Miami City Ballet Flourishes

Hannah Fischer, Cameron Catazaro, and Adrienne Carter in
Diversion of Angels. Photo: Christopher Duggan

Miami City Ballet closed out Jacob’s Pillow’s 2022 summer festival with a flourish. The selection of repertory performed—by Martha Graham, Margarita Armas, Jerome Robbins, and George Balanchine—showed artistic and technical versatility under the direction of Lourdes Lopez, an alum of New York City Ballet. It was also proof that MCB has established itself as one of the most accomplished ballet companies now working.

The company danced Graham’s vivacious Diversion of Angels, with its trio of couples in white, red, and yellow, plus a chorus of five. The style demands some solid technique shared by ballet, most notably the ability to balance at length, canted on one leg with the other extended high to the side, and explosive leaps and jumps that expand in the air as if turbo-boosted. MCB handled these feats with ease, raising their legs ever higher, and leaping ferociously high. The Graham company’s bodies are drilled in her vocabulary continuously, sometimes to the point of exaggeration—contractions can read as gut punches, and breaths visibly chuff in and out. MCB’s rendition is softer and more fluid, befitting a more lyrical work like Diversion.

Renan Cerdeiro in Geta. Photo: Danica Paulos

Renan Cerdeiro danced Geta, a world premiere by Armas and an ode to the late Geta Constaninescu, a teacher at the MCB School. Dressed in a long white tunic, and set to “Ne Me Quitte Pas” sung by Nina Simone, the solo clicked through dramatic poses, bursts of energy, diagonal oppositions of the limbs, heart clasps, and ended with an arm sweeping to the side, a staple of end-of-class “reverences,” often a thank-you to the teacher and pianist. The devotion and passion elicited by Geta were palpable.

Interestingly, whether by chance or purpose, a similar sweeping arm move opened Robbins’ Antique Epigraphs (1984), a dance for eight toe-shoe clad women to Debussy. Each wore a different pale-hued chiffon sheath, lending a columnar, caryatid feel to dance at moments. Formal experiments, canons, and the occasional stasis dotted this work, on the more classical and lyrical side of the Robbins spectrum, even if it lacked his essential wit and snazz.

Miami City Ballet in Serenade. Photo: Danica Paulos.

Seeing it just before the milestone of Balanchine’s Serenade, to Tchaikovsky, raised some questions about the programming. There are similarities, even if Mr. B’s icon of ballet was created a half-century earlier. The ankle-grazing chiffon skirts, the formations of (mostly female) bodies shifting through geometries, and pleasing, gentle scores that accompany both, underscored the shared DNA. And of course, it’s tough for a dance to lead in to Serenade, one of the most beloved and seminal plotless classical ballets, a rich enough source to spawn a recently published fascinating book, Serenade: A Balanchine Story, by Toni Bentley. It’s part memoir, part analysis of the ballet, which remains among the most influential in modern ballet. And no doubt it must have influenced Robbins, whether overtly or subconsciously, when he created Antique Epigraphs, as it has countless other dances. It need not have preceded Serenade directly on the bill, unless the intention was to underscore the similarities.

One other nit to pick—the Ted Shawn Theater stage at the Pillow is slightly too small to accommodate the atmosphere and space required by Serenade. I usually see it performed by New York City Ballet at NYC’S Koch Theater, where it appears as if immersed in water, or in the clouds—just far enough away to remain dreamlike. At the Pillow, the dancers are much closer, so they read as human, rather than ethereal or archetypal. In the iconic opening scene, when the corps stands evenly spaced across the stage, there is not enough space between them and the proscenium, making it feel cramped. 

But who could argue with seeing a world-class company perform one of modern ballet’s greatest works, to close out a robust summer festival at the Pillow? A late summer treat, indeed.

The sad side of Symphony in C

New York City Ballet performing Symphony in C in 1973

How sad is it that composer Georges Bizet never witnessed his Symphony in C being performed? He wrote it in 1855 in about a month when he was 17 as a student exercise while studying under Charles Gounod at the Paris Conservatoire. It was shelved, and would ultimately be unearthed by Bizet’s biographer and given its first performance in 1935 in Switzerland. (Sections of it would survive in other works.)

And in 1947 at Paris Opera Ballet, George Balanchine choreographed the pseudonymous ballet to it, and New York City Ballet performed it the next year at City Center. The dance would become one of his hallmarks of classical ballet, and remains a standard in large ballet company repertory, noted for its vivacity, dynamic shifts, dancey musicality, devilish technique, and as a show of a large company’s depth. When ABT performed it at City Center a few years back, the stage was so full in the finale, with 50 some odd dancers, that it seemed some might fall into the orchestra pit.

There’s a theory that Bizet didn’t perform Symphony in C as it shares some traits with his teacher Charles Gounod’s Symphony in D (also from 1855). Indeed, there are similarities, in fact some direct references, but Gounod’s is more atmospheric, pensive, and far less rhythmic and jaunty. Perhaps it is a reflex reaction developed by watching the ballet so many times, but I can’t help bounce along with Bizet’s irresistible melodies. And, written at 17!

