On the occassion of the New York Times’ recent honest and comprehensive assessment of Merce Cunningham’s career, forthwith several ideas. Peter Boal, you may adopt and realize any of these. There’s gold in here, pure gold.
1) Full ballet choreographed to reflect all 30+ stages of Galaga. Could be striking. Would also let the costume designer take some fun risks. Digital bees! Obvious score would be Philip Glass, or maybe one of the newer local Debacle Records synth-noise acts like Brain Fruit.
2) Perform a classic balanchine or diaghalev ballet. However, no music. Instead, mount harmonicas of different pitches on high-school-orthodontia-headgear setups on all of the dancers so that everyone’s breathing creates a spontaneous score during the performance, reflective of the exertion and effort to perform it. Risky and cacophonous – critics will reference Cage!
3) Map the full game of a college basketball classic, like a Duke UNC barn burner, then choreograph it to a stripped down acappella version of both schools alma maters. Will bring in a whole new audience, and it can be customized to play to regional faves when it is licensed to other dance companies. Sports is the commedia dell’arte of our time – don’t reject it, reflect it!
Ok that’s all I got for now.
