A Moment with Ballet Superstar Jose Manuel Carreno
The energy level is hitting the stratosphere as I walked into Sarasota Ballet's main rehearsal studio. Only four days to the Gala, and the company is dancing full out as they rehearse a suite of dances from "Don Quixote." Company principal dancer, Sergiy Mykhaylov soars across the room as if propelled by a gust of wind, or by the knowledge that in just a few minutes, Jose Manuel Carreno will be rehearsing with the company. Last year, when Mr. Carreno agreed to appear at the Gala, everyone was thrilled. The fact that he has returned to Sarasota for a second appearance has worked like a magic charm, inspiring the dancers to new levels of performing.
Mr. Carreno, a handsome man with a boyish smile, and the compact, straight backed body of a professional dancer, walked quietly towards the ballet barre at the back of the room. He is dressed casually: a black T shirt, black tights to the knee, black leg warmers and black ballet slippers. He slips to the floor, stretching his thigh muscles, before rehearsing both the pas de deux from "Don Quixote," and Act II of "Giselle." These are tried and true ballets that he has danced all over the world, and he knows each minute detail of the choreography.
Kyoko Takeichi, a soloist with Sarasota Ballet, put on a short, pink tutu and walked over to Mr. Carreno. They speak quietly for a few minutes, and then practice pirouettes. He said something to Kyoko, gesturing with his hands as he explained what he wanted her to do. They tried again....then a lift...more corrections.....more pirouettes.
"I felt nervous when I heard I would be dancing with Mr. Carreno," Kyoko said. She spoke shyly; halting as she searched for the right, English word. "He is a super star, and me, I am like regular people. But he is so kind and such a good partner. He came yesterday and has taught me what I need to know. "And," she added with a smile, "It's like acting with Brad Pitt."
A few minutes later, the floor is cleared as Mr. Carreno, and Kyoko, as Kitri, run right through the famous pas de deux. It takes less than a second to see why Mr. Carreno is the ballet super star that he is. Charisma is an easy word for the mixture of grace, ease, and musicality that infuses each of his gestures as he moves through the choreography. But there is something more that is hard to explain in words, except to say that Jose Manuel Carreno dances with a generosity of spirit. Ted Shawn once said, "You're sitting in the audience, and then suddenly, you lean forward in your seat when you see a dancer who burns with the flame of an artist." To watch Mr. Carreno dance is to understand those words.
Throughout, the rehearsal, he keeps an eye on Kyoko, making sure that the sweep of their curved arms is synchronized. At times, he marks his role, walking and mimicking the steps with his hands. Then as the tempo and the tension mount, he whirled into a series of pirouettes, spinning so fast that it was impossible to count the turns. At the end of the variation, the dancers, who are scattered around the room watching, applaud.
For the last twenty years, applause and accolades have accompanied Mr. Carreno on his journey from Havana, Cuba around the world. Trained under the watchful eye of Alicia Alonso, he joined The National Ballet of Cuba after graduating from high school. But it was after winning the Gold Medal at the New York International Ballet Competition and the Grand Prix at the Jackson, Mississippi Ballet Competition in 1990 that his reputation grew. He danced with both the English National Ballet and The Royal Ballet, before joining American Ballet Theater in 1995. And in 2004, when he was awarded the Dance Magazine Award for significant contributions to dance, Kevin McKenzie, the artistic director of American Ballet Theatre, described Mr. Carreno as a wonderful cross between a cat-like animal and a prince.
Time to rehearse Act II "Giselle." Lauren Strongin, who danced "La Bayadere," with Mr. Carreno at last year's Gala, waits nervously as Sarasota Ballet's, Artistic Director, Robert DeWarren starts the tape recorder with the familiar Adolphe Adam music. She is learning the role for the first time and finds it a challenge. "I like lyrical movement, but you have to be light as Giselle, because you're dead, and the choreography needs strong technique," she said.
Mr. Carreno is all focused attention as he begins to correct Ms. Strongin's interpretation. There is a gesture when Albrecht, the role he is dancing, reaches up to Giselle who is bending over him, with her arms around his shoulders. Not certain, whether she is a ghost or mortal, he carefully touches one of her arms. She lifts her hand from his shoulder. The movement is repeated, but Ms. Strongin removes Mr. Carreno's hand too quickly. He has her repeat the gestures with his correction. It is a slight detail that immediately intensifies the characters emotional bond.
""Giselle," is practically the Cuban national ballet," Mr. Carreno explained, when I admire his patience in working with Ms. Strongin. "The details are so important for the expression in the ballet. I've danced it so many times, and I know how it must look. She will be all right," he added, acknowledging that Lauren was having difficulty with the role. "I like dancing with this Company, and I love to coach dancers," he said with enthusiasm, and an easy grin that can melt anyone's heart.
Mr. Carreno's repertoire as a dancer is so vast, that it is almost silly to ask if he has a favorite ballet. "Of course, "Giselle," because it is so much a part of my life. I like the combination of emotion and music. And I like to see the various interpretations of the ballets like "Giselle," "Swan Lake," "Romeo..." that I see around the world with different companies. My home is with America Ballet Theatre, but I travel everywhere. I danced in Japan last year," he said, speaking with a natural ease, as if he had all the time in the world to sit and chat. "I'll also be guesting at La Scala, Vienna, Cuba, and back to Japan this year."
"Manon," one of the ballets, he will be dancing in American Ballet Theater's spring season, is another favorite. "In "Manon," and in all of MacMillan's choreography there is drama," Mr. Carreno said, his hands and his whole body moving to express the intensity of his feelings. "I'm excited by the challenge of expressing emotion through the movement. It's not only the music," he added, "It's music together with the acting. It's dancing and dancing is what I love."