It’s also a testament to the power of dance to underscore and delineate the music’s essence. Each of the four ballet movements is distinctive, offering each of its four lead couples an occasion to show off their finest characteristics, from allegro to andante. Is there a more heartrending passage than the end of the adagio section when the man lowers the woman through a spiral to rest on his knee? Even in a time-marking vamp in the allegro section, Balanchine enlivens it by having the dancers bounce between small pliés and relevés. The men pay homage to Balanchine's idea of "woman as ballet" by brushing the backs of their hands along the womens’ tutus. And the full-cast finale never fails to impress, a gigantic swiss timepiece clicking and whirring, each dancer/jewel in their place. The corps is just as important as the featured pairs. It’s also one ballet that both ABT and NYCB have both performed, with ABT’s feeling somehow more authentic.

Bizet may have borrowed enough melodic notions from his teacher to prevent a performance of it in his lifetime. But he might be pleased to learn that his composition has become ensconced in 21st century culture, and that even Gounod, if a little envious, might have been proud of its success.

ABT Showcases Royalty

Herman Cornejo in A Gathering of Ghosts. Photo: Rosalie O'Connor

Twyla Tharp has been one of ABT’s consistent choreographic contributors, ever more so during the company’s brief fall Koch season. A Gathering of Ghosts, created to Herman Cornejo, celebrating 20 years with ABT, was the key premiere in the run. Cornejo “hosts” a cavalcade of guests, purportedly historical figures or metaphors—Louis XIV, Greased Lighting, Proust—and possibly facets or reflections of his own being. They swan on, perform showy passages while interacting with Cornejo (or not), and swan off. Cornejo is repeatedly ignored or slighted, and in this vacuum of indifference, he takes the opportunity to let loose and show off. It could be an analogy for his whole career, in which his lack of ego moved him to the background, only for his raw talent and appeal to refocus the spotlight on him.

The “ghosts’” movements don’t seem particularly demonstrative of characteristics; perhaps the work demands a second viewing to discern them. But it gives Tharp a reason to play with Cornejo and other superb dancers, mixing in sections for the women in flat and pointe shoes, pairing up company members in interesting ways. Mostly, it is a gift to Cornejo, and thus to us. Tharp’s longtime collaborator Norma Kamali designed the variegated costumes, primarily black and silver—shorts, jackets, tulle skirts for both genders—plus two amazing flared-leg jumpsuits, and a parachute-like regal cape with a train for Cornejo, donned only for one ceremonial coronation in the closing scene. 

2018 Milestones

The Trout by Mark Morris. Photo: Stephanie Berger

DANCE

Jane Comfort’s 40th Anniversary Retrospective, La MaMa

Well-produced video, tight direction, and a welcome reminder of the breadth of Comfort’s warm-hearted oeuvre and the tightly knit dance community.

Balanchine: The City Center Years

A dream mini-festival of companies and dances that reminded us of City Center’s sometimes overlooked history.

The Trout, by Mark Morris, Mark Morris Dance Group, Mostly Mozart, Lincoln Center

Displayed Morris’ musical insightfulness and the intelligence to embrace simplicity, even if it pointed out the diminished dance offerings at Lincoln Center.

Canto Ostinato by Lucinda Childs, INTRODANS, Fall for Dance, New York City Center

This mesmerizing gem performed by a Dutch troupe was overshadowed in a strong festival that is more focused, if less populist, than ever.

The Runaway, by Kyle Abraham, New York City Ballet

Taylor Stanley’s dynamite solo was the transcendent performance of the year in a work that felt revolutionary in the Koch Theater.

Dearest Home, Kyle Abraham, A.I.M., Quadrille, Joyce Theater

In contrast, this subtle work had just enough narrative implication. One of five fascinating choices for a continuing series done in-the-round.

Lazarus, Rennie Harris, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, City Center

Subtle but gut-wrenching movement metaphors and well-paced dynamics building in two acts to an exuberant and elating finale.

RIP

Paul Taylor

ART

Cy Twombly, Gagosian

Who needs museums? (Kidding. Sorta.)

BOOKS

The Overstory, Richard Powers

Interwoven stories, all somehow involving trees, made me realize how much I take them for granted.

Warlight, Michael Ondaatje

In wartime, seemingly neglected children have been cared for by a colorful supporting cast of characters.

The Library Book, Susan Orlean

History and a crime make for surprisingly compelling reading. Plus, a killer title and book design.

Clock Dance, Anne Tyler

Redemption and personal re-invention sneakily prevail in this novel with many odd characters.

There There, Tommy Orange

The fates of a roster of characters comes together at a powwow in Oakland, CA.

