De Mille Protégée Gives Richmond Ballet A 'Rose'

"It's an exciting and rewarding piece with a lot of challenging material," de Lappe said. "I loved doing it and I loved setting it.

"It's like doing a great Shakespearean part," she said of the role she played when the ballet premiered in 1970. "You never stop working on it, and it's fresh all the time."

A Rose for Miss Emily suits the Richmond Ballet company because "they can act," according to de Lappe. She said de Mille selected her to portray Miss Emily for that same reason.

"[Miss Emily] was really just my cup of tea," she said, explaining that comedy was never her forte, but she excelled at the dramatic. Miss de Mille based the ballet on "A Rose for Emily," a tragic short story by William Faulkner. "This role involves a lot of acting, and she knew that's what I do very well."

To impart an understanding of the characters, de Lappe said she adhered to de Mille's "carefully thought out" movements and gestures, considering what de Mille would want as she taught. Richmond Ballet Artistic Director Stoner Winslett said de Lappe's direction was essential.

"Gemze is an absolute fountain of invaluable information," Winslett said. "Reconstructing this powerful work by legendary choreographer Agnes de Mille simply would not have been possible without her. She brings first-hand knowledge to the endeavor – not only of the actual choreography, but also of Miss de Mille's thoughts and feelings regarding the work."

This is not the first time de Lappe has brought de Mille to Richmond Ballet. Miss de Lappe once helped persuade de Mille to give the company a ballet, and her efforts resulted in the premiere of Inconsequentials in 1981. In 1990, she coached the cowgirl in Richmond Ballet's production of Rodeo. She then restaged two of the Inconsequentials pas de deux for the 2006-07 season, and the Ballet now performs both of those pieces on tour.

As an artist-in-residence at Smith College, de Lappe noticed a student named Stoner Winslett, who would later lead Richmond Ballet.

"I had a special feeling about Stoner," she said.

Winslett would call de Lappe to discuss projects as Richmond Ballet evolved into a professional company, and when de Lappe retired from Smith College in 1992, she called Winslett. She wanted to be sure her farewell concert at Smith included Richmond Ballet, and Winslett delivered. The president of the college loved it, de Lappe remembered.

"I have always been impressed with Richmond Ballet," de Lappe said. "[The company's] training is excellent and broad in scope, so they're not limited to any one style."

A Rose for Miss Emily, an emotional ballet with intricate footwork, will illustrate the company's strength in the realm of classical storytelling. In a second piece for Studio 2, Richmond Ballet will further demonstrate its range. Jessica Lang's abstract ballet To Familiar Spaces in Dream will use eight boxes of varying sizes to represent white piano keys.

Lang premiered her new work, La Belle Danse, this season during Studio 1, and will revive her interpretation of the music of Craig Armstrong, John Cage and Philip Glass through this piece, which premiered at Richmond Ballet in 2005.

Allowing patrons an opportunity to study these distinct works in detail, the Studio Series offers an intimate view of dance in the Ballet's home theater. It is an exceptional performance experience that is affordable, relaxed and suited to almost any schedule. -- www.richmondballet.com