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Web Ballet in the Making

Janos Gereben on January 22, 2013
Diablo Ballet's Mayo Sugano and Derek Sakaura Photo by Ashraf
Diablo Ballet's Mayo Sugano and Derek Sakaura
Photo by Ashraf

Honestly, I don't know if this is going to work, but let Diablo Ballet try to become the first professional dance company to create a new work from ideas suggested by internet users.

The Web Ballet (that seems to be the name, at least temporarily) will be based on choreography suggestions submitted to Diablo Ballet's twitter page @DiabloBallet through Feb. 14, and performed March 1 and 2. Robert Dekkers and Artistic Director Lauren Jonas will select choreographic suggestions to go into the work.

As explained on a website page, suggestions are solicited for:

- Emotion of the dancers (happy, sad, etc.)

- The mood of the entire work (intense, lighthearted)

- Specific dance moves (turning, jumping, specific steps)

Participants can also help select the music of the piece by voting on the three selections found on Diablo Ballet’s YouTube page.

The Web Ballet will be presented as part of Diablo Ballet's Inside the Dancer's Studio series March 1 and 2 at the Shadelands Arts Center Auditorium in Walnut Creek. Those submitting winning suggestions will receive tickets to the performance and a photo from the created work, autographed by Dekkers.

The project was created by Dan Meagher, Diablo Ballet director of marketing, who says "We want to show people the creative process of dance and help make ballet accessible to all."