PROJECT DETAILS
CHOREOGRAPHER: Roman Mykyta
COMPOSER: Claude Debussy
PREMIERE: September 18, 2022 | Historic Hammond-Harwood House, Annapolis, MD | Performed by Ballet Theatre of Maryland
CAST: 1 Woman, 1 Man
RUN TIME: 6 minutes
SYNOPSIS:
Inspired by Kahlil Gibran’s meditation on marriage in The Prophet, this duet explores the delicate balance between intimacy and individuality within a loving relationship. Two partners move together in tenderness and harmony while continually allowing one another the freedom to remain fully themselves.
Rather than portraying love as possession or dependence, the choreography finds strength in the space between two people — a space in which trust, respect, and shared devotion allow both partners to grow. Lyrical and contemplative, the work celebrates a love that draws two lives together without diminishing either one.
KHALIL GIBRAN
Lebanese-American poet and philosopher Kahlil Gibran published The Prophet in 1923. Among its most enduring passages is “On Marriage,” which describes love not as the merging of two identities, but as a relationship in which closeness and independence exist side by side.
BACKGROUND & INSPIRATION
“LET THERE BE SPACES”
Gibran’s image of two people standing together while preserving space between them provides the central idea of the choreography. The duet explores how love can create connection without possession, allowing each partner freedom, dignity, and room for individual growth.
LOVE AND INDIVIDUALITY
Through lyrical partnering and moments of separation and reunion, the choreography reflects a relationship built on mutual trust rather than dependence. The dancers repeatedly come together and move apart, suggesting that enduring love can be strengthened — rather than threatened — by the individuality of each person.