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

Choreographer David Fernandez bids adieu to New York with ‘Some Dance’

By Laura Di Orio

One rehearsal with choreographer David Fernandez is like a party – his energy is contagious, his humor non-stop, and his work makes his dancers want to dance. So imagining a string of rehearsals and 60 professional dancers culminating in one evening of Fernandez’s work seems unreal – like some giant dance party.

On February 27, 2012, at New York City’s El Teatro at El Museo del Barrio, Fernandez will present a collection of his work as he bids adieu to New York before relocating to London to be with his children. The performance will feature friends and dancers with whom he has worked from New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre and NYC’s freelance dance community.

Altogether, Fernandez calls his project ‘Some Dance Company’ – a group that will simply gather together for the sake of the joy of dance. “We are here to dance,” Fernandez says. “Just press play and we will dance…a lot!”

In the early fall of 2011, freelance dancer Kimberly Gianelli and a friend first conceived the idea to celebrate Fernandez and his work in New York before his move. What began as an event that involved 18 dancers in a 180-seat theater has since blossomed into a performance of nearly 100 dancers – about 60 professionals and 40 of Fernandez’s students – and will now be housed in the 600-seat venue of El Teatro. Gianelli, a first-time producer of such an event, did the bulk of the fundraising on Kickstarter.com and used facebook as a means to spread the word.

“I want David to embrace this opportunity and present his work with the integrity it deserves,” Gianelli says. “I want the audience to walk away having seen a performance that made them feel entertained and happy, and to have introduced them to a collection of incredible dancers and a kind and talented creator.”

Fernandez was born in Mexico City and trained at the Centro de Arte y Ballet and later Giordano Jazz Dance in Chicago. He has choreographed works for Dance Theatre of Harlem Ensemble, New Jersey Ballet, Opera North, Staten Island Ballet, and Westchester Ballet Company, amongst others. He has also been commissioned to create works for such ballet stars as Ask La Cour and Joaquin De Luz, both of whom will perform in the Some Dance Company performance.

Fernandez describes his choreography as “a very simple dance vocabulary that can range from classical pieces to modern works, with a focus on musicality. I don’t like to make heavy statements, have a super philosophy, try to change the dance world or fall victim to the pressure of having to say something very smart,” he adds. “They are quite simply pieces focused on just dance.”

ABT's Luciana Paris and Argentine tango dancer Claudio Asprea, who will perform a tango number at the February 27 performance. Photo by Renata Pavam

ABT’s Luciana Paris says she looks forward to dancing at this event. “David has always been about having fun,” she says. “Some Dance Company is a group of dancers who were touched in some way by his potential, his drive, his inspiration, and his artistry, who want to dance in celebration of that.”

The current roster – including La Cour, De Luz, NYCB’s Gonzalo Garcia, Amar Ramasar, Chase Finlay and Savannah Lowery, and ABT’s Luciana Paris, Maria Riccetto and Nicole Graniero – is proof that dancers enjoy working with Fernandez. On a Monday night, which is, for many professional dancers, a day off, they will instead be donating their time and talent in his honor.

“David breaks through the limitation of choreographer and learns everything he can about his dancers – inside and out,” says Lowery, who will dance in Fernandez’s White Shirt, Black Tie, Black Pants. “He is a friend in the most loyal sense and inspires his dancers through his friendship and love of the art.”

Garcia, a NYCB principal, agrees. “He is a great guy, who I would hang out with and talk about life and ballet for hours,” Garcia says. “I love to be able to support a new talent who is so excited about his work and dance in general.”

“Professionals recognize his artistry,” Gianelli says. “David is so musical and provides a dancer an opportunity to explore so many different types of movements. His work has a sense of humor and a light-hearted nature that brings out a sense of joy. It is also quite challenging and demands a lot of stamina from the dancer. It’s like a puzzle piece that always fits together so seamlessly.”

“I have no words to describe the overwhelming feeling that I have from this event,” Fernandez says. “To know that all my dancers, friends and students have collaborated to make this possible and that they like to dance my pieces is the biggest honor that I can ever have. Because it comes from the dancers it is so special. Without them I’m nothing. I could have many ideas, but no dancer, no choreography and no fun.”

As a way to give thanks to the dancers for their time and energy, Fernandez has decided to donate all net proceeds from the February 27 performance to Career Transition for Dancers, an organization dedicated to providing a variety of resources to dancers.

To purchase tickets to “Some Dance Company: A David Fernandez Celebration”, featuring about 14 of Fernandez’s works, some old and a couple new, visit his website at www.davidferndance.com/tickets.htm.

Top photo: NYCB Principal Joaquin De Luz in rehearsal with David Fernandez