Mary Cargill

Keeping it Simple

Keeping it Simple


"The Nutcracker"
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater
Lincoln Center
New York, New York
November 29, 2024


New York City Ballet’s version of “The Nutcracker” is a straightforward, uncomplicated story which eschews any subtext about good and evil; it is a timeless and magical recreation of the childhood most of us dreamed about having, with parties, presents, and good cheer.  And of course, good dancing, especially in the second act, and the opening night was

By Mary Cargill
Let There Be Light

Let There Be Light


"Aureole, Vive La Loïe" "Recess", "Funny Papers"
Paul Taylor Dance Company
David H. Koch Theater
New York, New York
November 8, 2024

There was a lot of light and cheer in the evening’s dances, including the premiere of Jody Sperling’s homage to Loïe Fuller, an early modern dancer whose voluminous costumes and imaginative lighting inspired thousands of Art Nouveau lamps.  It opened with Paul Taylor’s “Aureole”, his light-filled vision of a world full of Handel

By Mary Cargill
The Spirit Lives

The Spirit Lives


"The Traitor", "Scherzo", "The Quake that Held Them All", "Two Ecstatic Themes", "Missa Brevis"
Limón Dance Company
Joyce Theater
New York, New York
November 6, 2024


The Limón Dance Company’s Joyce season presented a generous program, with revivals of three significant Limón works, “The Traitor”, “Scherzo”, and “Missa Brevis”, The first and final pieces emphasized Limón’s spiritual qualities and command of movement, while “Scherzo” was a delicious playful romp.  The company also offered a solo by

By Mary Cargill
The Heart of the Matter

The Heart of the Matter


"Crime and Punishment"
American Ballet Theatre
David H. Koch Theater
Lincoln Center
New York, New York
October 30, 2024


As Oscar Wilde wrote “all bad poetry is sincere”.  The same can be said for all forms of art, as unfortunately Helen Pickett’s “Crime and Punishment”, ABT’s new ballet, shows.  In a recent interview in the “New York Times” Pickett described her fascination with Dostoevsky’s famous novel and talked about her dedication in turning

By Mary Cargill
The Human Element

The Human Element


"La Boutique", "Mercurial Son", "Études"
American Ballet Theatre
David H. Koch Theater
Lincoln Center
New York, New York
October 8, 2024


ABT opened it’s Fall season with two premieres, Gemma Bond’s “La Boutique” and Kyle Abraham’s “Mercurial Son”, and Harald Landers’ 1948 “Etudes”, a salute to classical ballet that ABT first danced in 1961. Though “Etudes” does have an homage to the grand nineteenth century ballets, especially the works of the Danish choreographer August Bournonville, and “La

By Mary Cargill
Star Quality

Star Quality


"Mozartiana", "Monumentum pro Gesualdo", "Movements for Piano and Orchestra", "Concerto DSCH"
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater
Lincoln Center
New York, New York
October 8, 2024


This exciting program, called by the Marketing Department simply “Balanchine and Ratmansky”, does not need any other description to entice the viewer.  In addition, it had one of the most anticipated debuts of the season, as the tall and lovely Mira Nadon danced “Mozartiana”, the final ballet Balanchine created for

By Mary Cargill
Let the Sun Shine In

Let the Sun Shine In


"Coppélia"
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater
Lincoln Center
New York, New York
October 5 evening, 2024


NYCB has scheduled “Coppélia” over successive weekends, a marketing triumph, it seems, for the theater has been packed (even the fifth ring was open for this performance), filled with excited families; the children especially loved the shivering knees in Act II.  But for all its rollicking humor, “Coppélia” lexists in a village of elegant, sophisticated dancers, and few City

By Mary Cargill
It's the Music

It's the Music



"Mozartiana", "Monumentum pro Gesualdo", "Movements for Piano and Orchestra", "Concerto DSCH"
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater
Lincoln Center
New York, New York
October 4, 2024


The four ballets, three by Balanchine and one by Alexei Ratmansky, on this program were all abstract, yet each one had a distinctive flavor and emotional resonance; plotless yet nuanced, they all echoed and amplified their scores. Any story or even hint of narrative was up to the viewer to provide, yet

By Mary Cargill
Uneasy Combinations

Uneasy Combinations


"Divertimento from 'Le Basier de la Fée'", "Each in His Own Time", "This Bitter Earth", "The Four Seasons"
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater
Lincoln Center
New York, New York
September 21, 2024


This somewhat oddly constructed program opened with a jolt: the astringent and fundamentally pessimistic “Divertimento from ‘Le Baiser de la Fée”, Balanchine’s abstraction of Hans Christian Andersen’s harrowing story “The Ice Maiden” is a rather heavy opening work. Two sentimental pas de deux

By Mary Cargill