Ballet Pixelle
Presents
Olmannen
An Original Ballet
Ballet Pixelle’s debut ballet was the premiere of a new ballet, “Olmannen”, an original 3-act story ballet written, choreographed, and directed for Ballet Pixelle by Inarra Saarinen. Original music was composed for the ballet by Alazarin Mondrian, a composer in London. The dancers included Amber Shablin as Seraphette, Alina Mikadze as Namon, Chryssie Bunnyhug as a Devang/Tart/Sprite, and Amelie Dibou as a Devang/Tart/Sprite. Sets and lighting were by Inarra Saarinen and Alazarin Mondrian.
"Olmannen" is the story of a couple in love, how evil in many forms can divide, and how true love can overcome. "Olmannen" is the story of souls fighting for love. Centuries ago, Namon agreed to become a Devang to save his one true love, Seraphette, from evil. Namon has waited centuries for her soul to be reborn to reclaim their love. But now that she is reincarnated, Seraphette has changed. Can Namon still love the new Seraphette? Can Seraphette possibly accept the love of Namon, a creature of the Overworld?
The ballet uses a new breed of ballet dancers and a new classical ballet vocabulary created in a new way. The dancers are avatars, virtual dancers of very real people around the globe – Bahrain, Chicago, Denmark, England, Hawai`i, Holland, New York, Seattle, Scotland, and Washington DC, dancing together from those geographic locations in virtual space. The movements are created by the choreographer using various animation software programs such as Avimator, Qavimator, and Poser and then imported into Second Life. Once in Second Life, the animations are manipulated into larger units that the choreographer then used to create dance phrases along with the musical phrases produced by the composer.
- Inarra Saarinen
Further reading:
Olmannen Overview
Seraphette and Namon are happy and together as lovers, bound together by idealized love. However, they become threatened by evil. In order to save Seraphette from this evil, Namon battles the Devangs and agrees to join them. Seraphette eventually dies a broken-hearted, old woman.
Seraphette, dispirited and despairing, has been reincarnated as a dancer who performs with tarts in the public alley. Namon has waited for Seraphette's soul to be reincarnated and he returns to find her again. However, Seraphette has only a vague memory of him and Namon has to fight to remind her of their love. Finally, he reveals himself to her, and she falls in love with him again.
Their true love allows Namon to be released from evil, and Seraphette to return from her despairing life. Sprites herald their return. They reunite forever in the mystical garden and ascend into "Olmannen", happy in thier realized and true love for each other.