Cover image: Pacific Northwest Ballet principal dancers Batkhurel Bold and Carrie Imler are showered in rose petals during the curtain call following their performance of the Black Swan pas de deux from Kent Stowell’s Swan Lake, during PNB’s Season Encore Performance, June 11, 2017 (Photo © Stacy Ebstyne Photography)
Pacific Northwest Ballet’s end-of-season “encore” performance always features dancers who are retiring and it can be quite an emotional occasion with flowers, hugs, and applause. This year’s on Sunday evening was even more so than usual since principal dancers Carrie Imler and Batkhurel Bold are finishing up long careers on stage after more than 20 years with the company, and many years, 15 for her, 13 for him, as principals.
Each year, prominent retirees choose some of their favorite roles from which to perform excerpts in the Encore performance, so it is a series of short pieces, this year included seven, in a wide variety of styles.
Pacific Northwest Ballet principal dancers Batkhurel Bold and Carrie Imler taking the first of several curtain calls, following their performance of an excerpt from George Balanchine’s Theme and Variations, during PNB’s Season Encore Performance, June 11, 2017 (Photo © Stacy Ebstyne Photography)
Bold and Imler were frequent partners, well matched, and together Sunday they danced an excerpt from Balanchine’s Theme and Variations, backed up by 12 other PNB dancers. The pair were on a roll. I’ve never seen Imler dance so lightly, her musicianship and timing, her leaps and pirouettes impeccable and the synchrony between them as though they breathed together. Bold had a huge smile on his face throughout as he executed his extraordinary leaping prowess, the speed and perfect balance of his turns and his stage presence as well as his excellent partnering, always there for her.
In between their performances others came to the fore, to give Bold and Imler time to change costumes and take a breather.
Pacific Northwest Ballet principal dancer Batkhurel Bold is showered in rose petals during the curtain call following his performance (with Carrie Imler) of the Black Swan pas de deux from Kent Stowell’s Swan Lake, during PNB’s Season Encore Performance, June 11, 2017 (Photo © Stacy Ebstyne Photography)
One of the most moving excerpts came with a pas de deux from Stowell’s Cinderella, in which Bold danced with his wife of less than a year, principal Lesley Rausch. Another husband and wife pair, Sarah Ricard Orza and Seth Orza (she a soloist and he a principal) soloed in the delightful, beautifully performed Carousel by Christopher Wheeldon in which the corps dancers, with poles, created a carousel before our eyes. Ricard Orza gave a fine portrayal of the shy, attracted girl, and Orza was an ardent suitor. Benjamin Millepied’s 3 Movements to Steve Reich’s music had principals Rachel Foster and Jerome Tisserand as leads with a corps of dancers. It comes across as an ever-changing kaleidoscope as Millepied uses ceaseless movement encompassing the whole stage and each dancer’s individual role.
An excerpt from Twyla Tharp’s Nine Sinatra Songs plus Kiyon Gaines’ ‘Folly’ a deux showed off Imler’s affinity with contemporary, quick, quirky choreography. She danced these with principal Jonathan Porretta, a frequent partner over the years and known for similar ability.
The finale of the program came with Bold and Imler dancing the glittering pas de deux from Kent Stowell’s Swan Lake in which Imler, as the Black Swan, Odile, fascinates and draws in the Prince to his ultimate undoing. Imler, just with the position and movement of her head, made Odile’s predatory design quite clear, as was Bold’s entranced response. As always the orchestra gave the dancers full support all evening, with conductors Emil de Cou and Allan Dameron.
Both beloved dancers leave on a high note, their technique still at a peak. After each excerpt on Sunday, each of the two was presented with a sheaf of flowers, and at the end, company members, staff, conductors and family came on individually to give them even more, plus extended hugs. Lastly, Imler’s toddler son came on in a bunch of flowers carried by his father, Hans Miller.
Imler is expected to continue in the dance world as a teacher, while Bold plans to hang up his ballet shoes for good. Luckily PNB, while it will miss them, is a strong company with many excellent dancers and more coming up in the ranks.