“Neon Evolution”
For decades, when people thought "Las Vegas," they also thought "mob." Nowadays, a multitude of images surface: casinos, slot machines, bright buzzing neon signs, showgirls, rhinestones and feathers, Elvis impersonators, quickie wedding chapels and money - lots of money. Quoted in a press release, Bruce Steivel, the Artistic Director for Nevada Ballet Theatre said, "The energy and atmosphere of Las Vegas is unlike anywhere else in the world." Yes, and it has an allure unlike anywhere else in the world as well. For those who've never been to Vegas, don't despair. Nevada Ballet Theatre has a new production titled "Neon Evolution" that takes a peek at everything that makes Vegas memorable.
The idea for the production evolved from a simple request to the city for money so NBT could participate in Las Vegas's centennial celebrations. "Well, the city of Las Vegas, they were trying to do a lot of celebrations and we had put in for a small grant for 'Rodeo' which we got last April." But that wasn't the end of it. The city had a chunk of money to invest and wanted to commission an original ballet. They offered it to NBT but gave them just 48 hours to come up with an idea. Mr. Steivel handed over an ambitious proposal for a three-part ballet, each section to be handled by a separate choreographer. Topping it off, he proposed original music by Paolo A. Santos for two of the three sections.
Given a green light, the result is a clever ballet - "Neon Evolution." "Not many companies can put on their main stage season three new ballets and that's what we've done." All to the tune of about $70,000. The first of the three parts went to Mr. Steivel. He researched the city's early beginnings and uncovered a superstition that the valley is watched over by a benevolent spirit, one that nurtures sustenance and growth, and one that beckoned the early pioneers to venture into the desert and then to stay. This spirit weaves throughout the piece, reminding us that change is inevitable and survivable - well, except perhaps for the likes of Bugsy Siegel. Remember the infamous mafia henchman who built the Flamingo Hotel and frolicked around the city with his dancer girlfriend, Virginia Hill? Although he helped to make Las Vegas famous, he didn't live long enough to see the rampant growth that followed. The mob thought he mismanaged their money and shortly after the opening of the hotel, he was unceremoniously gunned down. His name, however, went down into Vegas lore and survives in - of all things - ballet, a number replete with pinstriped suits, white-gloved ladies and the rat-a-tat of machine guns.
Next up is Greg Sample's piece. A dancer in Celine Dion's show at Caesars Palace Collosseum, Greg's style is a fabulous mix of staccato precision and smooth undercurrent. Best of all, the piece is hilarious. Performed entirely to songs by Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Tom Jones and many more Las Vegas regulars, the plot follows the Vegas vacation of a young man in search of solace when his girlfriend runs off with a wealthier man. Complete with slot machines, silver-haired grannies in search of fortune, neon, neon and more neon, bow-tied twenty-one dealers, a quickie wedding and even some hotel shenanigans, the ballet is packed full of images and action, often happening so fast and subtly that the humor registers a couple of beats after the fact. It's a whimsical look at Vegas, with an easy-to-follow plot that appeals to even the most skeptical drag-along partners, making them wonder why they thought ballet was incomprehensible. Much like Vegas, this number has something for everyone.
The third piece, choreographed by Sonia Dawkins and with original music by Paolo Santos, has a distinctive Latino-influenced rhythm and sound. Sonia's contemporary piece taps into the strong, vibrant Latino influence in Las Vegas (currently 23.1% of Clark County's population). Highly representational, the piece portrays both the rich cultural background and the struggle to move forward. Paolo's music incorporates the sounds of shattering glass, perhaps signifying the way Latinos are breaking barriers and the sibilant sounds of sand as it's frequently sifted through the dancers' fingers. Sand, dirt, soil. They denote an earthiness, a rich heritage. Both the music and the movements in this piece are vibrant, strong and sensual.
NBT has created a ballet for posterity. "The city would like to keep this. They want to be able to bring this program out occasionally. They wanted things done for Las Vegas that could go down in perpetuity." So if you can't come to Vegas, bring a slice of Vegas to you in the form of Nevada Ballet Theatre's "Neon Evolution." It's an offer you can't refuse.
For more information on Nevada Ballet Theatre, visit www.nevadaballet.com.