Upcoming Performances
January 2, 2009
Gallim Dance in I Can See Myself in Your Pupil, photo by Christopher Duggan
The new year kicks off with plenty of dance performances. Here are some of the offerings during the first two weeks of January.
New York City Ballet’s winter season begins this Tuesday with an all-Balanchine triple bill. Other highlights of the season, which runs until March 1st, include new ballets by Melissa Barak and Douglas Lee, the return of Lynne Taylor-Corbett’s Chiaroscuro and Alexei Ratmansky’s Concerto DSCH, and a full-length Coppélia.
Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet’s winter season, which runs from January 8th to 18th, includes world premieres by Didy Veldman and Luca Veggetti, along with Crystal Pite’s Ten Duets on a Theme of Rescue. You can read about an open rehearsal the company held in November. And don’t forget to save 20% on tickets by using code “CL52″ when you order tickets.
Cedar Lake dancers rehearsing Didy Veldman’s frame of view, photo by Paul B. Goode
Parsons Dance will perform two different programs at The Joyce Theater from January 6th to 18th. The company will present the world premiere of a collaboration with the East Village Opera Company, along with several pieces from the company’s repertoire. Order tickets online or call (212) 242-0800.
From January 9th to 11th, Symphony Space presents Dance Gotham, with a different lineup of performers each night. Some of the companies that will be performing are Gina Gibney Dance, Brian Brooks Moving Company, and BalletX. Tickets are just $10.
Gallim Dance will present two different full-length works, I Can See Myself In Your Pupil and Blush at The Joyce SoHo from January 9th to 18th. Choreographer and dancer Andrea Miller performed with Batsheva Dance Company before starting Gallim in 2006, and much of her work is influenced by Ohad Naharin’s movement style. Order tickets online or call (212) 242-0800.
On January 11th and 12th, Works & Process at the Guggenheim presents an evening of dance set to music by Arvo Pärt. The performance includes the U.S. premiere of the operatic monologue L’Abbe Agathon, with visual concept created by Sophie Calle. Christopher Wheeldon’s Liturgy, set to Fratres, and After the Rain pas de deux, set to Spiegel im Spiegel, will also be performed. Tickets go on sale January 5th.
San Francisco Ballet at City Center
October 22, 2008
San Francisco Ballet in Helgi Tomasson’s The Fifth Season, photo by Erik Tomasson
San Francisco Ballet‘s engagement at City Center came to a close this weekend after presenting three diverse programs. The two that I saw illustrated artistic director Helgi Tomasson’s dedication to preserving Balanchine classics while incorporating newer choreographic voices, including his own, into the repertoire. Not everything was successful, but one thing was clear: SFB dancers have impeccable technique and clarity of intention, and the men in particular are some of the strongest I’ve ever seen.
One program opened with Balanchine’s Divertimento No. 15, and the other closed with The Four Temperaments. The former showcased the dancers’ clean lines and pure technique. Frances Chung, in the second variation, had a lovely, engaging presence that made the challenging choreography look effortless. But this ballet felt dated and uncomfortably formal, especially when compared to the black-and-white Four T’s, set to Paul Hindemith’s wonderfully moody Theme with Four Variations for String Orchestra and Piano. I had forgotten how many high leg extensions and battements are in this ballet, all of which were performed with simultaneous control and attack. The highlight, however, was Taras Domitro in the Melancholic variation. Not only did he amaze the audience with his unbelievably flexible back, but he also infused the variation with lyricism, passion, and a subtle spiritual quality. Perhaps he went against Balanchine by showing so much emotion, but it only enhanced his performance.
Mr. Tomasson contributed Concerto Grosso and The Fifth Season back to back on one of the programs. Set to a strings composition by Karl Jenkins, The Fifth Season included a waltz, a romance, a tango, and a largo for a variety of couples. While the dancers – dressed in blue-gray leotards and tights – were in command of the movement, it was unclear what they were attempting to convey, which left me wondering: What exactly is the fifth season? Mr. Tomasson packed as much choreography as possible into the music, but the result was still bland. Concerto Grosso showed the technical prowess of five men who performed a series of solos and duets. They were all superb, and their technical strengths clearly inspired Tomasson enough to make a ballet about just that. Poise, elegance, and artistry played a role, but this was mainly about technique.
