danceviewtimes

Sugar High

"Whipped Cream"
American Ballet Theatre
Metropolitan Opera House
Lincoln Center
New York, New York
July 4, 2018,matinee

by Mary Cargill
copyright © 2018 by Mary Cargill

Alexei Ratmansky's witty, frothy, and dance-filled 2017 ballet returned for the final week of ABT's spring season.  The season may have been winding down but the dancers looked fresh and eager, even on a sweltering July 4 matinee.  The simple story involves a young boy (Gabe Stone Shayer in his New York debut) who eats too much whipped cream while celebrating his first communion and is gloriously devoid of any deeper meaning.  The lustrous music, by Richard Strauss, has lavish, overlapping melodies and dance rhythms, and though Strauss wrote it for the light, frivolous plot (such as it is), the music isn't whimsical or jokey.

ABT in "Whipped Cream" photo © Gene Schiavone.

Olé and All That Jazz

"Don Quixote"
American Ballet Theatre
Metropolitan Opera House
Lincoln Center
New York, New York
June 30, 2018, matinee

by Mary Cargill
copyright © 2018 by Mary Cargill

"Don Quixote", with choreography attributed somewhat loosely to Petipa, is a sunny take on a piece of Cervantes' sprawling story, an explosion of energy in make-believe Spain.  But at its heart, it can be a gentle and genuine love story as the heart wins out over the pocketbook, and an effective performance can leave the audience both awed and happy.  Kitri can be more than a fouetté machine, as Sarah Lane, in her debut proved.  Her spunky Kitri, with the generous support of Herman Cornejo's Basilio, seemed to spark the entire company, and the lively, friendly, animated crowd on the youthful village square seemed to be having a wonderful time.

ABT in "Don Quixote" photo © Gene Schiavone.

Moods and Shapes

"What Counts", "This, and My Heart Beside...", "Trio Sonatas", "Undercurrent"
Lydia Johnson Dance
The Ailey Citigroup Theater
New York, New York
June 7, 2018

by Mary Cargill
copyright © 2018 by Mary Cargill

Lydia Johnson's chamber ballet troupe presented one premiere ("Under- current") and three recent works in its New York season.  She has a great respect for music, shown by the detailed credits; unlike many programs, hers included both the composer and the title of the work, as well as the specific recording which was used, so it was not surprising that the dancers were musically nuanced.  They also had a clear emotional undercurrent, though, unlike some of her older works, the drama was more oblique.  It was an evening of hints and suggestions rather than straightforward narrative.  Her dancers are ballet trained, with a clear and articulate line, but without the recent X-treme ballet exaggerations -- there were no nose whacking extensions or feel used as weapons and she blends ballet's positions harmoniously with a soft, natural carriage and everyday gestures.

Sara Spangler and Katie Martin-Lohiya in "This, and My Heart Besides..." photo © Nir Arieli.

Hop To It

"Harlequinade"
American Ballet Theatre
Metropolitan Opera House
Lincoln Center
New York, New York
June 5, 2018

by Mary Cargill
copyright © 2018 by Mary Cargill

The Petipa/ Ratmansky soufflé "Harlequinade" has many ingredients, chief among them the older terre à terre style, with its sharp, fast footwork; making lace with their feet is a frequent description of those Imperial ballerinas.  Columbine, the heroine of the comic ballet, has choreography packed with these terre à terre moves, as she hops almost continually -- slow hops, fast hops, backwards, forwards, in circles, even little jumps behind the back of the kneeling Harlequin.  Those Imperial dancers had ankles of steel.  Despite one slight slip, Sarah Lane, the second night Columbine, was a very fine lacemaker, especially in her second act solo where she had series of slow hops on point with rond de jambes, pausing for arabesques, as her upper body opened easily outward, signaling her complete happiness.

ABT corps in Act I of "Harlequinade" photo © Marty Sohl.

Look Back in Joy

"Harlequinade"
American Ballet Theatre
Metropolitan Opera House
Lincoln Center
New York, New York
June 4, 2018

by Mary Cargill
copyright © 2018 by Mary Cargill

Nineteenth century ballet comedies often involve poor girls in love with poor young men, rebelling against a parent who has a beady eye on a rich suitor ("Don Quixote" and "La Fille Mal Gardée" are familiar examples), with true love winning happily in the end.  (As Oscar Wilde would say, that's why it's called fiction.)  Marius Petipa's 1900 "Harlequinade", recreated by Alexei Ratmansky, follows the same familiar plot, using the stock commedia dell'arte figures.  These evolved from itinerant popular theater troupes, and show the gallery's contempt for authority (rich men and law enforcement were eternal targets), support for the rebellious rascal, and love of physical comedy.  (The word "slapstick" comes from the commedia's two piece wooden stick which would make a snap when the players whacked at each other, which they did frequently.)  The commedia dell'arte characters, though, had the poor man's respect for money and "Harlequinade", unlike most other comic ballets, rewards its hero Harlequin for his love of Columbine, as the good fairy gives him a magic stick that can conjure up lots and lots of gold. 

