舞剧:用舞蹈叙事——评阿列克谢·罗曼斯基《灰姑娘》

Dance-drama: Narration through Dance A Criticism of Alexei Ratmansky's Ballet Cinderella

马林斯基剧院上演的由编导阿列克谢·罗曼斯基于2002年创作的芭蕾舞剧《灰姑娘》,将古典芭蕾与现代芭蕾进行融汇,着力于独特个性的人物语言的塑造,通过人物在"行动"中的个性对比,一方面勾勒故事情节,另一方面展现戏剧性的情感冲突,从而在情感的冲突跌宕中,塑造出生动的艺术形象。本文旨在通过分析该作如何充分运用舞蹈语言独特手段呈现了一部别样的童话故事,揭示舞剧独特的叙事方式。

As the most expressive form of dance, dance-drama(story ballet) derives its charm from the performance of dancers with dramatic expression and the choreography which is full of dramatic tension. Choreographed by Alexei Ratmanski and performed by the Mariinsky Theatre Ballet, the three-act story ballet Cinderella fully demonstrates the unique narrative and discourse of dance. It presents an unusual fairy tale through dance. In Ratmanski's ballet, the story of "Cinderella" is made subjective, creating the "seed of image": the contrast and contest between simplicity and vulgarity as well as between kindness and ugliness.Dance language is a non-verbal language. For choreographers, the key questions are how to create meaningful forms of action and how these forms are directly related to the plot. Ratmansky's Cinderella gives full play to the expressiveness and plot structure of dance movements to make the ballet a great narrative. His choreographic design integrates emotions, plots, actions and characters, and the plot development, the actions of characters and the emotional intensification represent the choice and restructuring of a master under the artistic principles of dance. With great choreographic techniques, he has created wonderful plots with vivid and meaningful dance movements.In the first act, Cinderella is busy at work, while her stepmother and sisters are enjoying a lazy day. This contrast of action is a great means of characterization, while it is supported by careful plot progress. The plotsare not narrated in a pantomime, they are expressive dance movements in a plot structure. The actions, as well as their relationships and combination, are highly relevant to the plots. We can see that the stepmother's movements are full of masculine power and domineering, without the tenderness of a mother. The actions of the two sisters are awkward and arrogant, reflecting their distorted inner selves. In the second act, Ratmansky once again develops the plot and shapes of the characters through the contrasts of movements. Here, the group dance includes new and unique steps, slightly witty but not very elegant. This is a deliberate design. Through the unusual depiction of the group image, it ridicules the well-dressed but badly cultivated people in the ball, particularly the stepmother and her two daughters.The ballet also highlights the "inner drama" through solo dances of Cinderella and pas de deux(couple dance) of Cinderella and the Prince in different situations. The inner drama, also depending on the external plot, depicts the inner emotional world of the characters and the expression of emotions driven by destiny. These passages not only highlight the artistic features of story ballet(dance-drama), but also makes the ballet imaginative. The audience can enter the inner world of the characters following the choreographer's design and feel empathetic with the characters.