Marianne Adams

“Spartacus”
Bolshoi Ballet
David H. Koch Theater
New York, NY
July 25, 2014

As a powerful, masculine and very adult ballet, Yuri Grigorovich’s Soviet-era choreographic chef d’oeuvre, “Spartacus,” is not what you are used to. From the moment the Bolshoi dancers first appeared as the charging Roman soldiers accompanied by Aram Khachaturyan’s commanding score, you were transported into a colorful presentation of a historical tale and a world dominated by a fervent fight for freedom and power.

“Manon”
American Ballet Theatre
Metropolitan Opera House
New York, NY
June 7, 2014 (matinee)

From scandal in Paris to tragedy in a Louisiana swamp is a long way to go in a span of two hours, but Diana Vishneva and Marcelo Gomes made the journey seem realistic. Vishneva, celebrated her tenth anniversary with ABT at this performance, and took the opportunity to demonstrate her range, looking like a different woman in each of the three acts.

As the convent-bound Manon

“La Bayadère”
American Ballet Theatre
Metropolitan Opera House
New York, NY
May 28, 2014

Bolshoi Ballet’s latest rising star – Olga Smirnova – appeared as a guest in only one performance during American Ballet Theatre’s run at the Met, but in the three acts of “La Bayadère” she made a bigger statement than most dancers do in a season. The Nikiya she danced was her Bolshoi Nikiya in style and interpretation, and this portrayal contrasted from the rest of the

“Snow White”
Ballet Preljocaj
David H. Koch Theater
New York, NY
April 25, 2014

Snow White’s hair wasn’t the only thing black as night in Angelin Preljocaj’s balletic take on Brothers Grimm’s fairy tale. – The entire ballet, from set design to the story, was cast in darkness.  The stark departure from the colorful and cute Walt Disney version was intentional, but paradoxically, by removing all things Disney and kid-friendly, Preljocaj made this “Snow White” more

“LAC (after Swan Lake)”
Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo
New York City Center
New York, NY
March 14, 2014

Reinterpreting a beloved classic is risky business, and in the case of “Swan Lake” akin to a tightrope walk over a yawning chasm. The few examples that got all the way across distanced themselves from the original with enough creative merit to minimize comparison. Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo’s “LAC” sought to follow suit. Choreographed by Jean-Christophe Maillot in 2011 to Tchaikovsky’

“Bal de Couture,” “DGV: Danse à Grande Vitesse,” “The Four Seasons”
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater
New York, NY
February 28, 2014

New York City Ballet’s “Scenic Delights” program was a best-of-three wager – and managed to pay off.  After the uncomfortable presentation of Peter Martins’ “Bal de Couture,” the next two works were winners that delighted in both content and execution.

But if two out of three sufficed for the program as a whole, it

“Dances at a Gathering,” “Union Jack”
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater
New York, NY
January 24, 2014

Mixing different styles, like flavors, can yield scintillating results, but you have to do it right. In pairing Robbins’s elegant “Dances at a Gathering” with Balanchine’s jolly “Union Jack” New York City Ballet accomplished just that. The expert performances of the two ballets contrasted, instead of clashed, and showcased the company’s artistic range. A little grace, a

“Different Homes,” “Picnic,” “Surmisable Units”
BalletNext
New York Live Arts
New York
January 16, 2014

Both daring and self-contained, BalletNext’s presentation of An Evening by Brian Reeder was an intriguing visual delight that left just enough unsaid.  The program featured three works choreographed by Reeder: the New York premiere of “Different Homes,” the world premiere of “Surmisable Units,” and an older work, “Picnic,” from 2012.  All three were performed to live music and offered a creative depth