Gerald Lynch Theater, NYC
March 13 2013

By Tara Sheena.

Rarely in ballet do I find the same smaller and more intimate showcases so prevalent to modern dance. The reasoning for this is, admittedly, unclear to me. Perhaps, the work in its grand tradition and even grander costumes, sets and live music harkens to the vast world provided by larger spaces. Perhaps it is the fact that pick-up companies are less common in the world of ballet as compared to the common freelance format of many modern dance companies. Perhaps it is that almighty elephant in the room: funding. Whatever the reason, anytime I am privileged to see a classical ballet company in a more intimate space, I jump at the chance.

This was the case on Wednesday, March 13 with Tom Gold Dance at the Gerald Lynch Theater in New York City. Mr. Gold’s troupe of nine dancers is a mixed bag of ballet artists, many of them currently dancing with New York City Ballet where Gold was a company member for 21 years. Noted for his straightforward style and comedic timing, his company’s New York season was a wonderful blend of ballet’s classicism, jazz’s rhythm and a touch of multimedia that worked to contemporize the evening.

The performance opened with Faure Fantasy, named for the composer of the work, Gabriel Faure. Dancer Gretchen Smith entered the stage first in a rose-pink tutu and took great care with the light, melodic music, which was played wonderfully live on piano by Susan Walters. Gold’s choreography is in its most classic sense in this piece: seven dancers traversed the stage in snappy piqués and briskly moving glissades. The bodies moved back and forth, revealing a soloist, then a pas de deux, then everyone en masse in a dizzying effect of fluffy, pink lightness.

Tom Gold Dance. Photo by Eugene Gologursky

Gershwin Preludes offered a much-needed theatrical break from the action. Luciana Paris and Stephen Hanna engaged in a playful duet set to an excerpt of the Gershwin Preludes. Hanna was especially captivating right from his first playful leap on to the stage; he has a boyish charm and sincerity that was completely effective. Paris was with him every step of the way—so trusting in their partnership as she effortlessly leapt toward his arms and allowed herself to put her full weight into their promenades, maintaining lightness and a pure lack of hesitation.

The centerpiece of the evening was also the least exciting piece of the performance: the world premiere of La Plage set to music by popular avant-garde composer John Zorn and made for the entire company. The video backdrop of various natural environments (first a forest then a beach scene) was largely drowned out on the vast Gerald Lynch stage. Though the musicality was most fine-tuned in this work, the bland costumes did nothing to complement the dancers’ bodies and the finale section, which harkened to a 60s beach party, seemed entirely contrived and overdramatic.

The final piece, Mad About the Boy, closed out the evening and fittingly showcased Gold’s theatrical flair. In a ballroom scene, the dancers entered the space clad in jewel-toned ballroom gowns for the women and classic tuxedos for the men, depicting a distinctly classy affair. Sara Mearns entered in a flowing black gown and engaged in a playful duet with Gold, jauntily chasing him around the stage in her coy, sly way. Her natural grace set against his nerdy charm was both heartwarming and hilarious. However, the exciting Likolani Brown stole the show as the lonely maid of the house, so precise in her steps and ever confident in her role. It was wonderful to see her fly around the stage and not miss a beat. For being portrayed as the hired help, she was, by no means, a lesser character. Brown allowed the final piece to end on the upbeat note it needed.

I appreciate Gold’s flair for the theatrical (how wonderful is it to laugh at the ballet?!), but through it all, I did not see a distinct voice that was all his own. Gold sacrificed many small vignettes in lieu of a larger, more developed work and it all lacked the innovation I was so desperately longing to see. I look forward to future performances where Gold embraces his cinematic theatricality and leaves the rest on the cutting room floor.

Photo (top): Tom Gold Dance performs Faure Fantasy. Photo by Eugene Gologursky

This year is the 75th anniversary of ballet legend Rudolf Nureyev’s birth, and 20 years since his death. How much do you know about one of the most celebrated dancers of the 20th century?

1. With which ballet did Nureyev make his directorial debut?

a) The Afternoon of a Faun

b) Petrouchka

c) Pineapple Poll

d) Don Quixote

2. Nureyev’s first performance in Britain was held to support which organization?

a) The Royal Academy of Dance

b) The Royal Ballet School

c) The Royal Ballet

d) The Royal Opera

3. Giving his mother a shock, Nureyev was born prematurely in a

a) boat

b) train

c) car

d) plane

4. Nureyev danced with many of the best ballerinas of his time, but with whom did he say he danced with “one body, one soul”?

a) Eva Evdokimova

b) Margot Fonteyn

c) Gelsey Kirkland

d) Antoinette Sibley

5. Nureyev danced with Miss Piggy on the Muppet Show (check it out on YouTube – it’s a classic!). Which ballet did they perform a parody of?

