This is written by Carolina Gonzalez. We attended as media. All opinions are our own.
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The West Coast Premiere of Boris Eifman’s Up and Down (performed by The Eifman Ballet of St. Petersburg) was just here in Orange County, and it was the perfect date night. I grew up dancing to ballet, and it was a great way to introduce my favorite dance to my boyfriend as it was his first time. When Friday night arrived, we were so excited and could hardly wait to spend our evening at the Segerstrom Center of the Arts.

Lyubov Andreyeva as Patient in Center – Eifman Ballet’s Up and Down Photo by Michael Khoury

It was very interesting how every dancer displayed a different
interpretation for their character’s mental illness and how the
psychologist administered his treatment. Eifman did an excellent job in
translating the deep and sometimes dark world of psychoanalysis and the
battling of our demons. Colorful scenes of the roaring twenties were
also woven into the performance giving a bright and upbeat contrast to
the more serious tones of the ballet. Sequins, jazz, flapper girls, and
the Charleston were a welcomed surprise and a fantastic aspect of the
night.

Overall, we had a fantastic night of dance! Ballet is my passion, and it was great to share this experience together. The ballet was a transformative amalgam of elegance and grace, emotion and obscurity, angst and unbridled enthusiasm.

– Carolina
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