Undertow (Tudor)

Instead of an English Civil War narrative, Undertow is a profound psychological exploration of deep-seated angst, guilt, and the subconscious mind. It delves into dark, Oedipal themes and the destructive undercurrents of human psychology.

The ballet is set to a tense, modern score composed by William Schuman in 1945. The dissonant, anxious music perfectly emphasizes the dark psychological states of the characters.

Tudor created this intense, dramatic work in 1945 for the Ballet Theatre, now known as American Ballet Theatre. It was created during a period when psychoanalysis was heavily influencing modern art.

It is often considered Tudor's darkest and most harrowing psychological ballet, pushing the boundaries of dance as a medium. The movement vocabulary abandons classical elegance to manifest raw, internal emotional torment.