a) Cinderella

b) The Nutcracker

c) Swan Lake

d) Manon

6. In which company was Nureyev director, dancer and chief of choreography during the 1980s?

a) The Royal Ballet

b) The Paris Opera Ballet

c) Dutch National Ballet

d) American Ballet Theatre

7. Which ballet by Sir Frederick Ashton was premiered by Fonteyn and Nureyev, and would become known as their signature piece?

a) Marguerite and Armand

b) Baroque Pas de Trois

c) Romeo and Juliet

d) Les Sylphides

8. To which country did Nureyev defect in 1961?

a) America

b) United Kingdom

c) Austria

d) France

9. In the 1970s, Nureyev toured the USA in a production of which musical?

a) Fiddler on the Roof

b) Cats

c) Kiss Me Kate

d) The King and I

10. Nureyev played a violinist in the 1983 film Exposed, alongside which Hollywood actor?

a) Harvey Keitel

b) Marlon Brando

c) Robert De Niro

d) Russell Crowe

Answers:
1 – d; 2 – a; 3 – b; 4 – b; 5 – c; 6 – b; 7 – a; 8 – d; 9 – d; 10 – a

Photo: Rudolf Nureyev by Jack Mitchell. Photo source http://onlyartimages.blogspot.com/2011/04/rudolf-nureyev.html

By Laura Di Orio.

Ballet has been around since the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15^th century. It has shifted and molded according to history and the different cultures and people who have embraced the art form, and its traditions continue to be taught and learned all over the world. Over the centuries of ballet’s worldwide travels, several different schools, or methods, have been established, each one with its own notable characteristics and stylistic differences. Here, Dance Informa looks at several of those schools of ballet and what sets each apart.

The French School

From Italy, ballet spread to the French courts during the time of Louis XIV, in the 17^th century. Seeing as the majority of the ballet vocabulary is in French, this shows that this time in history was very important in the development of the art form. The French School of ballet training stresses cleanness, fluidity and elegance. As the focus of this technique is on great speed and quantity of steps, the music is played more slowly.

Famed dancer Rudolf Nureyev, who also directed the Paris Opera Ballet, played a major role in defining and leading the French School of ballet. During the time of his leadership at Paris Opera Ballet, Nureyev also choreographed alternate versions of such classic ballets as La Bayadère, Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet, Raymonda, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty.

Bournonville Method

The Bournonville ballet technique was devised by Dane August Bournonville, who trained with his father, Antoine, and other French ballet masters. He was strongly influenced by the French School of ballet. Some characteristics of the Bournonville method include: a graceful épaulement, with the upper body often twisting toward the working leg; a lowered eye-line to exude kindness; extreme attention to the placement of the arms (often in a preparatory fifth position); quick footwork; a contrast between the speed of the legs and the grace of the upper body; pirouettes in a low leg position; and little visible effort.

Dancers such as Erik Bruhn, Nikolaj Hübbe and Johan Kobborg were trained in the Bournonville method, and the Royal Danish Ballet, which originated in 1748 and was once directed by Bournonville, still contains many Bournonville ballets in its current repertoire.

Vaganova Method

Agrippian Vaganova, a Russian ballet dancer born in 1879, devised her own method of teaching ballet, now known as Vaganova technique. A dancer with the Marinsky Ballet, Vaganova retired early in her career, in 1916, to focus on her teaching. Qualities in the Vaganova method include expressiveness of port de bras, where all parts of the arm (from hand to elbow to shoulder) are important; extreme flexibility, but in an artful way; and a mobile lower back. Dancers trained in this technique are taught to be strong and clean, without stiffness.

Some of the greatest dancers, including Anna Pavlova, Natalia Makarova, Nureyev and Mikhail Baryshnikov, were trained through Vaganova’s pedagogy. Vaganova believed in precision within the teacher’s instruction, and the Vaganova Ballet Academy continues to have high demands for its students.

Cecchetti Method

The Cecchetti method of ballet technique was formed by Enrico Cecchetti, an Italian ballet master. Its focus lies mainly in anatomy, and the hope for those studying the method is that they learn to dance by internalizing rather than just imitating. Qualities of the Cecchetti method include: balance, poise, line, strength, elevation, elasticity, musicality, artistry, clarity and purity.

The Cecchetti training system has levels from beginner to professional, and during this progression new movements are only added once other movements have been mastered and refined. The hope within this training system is that dancers become well-rounded and versatile.

Royal Academy of Dance

The Royal Academy of Dance (RAD), an international dance examination board, was established in London, England, in 1920. Its method of ballet is known as the English style and is a merging of Italian, French, Danish and Russian methods. RAD’s focus is on attention to detail when learning ballet’s basic technique. As a result, progression from level to level in this method is slow, as difficult steps are only taught once a maximum level of technique is achieved.

