Mary Cargill

"Coppélia"
American Ballet Theater
Metropolitan Opera House
New York, New York
June 16, 2011

ABT's current version of the 1870 French comedy is based on the version Frederic Franklin danced in the 1930's, which was set by Nicholas Sergeyev from his notation of the Russian version of Marius Petipa; a distinguished lineage, indeed.  There are similarities between this and the New York City Ballet's version (set by Alexandra Danilova, Franklin's frequent partner, who also danced the Sergeyev version), especially

"The Sleeping Beauty"
American Ballet Theatre
Metropolitan Opera House
New York, NY
July 9, 2011, Matinee

"The Sleeping Beauty", the grandest of ballets, is the final program of ABT's summer season.  The much-maligned production has improved markedly since its 2007 premier, but it is still profoundly flawed.  The sets and most of the costumes tend to minimize the production; the sets by their general tackiness and boxiness, which limits on the dancing space, and the costumes by

"The Bright Stream"
American Ballet Theater
Metropolitan Opera House
New York, New York
June 9, 2011

It is clear that the Cold War is well and truly over--the hammer and sickle is decorating the Metropolitan Opera House's front curtain,  introducing a comedy about life on one of Stalin's collective farms.  Of course, life was not a comedy during that period, and, except for remote areas of academia and old issues of the New York Times, everyone

"There is a Time", "Chrysalis", "The Emperor Jones"
Limón Dance Company
Gerald Lynch Theatre
John Jay College
New York, NY
June 7, 2011

The Limón Dance Company faces the same issues of all companies trying to continue without their founding choreographer.  Some, like Cunningham, have decided that memory is the best preservative, but the Limón Company has heroically tried to maintain the founder's works while judiciously adding modern ones.  This program is a good example--one familiar piece, one

"Jewels"
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater
New York, N.Y.
June3, 2011

"Jewels", Balanchine's three-act salute to dance style, and perennial audience favorite, has returned to the spring.  It does still sport the 2004 rethinking by the original designer Paul Harvey, which are oppressive and gaudy.  The mysterious "Emeralds" evokes a messy green swamp rather then French elegance, but the Raymondaesque costumes by Karinska still work their magic.  There was other magic, as Tiler

Spring Performance
Gelsey Kirkland Academy of Classical Ballet
Miller Theatre at Columbia University
New York, NY
June 2, 2011

Gelsey Kirkland, so famous for her magical performances, has set up a ballet academy in New York, stressing, as she wrote in the program of the first season's spring performance, both Vaganova and Bournonville styles (including mime and character dancing) and especially the theatrical aspect of dance.  She presented a wide-ranging program which included visits to Spain and Denmark, with

"Giselle"
American Ballet Theatre
Metropolitan Opera House
New York, NY
May 28, 2011

ABT's version of the most famous Romantic ballet is, fortunately, straightforward, clear, and by and large, dramatically strong.  The basic structure has not been rethought, so the story of the poor peasant girl and her faithless swain remains as moving and powerful as ever.  This season, ABT has imported a number of guests, and the Royal Ballet dancer Alina Cojocaru danced Giselle.  She

"Don Quixote"
American Ballet Theatre
Metropolitan Opera House
New York, NY
May 19, 2011

The perennial charmer of a ballet was danced with great verve by two Cuban-trained dancers, Xiomara Reyes and Rolando Sarabia, a guest from the Miami City Ballet.  ABT's production does have its faults--the gypsy scene looks like Hungarian goulash served by MacDonald's, but when danced well, it has a sunny and infectious charm.  Reyes is a very fine Kitri, with a natural sweetness to

Balanchine Black & White
"Monumentum Pro Gesualdo/Movements for Piano and Orchestra", "Apollo", "The Four Temperaments"
New York City Ballet 
David H. Koch Theater, Lincoln Center, New York
May 5, 2011

Yes, a program of all black and white is not balanced, and the individual ballets would probably look more distinctive if they were set in a different context, but a stunning debut (Chase Finlay in "Apollo") and a vibrant and shimmering performance of an unqualified masterpiece "The Four

"Mirrors", "Utopia", "Classroom Fantasy", "Dreamscapes"
Avi Scher & Dancers
Alvin Ailey Citigroup Theater
New York, NY
April 23, 2011

The young choreographer returned to the Alvin Ailey Theatre with a crop of new dances and an exciting group of dancers.  The performance last year was notable for its cast which included outstanding dancers such as Marcelo Gomes, Veronika Part, and Ashley Bouder.  This year Scher also had fine dancers from ABT and NYCB, including Tyler Angle, Ana Sophia

Valentina Kozlova's Dance Conservatory Performance Project
Annual Spring Gala 2011
Symphony Space
New York, NY
April 16, 2011

Valentina Koslova, the Bolshoi-trained former New York City Ballet principal, has a ballet school and showed off her dancers in the recent gala.  The most promising of these have done well on the competition circuit, but these dancers did not have the slick, brittle demeanor of so many competitors; the sheer joy of dancing shone through.  I could see

"Stars of Today Meet the Stars of Tomorrow"
YAGP 2011 Gala
New York City Center
New York, NY
March 22, 2011

 The Youth America Grand Prix ended its season with its traditional celebration of prize winners and current dancers.  The first half featured the young scholarship winners in a variety of dances--this was not a traditional fouette-fest gala, but rather a vaudeville-like selection of various styles and groupings, from solos to groups.  The dancers were astoundingly accomplished,