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New York City Ballet in London

New York City Ballet
Balanchine and Robbins programmes
Coliseum Theatre
London, England
March 15-16, 2008

by Marc Haegeman
copyright 2008 by Marc Haegeman

Besides its treasure-trove of ballets, the most fascinating thing about New York City Ballet for European dance lovers is that the company looks so completely different from anything we are used to seeing here. The full troupe last visited London a quarter of a century ago, but even if it had been only five years it wouldn’t have made much difference. It still takes time to adjust to the different aesthetics and accents, but in the end the experience proves, if not always revelatory, at least absolutely refreshing. However, even when taken on its own terms, there’s no denying that in the mere three performances I caught at the London Coliseum, City Ballet left an uneven impression, depending very much of the leading casts. Or, to continue the delightful British analogy overheard in the theatre, this “exotic bird” not only has “striking colours”, it can also sing pretty much out of tune. Part of the problem was that there were very few ballerinas present who could act as linchpins. Maria Kowroski, Jenifer Ringer and Jennie Somogyi didn’t make it to London. We did have Wendy Whelan and Darci Kistler, although frankly, casting the latter in “Serenade” didn’t seem such a good idea at this point. Yet most of the other female principals look like kids, perky little teenagers, but not ballerinas. The only exception is Ashley Bouder, who is, with her star magnetism, her stunning technique and musicality, her communicative pleasure of performing, a tremendously gifted artist you would want to see over and over again. The men generally made a slick impression, but they too are young and you wouldn’t want to trust them very far with anything outside of their own repertory.

Mixed Bag

"Electric Counterpoint," "Afternoon of a Faun," "Tzigane," "A Month in the Country"
Royal Ballet
Royal Opera House
London, England
4 -19 March, 2008

by Judith Cruickshank
copyright 2008 by Judith Cruickshank

It's hard to discern the thinking behind the recent mixed bill from the Royal Ballet except perhaps as an illustration of Dickie Buckle's famous description; “something for everyone to dislike”. Certainly this particular offering embraced a wide variety of styles and subjects.

Remembrance of Things Past

Merce Cunningham Dance Company
“CRWDSPCR”, “Second Hand”, “eyeSpace”
Harman Hall, Washington, DC
March 27, 2008

by George Jackson
copyright 2008 by George Jackson

“Second Hand”, Merce Cunningham’s 1970 dance, was revived tonight. Its title is evocative. Old objects and already used items come to mind. Once the John Cage piano score starts, one wonders whether “Second Hand” isn’t a musical reference - might one hand suffice to play the seemingly simple note progressions?  Cage himself, however, was known to have performed the composition using both his left and right hands. First on stage in the cast of ten dancers, and quite alone during Part 1 of “Second Hand”, was Robert Swinston. Concentrating on placement and balance as he maneuvered carefully and slowly, Swinston looked senior. This opening section isn’t short and the dancer’s stamina was admirable as he strove to be clean and precise in Cunningham’s version of anatomy-lesson choreography. Yet, Swinston also appeared vulnerable and a little lonely, immersed as he was in movement that dissects and in lighting that exposes. This role intentionally seems to be about the effects of time on the body and the “Second Hand” title could well refer to the dance’s leading character who is neither young nor inexperienced but is very human.

Merce, Decade by Decade

History Matters: A Living Archival Presentation
Merce in the 1980s
Merce Cunningham Dance Studio
New York, NY
March 24, 2008

by Susan Reiter
copyright © 2008 Susan Reiter

For New Yorkers, Merce Cunningham Dance Company sightings have become frustratingly rare. In the city that the master choreographer has called home for nearly seven decades and where he creates his work, his troupe has not had a season since October 2006, and none has been announced for anytime in the imminent future. But in the meanwhile, a fascinating series of programs, each focusing on a specific decade, has been offering a chronological overview of Cunningham's work and the company's evolution. Thanks to his longstanding interest in choreographing for the camera, these evenings have included a wealth of film and video excerpts as well as live performances of reconstructed works from each specific decade.

Small Is Beautiful

“Some Notes on Chaos”
Ahdanco
Dance Mission Theater
San Francisco
March 23, 2008

by Rita Felciano
Copyright © by Rita Felciano, 2008

Abigail Hosein is a miniaturist. She is also a college dance instructor. The two don’t necessarily work all that well together. One demands focused attention to detail, the other a willingness to showcase undeveloped dancers to the best of their abilities. Given those inherent limitations, Hosein’s concert over the Easter weekend offered a well structured, varied evening of dance.

Entrance Exam

“First Position,” “Brahms Paganini,” “Hey-Hay, Going to Kansas City”
Kansas City Ballet
Joyce Theater
New York, NY
March 13, 2008

by Leigh Witchel
copyright © 2008 by Leigh Witchel

Kansas City Ballet, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary, chose to start off its next half-century with a risky proposition – a New York season at the Joyce Theater.  The company, founded by Tatiana Dokoudovksa and also run by NYCB alumni Todd Bolender, has been directed since 1996 by William Whitener, himself a former member of the Joffrey Ballet and Twyla Tharp’s company.  Whitener brought his familiarity with modern dance and its choreographers of that time with him. That is reflected in the repertory choices; the company has performed five dances by Tharp and next season it will commission a work by Karole Armitage. Kansas City Ballet needed a New York appearance more than we needed to see them; they’re a decent municipal company doing what they ought to be doing.

