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Star-cross'd

"Romeo + Juliet"
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater
New York, New York
February 21, 2018

by Mary Cargill
copyright © 2018 by Mary Cargill

Like Tchaikovsky's final act music for "Swan Lake" Prokofiev's score for "Romeo and Juliet" has protected a number of choreo- graphers by providing a rich emotional resonance no matter how lame the choreography. Fortunately for Peter Martins' "Romeo + Juliet" the balcony scene and suicide music always wraps the audience around the drama and his ballet, despite its repetitive, hyperactive steps and bizarre designs (Per Kirkeby's Verona appears to be a rest stop on some run-down section of the interstate), sells well. On Wednesday night the audience was rewarded with Indiana Woodward's impressive debut as Juliet.

Indiana Woodward as Juliet in "Romeo + Juliet" photo © Paul Kolnik.

Revisiting a home-made Trio

"On a Theme of Paganini" "Ibsen's House" "Ghost in the Machine"
San Francisco Ballet
War Memorial Opera House
San Francisco, CA
February 15, 2018

by Rita Felciano
copyright © RIita Felciano 2018

Helgi Tomasson has an astute sense for programming. After an evening of works that were brought in, he followed it with pieces created in-house: “On a Theme of Paganini” (Tomasson), “Ibsen’s House (Val Caniparoli) and “Ghost in the Machine” (Myles Thatcher). The first two were created in 2008; corps member Thatcher’s first work on the company dates from 2017. Together the trio made an informative, above all well-danced, evening of perspectives on how ballet inspires even today.

San Francisco Ballet in Thatcher's "Ghost in the Machine
Photo: Erik Tomasson

Revisiting a Familiar Tale

“Romeo & Juliet”
The Washington Ballet
Opera House
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Washington, D.C.
February 17, 2018

by Arielle Ostry
copyright © 2018 by Arielle Ostry

John Cranko’s “Romeo & Juliet” performed by the Washington Ballet this past Saturday, like all performances based upon these two star-crossed lovers, was marinated in dramatic irony. Most, if not all, audience members knew the fate of the gentle Juliet and her fair Romeo, yet despite this certainty, the anticipation of the afternoon performance was palpable. Before the production, Artistic Director Julie Kent addressed the audience, emphasizing the Washington Ballet’s aspirations to recapture the traditional and produce a ballet of significant recognition and familiarity.

Reflecting Language

"Serenade," "The Chairman Dances-Quartet For Two," "Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes"
San Francisco Ballet
San Francisco War Memorial Opera House
San Francisco,CA
February 13, 2018

by Rita Felciano
copyright © Rita Felciano 2018

The first of this season’s repertory programs was called “Bright Fast Cool Blue”. You probably could find at least one of these qualities in the magnificently performed “Serenade”, “The Chairman Dances — Quartet for Two” and “Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes.” George Balanchine’s name only appeared in his early masterpiece but his spirit hovered in works in which musicality, speed, clarity of design and a gravity defining sense of ease could not be missed. Tchaikovsky, John Adams and Aaron Copeland, admirably conducted by Martin West, helped. A mid-program video plug for “Unbound,” SFB’s festival of twelve world premieres in four programs (April 20-May 6) will probably be with us in every upcoming performance. Helgi Tomasson is determined to push his audiences beyond the ever-popular bread and butter full-length ballets.

Photo: Dores André and Ulrik Berkkjaer in Peck's “Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes”
Photo Credit Erik Tomasson

An Uninspired "Romeo + Juliet"

“Romeo + Juliet”
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater
New York, New York
February 13, 2018

by Gay Morris
copyright © 2018 by Gay Morris

Peter Martins’ version of “Romeo and Juliet,” which premiered in 2007, was never an inspired production. Titling the work “Romeo + Juliet,” Martins went on to whittle down the narrative to two compressed acts, never worrying much about logic, let alone nuance. But that is all water under the bridge. As most of the dance world knows, Martins, heretofore ballet master in chief of New York City Ballet, retired last month in the wake of allegations of sexual harassment, including a notorious incident in the 1990s when he was arrested on charges of assaulting his wife (the charges were later dropped).

Photo:   Sterling Hyltin as Juliet in Peter Martins' "Romeo + Juliet." Photo by Paul Kolnik.

