Spotlight: Cameron Basden | Light Rain

Ballet West has loved having Cameron Basden with us, helping our dancers work on Arpino’s Light Rain. (Light Rain premieres in just over two weeks as part of Ballet West’s triple-bill The Wedding, playing from April 14-22!)

Basden joined the Joffrey Ballet in 1979 and was a muse for Gerald Arpino, performing in several of his ballets as well as those of many other choreographers. She became ballet master and co-associate director of the Joffrey alongside Adam Sklute (Ballet West Artistic Director) until her departure in 2008. She was the Director of Dance at Interlochen Center for the Arts from 2009 to 2012. Basden is on the Board of Directors of the Gerald Arpino Foundation and is the Artistic Director of the Miami Dance Hub.

Of the work itself, Basden says, “Light Rain was a signature piece of the Joffrey Ballet and both [Ballet West Artistic Director] Adam Sklute and [Director of Ballet West II and Rehearsal Director] Calvin Kitten performed it often, as I did.  I was part of the creation of Light Rain when Mr. Arpino first choreographed it, so it has always held a special place in my heart. It is a showpiece for the dancers – each role is rather individual, and Ballet West has dancers that will absolutely shine [in this piece].”

“Light Rain is unique in so many ways,” she adds. “It allows the dancers within the choreography to really be themselves.  It is a wonderful example of Arpino’s movement – using the back, sweeping across the floor, high extensions, energy, and just really fun movement.  It is as exciting to watch for the audience as it is for the dancers to dance – and that is sometimes rare! There is a timelessness about Light Rain [with] the East-West fusion music that seems to always be in vogue and with the shimmer of light!”

Of her time here at Ballet West, Basden says, “I enjoy seeing [the piece] come to life – seeing the dancers make the ballet their own, to grow with the movement, enhance the movement, discover . . . I think that’s what every répétiteur wants.”

Thanks for joining us, Cameron!