Stormy Weather—NYCB's Balanchine Slate

Sara Mearns in Walpurgisnacht Ballet. Photo: Paul Kolnik

The storm Jonas dumped nearly a yard of snow in its wake, shutting down all of New York City, including cultural performances. But another tempest, Sara Mearns, channelled some of its vibrant fury in Balanchine's Walpurgisnacht Ballet (1980) at New York City Ballet on make-up night, January 26. Through her musicality and kinetic impulses, Mearns conveyed an astounding amount of inner life while remaining faithful to the choreography, which she has absorbed a priori. Adrian Danchig-Waring was a noble, strong partner to counter her contained passion.

The all-Balanchine program included Sonatine (1975), a duo with Tiler Peck and Joaquin de Luz to a Ravel score played live onstage by Cameron Grant. They shared a tender camaraderie, but she repeatedly left him and returned, as if testing the permanence of closure. Peck never stopped moving, giving life and evolution to seemingly static poses. De Luz crackled onstage; his roguish charm paired particularly well with Peck's joy and wonderment.

Tiler Peck & Joaquin de Luz in Sonatine. Photo: Paul Kolnik

The last time I saw Mozartiana (1981), Anthony Huxley danced the second male role; here, he was in the lead male part wearing white and violet, and the cocoa-clad Daniel Ulbricht danced the secondary Gigue. While Huxley continues to develop his partnering work, and on the softening of his placid facial expression, he was crisp technically and timing-wise, and bestowed his movement with more weight and plushness. Sterling Hyltin gave an elegiac, tender performance, her hand softly unfurling as if presenting a priceless gift; Ulbricht was light and appealing if somewhat flat—it's almost as if he reins in his personality and simply lets his flying leaps speak.

The sturdy Symphony in C (1947) featured Megan Fairchild in the first movement with a lackluster Gonzalo Garcia, who seemed rusty and uninspired. The cool pair of Teresa and Tyler Angle wafted elegantly through the second part, making its difficult chained lifts look seamless. A vivacious Antonio Carmena partnered Erica Pereira in the jaunty third, she emanated energy but her small stature tends to minimize the impact. And I wanted to see more of Brittany Pollack and Taylor Stanley, electric in the brief fourth movement.

What's the Inspiration for Jewels?

Abi Stafford and Jared Angle. Photo: Paul Kolnik

The official story about the inspiration for Jewels (1967) is that Balanchine visited Van Cleef and Arpels, saw the pseudonymous rocks (emeralds, rubies, diamonds), and started creating. (He apparently eschewed pearls and sapphires.) The glittering costumes, by Karinska, and somewhat cheesy sets by Peter Harvey, support the basic concept without hinting at any narrative. It is mostly about individual ballerinas, and a certain pro forma, female/male romanticism in the genre, and group patterning. 

Despite the assertive title, it's this very plotlessness that lends itself to perpetual guessing games about the true symbolism of Jewels. Here are a few theories.

Nationalities. "Emeralds'" music is by Fauré, ergo, France; "Rubies" is by Stravinsky, with whom Balanchine had one of mankind's most fruitful relationships in New York, so, America; and "Diamonds" is by Tchaikovsky = Russia.

Sara Mearns and Ask La Cour. Photo: Paul Kolnik

Soups. Spring greens, borscht, vichysoisse.

Seasons. Spring, summer, winter.

Ages of humankind. Youth, middle age, old age.

Musical and artistic styles. Impressionism, modernism, romanticism.

May 24th's New York City Ballet matinee yielded some suitably glittering performances. It has become such a reliable joy to watch Sara Mearns dance, here with Ask La Cour in "Diamonds," in what is a golden era for the company's women. Her amplitude, emotional generosity, technical ability, pliancy, projection, and conviction all elevate her above your typical excellent NYCB performance. At the close of the pair's big duet segment, she stopped, front and center before the final pose, her mouth forming a small "O" as if surprised or delighted. It was an unexpected detail, the kind which only burnishes Mearns' reputation as a ballerina for the ages. 

Ashley Bouder led "Rubies" with Gonzalo Garcia and Savannah Lowery. It was a revelation to see Bouder in the role. There is no arguing that her technique and speed are unparalleled within the company's women, but often when I watch her, her hyper precision and the way she's nearly ahead of the beat can come off as jittery hubris. Her expression can also read as too eager to please, the A student who knows all the answers. In "Rubies," she seemed to have cast aside the self-consciousness and coyness to sink deeply into the playful movement at hand. She also exuded an aura more diva-like than the charm school ingenue. Garcia, whose subtle charisma can fade in the big Koch theater, here invested his performance with more energy and focus than usual. Of course, the attack-filled role helped with that. Lowery is a natural for the Amazon role, her curvy legs always an intriguing picture, her grand jetes monumental, her Broadway ambitions percolating beneath the surface.

