Balanchine Essays: Transfer of Weight

Balanchine Essays: Transfer of Weight is an enlightening documentary film that extends the understanding and appreciation of the art of ballet and specifically the work of world-renowned choreographer George Balanchine. This film is one in a series of instructional videos known as Balanchine Essays, which aim to analyze and explore Balanchine's unique approach to ballet. This series was completed posthumously in honor of Balanchine by his former dancers and confidants, Merrill Ashley and Suki Schorer.

The central theme of this particular film, Transfer of Weight, is an investigation of how the transfer of weight forms the foundation of ballet movement and how Balanchine innovatively used this basic balletic principle in his choreography. In this film, ballet techniques are broken down into basic components for further study and appreciation with emphasis on the usage of this particular balletic precept.

The film is essentially a masterclass in ballet, demonstrating the sophisticated interplay of weight transfer in ballet. The film carefully dissects specific ballet techniques to showcase the artistry behind even the most natural and automatic movements in dance. It explains how the interplay and control of body weight are central to achieving the seemingly effortless grace that defines ballet.

Both Ashley and Schorer use their intimate knowledge of Balanchine's style to demystify complex ballet techniques, and they also share anecdotes from their personal experiences working closely with Balanchine. Both were New York City Ballet principal dancers whose careers were largely defined by Balanchine's work, and they share insightful reflections on his choreographic style and the training techniques he employed.

In addition to these exchanges, the film also features active demonstrations, including comprehensive comparison clips from Balanchine's ballets. These segments highlight how different choreographies draw on weight transfer to create distinct aesthetics and emotional resonances. It captures a broad range of movement, from simple steps to more complex sequences, synthesized coherently to illustrate the exact movements that Balanchine used in his legendary ballets.

The film meticulously details how small shifts in balance can alter the interpretation and delivery of a dance piece. Highlighting both individual and ensemble work, it stresses the importance of weight transfer as a significant factor in Balanchine's choreography. Moreover, it underscores the choreographer’s innovative usage of space and time and his emphasis on musically driven movement in terms of weight shifting.

Novices, young dancers, tutors, and ballet enthusiasts will all be able to draw insights from this enlightening exploration of Balanchine's technique. They will not only learn techniques for balance and weight transfer but will also gain a greater understanding of how these elements contribute to the larger artistic construct of a ballet.

Balanchine Essays: Transfer of Weight is not merely a documentary; it is a refined expression of love and respect towards the art of ballet. It is a glance into the mechanism that makes a ballet dancer's performance captivating and an exploration of how Balanchine’s innovative choreography contributed to enhancing these aspects. This extraordinary dance instructional film is also a unique record of a generational transfer of knowledge, where Merrill Ashley and Suki Schorer function as conduits, passing Balanchine’s balletic philosophy and methodologies to future generations of ballet dancers.

In conclusion, Balanchine Essays: Transfer of Weight is a pivotal film for those who admire ballet and the work of the influential choreographer George Balanchine. The film's content is resurrectional, preserving and presenting the principles of an art form through the eyes of its most esteemed practitioners, thus ensuring that the Balanchine-inspired ballet tradition lives on through future generations.