Chapter 46 – Hanging Out
With that said, Gale stood up. “Helstof and I are supposed to design costumes that make the dancers in Act III look like nymphs running around in the woods. Why don’t we just have the dancers be naked? That way, we’re true to Cezanne’s vision, and Stravinsky’s vision, and Helstof and I can use the time we would have worked on those costumes to try the Beaujolais Nouveau at the new restaurant on King.” This was Gale’s idea of getting back to work. She was working at getting out of work.
The Ps looked at each other, then looked at Bart. Bart shook his head, sending the task back to them. Peter looked at Pater, who looked a little confused. But he rallied, and took on the task. “Gale, you can’t have naked ballet dancers.”
“Why not? You scared? This is the twenty-first century. Take a risk. Charleston needs to get modern.”
“It’s not that, Gale.”
“Then what?”
“It’s one thing for female dancers to get out there naked. It’s another for male dancers. Not the same. Not the same at all.”
Gale looked at Gwen, who remained impassive. She was going to let Gale learn this lesson the hard way. Gale then looked at the woman, who shrugged. No help there. Then she looked at Helstof, who said, “Think, Gale. Think. But not too hard.”
Gale looked back at Pater, who squirmed a little, and said, “Look, guys could get….um….injured out there. Flying through the air, doing scissor kicks, jumping around.” Gale’s face remained blank. “And there’s the question of decorum. Ballet is supposed to be beautiful. Naked guys, dancing, maybe not decorous, all the time. Right? Understand?”
Gale did not understand. Her frame of reference to naked guys was different; it was mostly the bedroom, her bedroom, where decorousness and beauty were not exactly the purpose and goals of the interlude. Those were not the primary criteria by which she judged performance in that space and time.
Pater tried another tack. “Gale, look at this,” and he assumed a male dancer arabesque position, one leg lifted parallel to the floor pointing behind him, one arm raised at forty-five degrees to the floor, the other arm also parallel to the floor.” Remaining perfectly still, perfectly balanced, he said, “See, see what I mean about decorum? Wouldn’t exactly have it now if I was naked, would I?”
Gale looked at him for a minute, picturing him naked, then said, “Oh, yeah. I guess so. Not a good thing. At least not good for ballet, on the stage. Now up in my room, that would be ok. No, that would be interesting. That would be great. I’d like that up there. Up in Gale’s room.”
Gwen cut this off, jumping back up on the stage, saying, “Come on, let’s go. Back to work.” Looking at Gale and Helstof she said, “You two, get to work on the Act III costumes. And remember, Stirg is going to get some good designers. You’re up against them, now. We all have to remember that.”
The Lost Ballet Page 46