The RAD offers two training programs for students: the Graded Examination Syllabus, which consists of 10 levels and incorporates classical ballet, free movement and character dance; and the Vocational Graded Syllabus, a more demanding, ballet-focused path designed for older children and young adults who desire a career in professional dance.

Balanchine Method

A more recent ballet style in the history of ballet is the Balanchine method, a style invented by choreographer George Balanchine and one most widely used in the United States. Dancers trained in the Balanchine method are taught to utilize more space in less time, which results in increased speed, height and length. Characteristics of this style include: extreme speed, a deep plié, an emphasis on line, en dehors pirouettes taken from a lunge in fourth position with a straight back leg and an athletic dance quality.

Balanchine leaned toward a more neoclassical style, with a focus more on the dance and less on a plot. Today, the Balanchine method is taught at the School of American Ballet, the official school of New York City Ballet, as well as at the schools of Miami City Ballet and Pennsylvania Ballet, among others.

Top photo: © Andrew Ross | Dreamstime.com

By Leah Gerstenlauer.

The world of classical ballet in America is riddled with abbreviations, from the training level — SAB, JKO, CPYB — through to the highest echelons of the profession — NYCB, ABT, SFB, PNB… The ponderous list of schools, companies and styles could easily send a dance parent attempting to determine the educational and professional fate of an eager, talented child into an anxious state. After all, choosing the wrong training program could positively destroy a promising career, could it not?

One successful school in New York City is leading by example to oppose this narrow mentality. Founded by Rose Caiola as Studio Maestro in 1995, Manhattan Youth Ballet (a.k.a MYB) provides pre-professional classical education to young dancers from around the nation. Alumni have gone on to dance with companies such as American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Nederlands Dans Theater, and Barcelona Ballet, among a wide range of others.

What makes MYB more than just another abbreviation for high-quality classical training? “We don’t try to be like any other school,” MYB Head Faculty Deborah Wingert says. “We just want the best out of our kids.” Wingert’s phrasing highlights a key aspect of the MYB ethos: talent, intelligence, and artistry all exist within the school’s students. The job of its teachers is to draw these possibilities out of their pupils — understanding that these possibilities vary from child to child — rather than impose a particular aesthetic or notions of right and wrong, good and bad upon them.

This open and encouraging atmosphere does not, however, bar the development of solid technique. MYB adheres to a clean, graded curriculum with a firm basis in the Vaganova method. But whether in the classroom or on the stage, students are reminded that ballet is not always black and pink, nor is it an insular, stagnant art form. “It’s important that our students get a strong base, but are well-rounded,” Director of Programming Erin Fogarty affirms. “Every company you see, from NYCB and ABT, to the Bolshoi and Nederlands Dans Theater — they’re all doing everything. The technical aspects of each style are so important and really relevant in today’s world.”

New York City Ballet’s Daniel Ulbricht leading a men’s class during the 2012 MYB Summer Intensive. Photo by Igor Burlak.

In light of this reality, MYB both nurtures individual aptitudes and nudges its charges in new directions, a strategy facilitated by the academy’s diverse roster of educators. The permanent faculty includes Wingert, NYCB alumna and Balanchine repetiteur; Fogarty, once a member of Carolina Ballet and Ballet NY; Head of Classical Repertoire Marina Stavitskaya, a former Kirov dancer and a graduate of the Vaganova Academy; Head of Primary Levels Natalia Boesch, whose performance resume features contracts with PNB, ABT, and Staatsballet Berlin; Artistic Advisor Daniel Ulbricht, a current NYCB principal and frequent MYB guest star; and Choreographer-in-Residence Brian Reeder, an internationally-respected dance-maker whose performing career spanned continents.

Given this all-star team of artists, one might imagine that MYB has more than enough resources to provide its students with a comprehensive, versatile dance education. Yet one of the school’s greatest assets, its leadership insists, is that it refuses to remain an island. “The fact that we have a rotating group of guest teachers that is constant and consistent is a huge help” in creating the ideal learning environment, Wingert says. “We [the faculty] also try to go out and teach various places… We share those experiences and inform one another of those different worlds.”

By reaching into the greater dance community, MYB is not only enriching life within its studio walls, it is building an extended family for itself — a family upon which Wingert and her colleagues frequently call on their students’ behalf. “We have students in companies around the country, and we stay in touch with them,” says Boesch. “Erin knows a lot of directors, I know a few… and we call them when we’re sending our kids out to audition.” It is this notion of palpable care for and pride in its student body that sets MYB apart from the region’s larger schools.

