Serenade

image credit: NYC Ballet

"I lift my eyes to the mountains; where does my help come from? 

My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth."

Psalm 121:1-2

    Serenade  was the first ballet that famous choreographer George Balanchine made after moving from Russia to the United States. Balanchine, founder of the New York City Ballet and well known choreographer (the versions most ballet fans know of Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, and The Nutcracker all come from him), said the ballet was inspired by ballet students looking out the studio window at the moonlight. 

    The ballet itself, especially the opening scene, is peaceful and dreamy. For a full minute, the curtain is closed, the entire setting comprised of the unhurried string music of Tchaikovsky's Serenade for Strings in C Major. Then the curtain rises, and the next thirty seconds or so see rows of ballet dancers, dressed in light blue skirts and bathed in soft blue light. Standing in the most basic ballet position, with one hand extended upward, they focus their gazes on the light coming from stage right. 

    I saw this ballet in 2016, just before auditioning for the dance program at my dream college. The scene above brought to mind one of my favorite passages, Psalm 121: "I lift my eyes to the mountains. Where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth." Recreating the scene, I can imagine the light trailing in from an open window, a light breeze blowing through my hair. It reminds me of quiet moments spent with the Lord, and of various moments in my life when I was dealing with sadness and disappointment and pulled this image to my mind, crying out to the Lord and seeking Him for help. The light becomes a symbol of His presence, close enough to touch. The music represents waiting in quiet before Him.

    As my relationship with Christ has grown in trust and intimacy, coming to Him in prayer becomes easier and more enjoyable. This song has become the soundtrack for my prayers, and the image of standing in that scene, focusing my eyes and heart on the Lord, has become a symbol of that relationship. Whatever I go through, I know I can always find help in the Lord. 

Read the rest of Psalm 121

Best of Tchaikovsky: Spotify

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