It was the last time I would see the Stafford siblings dance in proximity—Jonathan is retiring as of Sunday. Abi performed "Emeralds" with an old world elegance I hadn't seen from her, but again, it's a less common kind of role for her; she often dances soubrette parts. It also helped that Jared Angle partnered her; he always carries himself with nobility and dedication. The cool, mysterious Rebecca Krohn danced with Jonathan Stafford, a reliable squire, who will continue to teach and coach for the company. 

ABT—Short and Sweet

Hee Seo in A Month in the Country. Photo: Marty Sohl

American Ballet Theatre is, at heart, defined by its full-length story ballets, most of them classics done last century or the one before that. It's slowly adding new ballets, but the resources it takes to create a new one are prohibitive, not to mention the risk involved. But one of the profound pleasures of following the company is to watch its shorter works programs, usually reserved for the company's sporadic and brief fall runs, but gaining a toehold in its traditional two-month spring Met Opera run.

It just ended four performances of a combo platter: Mark Morris' Drink To Me Only With Thine Eyes (1987), Frederick Ashton's A Month in the Country, and Balanchine's Symphony in C. The program proved to be a terrific balance stylistically and temporally. Morris' sweeping cross-stage passages chased Virgil Thomson's solo piano lines (played by Barbara Bilach) like butterflies, the phrases sweeping with longuer or clicking together. It balanced Symphony in C, a study of musical and dynamic contrasts to Bizet. Each of its four sections has such a distinct characteristic that, while abstract, its casting reveals as much about the dancers chosen as if it were Romeo & Juliet. Of particular note were Polina Semionova and Marcelo Gomes imbuing the adagio second movement with great import and maturity, and Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev in the third movement, playfully trading ever higher grand jetés.

Hee Seo and David Hallberg in A Month in the Country. Photo: Marty Sohl

The Ashton, based on a story by Turgenev and originally done for London's Royal Ballet in 1976, was a company premiere, and a lovely addition to ABT's short rep. Its exaggerated costumes (designed, as were the sets, by Julia Trevelyan Oman)—frilly petticoats for the women, borderline garish striped and plaid jackets and pants for the gents—vibrate within the multi-layered set that leads us from inside to out, with all the metaphorical implications therein. The eight characters in this domestic soap interlock like a puzzle: Natalia (Hee Seo) and her husband, their son, her ward, admirer, and two servants. 

The arrival of a tutor (Beliaev), danced by David Hallberg, disrupts Natalia's status as the sun around which the household revolves; he captures the hearts of the three women in varying capacities, as the object of the ward's (Sarah Lane) crush, a playful companion for the maid (Simone Messmer), and a fully blossoming romance with Natalia. The dance passages are mellifluous and fragrant (if somewhat confined by the set), great attention is paid to echoing and complimentary lines, which both Seo and Hallberg have in spades. But it's the small gestures and details that transform a sketch into a story: imbuing personal objects with emotional resonance (a shawl, a basket, a dress' ribbons), the foreboding of absence and longing, the fragile network of human relationships so easily sent spinning. 

ABT returns to the chestnut canon with Don Quixote.

Dance Theatre of Harlem is Alive!

Michaela DePrince and Samuel Wilson. Photo: Matthew Murphy

It would be easy to attribute much of the audience's rousing support of the Dance Theatre of Harlem to sheer good will—a response to the company's rebirth after nine years of being dormant while the school remained open. But the bright news is that Artistic Director Virginia Johnson has found some truly outstanding young dancers to support the legacy and vision.

A wide-ranging program at the Rose Theater demonstrated the dancers' versatility. Balanchine's Agon opened—the ambition and near-hubris of leading with this challenging classic itself a huge statement. The dancers performed with intent and confidence, if not yet completely feeling it in their bones. The relaxed swagger that comes by commanding Balanchine may yet come. Chyrstyn Fentroy (second from the right in the photo below) possesses the long-limbed physique that Balanchine favored, and made the most of it in her pas de trois. Also of note were the compact, dynamic Ashley Murphy, and Gabrielle Salvatto, who dances with savoir faire.

Michaela DePrince was a revelation as Odile in the Black Swan Pas de Deux, paired with Samuel Wilson. I somehow missed DePrince, just 18, in the documentary First Position (it's in my Netflix queue), which presumably elaborates on her biography—she is from Sierra Leone, made an orphan by the war, and was adopted at four by a family in New Jersey. Now, she's every inch a ballet princess, with astonishing flexibility, ballon, balance, and composure. Age can only help enrich her acting skills. And Wilson is no slouch, packing a punch with refinement and bravura. 

Return. Photo: Matthew Murphy

Return, to R&B hits, provided further discoveries. Robert Garland, resident choreographer, created it for DTH's 30th anniversary in 1999. He manages to reveal the prowess and admirable chops necessary to perform ballet at a high level while showing it can be as fun as club dancing. Da'Von Doane sold it though, shifting seamlessly between the two forms and looking for all the world like he'd won the lottery. Francis Lawrence (at left in the photo above) also looked like he was having a ball, soaring through leaps.

