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The Spanish Dancer brooch from 1941 is a signature piece from French label Van Cleef&Arpels. Provided to China Daily
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In the 1960s, Russian-born choreographer George Balanchine created one of his most acclaimed works Jewels inspired by the precious stones of French label Van Cleef & Arpels.
Gemstone ballerinas have since acquired iconic status for the label, and almost 50 years later, the charm still rules.
Van Cleef & Arpels joined hands with the French embassy in Beijing last month to bring Reflections, a modern encounter of ballets with precious stones, as part for the Festival Croisements 2014 in China. This year also marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and France.
Reflections, a three-act ballet by Benjamin Millepied, founding director of the L.A. Dance Project and incoming director of Paris Opera Ballet, debuted in Paris in 2013. It talks of Millepied's vision of precious stones in a modern light. Millepied is the French choreographer who starred in the Hollywood production Black Swan in 2010.
Trained in classical ballet, Millepied has been dancing to Balanchine's pieces from a young age, including as the male principal in Rubies, the second part of Jewels.
"Jewels has been very important in the history of the house (Van Cleef & Arpels)," says Nicolas Bos, president and CEO of the French label.
"We were discussing having another production of Jewels. At some point, he suggested that instead of doing that, he could create a new ballet, a tribute to Jewels after 50 years, to look at the influence of Balanchine and Jewels on contemporary ballet. But it will be translated into a more contemporary approach than in 1967."
The house launched a long-term partnership with the L.A. Dance Project last year and supported the creation of Reflections. "It is about the color red, about the idea of energy and rhythm. The music was very fast," Bos says.
While supporting dance projects, the house has also been a beneficiary of the art. From the Spanish Dancer brooch in 1941, the Ballerina in 1944 and the Danseuse in 1946, the house has continuously derived inspirations from the art of ballet. They are all signature jewelry.
Based on extensive research, jewelers work with artists to sketch, select stones and explore new techniques to recreate the ballerina with precious stones.
"We always try to go further in representing the movements, the lightness and fragility of the ballerina. The design, the stone and the technique combine to create the most beautiful pieces from that inspiration," Bos says.
Reflections will be staged at the National Center for the Performing Arts on June 14 and 15.
sunyuanqing@chinadaily.com.cn
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