skill or expression. “It should be appreciated and enjoyed in all of the different interpretations offered by the individuals. Each dancer has his/her own style and expresses the same theme differently,” she adds.

Do you see a change in trend now? “For sure. When I used to dance, hardly anyone knew what ballet was. Now, little kids, even four-year-olds are aware of the dance because of Barbie and tunes in Tom & Jerry. It’s amazing how kids these days make time for studies and do ballet on the weekends. Fortunately, the parents are very supportive,” she shares.

The Sleeping Beauty will have performers aged five to 30, who were selected for the roles based on their training and seniority. Students who have been learning for around 10 years have a higher proficiency/ skills like technical excellence, regularity, reliability etc. than a beginner. So why did they choose Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky? “He has scored music for The Sleeping Beauty and for many other popular ballets like the classic Swan Lake. We have performed many ballets set to his music.”

Having taken a break from live performances, Ann invests most of her time choreographing and coming up with new spins. “I let the music inspire me and take it from there. Human movement, nature, symmetry and art, and beauty, conjure up images which I modify to suit a dancer so the outcome is pleasing to viewers. That is one way of inventing a new spin,” says Ann.

The School Of Ballet & Contemporary Dance will present ‘The Sleeping Beauty’ today at Lady Andal School Auditorium at 7 pm. For details, call: 9789073708