Less successful is the New York premiere of Far But Close, which is weighed down by spoken word text by Daniel Beaty; its earnestness hangs like a fog bank over John Alleyne's movement, a blend of lyrical, bold ballet with a dash of Forsythe, but undistinguished in dynamics between sections. Daniel Bernard Roumain wrote the score, which he played live with a small ensemble. Murphy, Doane, Stephanie Rae Williams, and Jehbreal Jackson danced with some heat, but the sum total missed the mark. Still, commissions are important and DTH's future... well, it exists! Kudos to everyone who made it happen.

ABT Studio Company—Raw Talent and Promise

Catherine Hurlin in George Balanchine's Tarantella. © The George Balanchine Trust. Photo: Erin Baiano.

Notes on ABT Studio Company, which performed as part of Pace Presents at the Schimmel Center:

• More interesting rep on the youngsters (see blog on Juilliard): Balanchine's Tarantella, Ratmansky's Les Carnaval des Animaux (Excerpts), Paul Taylor's Airs, and Raymond Lukens' Jerusalem Divertissement
• Some familiar faces from The Nutcracker, including Catherine Hurlin in Tarantella (with Xavier Nunez), fast becoming a willowy, confident, versatile dancer. Neat to see her graduating like this through the stages at JKO/ABT (among others).
• Jun Xia! This young man has extraordinary gifts and talent that could be called Hallbergian... fantastic feet, terrific extensions and flexibility, a gift for epaulement, and good presence. Watch him carefully.
• Carnaval—a hodgepodge of animal-themed sections, including flitting birds, a dying swan, and bunnies. Not one of Ratmansky's best efforts but an entertaining short work appropriate for this troupe.
• Airs—when Paul Taylor Dance Company performs it, it has a classical feel, but I wouldn't necessarily call it ballet, as seems appropriate on ABT SC. It also looks incredibly fast on these kids, another testament to the skill and athleticism of PTDC. But a lovely, serious dance that is a welcome variation on ballet.
• Jerusalem provides a showcase for all of the technical skills that distinguish these youngsters

The company performs again today at 2pm (with the JKO Students) and tonight at 7:30pm.

CALENDAR NOTE:

Summation. Getting pelted with fruit.

Summation Dance is at the BAM Fisher from April 11—13. This relatively young group performs choreography by Sumi Clements that is bold, physical, humorous, structured, musical, grounded, and at moments evokes capoeira, Petronio, and gaga. 

The company presents Pathological Parenthetical Pageantry, which is as zany as the title sounds and involves fruit as projectiles, and a premiere that begins with an off-kilter pose suggesting imminent change. It builds momentum through orderly repetition and gutsy performances. Kyle Olson, a frequent collaborator, provides the commissioned score, with costumes by Brigitte Vosse. 

Delving Deeply into Dance

Robert Fairchild kickin' it old school style in Western Symphony. Photo: Paul Kolnik

I don't think any other company in the world does what New York City Ballet does, in terms of breadth and depth (but correct me if I'm wrong). In the 2012—13 season, over the course of 21 non-contiguous weeks of performance, it will have danced 65 different ballets, 39 by Balanchine alone. Even so, most of these Balanchine ballets will be repeats for many viewers. For someone who doesn't follow the company regularly, it might seem strange to want see the same ballets over and over. Is there another art form that's programmed this way? Or that rewards as much?

But when I see a performance of it like yesterday's, of three Balanchine ballets to symphonies, I am reminded of all the reasons I'm a fan. First, Symphony in C (1947) is among my favorite by Balanchine, the iconic ballet of his classical style, like Taylor's Esplanade or Ailey's Revelations. The very different pacing and tone of the four sections as set by Bizet's eminently danceable music. The scale of it, which goes from absolutely epic to intimate. The revelation of the form's royal roots. Balanchine's sheer innovation and poetry—for example, the finale of the second movement, when the man lowers his partner in a slow, reverse death spiral over his knee. The way it proves a company's mettle by its breakneck pace and technical demands. And to showcase a number of talented dancers, many of them young, others the company's standard bearers.

Notebook review of NYCB, Feb 9, 2pm:

Symphony in C

• First Movement: Ana Sophia Scheller—crisp, radiant, and at home in a tiara; Chase Finlay—sound if slightly tentative
• Second Movement: Maria and Tyler—gracious, monumental, romantic. They performed the reverse death spiral perfectly
• Third: Erica Pereira—her small stature is difficult to read from afar; outshone by partner Anthony Huxley—elegant and complete
• Fourth: Lauren King—radiant; Taylor Stanley—looking princely

Symphony in Three Movements, to Stravinsky

• A great Balanchine "leotard ballet" from the 1972 Stravinsky festival 
• Tiler Peck—lively, her usual superlative self
• Savannah Lowery—radiating warmth and confidence
• Sterling Hyltin—having a season of epiphanies, at least for me
• Amar Ramasar—working well with Hyltin this season
• Daniel Ulbricht—good to see him not trying to push too hard and let an ease guide his natural charm 
• Andrew Scordato—subbing; showed off his lovely line and precise feet

