Together at last...

April 9, 2004 2:10 PM

NASCAR Ballet See also: Jerry Springer, the Opera. It's like we can hardly even count on high culture and low culture being separate anymore. If only there had been some way to see this coming.
posted by rusty (11 comments total)

Hey! don't bad moputh Jerry! He is my hero
posted by Postroad at 2:23 PM on April 9, 2004

"NASCAR Ballet is the next installment of Roanoke Ballet Theatre's desire to create an appreciation for dance through popular culture."

Art should make us appreciate life --- I don't think it works in reverse.
posted by Rob1855 at 2:29 PM on April 9, 2004

Postroad: I'm a big fan of Jerry as well. Just not the show, so much...
posted by rusty at 2:35 PM on April 9, 2004

Cue redneck slurs in 3... 2... 1...
posted by jammer at 2:36 PM on April 9, 2004

This ain't too different to the London Symphony Orchestra playing music from films.

Personally I prefer Warp records / London Sinfonietta collaboration in which classically trained musicians playing classical instruments interpreted techno tracks and electronic artist Sparepusher knocked out an inspired version of George Antheil’s Ballet Mécanique (1924)
Jammer: grow up
posted by dmt at 2:56 PM on April 9, 2004

John Gay's Beggar's Opera was scored entirely with popular airs and first performed in 1727. High meets low, and probably not the first example. Nothing new under the sun.
posted by PinkStainlessTail at 4:00 PM on April 9, 2004

Sounds reminiscent of KabbaLAmobile.
posted by euphorb at 4:03 PM on April 9, 2004

It's like we can hardly even count on high culture and low culture being separate anymore.

This is a bad thing?
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 8:21 AM on April 10, 2004

Why should high culture and low culture be separate. It seems to me that the separation is a relatively recent phenomenon and all it has done is lead to the marginalization of "high" culture.
posted by obfusciatrist at 8:23 AM on April 10, 2004

"You got my low culture in my high culture!"

In the face of dwindling interest and audiences, small regional and semi professional companies like the Roanoke Ballet Theatre have to really scrape just to break even, let alone make a profit.

You have to pay for theatre space, sound & light techies, costumes (see my FPP a bit further down), teachers, costume mistresses, music rights, choreographers, scenery, programs, advertising, rehearsal space, possibly live musicians...I know I'm forgetting something....

Oh yeah. The dancers.

So NASCAR wants to sponsor a ballet? Bring it on. Not only might it help defray expenses, but the subject matter might pull in new audience members.

Point in Case: One of the most amazing performances I've ever seen was Joffrey Ballet's Billboards. The Joffrey, one of the oldest American companies based in NYC, was in dire financial straits at the time. Prince opened up his music vaults to them free of charge and, IIRC, the choreographers donated their time also. The result was a completely bitchin' ballet that had everyone from Doc Martin clad teens to the high falutin' evening gown crowd on their feet clapping and dancing in the aisles. Thanks to Billboards, the Joffrey moved out to a less-expensive Chicago and wear able to regain some fiscal stability.

In short: High? Low? Who cares. Support your local arts scene. :-P
posted by romakimmy at 9:57 AM on April 10, 2004

I love the ballet. And I admit that I love NASCAR. If I lived anywhere near where this was being performed, I'd go see it, just because I love experimental theatre/dance.

Now, one of y'all has got to live near enough that you can go tape it for me. ;)
posted by dejah420 at 1:49 PM on April 12, 2004