Izadora Weiss and Wojciech Misiuro , directors of the Baltic Dance Theater has done what no choreographer has been able to do with the concept and music of Le Sacre du Printemps:  turn it into a traumatic experience. This is not fringe or experimental.  It is irresponsible.  Although it is not visually the “useless whore” statement of this photo, it throws its lot in with it. 

I used to do some performance stuff that was out there, lyrics about my rape set to circus music, delivering a “baby” at the prom and stuffing it in the trash making sure no one sees…it was dark comedy.  Fringe and experimental, a little offensive but for the most part, no one really knew what was going on.  I am funny on stage and can distract from the content.  Yikes…I just realized I am a slapstick comedienne. Gross.

But what Izadora Weiss has done is use a misogynistic objectification of a woman: not Chosen but victimized and psycho-sexually controlled – to interpret the libretto of Le Sacre and really, I get it.   Any woman who has been involved with a violent malevolent sadist and who would think the abuse is really because he loves her and she is the one WOULD get it because hey look…right in this photo you can see the promise of love in his fist.

Yes.  There is an implied intimacy in this photo.

Weiss and Misiuro’s  “Rite” is not experimental. It is calculated.  This isn’t dark comedy.  It is simply dark.  It is horrible.

These photos alone are not easy to look at.  This is not a submissive orsacrificed Chosen One.  It is a controlled victim.  This performance does not use domination and submission as a dark exploration of Le Sacre nor is it  a commentary.  It is an indifference. 

It goes too far.  I can’t believe I am saying this but it is worse than Preljojac’s Rite of Spring “gang rape”. 

I write constantly that I strive to bring dance to the “ballet is frigging stupid” set.  This ballet would most assuredly attract people who would otherwise never watch ballet.  Unfortunately, those people would be sexual sadists and violent misogynists. 

There are clips available online for this performance and they too will draw men in for a yank.  The thought that strangers to Stravinsky’s masterpiece may play it while abusing their victims – even in a consensual psycho sexual relationship – sort of makes me want to puke.