The Lilac Garden by Antony Tudor is a relatively short piece capturing the emotions of two young couples, destined to be married, but are not in love. Caroline, the lead principal dancer, is in love with another man, who is engaged to a woman, who is having an affair with Caroline's fiancé. It is a somewhat heartbreaking story, seeing how none of the four principal dancers will marry the one they love at the end of the ballet.
From a technical and ballet perspective, I was not too impressed. I felt that many of his steps were awkward and uncomfortable, and the long dresses hid the dancers lines. I think he could have created a technically harder piece and still conveyed the same meanings and messages.
From a ballet as theatre perspective, the piece is absolutely wonderful. Tudor captures our emotions in slight moves of the fingers, hands, head and body placement. He is able show that all of the dancers are aware of what is happening between the couples, but do not wish to acknowledge the affairs. Which is something I think happens a lot in day to day life. What struck me the most was towards the end, when both couples are dancing together and the lovers reach out towards one another any time their fiancé turned their head or looked away. You could really feel the passion between the couples as they knew their time together would come to an end. Tudor was able to capture such passion and emotion through choreography in a phenomenal way.