Sarah Van Patten and Pierre-Francois Vilanoba in Within the Golden Hour, photo by Erik Tomasson
I had mixed feelings about Morphoses/The Wheeldon Company’s recent season at City Center, so I was prepared to be disappointed by Christopher Wheeldon’s Within the Golden Hour, which he created for SFB last April. But this ballet, set to Ezio Bosso‘s music for strings, revealed the choreographic complexity and emotional depth that reminded me why I’m drawn to Wheeldon’s work. Three pas de deux were framed by ensemble dancing that again emphasized the strength of SFB’s men. Golden lighting, costumes in various earth tones, and Bosso’s mysterious compositions created a delicate, otherworldly atmosphere. At the heart of the ballet was a lyrical duet for Sarah Van Patten and Pierre-Francois Vilanoba that conveyed the distant longing for something far beyond their reach. Wheeldon interwove the music and movement to create a pure, organic whole, with the slow tempo allowing the dancers to luxuriate in every stretch, extension, and detail of the intricate partnering. This is one of the strongest Wheeldon ballets I’ve seen in a while, but it would be so refreshing to see some independent women in his works. Within the Golden Hour, like many of his other pieces, relied on the men manipulating the women from one movement to the next. The shapes and lifts that they created were stunning, but it was always the men initiating the movement. And while there were a series of duets and solos for the men, the women were rarely featured on their own.
Yuan Yuan Tan and Damian Smith in Yuri Possokhov’s Fusion, photo by Erik Tomasson
At the beginning of Mark Morris’s Joyride, digital number plates that were attached to the dancers’ shiny metallic costumes caught the audience’s attention, but the piece eventually wandered from one grouping of witty movement to the next. John Adams’ Son of Chamber Symphony contributed to the flatness of the piece, continuing along without ever gaining momentum. Yuri Possokhov’s Fusion, on the other hand, was focused on building – or rather, fusing – several parts into a greater whole: old and new, ancient and modern, east and west. Unfortunately, the piece was formulaic in the way it went about conveying this cultural merge. First, four men danced who represented the “old”; then several couples illustrated the “new”; and then they danced together, with Possokhov incorporating choreography from both the old and new. The only truly enlightening part of Fusion was a duet for Yuan Yuan Tan and Damian Smith. With sweeping lifts and lunges, the dancers seemed to set aside the piece’s agenda and just immerse themselves in the movement.
Both programs showed musical and choreographic range, but what was most memorable were the superb technical and artistic abilities of SFB’s dancers.
Morphoses Multimedia
October 8, 2008
Rubinald Pronk, Maria Kowroski, and Edwaard Liang rehearsing Monotones II, photograph by Yaniv Schulman
Morphoses/The Wheeldon Company concluded its second season at City Center on Sunday afternoon. I wrote about both programs here and here, but decided to post some more rehearsal photos from Monotones II and two surprisingly good videos of Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s One and Lightfoot León’s Shutters Shut. Lighting and costumes are essential components of the otherworldly atmosphere in Monotones II, so it’s refreshing to see photos of the dancers in practice clothes, clearly working together in the studio to figure out the intricate partnering in this ballet. The videos will give you a sense of the rhythmic quirkiness in Shutters Shut and fluid movement in One, but as I always say, dance videos are no substitute for live performances.
Adrian Danchig-Waring, Wendy Whelan, and Tyler Angle rehearsing Monotones II
Edwaard Liang, Maria Kowroski, and Rubinald Pronk
Tyler Angle, Wendy Whelan, and Adrian Danchig-Waring
Maria Kowroski
All photos courtesy of Yaniv Schulman
Morphoses at City Center: Program 2
October 7, 2008
Adrian Danchig-Waring, Wendy Whelan, and Tyler Angle rehearsing Monotones II
photo by Yaniv Schulman
The second Morphoses program was not only more varied than the first, but more complete as a whole. Three short pieces were bookended by Wheeldon works, with the new Commedia opening the program and Fools’ Paradise closing it.
I wrote at length about Commedia in my review of the gala performance, but I appreciated the piece much more upon a second viewing. The duet for Leann Benjamin and Beatriz Stix-Brunell looked sophisticated, and in spite of the dancers’ age difference (Benjamin is 44, Stix-Brunell is 15), both danced with refreshing energy and youthfulness. The rest of the cast seemed more vibrant than in the first performance, too. Although the piece still lacked coherency as it wandered from one duet or solo to the next, there were intriguing moments of choreography, and I think there’s still more to be discovered.
Drew Jacoby and Rubinald Pronk in One, photo by Amitava Sarkar
Due to an injured dancer, Frederick Ashton’s pas de deux from The Dream was replaced with Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s One, performed by and created specifically for Drew Jacoby and Rubinald Pronk. The electronic score by Jacob Ter Vedhuis is filled with French phrases – rapidly recited by a woman – that are repeated and echoed throughout the piece. Wearing sheer black leotards, the dancers’ sinewy bodies moved seamlessly through off-balance poses and push-pull tensions while maintaining a gripping connection to one another. Dramatically harsh lighting, shifting between black and white, contributed to the intensity of this brief duet, which could have been a bit shorter. Lopez Ochoa’s choreography grew repetitive to the extent that the piece became less effective near its end. Nevertheless, Jacoby and Pronk are incredible artists, and One would certainly be less intriguing if performed by dancers lacking the remarkable chemistry that they possess.
