Women -Irish National Ballet
Domy Reiter-Soffer's contribution to the first performance of the Irish National Ballet was “Women” a ballet on the emancipation of women, and no doubt that will provide a talking point for audiences. The choreographer expresses the situation ingeniously: he has the cast of five women wearing long skirts and headgear rather like wimples, which can be removed leaving them dressed just in over-all tights with their formerly confined hair hanging free. First on e leads the way, others follow, but one stays aloof, and she is the one who is given the last word.
Louise Wyllie took over the leading role, which Helen Starr had first danced, and gave it a sensuous femininity, which looked right. The emancipators are presented sympathetically and the work gets over its serious point without any attitudinizing or long-winded anecdote. The Music of Pierre Boulez's Pli Selon Pli was cleverly used, and the ballet's dramatic nuances succeeds in portraying the subject admirably”.
(John Percival- The London Times)
“ The Irish National Ballet in the opera house presented six ballets contributed by five choreographers. I was much impressed by “Women” a tautly worked allegory in modern dance style about women emancipation choreographed by the company's
Artistic advisor Domy Reiter-Soffer, Danced by five women, with Helen Starr making the breakaway and Anna Donovan the one who refuses to follow. The ballet combines grace and tension to vividly expressive purpose. This was effectively matched to the music of Boulez' Pli Selon Pli”.
(Ann Nugent-The Stage)
“For Me the most impressive and immediately rewarding was Domy Reiter-Soffer's
“Women” a taut and intensely worked allegory of women emancipation in a modern dance style. Reiter-Soffer is the company's Artistic advisor and Resident choreographer, has taken a calculated risk in the social implication of his ballet, yet its nature expressed with such controlled fervor and grace of imagery, and manifesto associations are so cleverly avoided, that the ballet scores more by the poetic character of its movement than by any sort of resolution it achieves.
This was also notably well danced by five girls involved. Led by Helen Starr as the one who initiates the breakaway from their uniform convention, symbolized by discarding the cowl and long skirt covering their tights, and then being towed about the stage on the skirt by the three others who follow her lead.
One resists, in the person of Anna Donovan, who conveyed a compelling sense of inner resolution through the simplest of gestures, as well as an eloquent warmth of compassion at the end when the four emancipated girls have collapsed into lifeless recumbency, and she is left to cover them with their discarded vestments. The Pattern of movement seemed to me suitably matched to the music of Pli Selon Pli by Pierre Boulez.
(Noel Goodwin- Dance and Dancers)
“The Best Piece on the programme performed by The Irish National Ballet was “Women” choreographed by Domy Reiter-Soffer to Pierre Boulez music “Pli Selon Pli” the ballet had an immediate impact, beautifully danced by the quintette of women led by Helen Starr, iconographically grouped in front of cyclorama. A moving piece about emancipation of woman full of poetic dancing and strong dancing by the five women. A ballet that evokes thoughts and imagery that stay in one's mind and makes one wonder at the beauty and the dramatic quality of the dancers and the choreography”.
(Seamus Kelly- The Irish Times).
“The powerful enigmatic “Women” was a triumph for the Irish National Ballet's performance at the Gaiety Theatre Dublin. With its strange lovely music by Boulez and the evocative movements choreographed by Domy Reiter-Soffer. He created a dramatic atmosphere of sheer theatre and the cast of five women danced with commitment and technical feats. The emancipation of women was delicately and movingly told in extraordinary movement to great effect. Helen Starr was truly outstanding in the leading role as the woman who dares to breakaway from the fold and Anna Donovan's solo at the end trying to hold on tradition, protecting the others from going astray was powerful and soul stirring. A truly magnificent and thought provoking ballet at its best”.
(Noeleen Dowling- The Examiner)
