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“Deep Blue Sea”

“Deep Blue Sea”
Bill T. Jones
Drill Hall, Park Avenue Armory New York, New York
October 3, 2021

By Gay Morris
Copyright 2021 by Gay Morris

When, on Sunday, the audience entered the Park Avenue Armory to see Bill T. Jones’ latest work, “Deep Blue Sea,” Jones was already there. He slowly moved through various patterns, as people flowed past him. Then he shifted to another part of the enormous space of the Drill Hall to go through more patterns, actions which he continued to execute in different parts of the space as the lights went down. Jones is nearing seventy, but he still moves with cat-like grace, and as “Deep Blue Sea” testified, he has lost none of the forceful energy for calling out racism that he exhibited in his early dances more than forty years ago.

Two Premieres at New York City Ballet

“Sky to Hold,” “Suspended Animation,” “Western Symphony”
David Koch Theater, Lincoln Center
New York, New York
October 2, 2021

by Gay Morris
copyright 2021 by Gay Morris

Last week, New York City Ballet premiered two works that pointed toward an expanding
reach into the twenty-first century. It is a healthy sign in a company that often seems to
have settled into a narrow repertory that looks to the past in works dominated by Robbins and Balanchine, and choreographers influenced by Balanchine or the Russian school.

Both “Sky to Hold,” choreographed by Andrea Miller, and “Suspended Animation,” by Sidra Bell, challenged what some undoubtedly consider the company’s duty to the old guard. For this, one can only thank directors Jonathan Stafford and Wendy Whelan. Whelan in particular was adventuresome in pursuing new dance avenues after leaving City Ballet as a principal in 2014. With her return as associate artistic director in 2019, the repertory is being shaken up a bit. This is not to say a revolution has occurred. It is hardly that, but new directions are being explored, and they are welcome.

 

The Grand Union

“The Grand Union: Accidental Anarchists of Downtown Dance: 1970-1976”
Wesleyan, 2020
by Wendy Perron

by Gay Morris
copyright 2021 by Gay Morris

The Grand Union existed for a mere six years, from 1970 to 1976. Yet its performances were legendary, in good part because a number of its members were among the brightest lights of postmodern dance. Would we still be interested in the Grand Union if it had not included Yvonne Rainer, Steve Paxton, David Gordon, Tricia Brown, Doug Dunn, and Barbara Dilly? I suspect not.

Balanchine and Stravinsky at New York City Ballet

“Dances Concertantes,” “Monumentum pro Gesualdo,”
“Movements for Piano and Orchestra,” “Stravinsky Violin Concerto”
New York City Ballet
David Koch Theater
New York, New York
January 21, 2020

by Gay Morris
copyright© 2020 by Gay Morris

In his opening remarks for the 1972 Stravinsky Festival, George Balanchine commented that Stravinsky, like Delibes and Tchaikovsky, “made music for the body to dance to.” A steady pulse and strict adherence to time made Stravinsky a consummate dance composer, providing, as Balanchine said, “a floor for the dancer to walk on.” But that was just the beginning. Throughout his choreographic career, Balanchine found seemingly inexhaustible sources for invention in Stravinsky’s diverse works.

Erica Pereira and Harrison Ball in George Balanchine’s "Dances Concertantes."  Photo by Erin Baiano.

“Taiten: Noh & Kyogen”

“Taiten: Noh & Kyogen”
Japan Society
New York
November 14-16, 2019

by Gay Morris
copyright© 2019 by Gay Morris

Japanese Noh is said to be the oldest living theatrical form, its roots going back to the fourteenth century. It is bound by the minutest of rules, every gesture and step refined to abstraction. Its subject matter, too, was developed centuries ago and deals with an unreal world of warriors, ghosts, madwomen, angels, gods, and priests. Although Noh may be deeply conservative, the performance of “Taiten” last week at the Japan Center shows that it can be more than an archive of the past. The work was originally created to celebrate the 1912 enthronement of the 123^rd emperor of Japan. It has now been recreated and brought up to date to celebrate the ascendance of Hirohito, the 126^th emperor, whose enthronement is taking place this year with numerous rituals and celebrations.

