Review: Take Comfort in the Classics with MILWAUKEE BALLET's TO THE POINTE

The Milwaukee Ballet invites us to take comfort in the classics with To the Pointe, on stage and On Demand through March 7th. This program, the opener to the Milwaukee Ballet's reimagined season, features scenes from iconic ballets alongside some fresh choreography, courtesy of Resident Choreographer Timothy O'Donnell and Artistic Director Michael Pink.

If you happen to catch the show in person for its final weekend, you're a lucky one. In-person admission is currently sold out -- wonderful news, as this is the Ballet's first time opening the doors of the Baumgartner Center for Dance to the public since the pandemic began one year ago. Masks are worn by audience members, just as masks are worn by all performers.

For those of us without in-person tickets, we can still catch To the Pointe online at milwaukeeballet.org. On Demand tickets are just $20 and allow you a 3-day rental. Unlocking access is easy enough, as the Milwaukee Ballet takes care to walk patrons through the process.

Broadly speaking, the On Demand experience is nicely handled and smoothly filmed. Through the use of both wide and close-up shots, we're given an intimate vantage point that many may otherwise miss when seeing a ballet on stage. The setting is a simple colored backdrop, making for a performance that relies solely on the dancers themselves to carry the spectacle. I'm happy to report they more than carry it -- they make it soar.

To the Pointe opens with Jules Perrot's Pas de Quatre -- an opening sequence full of classical grace and the whirl of romantic tutus. Throughout the performance, I was continually struck by the gorgeous costuming. It's marvelous to see the costumes up-close via film, as details are often lost when you're sitting rows back at the theater. In the Pas de Quatre, layers of white tulle give the eye lots of loveliness to enjoy. The flowing tutus catch the air, ballooning with each pirouette. I sure do love that.

Next up, the Pas de Trois from Swan Lake. From your living room TV, you can appreciate the ribbon-trimmed charm of the dancers' green and orange ensembles. In Chopin Etudes, Lizzie Tripp dons a striking, window-backed, boatneck tutu that oozes high fashion. The pair in Chopin Etudes brings glorious energy to the start of this piece, then slows it down. A meandering Pas de Deux is always a favorite of mine. The pace gives the dancers time to sink into each movement, and gives the audience a chance to admire the impeccable grace and control of the dancers as they find and hold each portrait-ready pose.

In contrast, energetic excerpts from Swan Lake and Le Corsaire, featuring Barry Molina and Randy Crespo, respectively, bring bounding leaps and grand jeté that astound and enrapture. The way these dancers reach such seemingly-effortless heights with such precision is enough to leave you awestruck, even in the program's digital format. Imagine the day when we can all return to in-person performances! This On Demand experience reminds us of what we have to look forward to.

To the Pointe ends with Symphony, choreographed by Michael Pink and performed by eight of the company. Simple, ethereal costumes in shades of lavender and grey skim the dancers' bodies, highlighting their power and poise. It's a pleasing way to end the show with a sense of, as the name Symphony implies, many individuals working in harmony. Surely many worked tirelessly at the Milwaukee Ballet to make To the Pointe a possibility, and now a reality. Catch this comforting, classical charmer On Demand while you can -- and say a little prayer that, soon enough, all who wish to see such works in person will be able to.

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