After the Rain (ballet)

After the Rain is a ballet made by Christopher Wheeldon on New York City Ballet to music of Arvo Pärt, Tabula Rasa (first movement, Ludus) and Spiegel im Spiegel. The premiere took place on Saturday, January 22, 2005 at the New York State Theater, Lincoln Center. The work is originated by Wendy Whelan, Sofiane Sylve, Maria Kowroski, Jock Soto, Edwaard Liang and Ask la Cour. [1]The final pas de deux is commonly performed separately from the remainder of the ballet.[2]

After the Rain
ChoreographerChristopher Wheeldon
MusicArvo Pärt
Premiere22 January 2005 (2005-01-22)
New York State Theater
Original ballet companyNew York City Ballet
Created forWendy Whelan
Jock Soto

Production

After the Rain was commissioned as a part of New York City Ballet's annual New Combinations Evening, which honors the anniversary of George Balanchine’s birth with new ballets. It was the last ballet Wheeldon created for Jock Soto before Soto's retirement in June 2005.[3]

The first part of the ballet, set to Arvo Pärt's Tabula Rasa, features three couples.[4] The second part is a pas de deux originated by Soto and Wendy Whelan, which Wheeldon said it was a "love letter, this poem to both of them as artists." The music, Pärt's Spiegel im Spiegel, was sent to Wheeldon by a friend after he said he was "stressed out." According to Wheeldon, the pas de deux was created within three rehearsals. The female dancer wears flat shoes instead of pointe shoes, which Whelan was initially "miffed and confused" about as she had never been off pointe in any New York City Ballet performance. Wheeldon encourages dancers to interpret the pas de deux in their own ways, and said the worst thing dancers could do is to "act" it.[2][3][5]

The pas de deux has since been danced by companies such as Joffrey Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, The Australian Ballet and The Royal Ballet.[2][5] In 2014, Whelan danced the pas de deux at her final performance with the New York City Ballet.[6] The Royal Ballet performed the entirety of After the Rain for the first time in 2016.[7]

Casts

Recordings

New York City Balllet's Maria Kowroski and Ask la Cour performed the pas de deux on the roof of 4 World Trade Center in 2013, which has over 2 million views on Youtube as of 2016.[2][5][7]

In light of the impact of the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic on the performing arts, New York City Ballet released a recording of the pas de deux featuring Wendy Whelan and Craig Hall, recorded in October 9, 2012.[10]

References
  1. "Air and Earth Meet and Fall in Love". New York Times. January 24, 2005.
  2. "Contemporary Classic: Christopher Wheeldon's After the Rain". December 20, 2010.
  3. "After the Rain Pas de Deux". New York City Ballet. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  4. "After the Rain". New York City Ballet. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  5. "After the Rain Dance Highlight: The pas de deux". Royal Opera House. January 25, 2016. Archived from the original on April 1, 2016.
  6. "A Loving, Lingering Farewell Embrace". New York Times. October 19, 2014.
  7. "Watch: New York City Ballet perform Christopher Wheeldon's After the Rain high above Manhattan". Royal Opera House. January 12, 2016. Archived from the original on August 3, 2017.
  8. "After the Rain - pas de deux - 30 October 2012 Evening". Royal Opera House Collections Online.
  9. "Christopher Wheeldon triple bill review – all the right moves". The Guardian. February 21, 2020.
  10. "NYCB's Digital Spring Season". New York City Ballet. Archived from the original on May 2, 2020. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
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