And that sense of care and pride is naturally non-discriminatory. Wingert, Fogarty, and Boesch speak about alumni who chose to pursue other interests upon leaving the school with as much respect and admiration as they express for those working as dancers. “Sometimes, the kids realize they’re not going to be dancers,” Wingert reflects, “and that’s okay with them because they know that what they’re doing is real.” Boesch adds, “It’s a professional level of training, whether they’re going to be professional or not.”

A crucial facet of that professional education revolves around attitude — how students behave with teachers, peers, and guests. The positive, familial philosophy surrounding MYB comes from the top down, according to Fogarty, who cites the magnanimity and vision of Executive Artistic Director Rose Caiola as an inspiration to the faculty and their ever-receptive pupils. “I don’t want to paint a perfectly rosy picture that there’s no competition [amongst the students],” Wingert admits, “but there is a sense of generosity and sharing, and they do look out for one another.”

As far as competition is concerned, none of the school’s dancers need fear that he or she will be left off stage. MYB presents shows throughout the year in the black box theater of Manhattan Movement and Arts Center (MMAC), the modern performing arts complex that the academy has called its home since 2008. Caiola’s vast experience as a producer in the performing arts world ensures that students will always have ample opportunity to learn and present classic repertory and to experience new works, often as they are being created.

In June of 2012, MYB made history as the first school to perform Jerome Robbins’ jazzy Interplay. Earlier in the year, Wingert and Boesch collaborated to set A Midsummer Night’s Dream on their students, with Ulbricht guest starring in the role of Oberon. “We’re always lucky that we get beautiful Balanchine,” Wingert says, and with a full-length performance of Serenade in the works, this year is no exception. Selections from The Sleeping Beauty, set by Stavitskaya, will round out the spring season.

But before ringing in the New Year, MYB will revive a work that is rapidly becoming a local classic in its own right: The Knickerbocker Suite. Much more than a mere alternative to that other holiday staple, The Nutcracker, the hour-long Knickerbocker — scheduled to run from December 12 through the 16th at MMAC this year — presents a richly entertaining, family-friendly story set in culture capital New York City. The show gives kids and their parents something they can relate to, Fogarty and Boesch explain. It brings recognizable aspects of the city, like the Statue of Liberty, the angels at Rockefeller Center, and iconic sports teams, to the stage. The festive ballet even offers up a dancing posse of peculiarly coordinated pigeons. “Knickerbocker reminds our kids that art can be made out of what we live with every day,” Wingert asserts. “That’s the magic.”

For students at Manhattan Youth Ballet, such lessons about their practice are integral to the education they receive year round. The thriving school, fast approaching its 20-year anniversary, continually strives to address not only dance technique and artistry, but the intelligence and flexibility necessary to truly excel in the art form. And that type of three-dimensional training, Wingert says, “prepares you for life — it’s not just ballet.”

To read more about Manhattan Youth Ballet and it’s upcoming performances, visit www.manhattanyouthballet.org. For more information on Manhattan Movement and Arts Center, visit www.manhattanmovement.com

Top photo: Dancers perform in MYB’s June 2012 show. Photo by Erin Baiano

By Rebecca Martin.

Rasta Thomas is touring globally with his production Rock The Ballet, to show audiences that ballet is still as relevant as ever.  Fusing classic ballet technique with hip hop, martial arts, tap, gymnastics, contemporary, and musical theater, the sexy and versatile dancers are set to impress new and old ballet audiences alike with a soundtrack consisting of U2, Michael Jackson, Prince, Queen, and Lenny Kravitz.  Thomas’s unique brand of pop ballet was founded in 2007 with Bad Boys of Dance, which became Rock the Ballet the following year. Comprising of six buff boys and one alluring girl, the production will no doubt be as entertaining for ballet lovers as it is for novice theatre goers.

A multi award winning director and principal dancer, Rasta Thomas has a CV which most dancers can only dream about.  The first ever American to become a member of the renowned Kirov Ballet, Thomas has also performed with Dance Theatre of Harlem, American Ballet Theater, Le Jeune Ballet de France, Hartford Ballet, and Japan’s K-Ballet. Additionally, he has also starred in Twyla Tharp’s hit musical Movin’ Out, and danced some of classical ballet’s greatest roles.  Oh, and Thomas has performed at The Academy Awards, danced at The White House, and made a film with Patrick Swayze. Then of course there was the phone call from Michael Jackson asking to meet with him….