Western Symphony

• Choreographed by Balanchine in 1954; music by Hershy Kay. Western Americana Frrrrenchified, with an unforgettable finale featuring the ensemble pirouetting as the curtain falls
• Rebecca Krohn & Taylor Stanley—she's a tad too tall for him, but they both exude confidence and glamour
• Megan Fairchild & Jared Angle—nice pairing; Jared always shows off his partner well, and Megan is superb
• Ashley Bouder & Robert Fairchild—wow, they really played off one another, almost like a competition (which is how Bouder often seems to treat performances), but he looked really charged up, relishing every move and heel kick

Sleeping Beauty begins this week. I'm looking forward to seeing Tiler Peck, Tyler Angle, and Teresa Reichlin in the leads. Five lead casts are planned for the run's two weeks.

Speaking of protean efforts by companies which perform repertory...


As March approaches, so does Paul Taylor Dance Company's season at Lincoln Center. In terms of epic feats of programming and repertory, its annual run is right up there with what NYCB does. It will present 21 (!!!) dances over  three weeks, but its resources are far smaller, with 16 dancers and one very imaginative choreographer. It's mind-boggling to think of the complexity of the logistics necessary to simply put together a schedule, weighing the dancers' requirements and the aesthetic balance of each program. I'll be writing about some of the upcoming season's highlights shortly, and covering the season as it progresses.

Backstage drama and bravery at NYCB

Paz de la Jolla, with Tiler Peck (kneeling) and Sterling Hyltin/Amar Ramasar (the lift). Photo: Paul Kolnik

Justin Peck's Paz de la Jolla premiered at New York City Ballet on Jan 31, another satisfying success for the young choreographer and dancer. (I reviewed it for Dance Magazine.) But it wasn't even the most dramatic part of the evening. That honor belonged to corps member (and choreographer as well) Troy Schumacher, who stepped into one of the lead roles in Concerto DSCH (2008), the program's finale choreographed by Alexei Ratmansky. Sean Suozzi was scheduled to dance the allegro male duet with Joaquin de Luz, but had to cancel because of a last minute backstage injury. 

Schumacher happened to be watching the performance in the audience. He had understudied de Luz's part before, but not Suozzi's, so he knew the basic phrases and was coached through the staging as best as possible. One of the emphases of this pairing is the synchronicity of rapid fire grand allegro phrases. It should appear as if a mirror is held up to one of them. And although Schumacher seemed slightly off at times, there wasn't anything egregious or terribly wrong about his performance. Just goes to show how smart and resourceful dancers can be.

Maria Kowroski and Daniel Ulbricht in Porte et Soupir.
Photo: Paul Kolnik

Concerto DSCH remains one of my favorite Ratmansky works, with its contrasting quick and lively lead woman (Ashley Bouder) and her male counterparts (de Luz and Schumacher), and a romantic couple, here danced touchingly and superbly by Tyler Angle and Janie Taylor. Ratmansky lets his corps dancers be human, with the foibles of boredom, sleepiness, and peer pressure seeping into their onstage actions. In fact, the casting structure of Peck's Paz somewhat parallels DSCH, as does some of the playful and irreverent tone and group passages. He has learned from an accomplished mind, in any case.  

The middle work was a folly by Balanchine, Variations Pour Une Porte et Un Soupir, from 1974. It takes inspiration from the score by Pierre Henry, an amalgam of the pseudonymous door creaks and sighs. Maria Kowroski manifested the door, more of an abstraction into a passageway of sorts, with an enormous parachute-sized, shimmering lame skirt whose corners flew up and down from the rafters. Daniel Ulbricht was the sigh, a lizard-like creature fond of the ground. This is a rare surrealist vision from Balanchine, an experiment that should be seen at most every few years. 

NYCB—Balanchine + Tchaikovsky FTW

Sara Mearns in Swan Lake. Photo: Paul Kolnik

New York City Ballet's Tchaikovsky festival has been a crash refresher on Balanchine's choreography to the composer's music, and their interconnectedness. Seven works over two recent programs show Balanchine's varied approaches. One dance in itself—Tchaikovsky Suite No. 3—includes excellent and mediocre Balanchine, a sort of Frankenstein of a ballet that pushes together 1970s sections (marked by a distracting scrim, bare feet, long hair, and longer skirts) with Themes and Variations, a hallmark of Mr. B's classic period from 1947. When the scrim is removed for the finale, it's like a veil is snatched from our eyes, eliciting the desired effect of clarity.