Love's Labor Gained

"Dance Lovers 7"
James Graham Dance Theatre
Counterpulse Theater
San Francisco, CA
February 8, 2018

by Rita Felciano
copyright © Rita Felciano 2018

Watching two dancers work out a relationship on stage – whether romantic, exploratory, contentious or distanced — can raise the question about how they might interact when the curtain comes down. Is this relevant in terms of what we just saw? Perhaps not, but we do know that behind these masks are human beings with private lives that may or may not enter their professional endeavors. James Graham Dance Theatre’s “Dance Lovers” now in its seventh year, confronts the question head-on. He invites dancers who are in one-on-one relationships as, what he calls “couples, crushes and comrades” to create a duet about that connection. Perhaps, the best part of this seventy-five minute Valentines program was the freshness with which these dancers approached their task. Not a whiff of sentimentality intruded this evening of dances that in equal parts were delightful, amusing or tender. The seven duets ranged from the elementary to the sophisticated and professional. In all of them love ruled supreme. Part of this program’s charm was in seeing the non-dancers overcome whatever stage fright they might have had.

Photo: James Graham and Sheila Graham Price in "Do More of That"
Photo Credit: Robbie Sweeney

Miami City Ballet’s Program III – A Taste of the Future

“Theme and Variations,” “One Line Drawn” and “The Concert”
Miami City Ballet
Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts
Miami, Florida
February 9, 2018

by Sean Erwin
copyright © 2018 by Sean Erwin

On Friday, Miami City Ballet artistic director Lourdes Lopez first addressed the audience and expressed her commit- ment to keeping ballet relevant. Referring to that night’s world premiere by post-modern choreographer Brian Brooks, Lopez added that with Program III, “we have the future sandwiched between two masters of the past.”

 Photo: Miami City Ballet in "Theme and Variations" Photo © Alexander Iziliaev  

Second Week, Second Casts : Balanchine at NYCB

“Divertimento No. 15,” “The Four Temperaments,” “Chaconne”
New York City Ballet
The David H. Koch Theater
New York, New York
January 30, 2018

by Carol Pardo
copyright © 2018 by Carol Pardo

The winter 2018 season of the New York City ballet opened with two all-Balanchine programs back to back. During that first week the air in the Koch Theater was suffused with a combination of relief and jubilation. The company was back, having lived through the retirement of Peter Martins, its longest serving artistic director, and Balanchine ballets were leading the charge. The second week again opened with Balanchine: second casts in “Divertimento No. 15,” “The Four Temperaments,” and “Chaconne” under the prosaic tag "Balanchine no. 2". It was back to business as usual with veterans returning to their parts, scheduled debuts and last minute cast changes, planning for the future as young dancers got their chances while the laurels for the evening went to the company's senior ballerina.

Strauss's Forgotten Treasure

“Whipped Cream”
American Ballet Theatre
Opera House
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Washington, D.C.
February 1, 2018
 
by Ashley McKean
copyright © 2018 by Ashley McKean

Alexei Ratmansky's “Whipped Cream” stirred up a concoction of whimsy and merriment that lifted the mood and lightened the spirit of balletgoers on Thursday. The production’s fast-paced frenzy of activity was both delightful and dizzying. Danced assuredly by a stellar cast, this ballet is less a showcase for the dancers than a platform for Mark Ryden’s fetching costumes and visual designs. The audience’s warm reaction made it hard to believe that the ballet upon which “Whipped Cream” is based — "Schlagobers,” that premiered in May of 1924 at the Vienna State Opera with music by Richard Strauss and choreography by Heinrich Kröller — was a total failure. Ratmansky is no stranger to resurrecting old works. His “Whipped Cream” underscores the value in doing so, including the re-discovery of Strauss’s largely forgotten musical score played with care by the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra. If not a masterpiece, the music is lighthearted and melodic, layered and complex. Ratmansky’s imaginative, musical choreography revealed the score’s danceability, bringing to fruition Strauss’s hope for “Schlagobers”: to create joy at a time when joy is needed.

American Ballet Theatre in "Whipped Cream." Photo © Gene Schiavone

What's New?

"The Red Violin", "dance odyssey", "Russian Seasons"
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater
New York, New York
February 1, 2018

by Mary Cargill
copyright © 2018 by Mary Cargill

New York City Ballet's New Combinations Fund, inspired by Balanchine's quote "There are no new steps, only new combi- nations", funds new choreography, and supported Peter Walker's new ballet "dance odyssey" which premiered between Peter Martins' "The Red Violin" and Alexei Ratmansky's "Russian Seasons". Both of those works were choreographed in 2006 as part of the Diamond Project, an earlier effort to seed new choreography. Few of its projects had staying power and "The Red Violin" should have remained in its case.

New York City Ballet in "dance odyssey" photo © Paul Kolnik.