EVB positions ballet for the next generation
True or false: In our postmodern, high-tech age, ballet is more relevant than ever. It's a trick question—ballet was never relevant. Which brings us to EVB's photo mash-up campaign for San Francisco's Smuin Ballet. Posters, transit cards and print ads work hard to spice up the company's offering. We get a dancer in denim jammin' on guitar (whoa, he's like Jimi Hendrix!), a ballerina in sexy lingerie (whoa, she's like Britney Spears!) and other "hot" images designed, I guess, to make ballet seem more accessible to a modern audience. (It helps that Smuin's performance style merges classical ballet with contemporary dance.) The problem is, no matter how progressive the promotion or actual program, it's still ballet: guys in scandalously close-fitting tights and divas masquerading as swans. Don't even get me started on opera. —Posted by David Gianatasio |
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May 4, 2009 in Ballet, Dance, EVB, Gianatasio | Permalink |
Comments
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Ballet is incredibly sexy already, you don't need to 'spice it up.'
Posted by: Doug | May 4, 2009 10:25:14 AM
Wow, this is a hot mash-up...and seemingly relevant to the brand. I'm sold on some ballet fun!
Posted by: Marcus | May 4, 2009 5:19:08 PM
Don't knock it till you've tried it. Smuin Ballet doesn't sport swans, not even close. But you havn't seen them in action, so you wouldn't know.
Posted by: Lucy | May 4, 2009 9:12:50 PM
Why is the weak photo design. Only the well-executed lingerie shot attracts attention at the muni stops.
Ballet really reminds the average joeblow of anorexia and other strange practices. Too bad the dance is not culturally accessible and there arent amateur troups to spread the word (compare with flamenco). Pound-for-pound ballerinas are some of the toughest women around. Focused. Tough as iron workers.
Posted by: Hugh O | May 9, 2009 4:01:47 PM
