danceviewtimes

Every Moment Matters

Excerpts from Elliot Caplan's film, "15 Days of Dance"
Brian Reeder and American Ballet Theatre II
Large Auditorium, East Building, National Gallery of Art
Washington, DC
January 3 & 31, 2010

by George Jackson
copyright 2010 by George Jackson 

Oblivion after a season or two is still the fate of most choreography, even of some masterpieces. In view of this, Elliot Caplan's act of filming all the rehearsals of a new ballet being made for a junior company can be called many things - from heroic and wise to incredible and extravagant and on to awful epithets. The facts, though, are these: Caplan captured more than 18 hours of American Ballet Theatre's apprentice company learning Brian Reeder's "Ghost Light". The new ballet uses Aaron Copland's 1925 score "Music for the Theatre" and evokes the vaudeville hoofers of the early 20th Century. Filming took place while the company was in residence in Buffalo, NY. About 4 hours of the total result were shown at two different National Gallery sessions, each followed by a discussion which critic Ann Murphy led. Seeing more of the footage and hearing additional conversation should be worthwhile for there was something new to learn throughout each of these two 2.5 hour events.

Against the Grain

"Fancy Free," "Prodigal Son," "Firebird"
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater
New York, NY
January 24, 2010

By Carol Pardo
Copyright © Carol Pardo 2010

Sets, costumes, stories, characters--at the New York City Ballet? Well yes. The program entitled "Short Stories" strays about as far from the company's reputation for black leotards, blue cycloramas and architectonic plotless works as it is possible to get. Another company staple, the maxim "Ballet is woman," is contradicted by the primacy given to male dancing in both "Fancy Free" and "Prodigal Son." Contradicted, too is the predilection for the new: the youngest of these ballets just turned sixty, the oldest eighty. 

Stars as Star-Cross'd Lovers

"Romeo and Juliet"
American Ballet Theatre
Opera House
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Washington, DC
January 28 & 29, 2010

by Jean Battey Lewis
copyright 2010 by Jean Battey Lewis 
 
Romeo and Juliet are the greatest lovers and the greatest gift to dance of any drama on the stage today. Their story has spawned over a dozen 20th Century ballets. One of the most successful versions, created by Britain's Sir Kenneth MacMillan and danced this week by American Ballet Theatre, has been drawing powerful performances and extraordinarily enthusiastic crowds here this week.

ABT's Birthday Offerings

"Birthday Offering," "Seven Sonatas," "The Brahms-Haydn Variations"
American Ballet Theatre
Opera House
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Washington, D.C.
January 26 and 27, 2010

by Alexandra Tomalonis
copyright 2010 by Alexandra Tomalonis

On January 11, 1940, Ballet Theatre danced its first performance. Its week-long Kennedy Center appearance, then, was a few days past its 70th birthday, a notable achievement (and the company was looking quite young and strong). ABT didn't make much of the birthday, but I think a toast is in order, and a thank you for performing at the Kennedy Center so consistently, and for bringing such an interesting and substantive triple bill: Frederick Ashton's celebration for his company's birthday (its 25th),  a rich new work by resident choreographer Alexander Ratmansky, and Twyla Tharp's "The Brahms-Haydn Variations," which, if not on the same level as the other two works, is a good company showpiece.

Relentlessness of the Crowd

“Petrushka,” “Rites of Spring”
Györ National Ballet of Hungary
Joyce Theater
New York, NY
January 26, 2010

by Martha Sherman
copyright © 2010 by Martha Sherman
 

In an evening of dance to two iconic works by Stravinsky, The Györ National Ballet of Hungary presented the same story twice. Both Dmitry Simkin’s version of “Petrushka,” and Atilla Kun’s “Rite of Spring,” show the individual set upon by society, and the individual does not come out well. Although decorated differently, the choreography, too, had striking parallels. The dancers’ precision and energy were admirable, but the evening failed to hold us.

Discipline

"Moon Water"
Cloud Gate Dance Theater of Taiwan
Eisenhower Theater
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Washington, DC
January 29, 2010

by George Jackson
copyright 2010 by George Jackson

These bodies fold and stretch more muscularly than those of ballet dancers articulating movement  based on the skeletal structure's joints. Loops, spirals and twists predominate over straight lines and closed circles, particularly above the waist. Head and neck, limbs and the torso execute smooth arcs of motion and, on occasion, staunch thrusts. It is an austere virtuosity that the 20 plus members of Cloud Gate practice in public. Is the result art or is it ritual?

ENB's "Giselle"

"Men Y Men" and "Giselle""
English National Ballet
London Coliseum2
London, England
20-24 January, 2010

by Judith Cruikshank
copyright 2010 by Judith Cruikshank

 
To schedule seven performances of "Giselle" in just five days, with seven pairs of dancers in the leading roles is already ambitious.  Add to that the fact that they come at the end of a six week season comprised of twice daily performances of "Nutcracker" and "The Snow Queen," and it might be considered foolhardy. But the three pairs of principals I saw all had much to offer, and the dancing of the ensemble was exemplary. Artistic director Wayne Eagling should be proud of his dancers and of his ballet staff, especially as the company spends so much of its time on tour and rehearsals have to be fitted into a busy performing schedule and held in strange rehearsal rooms.

A Mozart Muddle

"WAM!"
Jane Lang Theater, Atlas Performing Arts Center
Washington, DC
January 24, 2010

by George Jackson
copyright 2010 by George Jackson

The initials WAM stand for Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and this production is described as a journey in music and dance through the composer's life. There are credits galore for choreography, for musical selection and musical direction, for piano performance, singing, dancing, set, lighting and the singers' costumes. Who conceived "WAM!", who was its overall director and who assembled what the dancers wear isn't mentioned in the printed program. Perhaps these aspects just happened. There was much evidence for that in the two hour show. 

A Pair of Surprises

Ballets by Bienert
Embassy of Austria
Washington, DC
January 25, 2010

by Jean Battey Lewis
copyright 2010 by Jean Battey Lewis

Dance maker Bernd Roger Bienert, for an overflow crowd in the Austrian Embassy's Atrium, showed work with a strong theatrical flair. The evening had these surprises: a shimmering film of a nude man swirling and tumbling slow motion underwater, and a brand new solo based on movements from International Sign Language for Jonathan Jordan, Washington's most classically trained and famous male dancer. 

Russian Dog Days

“Agon,” “The Lady with The Little Dog,” “Cortège Hongrois” 
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater
New York, NY
January 20, 2010

By Lisa Rinehart
Copyright ©2010 by Lisa Rinehart

New York City Ballet’s All Russian evening cleverly nestles the world premiere of Alexey Miroshnichenko’s “The Lady with The Little Dog” between two safe bets: Balanchine’s classic “Agon” and his crowd pleasing “Cortège Hongrois.” A little black and white modernism, something new, and then a flashy finish -- everybody’s happy, right?