"La Fille Mal Gardée"
American Ballet Theatre
Metropolitan Opera House
New York, NY
May 24, 2016
There was much to crow about in ABT's revival of Sir Frederick Ashton's "La Fille Mal Gardée", including the fact that after 13 long years ABT is finally dancing it again. It tells an old story – poor girl, ambitious parent, lowly suitor, rich looser – with wit, humanity and charm, and, as in all good comedies, love wins out.
"La Fille Mal Gardée"
American Ballet Theatre
Metropolitan Opera House
New York, NY
May 25, 2016 matinee
The Widow Simone's first entrance in Frederick Ashton's "La Fille Mal Gardée" is rarely greeted with the same storm of applause as that of her daughter, but the Wednesday matinee's Widow was the revered dancer Marcelo Gomes, trying out his clogs for the first time. I did see Stanley Holden, the original Widow, who danced it like an old-time,
"Symphony #9", "Chamber Symphony", "Piano Concerto #1"
American Ballet Theatre
Metropolitan Opera House
New York, NY
May 17, 2016
ABT continued its admirable commitment to its dancers in the Alexei Ratmansky "Shostakovich Trilogy", performing the three works together for the first time in the 2013 premiere. The company included a program note tying the works to Shostakovich and the Soviet period, describing the arc from the "hero's struggle in Symphony #9 to the
"Serenade", "Hallelujah Junction", "Duo Concertant", "Western Symphony"
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater
New York, New York
May 19, 2016
NYCB's Marketing Department presumably came up with the title "Classic NYCB II" for this program, more aspirational than descriptive, perhaps, but "Serenade" is certainly timeless. There were two debuts, Rebecca Krohn as the Waltz Girl and Russell Janzen as her partner. Krohn's willowy tendrils curved around the choreography, but she seemed a bit
"Dances at a Gathering", "West Side Story Suite"
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater
New York, New York
May 13, 2016
The all-Robbins program consisted of the fragile "Dances at a Gathering" and the robust "West Side Story Suite", two very different approaches to youthful relationships, which, seen together, have some striking similarities, one of which was committed and well-rehearsed dancers. "Dances at a Gathering" is a difficult work to perform, since it needs both a
"Sylvia"
American Ballet Theatre
Metropolitan Opera House
New York, NY
May 11, 2016, matinee
by Mary Cargill
copyright © 2016 by Mary Cargill
After the veritable flood of guest stars appearing the last few seasons, ABT's focus on its own dancers is a welcome change. There is only one official guest star (Alessandra Ferri) and two "exchange artists" (though what is being exchanged is not clear). One, Xander Parish, appeared in "Sylvia" with Isabella Boylston (a debut)
"Sylvia"
American Ballet Theatre
Metropolitan Opera House
New York, NY
May 9, 2016
"Sylvia", with its luscious Delibes music, gloriously traditional sets and delicate and inventive Ashton choreography, is a perfect spring-time gift, a calm visit to a world where love conquers all and even villains are rational. (Orion is not a dangerous force of nature, inexplicably out to destroy, à la Rothbart; he just wants a beautiful girl but has a rather rustic way of courting her.)
"Ballo Della Regina", "Kammermusik No. 2", "Vienna Waltzes"
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater
New York, New York
May 8, 2016
The all-Balachine program opened with the pearl-hunting expedition of "Ballo Della Regina", continued with the male-dominated "Kammermusik No. 2" and concluded with "Vienna Waltzes", an extravaganza performed almost exclusively in character shoes. The stylistic range, which New Yorkers can take for granted, is astounding.
Tiler Peck is someone New York doesn't take
"Knightlife", "Third Wheels", "Libera!", "Danse Baroque", "Murmuration"
American Ballet Theatre Studio Company
Joyce Theater
New York, NY
April 15, 2016
The 16-member Studio Company, augmented with students from ABT's Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School, opened its brief New York season with several New York and one world premiere; the works varied in quality but the dancing was uniformly strong, gracious, and engaging. Two of the works, "Knightlife" and "Danse Baroque", used dancers from Level 7 of the
"Equinox", "Diversion of Angels", "Promethean Fire"
Paul Taylor’s American Modern Dance
New York, New York
April 3, 2016, matinee
The final performance of the season was a demon- stration of Taylor's musicality, craft, and daring, and a salute to his dancers. The program opened with "Equinox" (choreographed in 1983) set to Brahms' First String Quartet, not exactly a score that brings to mind frisky youths. But Taylor heard his own rhythms, and the deceptively simple work
"Ride the Culture Loop", "We Remember", "Steps of Silence", "Kurt Weill"
Sokolow Theatre/Dance Ensemble
The Theater at the 14th Street Y
New York, NY
March 9, 2016
"Theater" is listed first in the title of the company founded by the late Anna Sokolow and the dancers all lived up to the billing, giving dramatically incisive and committed performances; there were no too cool for school vacant stares that so many modern choreographers ask for in the compelling
"Episodes", "Agon", "The Four Temperaments"
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater
New York, New York
February 26, 2016
The current tread of programming similar ballet together has its uses. "If you like one you will like them all", the marketing department seems to promise subscribers, but it does dilute the effect that contrast can offer and it is a shame that the idea of a program as a substantial meal has been lost. But the current "Balanchine Black