A Morning of Mourning

As a follow-up to my post of October 29, this morning I braved the windy Chicago cold to attend a memorial service for Gerald Arpino, co-founder and Artistic Director emeritus of the Joffrey Ballet. The service was held at the Auditorium Theatre, the Joffrey's "home" in Chicago since the company's move in the 90's. The Honorable Richard M. Daley, Mayor of the City of Chicago, welcomed us, and we were given an assortment of memories from former dancers over the company's 52-year history as well as a slide show and video presentation. We were also blessed to see excerpts of three Arpino ballets: the Pas de Deux from Light Rain, Sunday from Trinity, and Round of Angels. All three pieces were danced beautifully, the final two in particular bringing a tear my eye.

They closed with Trinity, which I've only seen in photographs. It was perfect. It captured the brilliance and creative genius of Mr. A. as well as his joy, sense of humor, and spirit. It opened with 26 dancers carrying votive candles on a dimly lit stage momentarily, and closed with these votives returning, placed sporadically all over the stage, as well as the remaining 28 company dancers (in street clothes) carrying more and more votives out until the entire stage was covered with tiny flames. Finally, Calvin Kitten, one of the senior dancers, stood at center stage with a final single votive in his hands, and raised it toward the first box house right, where Mr. A. always sat, and from where his "Bravo!" came to be expected (and will be missed). After a moment, he placed the final candle on the marly dance floor and exited as the stage faded to black. The audience applauded respectfully at first, then more vibrantly until "Bravo!" was heard all around the Auditorium as the audience rose to their feet. Ashley Wheater, the current Artistic Director, had come to the stage to thank us for coming, but returned backstage to bring the entire company of the Joffrey Ballet dancers onstage. They bowed once together and in unison they gestured to the box, house right, where a special light still shone on the empty chair Mr. A. was no longer with us to fill.

It was an incredibly moving ceremony, particularly because it captured the loss the Joffrey family is feeling while focusing on the joy of his life and his gift which he so generously shared with the world. I was grateful to have known him, and to be so fortunate as to be a part of the celebration of his life this morning.

Bravo, Mr. A.