Ballet West revives 'Artifact II'

Jeffrey Rogers, who is Ballet West's principal dancer, says William Forsythe's "Artifact II" is one demanding ballet.

"It's a challenging work to get together," Rogers said during a rehearsal break at the Capitol Theatre. "I'm working with a great partner (Christiana Bennett). And by the time we're finished with rehearsing, we are just covered in sweat.

"And then there's a slingshot-lift thing toward the end, where we go offstage, and we're totally spent."

Ballet West will revive "Artifact II" during its evening of repertoire titled "Fascination," beginning next week.

Jonas Kage, Ballet West's artistic director, said in May 2001 — on the occasion of the company's Utah premiere of "Artifact II" — that it was time for the company to do a Forsythe work. "We had to prepare the audience as well as the dancers," he said at the time. "(Billy's works) are so daring and off-off balance."

Rogers said he agrees with Kage's assessment. " 'Artifact' is an off-balance work where the partners have to know exactly what the others are doing. I have to be aware of what Christiana is doing or something will go wrong. Everything in this ballet has been set perfectly. Even the grips are intertwined in what step or lift is going to come next. You have to position yourself with the music."

This year will be the last time Rogers will perform "Artifact II." At the end of Ballet West's 2003-04 season, he is retiring from the company. He joined Ballet West in 1984. "It was my time to go. They're looking for younger dancers. It happens all the time."

Rogers doesn't have any hard feelings about retiring. "I have no regrets. I'm very satisfied and happy with how my life turned out since joining Ballet West. In my personal life I have security, which not a lot of professional dancers have. I have a house, a car and my cat."

Throughout his career, Rogers has danced roles such as Romeo, Peter Pan, Von Rothbart from "Swan Lake" and Franz from "Coppelia." But the roles of which he is most proud are Armand from "Lady of the Camellias" and Vronsky in "Anna Karenina." "They are stamina roles. They are technically wearing, as far as dance goes, and they are both pretty exhausting ballets. 'Anna' alone is a seven pas de deux ballet."

As for his future, Rogers said he would like to teach or take part in other performing arts. "I would like to do some acting. I've gotten some offers, but if they don't work out, I won't feel bad. I've accomplished a lot these nearly 20 years with Ballet West."