It was Thomas’ desire to create his own work and imbue new roles with his own flair that pulled him away from the traditional ballet companies to form Rock The Ballet.  When Dance Informa spoke to him in Maryland, Thomas said he was “bored to an extent” with ballet, but acknowledged that it has taught him a lot.  However, the passion and energy he sought from ballet was missing: “I felt like I was doing the same steps I had been doing since I started ballet class at eight years old almost 20 years later.  The audience demographic was slightly older and more reserved, and (ballet) seemed to be for the elite and lofty.  The stereotype of ballet being boring and old was there, and I would tell my friends to come and see me in a ballet, and they would be like ‘nah, I’m OK…’ I tried to figure out how I could get my peers and friends to come and see ballet and why they weren’t open to that.  You know, I worked really hard and the ballets were beautiful but it just wasn’t translating.”  Thomas endeavored to remedy the stereotype and to add another flavor to ballet in order to get younger generations into the audience and have them excited about ballet. Without encouraging new audiences, he fears that when the current generation of ballet lovers has gone, there will be no one left to fill the theatres.

Rasta Thomas dances with his wife Adrienne Canterna in 'Rock The Ballet'

Rock The Ballet keeps ballet lovers satisfied with its use of traditional technique but is also able to excite those that have never seen a ballet or even a dance performance before. “Sometimes going to the ballet is like going to the museum”, explains Thomas.  “You’re not going to call someone from the museum and say ‘oh my, you’ve got to come see this painting!’, but we try to capture that fun-ness and excitement that comes with seeing something that you’ve never seen before.  There is so much seriousness in dance, with pieces that interpret war and other subjects through movement that only the choreographer really understands.  It is often too deep so it goes over everyone’s heads and I think the contemporary scene has been plagued by that abstractness.  I just wanted to make something that gets audiences excited and is accessible.  I think that is a noble goal in itself.”

When I asked Thomas what he looks for when hiring dancers for Rock The Ballet, he said, “the demands of the audience are the highest they’ve ever been – they’ve seen Swan Lakes, they’ve seen the greatest contemporary choreographers like Kylian, Nacho Duato or whoever – the choreographers now have to push the envelope even further and challenge the dancers even more.  So, versatility is the key, in addition to someone who is just born to dance.  A lot of dancers look at dance as a job because they need to put food on the table, but I’m more interested in the types of dancers who, once the show is over, want to go out to dance, go back to their homes to think about dance.  They just dream, live, and eat dance.  And it helps if they are sexy”, he adds with a laugh.

And meeting Michael Jackson?  “It was a dream.  I can’t remember a year when I was training that I wasn’t listening to his music.  He was embedded deep in my being for years so when I found out he actually called to say he wanted to meet me… He was very candid and open and very inspired by me being a dancer.  He just wanted to get into the studio and share the creative process.  He considered himself a dancer first and a singer second.  He was so humble and genuine, especially when I said that I was a fan of his songs. It was surreal.  I can’t say enough good things about him.”

As for what audiences can expect when they take their seats for Rock The Ballet, Thomas says the shows “will make you feel good”…

Check out Dance Informa’s review of Rock The Ballet on its US tour – www.danceinforma.com/USA_magazine/2010/04/27/rasta-thomas%e2%80%99-rock-the-ballet-%e2%80%93-bay-boys-of-dance/

Photos provided by mgm publicity and promotions.

How much do you know about George Balanchine, one of the 20th century’s most famous choreographers?

By Rain Francis.

1. George Balanchine was born in which country?

a) USA

b) Germany

c) Russia

d) Poland

2. With which composer would you MOST associate Balanchine?

a) Tchaikovsky

b) Stravinsky

c) Ravel

d) Gerhswin

3. Which of the following is NOT represented in Balanchine’s Jewels?

a) Sapphires

b) Rubies

c) Emeralds

d) Diamonds

4. Which group of dancers was Concerto Barocco choreographed on?

a) New York City Ballet

b) Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo

c) Julliard School of Dance

d) School of American Ballet

5. How many times did Balanchine marry?

a) none

b) twice

c) four times

d) five times

6. Which dancer created the lead role in The Prodigal Son?

a) Serge Lifar

b) Vaslav Nijinksy

c) Leonide Massine

d) Mikhail Baryshnikov

7. Which ballerina created the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy in Balanchine’s The Nutcracker ?

a) Maria Tallchief

b) Suzanne Farrell

c) Gelsey Kirkland

d) Patricia McBride

8. Which was the first ballet Balanchine choreographed in America?

a) Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux

b) Serenade

c) Agon

d) Apollo

9. Which of the following Greek muses is NOT present in the ballet Apollo?

a) Terpsichore, muse of dance

b) Caliope, muse of epic poetry

c) Clio, muse of history

d) Polyhymnia, muse of mime or hymns

10. Theme and Variations is choreographed to a score by which composer?

a) Stravinsky

b) Prokofiev

c) Satie

d) Tchaikovsky

ANSWERS: 1 – c; 2 – b; 3 – a; 4 – d; 5 – d; 6 – a; 7 – a; 8 – b; 9 – c; 10 – d

Photo: English National Ballet. Thomas Edur and Agnes Oaks performing Balanchine’s Apollo. Photo by Patrick Baldwin.

