Pennsylvania Ballet in Penumbra
As I watched Penumbra, a new ballet by Matthew Neenan, I felt as if I was watching five people who were exploring life’s journey. The simple set and costumes complemented the dancers’ searching movements. Women in long, jewel-colored dresses weaved in and out between men in dark suit jackets. The dramatic interaction between the two couples and solo male dancer was almost like a “love pentagon,” as my sister put it. At one point, two of the men caught one of the women—and if they hadn’t, I almost would have expected her to fly away. This is one of the reasons why I loved Penumbra: the dancers’ movements—extensions, jumps, lifts— seemed to go beyond the norm, but nevertheless looked natural.
Penumbra was part of Pennsylvania Ballet’s final show of the season. It is one-half of a two-part ballet, whose halves can be performed together or separately. The second half, Pampeana No. 2, also choreographed by Neenan, was sharper and a bit more avant-garde. I definitely saw the parts as separate entities, with different moods, movements and casts. Interestingly, several of the dancers in Penumbra’s small cast were younger dancers or apprentices of the company. I thought that this felt appropriate for the theme of exploration and was excited to see these dancers featured.
As a dancer and a violinist, I like when the musicians for ballets perform onstage, as they did for Penumbra and Pampeana No. 2. At times the music and movements complemented each other, but sometimes they seemed to be in opposition
I also liked how Penumbra’s black backdrop was accented as if by the light of elegant, arched windows. This effect seems linked to the definition of a penumbra—the outer region of a shadow. I wonder how this definition fit into Neenan’s creative process.
