Swan song for great Mt. Airy ballet dancer, 42

by MICHAEL CARUSO

David Krensing, of Mt. Airy, is hanging up his ballet slippers.

As I watched West Mt. Airy’s David Krensing rehearse for his performance as Tybalt in the Pennsylvania Ballet’s production of Romeo and Juliet one day last week, I found myself once again impressed by the ease with which he danced the demanding moves of John Cranko’s choreography and the intensity with which he invested his characterization, even during a rehearsal. And yet, these performances will mark Krensing’s “swan song” from the world of professional ballet dancing.

When I asked him why he was retiring, he answered, “I’m 42, for God’s sake! It’s about time.”

As hard as it is for fans of David Krensing’s like myself to accept that he’s 42 years old — which is very old for an active male ballet dancer — it’s equally difficult to believe that he’s been a member of the company for 19 years, another remarkable milestone in a world more usually characterized by abrupt changes than longevity.

“I’ve been thinking about retiring for the past few seasons,” he explained. “It’s definitely been on the horizon as of late — on the radar screen, you might say. After all, I’ve pretty much reached the ‘life expectancy’ of a ballet dancer. I look around me during company class and rehearsals and I see all these young kids who can jump higher and do the moves easier that I can, and I begin thinking that it’s about that time for me to look into other interests. It’s more of a mutation than a change, really.”

For the past five years, one of those other interests has been organizing the annual “Shut Up and Dance” fundraising event that benefits breast cancer research. Krensing has also been studying arts administration as part of a graduate degree program at Drexel University. He’s already been working as a “head hunter” for a firm that focuses its efforts on arts organizations.

“I wanted to get started in the game, put my feet in the water,” he said. “We encourage organizations to take the opportunity given to them when they’re looking to fill a position that has opened up to take a broader, more long term re-evaluation of their organization so that they can consider revamping their administrative structure while they’re looking to fill a specific position with the right person.”

But, oh, those memories with the Pennsylvania Ballet! A native of northern Minnesota near the Canadian border, Krensing grew up playing ice hockey before he ever danced, let alone considered ballet as a profession. But an interest in musical theater developed as a result of involvement in high productions, so he entered college as a theater major, only to gravitate toward the school’s dance programs.

“I was 19 before I found myself in the right situation to begin dancing seriously,” he said. “At first, it was modern dance, and only later ballet. So I initially danced contemporary and character roles before I advanced into classical ballet. I was like a sponge. I just absorbed everything I saw and learned everything I could. Fortunately, the more I worked, the more I got into it, and the more I improved, and the more I enjoyed it. At first, I’m sure like many others, I set this goal for this period of time and that goal for that period of time. Then, when it didn’t happen as planned, I was depressed about it. Then I realized that it was far better and more productive if I just attempted to be as good as I could at that moment. I found that everything I wanted came about.”

Krensing spent a short period of time with the Milwaukee Ballet but was brought to the Pennsylvania Ballet by current company ballet mistress Tamara Hadley and Ballet II director William DeGregory, who were then principal dancers.

Krensing’s dancing has always been noted for its intelligence as well as its technical precision and emotional intensity. That intelligence has translated into good health as a dancer.

“I’ve never missed a ballet because of an injury,” he pointed out. “And that’s very rare. I’ve been extremely lucky. I mean, of course I’ve danced while in pain — sometimes a lot of pain — but I’ve always been able to dance. And, truthfully, that pain has been more pronounced over the last few years. My calves give me trouble now and again, and then there’s my lower back. These are the things that remind you that you’re not 20 years old anymore,” he added with a laugh.

Will he miss it?

“Of course — I’ll miss the whole thing. That thrill of taking a bow on the stage of the Academy of Music when that final performance comes to an end. Dancing has been a very special means of expression. It’s been a very special career. The whole atmosphere of it. I value every moment of it and I’ll value those last moments especially. And I like the idea of going out with Tybalt.

“Roy (Kaiser of Erdenheim, the company’s artistic director) spoke to me about doing Romeo. But I’ve danced Romeo already and I didn’t feel that it was right for me now. I prefer doing Tybalt — dying by the sword!”

The Pennsylvania Ballet dances Romeo and Juliet to music by Serge Prokofiev in the Academy of Music June 2 through 12.

‘THE GONDOLIERS’

Philadelphia’s venerable Savoy Company gave convincing evidence that it is 105 years young this past weekend in the even more venerable Academy of Music. The oldest amateur theater company solely dedicated to the performances of the operettas of Gilbert & Sullivan, Savoy gave a thrilling rendition of The Gondoliers on Friday and Saturday nights, with a pair of reprises set for Longwood Gardens June 10 and 11 at 8:30 p.m.

The plot of The Gondoliers, intended to poke fun at the equally absurd libretti of both Italian operas and French operettas during the 19th century, is so delightfully contrived yet perfectly consistent within itself that its apparent weaknesses become its actual strengths.

Tom Gaines’ portrayal of the Duke of Plaza-Toro was topnotch — refined through experience and inspired by sophistication. Contralto Jane Srygley was vocally resplendent and broadly humorous as his Duchess while soprano Alexis Cregger was dazzling as their daughter, betrothed to one of the gondoliers (but which one?) while in love with Luiz, who was brilliantly portrayed by tenor Ross Druker of Lafayette Hills. Rounding out the principals was baritone Richard Shapp as the Grand Inquisitor of Spain. He transformed that formidable character into someone almost lovable through grandiloquent acting and resonant singing.

Michael Tunney’s direction was both traditional and inventive, Nelson Ruger’s sets were picturesquely evocative of a land of fantasy, Leslie Tuttle’s costumes were eye-catching and Barbara Lappano’s choreography was lively and well-danced.