Test your dance knowledge…

By Rain Francis.

With which name would you MOST associate Ginger Rogers?

a) Gene Kelly

c) Mikhail Baryshnikov

c) Fred Astaire

d) Donald O’Connor

For which ballerina was the Dying Swan choreographed by Mikhail Fokine?

a) Anna Pavlova

b) Natalia Markova

c) Alicia Makarova

d) Anna Karenina

Who did Lucette Aldous dance alongside in the 1973 filmed version of Don Quixote?

a) Mikhail Baryshnikov

b) Rudolph Nureyev

c) Anthony Dowell

d) Carlos Acosta

Which of the following names would you LEAST associate with contemporary dance?

a) Martha Graham

b) Jose Limon

c) Cyd Charrise

d) Merce Cunningham

Which king is best associated with the origins of classical ballet?

a) Louis XIV (King of France from 1643-1715)

b) Henry VIII (England, 1509-1547)

c) Ferdinand III (Italy, 1637-1657)

d) Phillip III (France, 1270-1285)

Which of the following was Gene Kelly the star of?

a) Singin’ in the Rain

b) An American in Paris

c) Ziegfeld Follies

d) All of the above

Which American ballerina wrote Dancing on my Grave?

a) Maria Tallchief

b) Gelsey Kirkland

c) Darci Kistler

d) Cynthia Harvey

Who’s daughter is Liza Minnelli?

a) Elizabeth Taylor

b) Debbie Reynolds

c) Margot Fonteyn

d) Judy Garland

Who choreographed Cabaret, Chicago and Damn Yankees?

a) Bob Fosse

b) Jerome Robbins

c) George Balanchine

d) Alvin Ailey

What nationality is renowned dancer Sylvie Guillem?

a) Italian

b) English

c) French

d) Canadian

Answers:

1 – c, 2 – a, 3 – b, 4 – c, 5 – a, 6 – d, 7 – b, 8 – d, 9 – a, 10 – c

Joyce Theater, New York City
October 14, 2011

By Stephanie Wolf.

It was a packed house for the Friday evening performance of Houston Ballet at the Joyce Theater. The Texan company brought their ‘A-game’ with an impressive array of repertoire from some of the world’s most sought after choreographers: Jorma Elo, Jiri Kylian, and Christopher Bruce. New Yorkers lusting for great dancing were not disappointed.

With simple costumes of short black unitards and dramatic stage lighting, the performance opened with Kylian’s all-female ballet Falling Angels, featuring an ensemble of eight dancers and the pulsating rhythm of Steve Reich’s Drumming. Kylian created Falling Angels over ten years ago, but the ballet still feels fresh and innovative.

No particular dancer stood out because the group as a whole was the ‘star’ of the piece. All of them danced the frenetic, quick movement in excellent unison. Each dancer engaged every muscle of her body; fully committed to the choreography and driving beat. Kylian included moments for each performer to break from the unison work and dance a brief solo, which kept the piece from being too repetitive.

The dancing was aerobic and incorporated the use of exaggerated facial expressions. Sometimes, the dancers tugged back and forth on their unitards to further enhance the movement. Their endurance was impressive, as they maintained the high energy from the moment the curtain went up until the end of the ballet.

ONEendONE with Artists of Houston Ballet. Photo by Amitava Sarkar

The second ballet on the program was Jorma Elo’s One/end/One, a display piece for the technical virtuosity of eight Houston Ballet dancers. It contrasted classical attire (the ladies wore tutus and the men were in tunics) with contemporary movement. Elo contorted a leg extended in tendu to an unballetic posture with the swerve of a hip and bend of a knee. Dancers’ arms took a classical form, and then rippled into a more gestural position (if position is even the correct word because it appeared as if the dancers never stopped moving). His choreography was relentless, but the dancing was brilliant.

In the opening section, Elo played with the idea of tableaux; creating a picture with the dancers in space and then allowing it to quickly dissolve into a series of fast turns or footwork. Despite the speed of the choreography, the dancers executed the movement fully and the men covered the entire length of the stage in just a few jumps. Dancers entered and exited the stage throughout the section, resolving in several different variations of solos, pairings, trios, quartets, etc. A particular stand out in both the first and final section of the ballet was Melissa Hough, who joined the company in 2010 after dancing with Boston Ballet. She attacked every intricate step with an uncanny amount of speed, poise, and confidence.

There were many moments of creativity and beauty in One/end/One. In the adagio, danced by Soloist Karina Gonzalez and Principal Connor Walsh, Elo produced an unusual yet stunning interpretation of a typical pas de deux. Several lifts had Walsh not only suspending Gonzalez in extended positions, but also required him to lift a leg to arabesque and maintain the ballerina’s placement simultaneously. Another interesting moment in the pas de duex had Walsh lying on his back with his legs stretched up to the ceiling, swaying back and forth like windshield wiper blades at Gonzalez’s command. The two made the difficult partnering work look smooth and delicate.