Spoken word was also used in Shutters Shut, a wonderfully weird duet created by Lightfoot León (a pseudonym for Paul Lightfoot and Sol León). Christine Thomassen and Andreas Heise performed a series of sharp, quirky gestures to the rhythmic recitation of a poem by Gertrude Stein, which can be read in its entirety here. Lightfoot Leon’s choreography, executed by the dancers with immaculate precision and whim, reflected the absurdity of Stein’s poem. The four-minute piece exemplified how spoken word can serve as effective, melodious accompaniment for movement.
Lynn Wallis rehearsing Monotones II with Adrian Danchig-Waring, Wendy Whelan, and Tyler Angle, photo by Yaniv Schulman
The second cast of Ashton’s Monotones II was stronger than the first, and the dated look of the ballet contrasted nicely with One and Shutters Shut. Wendy Whelan, Adrian Danchig-Waring, and Tyler Angle were comfortable and at ease with the choreography, luxuriating in every slow, developing extension. Whelan emphasized the serene otherworldliness of Erik Satie’s score, while Angle and Danchig-Waring partnered her with poise and elegance. As a trio, they conveyed a cool dreamscape of movement.
Fools’ Paradise, which had its US premiere at City Center last fall, closed the program. Eerie golden lighting, falling glittery paper, and hauntingly beautiful music by Joby Talbot combined to create a mysterious atmosphere. The dancers’ bodies often formed sculptures that were held just long enough for the audience to absorb their profundity. Interestingly, the most striking image in the piece was exactly what I noticed in 2007: Craig Hall spread his arms while balancing Wendy Whelan horizontally across his shoulders, with her legs bent at different angles and back arched as Hall spun in slow circles. This image along with many others evoked the varying moods of Talbot’s score – meditative, hopeful, and elegiac. But the memorable images still didn’t fully capture the emotional depth or fragility of the music. Perhaps with more flow of movement and less posing, this could have been attained. Nevertheless, the cast of nine was superb as they delicately interlaced their bodies to create Wheeldon’s unthinkable shapes and sculptures.
Dancers in Fools’ Paradise, photo by Erin Baiano
Morphoses is still young and its future uncertain. But this well-rounded program, performed by a brilliant ensemble of dancers, leads me to believe that Wheeldon is on the right path to furthering his artistic goals for the company and making an enduring contribution to contemporary ballet.
Alexei Ratmansky at The New Yorker Festival
October 5, 2008
On Saturday afternoon, The New Yorker Festival presented a discussion between dance critic Joan Acocella and Russian choreographer Alexei Ratmansky at Cedar Lake’s theater in Chelsea. Ratmansky is currently the Bolshoi Ballet’s artistic director, and he’s created works for several companies around the world, including his recent Concerto DSCH for New York City Ballet. He’s received a lot of attention over the past few weeks since signing a contract to join American Ballet Theatre as artist in residence in 2009, which I wrote about here.
The discussion covered a range of topics, including his struggles to introduce new works to the Bolshoi, the difference between Russian and American dance audiences, choreographing in the shadow of George Balanchine, and his decision to join ABT. The audience was also treated to some video excerpts from Ratmansky’s Middle Duet, Russian Seasons, and The Bolt. Unfortunately, Ms. Acocella was very forceful and dogmatic, while Mr. Ratmansky was soft-spoken and reserved – not the best combination of personalities for a discussion in which the audience was eager to hear more from him and less from her. However, he made some interesting points throughout the talk, which I’ll summarize below.
When asked to describe what it’s like to choreograph after the death of Mr. Balanchine, Ratmansky said that there is a clear divide for him between the Russian style and neoclassicism. Russian audiences appreciate and expect to see more story ballets (“They want to see the girl in a tutu”), which they believe are superior to the abstract, plot-less ballets for which Balanchine is known. But Ratmansky clearly values Balanchine’s style, stating that when Balanchine asked a dancer to lean off balance or turn in, “it was a revolution”.
Ms. Acocella asked Ratmansky why so many Bolshoi dancers have said nasty things about him. In an attempt to introduce new work to the Bolshoi, he brought in contemporary choreographers including Twyla Tharp and Christopher Wheeldon, even though most of the dancers were satisfied with performing the same repertoire. Ratmansky thought that Tharp’s In the Upper Room would speak to Russians, but as is the case with any ballet, some people will love it and some will hate it. Ultimately, Ratmansky felt that he had to make his own decisions about what to bring to the Bolshoi.
Regarding his decision to work with ABT and not with NYCB, Ratmansky simply explained that his contract at ABT provides him with enough free time to work with other companies, whereas he wouldn’t have had this flexibility at NYCB. It was also announced that his first ballet for ABT, premiering in June 2009, will be to a Prokofiev score. One of the most memorable things that Ratmansky said was, “Audiences want more emotional contact”, and that a dance company’s job is to establish “direct communication with the public”. Hopefully his contributions to ABT will meet these criteria.