Design for Act I of "Harlequinade" © ABT.

Hello and Goodbye

"Concerto Barocco", "Agon", "The Four Temperaments"
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater
Lincoln Center
New York, New York
June 3, 2018

by Mary Cargill
copyright © 2018 by Mary Cargill

The final performance of New York City Ballet's spring season had several debut and farewell performances, and in the case of corps member Cameron Dieck's role in "Agon", both happened at once.  Long-time soloist Savannah Lowery said goodbye dancing the second violin in "Concerto Barocco" and the Bransle Gay in "Agon"; it is rare that soloists, much less corps members', departures are acknowledged so this was a generous and welcome way for the audience to say thank you.

Savannah Lowery in "Concerto Barocco" photo © Paul Kolnik.

Oh, You Beautiful Doll

"Coppélia"
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater
Lincoln Center
New York, New York
June 1, 2018

by Mary Cargill
copyright © 2018 by Mary Cargill

Ashley Bouder's first "Coppélia" was part of a busy final week of New York City Ballet's Spring season, which saw a number of debuts, including that of her Frantz, Joseph Gordon.  With her forthright stage presence and radiant classical technique, Bouder would seemingly have been a natural for the spunky Swanilda long before this, but for some reason it never came her way.  Perhaps, though, this was lucky because it allowed her, as she has so graciously posted, to work with Patricia McBride, Balanchine's original Swanilda.  (NYCB's new regime, it appears, is willing, and perhaps eager, to bring back retired dancers.)  McBride's work has had impressive dividends, especially in the mime sequences, which this season have been clear, resonant, and musical, not just some afterthought between the steps.

Ashley Bouder and Joseph Gordon in "Coppélia" photo © Paul Kolnik.

Lest We Forget

"Nocturne in E Flat", "Witch Dance", "Brahms Waltz", "Quasi Waltz", "As I Remember", "Time is Money", "Mourner's Bench", "Lyric Suite", "Second Line Blues", "Bonewash", "Short Story", "Etude, Op. 9 No. 12"
Modern Rebels
Sokolow Theatre/Dance Ensemble
The Tank
New York, New York
May 30, 2018

by Mary Cargill
copyright © 2018 by Mary Cargill

The generous program put together by Samantha Géracht, the Artistic Director of the Sokolow Theatre/Dance Ensemble, was made up of short dances (mainly solos) by some of modern dance's early choreographers along with three newer works.  With the exception of Talley Beatty's "Mourner's Bench", the older works were all by women, a fitting tribute to those pioneers, and appropriately the program opened and closed with works by Isadora Duncan, a gracious nod to her importance.  Any reconstruction (or re-envisioning, as the credit for Mary Wigman's "Witch Dance" calls it) is bound to be, if not suspect, at least questioned, but the evening was a performance, not a dance history conference or a visit with old scrapbooks, and the most important question, for me, was "does it work?" and by and large the evening's dancers were by turns gripping, profound, and yes, entertaining.

Jennifer Conley in "Witch Dance" photo © Meems Images.

Welcome Guest

"La Bayadère"
American Ballet Theatre
Metropolitan Opera House
Lincoln Center
New York, New York
May 29, 2018

by Mary Cargill
copyright © 2018 by Mary Cargill

ABT has abandoned its policy of importing guests wholesale to populate its Spring season roster, but with the current shortage of tall, princely men (so many injuries), the company invited the Korean-trained Maryinsky dancer Kimin Kim back for "Bayadère" week, a wise and rewarding decision.  Kim's noble bearing and superb partnering helped his Nikiya, the beautiful but somewhat bland Hee Seo, float through the famous white act, and electrified the audience with his solos.

ABT in "La Bayadère" photo © MIRA.

Storytime

"Coppélia"
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater
Lincoln Center
New York, New York
May 25, 2018

by Mary Cargill
copyright © 2018 by Mary Cargill

Though New York City Ballet is renowned for its one-act plotless ballets, it is exceptionally satisfying to watch a character (and a dancer) develop and change over several acts, as Tiler Peck and Joaquin De Luz showed in their magnificent "Coppélia".  Story ballets also give dancers a chance to show that ballet is richer than a collection of steps and the mime role of the deluded Dr. Coppélius (Robert La Fosse in this performance) can dominate the stage with a fussy little gesture.  Swanilda, that high-spirited, unchaperoned adolescent, emerged (at least as Peck danced her) as a somewhat chastened but grand ballerina in the final act, while Franz has learned his lesson.

New York City Ballet in "Coppélia" photo © Paul Kolnik.