It was interesting and intriguing, but asked the question, “What is the point?” This is not to say that a choreographer should ever have to explain his or her work, but the intent behind the ballet was curious. Was Elo mocking ballet with the choreographed quirks and unusual angles or simply further exploring both the formality and litheness of classical form?

The final ballet of the night was Christopher Bruce’s Hush, a clever vignette of dances for three men and three women. Hush brought to life the unique musical partnership of violinist Yo-Yo Ma and vocalist Bobby McFerrin. The dancers resembled mimes with the ladies dressed in pom-pom adorned muslin dresses, the gentlemen sporting suspenders or old-fashioned suits, and all with white faces. It had the feeling of a 1930s circus.

From playful, to sentimental, frenzied, and joyous, the ballet ran a gauntlet of emotions. Bruce hoped to tie in the element of everyone’s inner child and did so successfully. It’s a relatable piece, which sparked several bursts of laughter or sighs of pleasure from the audience. 

The opening section had series of twists, turns, and lifts with the dancers often linked by their limbs. From there, each section highlighted a different dancer with original and creative choreography. Jessica Collado danced a fluid, carefree solo exceptionally well. There were several tender moments from Kelly Myernick and James Gotesky, who brought a maternal and paternal aspect to the ballet. And a trio between Melody Mennite, Rhodes Elliott, and Ilya Kozadayev to McFerrin and Ma’s interpretation of “Flight of the Bumble Bee” was particularly fun. The ballet ended with a ‘hoedown’, eventually winding down to a final picture of all six dancers heading upstage, linked arm and arm.

Running a little under two hours, it was a well-balanced program. The evening showed the technical proficiency of the company, as well as original and interesting repertoire. Thank you Houston Ballet for reminding New York how much exciting dance exists outside of the city’s perimeter.

Top photo: ONEendONE with Karina Gonzalez and Connor Walsh. Photo by Amitava Sarkar

By Tara Sheena

Last spring, Brandon Cournay had to answer that one, eternal question that plagues freelance dancers on an all-too-often basis: Do I go to class or go to the audition? The comfort and freedom a class allows is undoubtedly a tempting option in comparison to the potentially stressful and uptight environment often found in an audition. Class seemed like the logical choice for Cournay, but something inside him said otherwise that day. “I didn’t even want to audition,” he recounted to me on a sunny September day in Washington Square Park. That brand of self-doubt is no secret to dancers in NYC, but Cournay quickly amended that statement by admitting, “But I knew that if I didn’t go, I would regret it”. Regret it, he did not. A week later, Cournay got the call that he was one of eleven dancers who would be brought on for Morphoses’ Joyce season this month, with their world premiere of Luca Veggetti’s Bacchae.

A dynamically fluid dancer with a background in everything from jazz, to tap, to ballroom, Cournay has tirelessly been committed to being, as he jokingly puts it, “the best little freelance dancer in NYC” since graduating from the Juilliard School in 2009. Scoring gigs with everyone from Puma to the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, to Mark Morris, he views this opportunity with Morphoses as a pivotal point in his diverse career.

Brandon Cournay. Photo by Tyler Matkowski

“When I hear ‘contemporary’ and ‘new’ this is what I think of,” Cournay explained as something that first attracted him to working with Morphoses. This idea of the “new” is something Cournay described as a concept that consistently offered a point of confusion while he was a student. “There was always this difference between ‘uptown’ and ‘downtown’ dance, but no one ever told me what that meant,” he remembers, “I feel like Luca [resident Artistic Director of Morphoses] attempts to offer a definition for ‘uptown dance’ and it’s awesome that it is premiering at the Joyce.”

A premiere Joyce season is not only a big moment for Cournay, but for Morphoses as a company. With past seasons at City Center and as a mainstay at the Vail International Dance Festival, the company has consistently been met with mixed reviews and a critical eye from audiences and reviewers alike, who approach Morphoses’ constantly transforming structure with skepticism. Founded in 2007 and originally spearheaded by famed choreographer Christopher Wheeldon, Morphoses has maintained a refreshingly fluid approach for the organization of a dance company. With an ever-changing cast of directors and dancers, the company is committed to renewing their artistic vision and being a product of the fast-paced, high-tech world we live in today. Cournay explains that the company really is “Morphoses all around.” From strict classical ballet to postmodern training, this varied group of artists is one of the most appealing things about the company for Cournay. “I like figuring out how to piece [all those elements] together,” he said.