Photo: The Heavenly Maiden dances in “Taiten,” From left-to-right: Maekawa Mitsunori, Kamei Hirotada, Mikata Shizuka, Narita Tatsushi, Sugi Ichikazu, Hosho Naoya, Hosho Kinya. Photo by Richard Termine.

An Open and Adventurous Program

“Opus 19/The Dreamer,” “Lineage,” “The Shaded Line,” “Symphony in C”
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater, Lincoln Center
New York
October 13, 2019

by Gay Morris
copyright© 2019 by Gay Morris

Lauren Lovette doesn’t look like a person who makes waves; the word “adorable” could have been invented for her. There is evidence, though, in her dancing, that she can recreate herself, as she did on Sunday in Jerome Robbins’ “Opus 19/The Dreamer,” where she became almost feral in a nightmarish segment of the ballet. Far more surprising is that, in addition to the intelligence and versatility she brings to roles as a principal dancer with New York City Ballet, she is a choreographer — one of the few NYCB women ever to create works for the company — and Lovette is doing all this while still in her twenties. Her newest endeavor, premiered this season and performed Sunday is titled “The Shaded Line,” and it is a startling addition to the company’s repertory.

Photo: Georgina Pazcoguin and Company in Lauren Lovette’s "The Shaded Line." Photo by Erin Baiano. 

Cunningham and Balanchine

“Serenade,” “Summerspace,” “Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2”
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater, Lincoln Center
New York
October 10, 2019

by Gay Morris
copyright© 2019 by Gay Morris

Throughout the dance world this year, celebrations are taking place to mark the centenary of Merce Cunningham’s birth. New York City Ballet has had Cunningham’s “Summerspace” (1958) in its repertory since 1966, so it is logical that the company would bring it back as its own way of honoring the great modern dance innovator. The work is one of Cunningham’s most famous, not only for the dance itself, but for its pointillist sets and costumes by Robert Rauschenberg and its experimental score by Morton Feldman. It was presented Thursday evening bracketed by two Balanchine works.

New York City Ballet in Merce Cunningham’s “Summerspace.” Photo by Erin Baiano.

A Community of Dancers

"Dances at a Gathering,” “Everywhere We Go”
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater, Lincoln Center
New York, New York
October 8, 2019

by Gay Morris
copyright© 2019 by Gay Morris

In 1969, when Jerome Robbins returned to New York City Ballet after a twelve-year hiatus, he created “Dances at a Gathering.” He had intended to make a pas de deux and ended with an hour-long series of dances, the ease of invention surprising even him. The ballet was an instant success and has remained so to this day. It was a pleasure to see it again on Tuesday and to be reminded of how pervasive the theme of community is in Robbins’s work, and how this ballet, which has no specific narrative, nevertheless reads like an homage to the communal nature of dance companies and of dance, itself.

Indiana Woodward in Jerome Robbins'  "Dances at a Gathering." Photo by Erin Baiano.

 

Sara Mearns at Jacob’s Pillow

“Sara Mearns: Beyond Ballet”
Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival
Becket, MA
August 17, 2019

by Gay Morris
copyright © 2019 by Gay Morris

Sara Mearns is a dancer of power and range, so it is not surprising that she might want to join the burgeoning number of ballerinas who have sought to explore the challenges of genres outside their own. Mearns, a principal with New York City Ballet, appeared last week at Jacob’s Pillow in a production entitled “Sara Mearns: Beyond Ballet,” and in it she applied herself to new dance forms with the seriousness and focus one would expect from this exceptional dancer. She danced in works by five choreographers, and was accompanied by three different partners during the course of the performance. What made her show unusual was that all her partners, and all but one of the choreographers, were women.

Sara Mearns and Honji Wang in the Company Wang Ramierez duet, "No.1." Photo: Christopher Duggan.

A Brilliant Collaboration at Jacob’s Pillow

“The Day”
Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival
Becket, MA
August 3, 2019

by Gay Morris
copyright © 2019 by Gay Morris

“THE DAY” was the brainchild of cellist Maya Beiser, but by the time it was finished it was a genuine gesamtkunst- werk involving nine creative people, including choreo- grapher Lucinda Childs and dancer Wendy Whelan. The work was given its world premiere this past week at Jacob’s Pillow.

Maya Beiser and Wendy Whelan in "THE DAY" with choreography by Lucinda Childs and music by David Lang. Photo at left and below by Hayim Heron.