I have only experienced a few perception-altering performances in my life, and Friday night’s National Ballet performance of Marie Chouinard’s 24 Preludes by Chopin and Crystal Pite’s Emergence was one of them.

Prior to the performance, I was certain I was not a person who could enjoy contemporary ballet. I grew up around dancers and always felt I had to hide my dislike of contemporary dance. The problem with the shows I saw growing up was that there was nothing for me to connect to. 24 Preludes by Chopin managed to change my views, helping me to appreciate dance in a way I never have before.

The accessibility stems in part from the tonal accessibilty of Chopin’s preludes. Chouinard’s choreography moved the dancers with the music in a way that can only be described as awe-inspiring. The dancers animated the preludes, giving meaning and emphasis to every subtle turn of the music. Every move looked and felt right, as if satisfying an organic choreography invisible to the human eye. The dancers altered their bodies to emulate animals, pendulums, and fantastic creatures, all dancing to the intrinsic sounds of the preludes. Furthermore, creative lighting added to the tone and mood to the piece, and highlighted specific choreography. For example, one prelude used a strobe light to turn the simple gesture of three swinging arms into a mysterious blur of mechanical flesh. 24 Preludes by Chopin was art at its finest: moving, honest, open, thought-provoking, and unequivocally beautiful.

Crystal Pite’s Emergence was a more difficult piece, but equally rewarding. Pite is a dance genius. Arguably one of Canada’s most valuable dance exports, Pite has been branded a star of modern dance choreography. When legendary dancer Karen Kain became artistic director of the National Ballet of Canada in 2005, Pite was one the first people she called. Kain’s invitation for Pite to work with the NBC was more than just a savvy artistic move; since founding Kidd Pivot, her avant-garde dance troop (in the vein of La La La Human Steps), she has won a plethora of awards, including four Dora awards, the 2006 Alcan Performance Arts Award, and the 2008 Governor General’s Mentorship Award. Her choreography is striking a chord with audiences across the globe, bringing the magic of contemporary ballet to the masses.

Initially, Emergence fit the image that many of us have of contemporary ballet: dancers writhing on the floor, with spastic motions and quivering, alien-like poses—in other words, inaccessible. However, the piece became much more enjoyable as it unfolded, as the performance’s complexity became apparent. That’s not to say that watching the piece is a comforting experience; I had my toes curled in agony and ecstasy for the majority of the 25-minute running time.

It was, however, overwhelmingly original and refreshingly innovative. Dancers emerged from a dark hole at centre stage, and led the audience into a secret world of complex structure with insect-like motions. In one particularly striking moment, a group of male dancers crouched on the ground, arms raised, imitating flying insects. While I initially interpreted the piece as a descent into hell, the opinion of a friend told me to view it as a rare glimpse into the secret life of insects.

With choreography so intriguing, there is hardly an excuse not to see the ballet.   

For information about other National Ballet shows, visit http://www.national.ballet.ca/