Romeo & Juliet | A Chamber Ballet

 

In 2011 S.J. Pettersson completed a chamber ballet based on a unique interpretation of Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet which was subsequently recorded by some of the finest new classical musicians of today. The music varies from unabashed romantic themes to jagged rhythms and tragic lyrical pieces. It also featured additional music based on themes by the cellist and pianist Maksim Velichkin with whom S.J. Pettersson has collaborated with since several years by recording his astounding classical piano improvisations which has gathered much acclaim.  A collaboration with the Los Angeles dance/theatre company MiMoDa led to many dance performances to music from this and all three previous projects.  As a film maker, S.J. Pettersson filmed dance documentary videos in which some of the pieces from Romeo & Juliet were performed in public places and landmarks around Los Angeles in celebration of the constitutional right to express oneself through dance and movement in public.