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Orchis

Orchis

January 8, 2013 by A. Cemal Ekin
Orchis

The Orchis Story

The ballet Orchis, as collaborative art among A. Cemal Ekin (photographer), Viktor Plotnikov (choreographer), Sonya Belousova (composer), Toots Zynsky and Beth Bentley (costume design), and the Festival Ballet Providence dancers, was performed on March 8-9-10, 2013 in Providence that mesmerized and enchanted the audiences. Read some comments on the Festival Ballet Providence blog. A bound-folio of photographs is available as are individual Orchis prints.

The Orchis Collection

This collection of photographs originated as a lovely orchid plant. As the blossoms wilted and fell, I let them dry as they fell on the table, on the fold of the table-cloth, on the side of the plate under the pot. Depending on how and where they fell and probably affected by the moisture in the air, they all dried and curled their petals in unique ways. As I started to photograph them, I realized that in their dried, static, and shriveled state there was much grace and movement, they appeared to be dancing. Thus, I gave the series a title: Dance of the Orchids. Their kinetic forms made me wonder how a ballet dancer might react to them and asked a friend, a former prima ballerina, to take a look at them for me. She agreed with the notion that they appeared to be dancing, and even named a few ballet positions. Eventually, she brought the photographs to the attention of the artistic director of the Festival Ballet Providence. Upon my meeting with Misha, the director, he was taken by the photographs and commissioned an original ballet. The ballet, Orchis was born out of the dried petals of these orchid blossoms. The title comes from Greek mythology where at a party hosted by Bacchus, Orchis, a demigod, angers the host by going after the maidens, and Bacchus tears him into pieces. Orchis‘ father, distraught after his son’s demise, tries and succeeds to bring Orchis back to life as small flowers wherever the small pieces of Orchis lands; thus giving us the multitude of varieties in the species Orchidaceae.

Note: The blossoms are of Degarmoara Flying High ‘Yellow Star’ after they fully dried as they fell.

Orchis 1
Orchis 2
Orchis 3
Orchis 4
Orchis 5
Orchis 6
Orchis 7
Orchis 8
Orchis 9
Orchis 10
Orchis 11
Orchis 12
Orchis 13
Orchis 14
Orchis 15
Orchis 16
Orchis 17
Orchis 18
Orchis 19
Orchis 20
Orchis 21
Orchis 22
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Orchis 24
Orchis 25
Orchis 26
Orchis 27
Orchis 28
Orchis 29
Orchis 30
Orchis 31
Orchis 32
Orchis 33
Orchis 34

The short video of Orchis visual presentation may remind you of the Orchis experience if you caught the performance, or may make you wish you did.

Citation for Orchis
Citation From Mayor Angel Taveras

A collection of these photographs is available in a finely printed bound folio format from MagCloud.

The Orchis CollectionThe Orchis Collection
A collection of photographs that inspired an original ballet by the Festival Ballet Providence, Orchis.
Find out more on MagCloud

The second edition of The Orchis Collection is slightly smaller with the same photographs and it is bound on the short edge. It is viewed vertically.

The Orchis Collection, Second EditionThe Orchis Collection, Second Edition
A collection of photographs that inspired an original ballet by the Festival Ballet Providence, Orchis.
Find out more on MagCloud

Orchis Related Articles


Salute To Plotnikov

Salute to Viktor Plotnikov

March 25, 2014
Orchis

Orchis, Celebration of a new life

March 24, 2014
Orchis

Orchis is Coming

January 25, 2014
Orchis Photography and Music

Orchis Score is Available

August 23, 2013
Orchis Photography and Music

Orchis at NECCC 2013

July 18, 2013
Cemal Ekin Citation

Citation

April 20, 2013
Project Type: BalletProject Tag: Portfolio
Previous Post: « Kirlangic Kirlangic
Next Post: Sacred Spaces Large and Small Panagia Isodion - A. Cemal Ekin »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Barbara & Dennis Ryan

    January 11, 2013 at 10:06 am

    Cemal, your “ballet of the Orchis” is stunning. One can visualize dancer/s floating across a stage. Congratulations on another wonderful work of art!

    The Ryans

    • A. Cemal Ekin

      January 11, 2013 at 11:57 am

      Thank you both, you will be able to see them on stage when the Festival Ballet Providence performs Orchis on March 8-10, 2013. I will post more details on the show.

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