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Whims: 23rd Century Ballet

Whims:  23rd Century Ballet

Farewell Celebration for Kevin McKenzie

American Ballet Theatre

Kennedy Center Opera House
March 29, 2022

 

by George Jackson
copyright 2022 by George Jackson

 

Two things happened in Washington, at the Kennedy Center's Opera House on Tuesday evening, March 29. One was a farewell celebration for American Ballet Theatre' artistic director Kevin McKenzie. He has been in charge of the company for about 3 decades but will be retiring at the end of the current season. Who will succeed him has not  yet been announced. The other event was an attempt by three choreographers chosen by McKenzie to define 23d Century ballet.  

 

American Ballet Theatre. Scene from Alexei Ratmansky's Bernstein in a Bubble. Photo_Rosalie O’Connor

 

 

A golden classic

"The Sleeping Beauty"
The National Ballet of Canada
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts
Toronto, Canada
March 17, 2022 

by Denise Sum
copyright © 2022 by Denise Sum

Rudolf Nureyev's The Sleeping Beauty is a signature ballet for the National Ballet of Canada. A lavish production with challenging choreography for the whole company, it has been used to mark many special occasions. It opened the inaugural season at the company's current home, the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, in 2006. This ballet was also a highlight of the company's 60th anniversary.  The last time they performed The Sleeping Beauty in Toronto was in 2018, marking Marius Petipa's 200th birthday. This year, the production turns 50. The NBoC has come a long way since its premiere and Nureyev's production, a huge investment at the time, has paid off and then some. It continues to be a touchstone for company dancers. 

Harrison James and Heather Ogden in "The Sleeping Beauty". Photo by Teresa Wood.

 

Uplifted and Grounded

"Skyward", "After the Rain", "On Solid Ground", "Elite Syncopations"
The National Ballet of Canada
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts
Toronto, Canada
March 9, 2022

by Denise Sum
copyright © 2022 by Denise Sum

The National Ballet of Canada's winter season started with a farewell run of "A Streetcar Named Desire" for company veteran Sonia Rodriguez. The farewells continued with a mixed program to celebrate Jillian Vanstone's retirement after 22 years. The NBoC acquired Christopher Wheeldon's stunning "After the Rain" for the occasion -- an intimate and emotional choice. Vanstone paired it with Sir Kenneth MacMillan's jaunty "Elite Syncopations" where she could let loose and have fun, surrounded by an ensemble of many of her longtime colleagues. The quadruple bill also includes two new works by emerging talents, choreographic associate Alysa Pires and principal dancer Siphesihle November. 

Harrison James and Jillian Vanstone in "Elite Syncopations". Photo by Karolina Kuras. 

It's Only a Paper Moon

"A Streetcar Named Desire"
The National Ballet of Canada
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts
Toronto, Canada
March 2, 2022 

by Denise Sum
copyright © 2022 by Denise Sum

The National Ballet of Canada is back with full capacity performances at last. The pandemic delayed many retirements and planned farewell performances for dancers around the world. Thankfully, principal dancer Sonia Rodriguez was able to hold out and close a remarkable 32 years in the company with a run as Blanche DuBois in "A Streetcar Named Desire." It is the kind of meaty dramatic role that highlights a mature dancer's range. John Neumeier's production is a flawed one, but Rodriguez and the large supporting cast gave a committed and emotional performance. 

Sonia Rodriguez in "A Streetcar Named Desire". Photo by Johan Persson. 

Something out of Nothing

"For a Dance Never Choreographed"
A film by Luca Veggetti
Text from notes by Martha Graham
Voice: Chen-Wei Lee
Cinematography: Stefano Croci
Music: Paolo Aralla

--By Tom Phillips 
Copyright 2022 by Tom Phillips 

Still from For a Dance Never Choreographed, 2021. Photo: Stefano Croci.

For artists and introverts, the Pandemic of 2020-22 was a window of opportunity -- a chance to observe the world in the absence of normal human activity.  During lockdown and quarantine periods, walking deserted streets or sitting in empty public spaces, we could suddenly see form without function --- the structure of civilization without its uses.   

Italian artist-choreographer Luca Veggetti found himself stuck in his hometown of Bologna, Italy, when the pandemic struck in 2020.  So he made something out of nothing.