The first question for a company contemplating a New York season is inevitably, “What to bring?”  A dance by Tharp was an obvious choice; the company brought “Brahms’ Paganini,” made in 1980 with Whitener himself dancing the first section alternating performances with Richard Colton.  Whitener set that section on the company; Shelley Freydont set the quintet that makes up the second half. 

Beyond

“Migration” and “Rasa”
Lines Ballet
Kraushaar Auditorium, Goucher College
Towson, Maryland
March 14, 2008

by George Jackson
copyright 2008 by George Jackson

The sensual impression is immediate and intense. Bodies impact your field of vision as substance and motion. The motion is not imposed by forces outside, but arises from deep within the flesh. Its emergence shows tension – a struggle, and triumph – that of form. Impulses arise continually and as they take shape, the context in which this happens impinges. You become aware that lighting isn’t just there but sculpts the dancers’ bodies and outlines the movement’s surge. Music provides push, of course, and also amplification or contrast, but keeps its separateness too. Although the pace is fast, it takes Alonzo King’s distinctive choreography time to run its course. Inevitably, beyond the feast the choreographer provides, questions begin to gather. King calls his Lines company ballet. Why? Is it any less so than Balanchine’s? Is it more so than Merce Cunningham’s or Mark Morris’s?

A Pinch of Fresh Air

Young Choreographers of the Stuttgart Ballet:
Bridget Breiner, Douglas Lee, Demis Volpi and the late Uwe Scholz
Schauspielhaus
Stuttgart, Germany
March 14, 2008

by Horst Koegler
copyright 2008 by Horst Koegler

Stuttgart in these early spring days resembles a beehive of dancing activities. There is the series of Christian Spuck´s full-length "Lulu" performances at the opera-house. At the smaller chamber-theatre the highly popular annual "Behind the Wings" invite the audience to lecture-performances, delivered by members of the company from Intendant Reid Anderson down to dance-notator Georgette Tsinguirides (who just turned 80 this month) to concentrate on certain aspects of their craft.  "La Sylphide" in Peter Schaufuss´s staging is revived and polishing touches are put on Cranko´s weathered "Romeo and Juliet", including Marcia Haydée´s return as Lady Capulet, which in a week´s time will open the company´s visit to London. And as if this were not enough, the company presented its latest programme of "Choreographies Made in Stuttgart" at the Schauspielhaus — five pieces by former and present dancers from the company, most of them in their early thirties, plus a revival of a work by the late Uwe Scholz, who died in 2004. It is an immensely creative atmosphere that is generated by these activities, reminding me of what I have read about the early Rambert days in the London of the 1930s, with Ashton and Tudor emerging under the tutelage of (the later) Dame Marie. Whether Christian Spuck (born in 1969) or Marco Goecke (of 1972 vintage), already appointed resident choreographers of the Stuttgart, will ever achieve the cult status of Ashton and Tudor remains to be seen, but here they are revered as local heroes, being already much in demand abroad. Anyway the new choreographic scene in Stuttgart is as busy and creative since its Noverre matinées started just fifty years ago. It´s a pity that the forthcoming London season will concentrate only on the old Cranko warhorses, with not a single performance demonstrating to Londoners that there is no dearth of budding choreographers in today's youngsters.

 

The Other Half

“Cloven Kingdom,” “De Sueños Que Se Repiten,” “Esplanade”
Paul Taylor Dance Company
New York City Center
New York, NY
March 12, 2008

by Leigh Witchel
copyright © 2008 by Leigh Witchel

“De Sueños Que Se Repiten” (Spanish for “of recurring dreams”), the second premiere of the Taylor season, is both part of a diptych and autonomous – meant to be seen alone or with its companion work “De Sueños” in either order. 

This new piece is one of Taylor’s that defies facile classification. It’s easier and always fun to put each new dance in boxes marked “Dark” and “Light” but this one keeps wriggling into and out of both boxes. Besides “De Sueños,” the closest relative to “De Sueños Que Se Repiten” is “Fiends Angelical” from 2000. They share musical performers; both dances were created to recordings by the Kronos Quartet.

A Fanciful Frolic through the Fairest Isle

"King Arthur"
Music by Henry Purcell; Libretto by John Dryden
Directed and choreographed by Mark Morris
New York City Opera
New York State Theater
New York, NY
March 7, 2008

by Susan Reiter
copyright © 2008 Susan Reiter

A group of men in very workaday clothes -- jeans, fatigues --  enter one by one and sit in a cluster of folding chairs places center stage in front of a plush red curtain. But one wears a plumed helmet, another has a breastplate. So begins Mark Morris' sometimes perplexing, often beguiling production of this "Dramatick Opera," which in this version is not especially dramatic and has more the feel of an inventive, celebratory pageant than of an opera. By now, Morris has scaled such heights of wonder and beauty with his adventures in the realm of Baroque vocal music that one instinctively trusts him, and certainly his belief in this score is well-founded. Glorious music poured forth, as the venerable Jane Glover (a veteran of his "Dido and Aeneas" and "L'Allegro" productions) led the orchestra, several baroque instrumentalists, seven solo singers and chorus through Purcell's wondrous array of fanfares, limpid melodies, boisterous choruses, and sequences so vivid that the music itself conjured up plenty of drama.