Ballet Arizona, with Anderson at helm, flies ‘Firebird’ to space
Learning new choreography is always a challenge, but for Ballet Arizona standout Rochelle Anvik, preparing for the title role in Stravinsky’s “The Firebird” with artistic director Ib Andersen has been something else entirely.
“Ib was definitely like, ‘No bird-type movements,’ which is what you would expect of ‘The Firebird,’” she says. “He kept saying, ‘Be like an alien,’ and I’m like, ‘What is that?’ And so he’s like, ‘I don’t know, think more like an octopus.’ ”
Andersen has reimagined any number of classic fairy-tale ballets in his 19 years in Phoenix. His “Nutcracker” was named one of three best in the country by the New York Times. But a brand-new “Firebird,” which premieres Valentine’s Day at Symphony Hall, might be his biggest departure from tradition, transforming the Russian folk tale about a prince and a magical bird into a sciencefiction fantasia with panoramic video projections creating a dreamy landscape unlike anything on Earth.
“I’m completely discarding the history,” Andersen says. “I’m to a degree discarding the story. I like the music.”
Born in Copenhagen, Andersen danced with the Royal Danish Ballet before moving on to New York City Ballet, where he was one of the last principle dancers to create roles for the visionary choreographer George Balanchine. At Ballet Arizona, he has earned international acclaim both for restaging Balanchine and for his own choreography in a similarly modern style.
One of his greatest champions has been Alastair Macauley, the recently retired dance critic for the New York Times. Macauley has traveled to Phoenix several times to see new productions, most recently “Eroica” in the round at the Desert Botanical Garden. (His verdict? “This strikes me as one of the most enterprising companies anywhere.”)
“With some kind of craziness, I went all around America seeing at least 27 productions of ‘Nutcracker,’ and Ib Andersen’s was absolutely one of the three best I discovered outside of New York,” Macauley says.
“He has a range and just professional skill that puts him above most others working around the country. … He really