The Female Leads of BareFace | Solo Artist Sarah Clarke

Julianna Rubio Slager’s newest full-length ballet, BareFace, places female athlete artists in leading roles, retelling the myth of Cupid and Psyche from a distinctly female perspective.

In honor of Women’s History Month, we are interviewing the female leads of BareFace to get to know their characters before they take the stage this spring!

Solo Artist Sarah Clarke by Kristie Kahns.

Q: What role/character will you be dancing in BareFace? 

Clarke: I am dancing the role of Orual, the oldest of the three daughters of the king of Glome. Orual is Psyche’s oldest sister, and really takes Psyche under her wing. You’ll see how Orual and Psyche’s relationship progresses during the ballet, and the pitfalls along the way…

Q: How did you research/prepare for your role? What is something that stood out to you in your research?

Clarke: I began my research by reading the book, "Till We Have Faces," by C. S. Lewis, which is also inspired by the myth of Cupid and Psyche. We were given the opportunity to spend an evening with C. S. Lewis experts and scholars to discuss the intricacies and depth of the story and its many characters, which was helpful in creating the story of my own character in BareFace. Something that stood out to me in learning about my character, Orual, is how intensely her internal dialogue, emotions, and experiences affect the way she views others, and ultimately herself. 

BareFace choreographer and Ballet 5:8 Artistic Director Julianna Rubio Slager and I also worked closely together to develop Orual’s movement style, language, motivations, and underlying emotions. Orual is an unreliable narrator, so we had to show that how she viewed herself and others was not necessarily accurate. We spent many rehearsal hours diving into specific arms, posture of the body, and footwork, and how that builds Orual’s character and relationships.

Q: Describe the movement/style of the choreography. Is it different or the same as what you've done before? What is the most challenging aspect of the ballet? 

Clarke: The style and movement vocabulary of BareFace is much different from any production I have done so far in my career. Our goal for this ballet was to break out of the familiar aesthetics and storytelling tools known by the ballet world (i.e. traditional mime, predictability, overused ballet positions). We created movement languages for each of the characters, and instead of having dialogue shown through classical ballet mime, choreographer Julianna Rubio Slager drives the emotions and storyline forward through these amazing dance sequences and movement conversations.

Although it is easier said than done, the company dancers here at Ballet 5:8 certainly enjoy a movement challenge, especially when it means we get to take ballet and storytelling to a whole new level, and it is a really exciting task to help create a story ballet that uses such innovative storytelling.

Q: Why should audiences see BareFace?

Clarke: From the very first moment to the final curtain, BareFace will have you undoubtedly captivated. The story alone will send you into a wild maze of love, betrayal, lies, and a search for truth, and it is truly a brand new way to tell stories through dance. There is something in BareFace for everyone. I’m so excited to portray such a complex character onstage and share Orual’s story.