Mearns with Ask La Cour in Diamonds. Photo: Paul Kolnik

The house is always more electric whenever Sara Mearns takes the stage, and in these two programs she led the casts of Swan Lake (1951) and Diamonds (1967). Both of these roles are big enough for Mearns, who faces the odd problem of having too much magnetism for some ensemble works. But as the sole white swan in Balanchine's strange one-acter, she is pretty much the sole focus, alongside her swain in the form of Jared Angle. This version excerpts selections, a "best hits" medley of the full ballet, except that it excludes the black swan variations. Without the Odette/Odile duality, the full drama can only be hinted at. It does display Mearns' pliant back attitude, which slashes high at an angle, rather than creating the 90º geometrical structure that usually gives this position an aura of reliable rationality, rather than danger. It's a small example of why Mearns is so riveting—always choosing the dramatic over the safe.

Diamonds offers fewer moments for big drama, with its staid pace and conservative vocabulary. When paired with Emeralds and Rubies, it is the boring section of repose and dignity. Mearns was partnered by Ask la Cour, who framed her capably and never quite drew attention to himself, as is his wont. She plunged into arabesques and tossed her gaze high into the rafters when given the chance, rising to glitter like the pseudonymous gem.

Robert Fairchild and Tiler Peck in Divertimento. Photo: Paul Kolnik

Tiler Peck and Robert Fairchild performed Divertimento from "Le Baiser de la Fée." Peck comes closest to the perfect combination of precision and artistry in the current company's women, and she has an omnipresent natural radiance and sheer joyousness. In previous years it could have been mistaken for youth, but as she matures this sense of pleasure is expanding. Fairchild dances with a fetching, jazzy musicality; he's a dashing cavalier, but his line is less than exemplary. Still, he is fun to watch.

Speaking of exemplary line, Chase Finlay, rocketing through major roles, debuted in the Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux with Ashley Bouder. A daring bit of casting by Mr. Martins, for sure, as Finlay has proved himself in roles with less traditional partnering required. But other than some jitters and a few small bobbles, he fared well. Granted, Bouder could literally partner herself, one of several NYCB women of great independent strength. I hope she relaxes a bit more and plays with the extra time she creates by being on top of steps, ahead of time, rather than freezing in poses on relévé. Or watch Tiler Peck a little more closely as she, equally facile with her steps, elongates or expands on the lushness within ballet's shapes.

Ashley Bouder and Chase Finlay in Tchai Pas. Photo: Paul Kolnik

Martin's Bal du Couture was the sole contribution by the choreographer, a gala confection created to acknowledge fashion designer Valentino and showcase his costume designs. Studded with 20 principals and soloists, it is less about the dance and a lot about style and runway attitude. Most of the women wear leg-hiding, calf-length black and white gowns with a frisson of red tulle underskirting flashing now and then, and pink or red toe shoes. The  three "sprites" (Bouder, Megan Fairchild, and Peck, in the sole red costume) wear bagel-shaped tutus. All are strangely unflattering. However, the men, in fitted tuxedos with tapered legs, look dashing. Even among these beautiful people, Finlay stood out with his Abercrombie appeal, elegant line, and pristine posture in the ballroom waltz as he swirled with Peck.

Megan Fairchild and Amar Ramasar danced Allegro Brillante (1956). I haven't seen Ramasar featured prominently as a partner (he replaced Andrew Veyette), and while, in my mind, he is less a technician than a memorable dramatic presence, they were surprisingly well matched. Fairchild is another woman who's strong on her own, and not strictly reliant on her partner. She fits comfortably into Balanchine's repertory, giving reliably textbook performances that have yet to ignite great passion. Next up: Justin Peck's second major commission.
  

Ballet fanatics and fans

If the horrific acid attack on Bolshoi artistic director Sergei Filin was linked to artistic decisions, it shows how deeply passions run in Moscow when it comes to ballet. In New York, such fanaticism is incomprehensible (and this one of the few upshots of a basic lack of support for dance in the US) but then such an act of terrorism anywhere in one of the most refined arts is also beyond understanding. Fanatics are merely fans here. But with each season, it is easy to see how fans become attached to certain dancers as they blossom in front of our eyes, encouraged by our applause and shouts of support. You feel a part of their artistic development and creation. With the exception of a few veterans, the current young crop of principals suddenly seem like the grown-ups, after years of being the kids. It's also the emergence of new dancers in the spotlight that skews the curve even younger.

Sara Mearns in Serenade. Photo: Paul Kolnik

Ballet fans settled back into the rhythms of a new season at New York City Ballet this week; subscribers greeted one another like classmates after a summer break. Seat locations seemed to be as habitual as returning to last year's homeroom. Course work this season places an emphasis on Balanchine's repertory to Tchaikovsky, a promisingly hearty subject for the heart of winter. Serenade, both a cornerstone of the company's rep and one of the easiest going down, also returned Sara Mearns to the stage after an injury. Her larger-than-life presence is always somewhat jarring and part of her appeal, but in this role debut, she seemed tamed, less reckless, more reliant upon her solid partner Jared Angle emotionally instead of simply physically. In the later section after she let down her hair and lay alone, beached, it was apparent how cleverly Balanchine inserted simmering psychological undercurrents borrowed from Greek myth. 

