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Shallow Waters

"Swan Lake"
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater
Lincoln Center
New York, New York
February 22, 2025 matinee

by Mary Cargill
copyright © 2025 by Mary Cargill

Peter Martins’ unique take on the ever-popular “Swan Lake” returned for a two-week visit, its first since 2020, with all of its peculiarities intact; the day-glow costumes of Act I, the drab scenery, and the general dramatic confusion were all on display.  It also displayed a number of debuts, most notably a new Swan Queen in Mira Nadon, who flew in as if she were dancing in a coherent version.

New York City Ballet dancers in Peter Martins' "Swan Lake" photo © Paul Kolnik

Sublime and Ridiculous

"Divertimento No. 15", "Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux", "Carnival of the Animals"
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater
Lincoln Center
New York, New York
February 14, 2025

by Mary Cargill
copyright © 2025 by Mary Cargill

This evening’s performance began with two of Balanchine’s gloriously classical works, the celestial “Divertimento No. 15” to Mozart and the  whipped cream “Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux” and ended with anthropomorphic animals of Christopher Wheeldon’s “Carnival of the Animals”; both the opening and closing ballets were stuffed with some of NYCB’s most intriguing dancers.  The audience seemed very happy, though some did seem to be confused by the pause between the first two works, and their rushed returns did disturb the opening of the pas de deux.

New York City Ballet in Christopher Wheeldon's "Carnival of the Animals" © Erin Baiano

A Fond Farewell

"Scotch Symphony", "Sylvia: Pas de Deux", "Firebird"
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater
Lincoln Center
New York, New York
February 13, 2025

by Mary Cargill
copyright © 2025 by Mary Cargill

In January 2001, I was at a matinee performance of NYCB, expecting a pleasant afternoon watching the light, spun-sugar of “La Source” when the soloist bounded on with the most exuberant and musically incisive heel-to-the-head leaps I had ever seen.  The entire audience gasped and leant forward as if pulled by a magnetic field; it was Ashley Bouder, and the electricity she generated reverberates to the day.  Though her farewell “Firebird” showed her jumps have lost some of their power, her nuanced and fluid performance was very moving, especially her final exit after the berceuse, where she paused for a moment before her luxurious backbend, as if remembering her time on that stage.

Ashley Bouder as the soloist in "La Source" photo © Paul Kolnik

Another Trip to Spain

"Paquita", "In the Night", "Symphony in Three Movements"
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater
Lincoln Center
New York, New York
February 7, 2025

by Mary Cargill
copyright © 2025 by Mary Cargill

The New York City Ballet fielded a completely new cast of Ratmansky’s new version of Petipa’s “Paquita”, showing yet again, how rich the company currently is.  It was followed by Robbins’ “In the Night” with yet more debuts, and closed with Balanchine’s majestic “Symphony in Three Movements”.  

Tiler Peck, Roman Mejia and NYCB corps in "Paquita" photo © Erin Baiano

In with the Old

"Paquita", "In the Night", "Symphony in Three Movements"
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater
Lincoln Center
New York, New York
February 6, 2025

by Mary Cargill
copyright © 2025 by Mary Cargill

 "Paquita", Alexei Ratmansky's new ballet, was to have been danced as the middle ballet, but, due to an injury, this evening’s program had been rearranged, and the program opened with the main attraction.  Unity Phelan, who was already dancing in the first two ballets, had to replace Ashley Laracey in “Symphony in Three Movements” and perhaps she needed a bit of a rest after “Paquita".  A marathon evening for her, with the exalted classicism of “Paquita”, the romantic swooning of Robbins' “In the Night”, and the acerbic modernism of Balanchine's “Symphony in Three Movements”; her performances were all different, all nuanced, and all richly detailed. 

Sara Mearns, Chun Wai Chan, and NYCB dancers in "Paquita" photo © Erin Baiano

For Maria

"Scotch Symphony", "Sylvia: Pas de Deux", "Firebird"
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater
Lincoln Center
New York, New York
February 5, 2025

by Mary Cargill
copyright © 2025 by Mary Cargill

In her gracious introductory speech to the evening’s program, Wendy Whelan honored Maria Tallchief, born 100 years ago.  Balanchine choreographed the three ballets performed, “Scotch Symphony”, “ “Sylvia Pas de Deux”, and “Firebird”, for her.  These works showed her impressive range,  from the lyrical “Scotch Symphony”, the rigorously classical “Sylvia”, to the dramatic “Firebird” and all three received magnificent performances.  Both “Scotch Symphony” and “Firebird” are rooted in earlier ballets, and, to be honest, have somewhat muddied story telling, unlike the originals.  “Scotch Symphony” is a meditation on the Romantic tradition, especially Bournonville’s “La Sylphide”, which was also set in the exotic Highlands. Balanchine’s sylph seems to wander between misty unavailability and bourgeois happiness, between being threatened or being protected by the ominous Highlanders.  The Mendelssohn music (the last three movements of his “Scottish Symphony”) and the sets and costumes evoke a definite place, and this specificity, for me, calls for characters telling a story, while “Scotch Symphony” ricochets between moods at the drop of a tartan. The ballet works best, I think, if watched as if it were a dream, with a dream’s lack of logic; just enjoy the luscious choreography.

Ashley Hod in "Firebird" photo © Erin Baiano

Reprise and Repeat, If Not Reimagine

“From You Within Me,” “Variations Pour Une Porte et Un Soupir,” “Mystic Familiar”
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater
New York, NY
January 29, 2025

by Marianne Adams
copyright © 2025 by Marianne Adams

New York City Ballet's "New Combinations" program proved that while anything old can feel new again, the new can just as easily feel like a rehashing of the old. Along with Christopher Wheeldon’s dreary 2023 ballet “From You Within Me” and George Balanchine’s experimental 1974 work “Variations Pour Une Porte et Un Soupir,” the main event was the world premiere of Justin Peck’s "Mystic Familiar." That ballet – a product of a reunion of the creative team behind the wildly successful "The Times Are Racing" – showed that even with the right constellation of elements, artistic magic is elusive.

Photo of Emily Kikta and Naomi Corti in Justin Peck’s "Mystic Familiar." Photo © Erin Baiano