Sex, violence, murder, revenge, high fashion. Angelin Preljocaj’s vision of Snow White delivers the most visceral elements of the Grimm Brothers’ tale with delicious aplomb. The woodland nymphs and satyrs who befriend the runaway Snow White are interrupted from sensuous flirtations; the first kiss between Snow White and her prince is deep, long and performed in the horizontal; the disguised evil queen does not offer her poisoned apple for a timid bite, but rams it into Snow White’s mouth with shocking force, dragging her across the floor by her head until she falls unconscious; and the grief-stricken prince drags, rolls, spins and tosses about the completely limp Snow White in what must be the most imaginative pas de deux ever staged. Preljocaj commissioned haute couture designer Jean Paul Gaultier to create the costumes, which strike an astonishingly fitting balance between sexy, fanciful, imaginative and ridiculous; it makes one wish to see more merging of runway fashion and movement artistry. This is a fun one, but you might want to take the kids to the Sunday matinee; Friday and Saturday night shows also contain brief nudity. (Sharon Hoyer)
Ballet Preljocaj at the Harris Theater, 205 East Randolph, (312)334-7777. Friday and Saturday, May 2 and 3 at 7:30pm. Sunday, May 4 at 2pm. $40-$95.
Complementary Opposites: A Preview of "Serenade" and "Of Mice and Men" by the Joffrey Ballet “Both [ballets] are trying to deal with a particular time: One by healing with the beauty of dance, the other by trying to create empathy for beaten-down humanity. Right now, we’re facing some of the same issues, such as huge migrations from the workplace. Steinbeck shone a light on his time, and I hope we’re able to do the same.”
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