Paris Dancing in the 1920s: Two by Cocteau

By Dan Nonte, University Relations

Contact: (336) 334-4314

Posted 10-7-09

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Paris in the 1920s was a lively center for avant-garde art and for popular culture. The work of Pablo Picasso, Igor Stravinsky and Vaslav Nijinksy existed side-by-side with American-inspired jazz, fashions by Coco Chanel and sensational performances by Mistinguett and Josephine Baker.

Jean Cocteau, best known as a poet, playwright and filmmaker, wrote scenarios for dance performances in the 1920s that he hoped would bridge the worlds of high art and entertainment. Two of these works, newly staged by UNCG dance historian Dr. Ann Dils, will be performed at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Oct. 30 and 31, in the UNCG Dance Theater.

“Le Boeuf sur le Toit” (“The Ox on the Roof: The Nothing-Doing Bar”) was first performed in 1920. Set to Darius Milhaud’s famous score, “Boeuf” is a farce set in an American bar during Prohibition. “Le Train Bleu” (1924), also to a score by Milhaud, was first performed by Ballets Russes in costumes by Chanel. Named for the train that takes Parisians to the Riviera, “Le Train Bleu” is a danced operetta about celebrity and the press.

Both works contain references to 1920s social dances, silent films and celebrities, among them Maude Allen, known for her Salomé dancing; French tennis star Suzanne Lenglen; and American aviator Amelia Earhart. Fritz Janschka created stage designs for both works. Marina Jamali newly costumed “Le Train Bleu.”

The evening includes a 1920s tap interlude choreographed by Caitlin Spencer, and featuring faculty pianist Frank Vulpi, vocalist Izzy Goff (MFA student in the Department of Theatre), as well as a group of tap dancers.

Tickets cost $12 for general admission, $9 for children and seniors, and $6 for UNCG students. For reservations and further information, call the UNCG Box Office at (336) 334-4849 or visit http://www.uncg.edu/euc/boxoffice/. The audience is invited to wear 1920s attire.

For more information, contact Dr. Ann Dils at ahdils@uncg.edu.