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A Holiday Favorite

“The Nutcracker”
New York City Ballet
David Koch Theater
Lincoln Center
New York, New York
December 6, 2022

by Gay Morris
copyright © 2022 by Gay Morris

When New York City Ballet first presented George Balanchine’s “The Nutcracker” in 1954, New York Times critic John Martin wasn’t happy. He thought it betrayed Balanchine’s dedication to abstraction, which, he said, had revolutionized ballet. But, as so often happened, Balanchine knew best. He added the full-length narrative work to New York City Ballet’s mostly plotless repertory, and it is still a hit to this day, not to mention a major source of revenue for the company.

With these thoughts in mind, I joined the crowd at Lincoln Center on Tuesday evening for one of the many “Nutcracker” performances, with varied casts, that New York City Ballet offers annually from late November through December. And once again, the ballet showed why it has become as much a part of New York’s festive season as the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree and neighborhood caroling.

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.

Kyle Abraham’s A.I.M. at Jacob’s Pillow

“state,” “INDY,” “The Quiet Dance,” “Show Pony,” “Drive”
A.I.M. by Kyle Abraham
Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival
Becket, MA
August 1, 2019

by Gay Morris
copyright © 2019 by Gay Morris

Kyle Abraham is everywhere these days, or almost everywhere. He is so busy creating dances for such companies as New York City Ballet and the Paul Taylor Dance Company, he rarely has time to perform with A.I.M., his own group. Jacob’s Pillow audiences are fortunate this week to be able to see Abraham dance a solo with A.I.M (the show runs through Sunday). He created the work, entitled “INDY,” last year for the Joyce Theater in New York. It was the first solo he had made for himself in nearly ten years.

Kyle Abraham in his solo, 'INDY." Photo: Grace Kathryn Landefeld.

Mark Morris New and Old

“Sport,” “Prelude and Prelude,” “Words (excerpts),” “Grand Duo”
Mark Morris Dance Group
Jacob’s Pillow
Becket, MA
July 21, 2019

by Gay Morris
copyright © 2019 by Gay Morris

In recent remarks about his working process, Mark Morris said he almost always starts with a piece of music that interests him, then creates choreography for it. That is not surprising, considering Morris’s longstanding dedication to music, from his insistence on live music at his concerts to his forays into orchestral conducting. In last week’s performances at Jacob’s Pillow, Morris stressed twentieth century composers: Henry Cowell,  Erik Satie, and Lew Harrison, with Felix Mendelssohn being the nineteenth century exception.

Mark Morris Dance Group in "Sport." Photo: Christopher Duggan.

Dance Theater of Harlem at Jacob’s Pillow

“Harlem on My Mind,” “This Bitter Earth,” “Valse Fantaisie,” “Balamouk”
Dance Theater of Harlem
Jacob’s Pillow
Becket, MA
July 13, 2019

by Gay Morris
copyright© 2019 by Gay Morris

It is hard to believe it was fifty years ago that Arthur Mitchell and Karel Shook founded the ground- breaking Dance Theater of Harlem. Since then the company has had its ups and downs, including an eight-year hiatus from 2004 to 2012. But under the direction of Virginia Johnson, one of its first ballerinas, the company has regained its footing and is looking very good. Mitchell, who died last September, would have had every reason to be proud.

 

Photo: Crystal Serrano and Dylan Santos in the Dance Theater of Harlem production of George Balanchine's "Valse Fantaisie." Photo: Christopher Duggan.