This flexible structure also feeds in to the creation of works, as is the case for Bacchae. “We have an eclectic group of dancers with Morphoses, all of us coming from completely different paths and experiences, which I believe allows a hybrid of movement to be created,” Cournay explains. It is a movement sensibility that is technical and fluid, but still very aware of the classical ballet style from which it is derived.

Of the work, Cournay joked that the creation process made him the most sore he has ever been, but he found comfort in the physicality of the movement. “It’s an extremely physical piece, but you also must be very keen and aware of your surroundings,” he said. 

Based on the Greek playwright Euripides’ famed tragedy, Bacchae will step away from a mere retelling of the narrative in favor of a present-tense consideration of technology and communication in order to shed new light on this movement narrative. “The collaboration with visual and audio technology that is going into this piece is revolutionary,” Cournay noted. “It’s the 21st century, and our lives have become immersed in iPads, Wi-Fi hot spots, and email. Why not take advantage of the technology that has become such a huge part of our society and use it in our art?” With the melding of so many exciting technological elements– including a simulcast and the use of recording devices on stage– the sheer intention to push boundaries is what Cournay hopes the audience can see in the performance.  As Morphoses’ reintroduction in the New York dance community, he sees this performance as an opportunity to increase audience accessibility to the work. “I want people to be affected by specific moments that made them think or go ‘ah ha!’” he stated. “In my observations, when seeing an evening length work it’s easy for audience members to become so enveloped in the work that they tune out to the specificities. So many minute nuances go into such an elaborate work.”

The passion for the work is more than evident in Cournay’s explanation. He relishes in the opportunity to share his first Joyce experience with Morphoses and makes a point to state that the team involved with the production is a “very determined bunch.”

A refreshing take on a conventional dance story and a forward-thinking perspective is something that is creating a lot of buzz for the company, especially in a moment when technological worlds are continuously colliding on a daily basis. It is no wonder Cournay’s excitement is downright palpable during our conversation. “We’re fired up,” he stated, simply. And, after speaking with him, so am I.

Check out the spectacular Brandon Cournay and the rest of Morphoses later this month for the world premiere performance of Bacchae, October 25-30, 2011 at The Joyce. www.joyce.org

Top Photo: by Kyle Froman

New York City Ballet has announced that Chase Finlay and Anthony Huxley have been promoted to Soloist. 

Peter Martins, NYCB’s Ballet Master in Chief, made the promotions at the end of the Company’s annual summer residency at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga, NY in July.

Chase Finlay

school of New York City Ballet, during the summer of 2007 and later enrolled as a full-time student. Finlay became an apprentice with NYCB in September 2008 and joined the Company as a member of the corps de ballet in September 2009.

Since joining NYCB, Finlay has performed featured roles in George Balanchine’s Apollo, Divertimento No. 15, Duo Concertant, George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker^TM (Cavalier and Hot Chocolate); Jerome Robbins’ 2 & 3 Part Inventions, Glass Pieces, Interplay, and West Side Story Suite; Peter Martins’ Fearful Symmetries, Mirage (original cast), The Sleeping Beauty (Gold), and Swan Lake (Pas de Quatre); Christopher Wheeldon’s Polyphonia; Ulysses Dove’s Red Angels; and Sean Lavery’s Romeo and Juliet.  Finlay is a recipient of the first Clive Barnes Award for dance in 2010.

Anthony Huxley was born in Walnut Creek, California.  He began studying at the School of American Ballet in the summers of 2002 and 2003, enrolling as a full time student from 2003-2006.  Mr. Huxley also studied at San Francisco Ballet School and the Contra Costa Ballet School.  In October 2006, Mr. Huxley became an apprentice with New York City Ballet and joined the Company as a member of the corps de ballet in July 2007.

Anthony Huxley

Since joining New York City Ballet, Huxley has performed featured roles in George Balanchine’s Mozartiana, George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker^TM (Cavalier, Soldier), Square Dance, The Steadfast Tin Soldier, and Symphony in Three Movements; Peter Martins’ Fearful Symmetries, Mirage (original cast), The Sleeping Beauty (Bluebird), and Swan Lake (Benno, Neopolitan, Spanish); Jerome Robbins’ Dances at a Gathering, and The Four Seasons (Winter).  Huxley is a recipient of the Mae L. Wien Award and the 2011 recipient of the Janice Levin Dancer Award.

New York City Ballet will open its 2011-2012 season at Lincoln Center on Tuesday, September 13, with the return of Peter Martins’ full-length production of Swan Lake. The season will feature four weeks of performances in the fall, September 13 through October 9, 2011; five weeks of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™, November 30 through December 31, 2011; six weeks of performances in the winter, January 17 through February 26, 2012; and six weeks of performances in the spring, May 1 through June 10, 2012.

Top photo: Chase Finlay  in George Balanchine’s Apollo. 
All photos by Paul Kolnik