Ashley Bouder is as different from Mearns as could be. I can't fault her attack, speed, and precision, but she rushes her phrasing, negating any inherent musicality, and lets pride and satisfaction creep distractingly onto her face. It has more the effect of a gymnast completing her routine. Adrian Danchig-Waring is one of the dancers establishing himself in the repertory, and with each season relaxes more into his ample physical gifts and sense of refinement. In contrast with Bouder, he could let some feelings register on his face, which tends toward the stoic.

Ideally matched: Sterling Hyltin and Chase Finlay in Mozartiana. Photo: Paul Kolnik

In Mozartiana, Sterling Hyltin and Chase Finlay made an ideal pair, proportion and style wise. Hyltin is one of the principals who, while still young, has become a firmament in the company, dancing larger than ever while losing none of her delicacy. Finlay emerged with a splash a few seasons ago, landing Apollo and other prime roles, and setting himself up for disappointment. Yet he has kept up with expectations, expanding his technique and partnering, while needing to work on his stamina. He has found an excellent match in Hyltin, whose independent strength is a gift for her partner as he finds his full power.

Anthony Huxley in Mozartiana. Photo: Paul Kolnik

The evening's big revelation, if no surprise, was the young soloist Anthony Huxley performing the gigue. Huxley is a small man with great talents; as with his peers of the same type, it's a matter of finding the right roles. This prominent isolated solo showed off his skill with detail, his refinement, his witty musicality. The dance of cameo-sized moments and miniature tableaux with students perfectly displayed his assets.

Teresa Reichlen and Tyler "The Perfect" Angle in Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2. Photo: Paul Kolnik

Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2 featured Teresa Reichlen and Tyler Angle, who, with his consummate partnering skills, has rapidly graduated to dancing with the largest and boldest of the women. It's not just his supporting skills, it's that he doesn't sublimate his own poetic presence while managing to frame his partner, in part with his absolutely pitch-perfect, innate épaulement. It has taken me awhile to appreciate Reichlen's cool confidence and sly reserve, but here I am. She heightens pretty much everything she's in. Ana Sophia Scheller was the other featured dancer; her confidence and brio always draw the eye but I have yet to fully comprehend why she earned the rank of principal. This music is challenging and oftentimes not dancy at all, but it's one of many challenges that Balanchine faced, met, and left for us to savor. 

Holiday Dance: As Regular as the Seasons

Tiler Peck in Balanchine's Nutcracker. Photo: Paul Kolnik

This particular moment in the calendar year is, for a dance fan, a comfortable, cinnamon-scented one. Thanksgiving means the next-night opening of New York City Ballet's Nutcracker, by George Balanchine, with its magnificent tree, authentic-looking snow, and richly detailed party scene. It's a chance to see the varied talents and facets of the magnificent company, from Maria Kowroski as Sugarplum Fairy, cooly radiant and controlled; Tiler Peck (Dewdrop), a virtuosic jazz musician on pointe, able to bend time to her will with her crystalline technique and musical ear; Erica Pereira (Marzipan), precise and delicate; Chase Finlay and Georgina Pascoguin (Hot Chocolate) bold and alluring. And of course, the key—all the well-drilled children as party-goers, little trees, angels, and candy canes. With its lavish sets and costumes, and enduringly rich score by Tchaikovsky, it's a well-burnished holiday tradition.

Linda Celeste Sims, Rachel McLaren, and Alicia Graf Mack. Photo: Andrew Eccles

Beginning Nov 28, Alvin Ailey takes up residence at City Center for the month of December, as usual—always a joyful, invigorating thought. It seems as woven into the fabric of the city's holiday calendar as NYCB's Nut, and now ABT's Nutcracker by Ratmansky at BAM. This year at AAADT, the repertory consists of, appropriately, ever more dances by Artistic Director Robert Battle (four) including a new production of Strange Humors, and what feels like an organic winnowing of dances by Mr. Ailey, including Memoria, Night Creature, Streams, the iron-clad Revelations, plus excerpt medleys of his works called Ailey Classics. 

Other highlights include a world premiere by Kyle Abraham, who blends styles to make his own voice; Jiri Kylian's Petite Mort; From Before by Garth Fagan; and a new production of Ronald Brown's Grace, which remains one of the gems of Ailey's rep. Speaking of: the inimitable, elegant Renee Robinson, who created the central role in Grace, is retiring after a remarkable career, and will be celebrated on Dec 9 at 7:30, as well as by leading all performances of Revelations for the first two weeks of the season. Another retirement of note: Executive Director Sharon Gersten Luckman retires after this season and will be feted on Dec 4; that program includes Ohad Naharin's Minus 16. As long-time Ailey faces move on, the company's performance schedule remains steadfast.