"Divertimento No. 15", "Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux", "Carnival of the Animals" 
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater
Lincoln Center
New York, New York
February 14, 2025

This evening’s performance began with two of Balanchine’s gloriously classical works, the celestial “Divertimento No. 15” to Mozart and the  whipped cream “Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux” and ended with anthropomorphic animals of Christopher Wheeldon’s “Carnival of the Animals”; both the opening and closing ballets were stuffed

"Scotch Symphony", "Sylvia: Pas de Deux", "Firebird"
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater
Lincoln Center
New York, New York
February 13, 2025

In January 2001, I was at a matinee performance of NYCB, expecting a pleasant afternoon watching the light, spun-sugar of “La Source” when the soloist bounded on with the most exuberant and musically incisive heel-to-the-head leaps I had ever seen.  The entire audience gasped and leant forward as if

"Paquita", "In the Night", "Symphony in Three Movements"
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater
Lincoln Center
New York, New York
February 7, 2025

The New York City Ballet fielded a completely new cast of Ratmansky’s new version of Petipa’s “Paquita”, showing yet again, how rich the company currently is.  It was followed by Robbins’ “In the Night” with yet more debuts, and closed with Balanchine’s majestic “Symphony in Three Movements”.  

Allegra

"Paquita", "In the Night", "Symphony in Three Movements"
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater
Lincoln Center
New York, New York
February 6, 2025

 "Paquita", Alexei Ratmansky's new ballet, was to have been danced as the middle ballet, but, due to an injury, this evening’s program had been rearranged, and the program opened with the main attraction.  Unity Phelan, who was already dancing in the first two ballets, had to replace Ashley Laracey in “Symphony

"Scotch Symphony", "Sylvia: Pas de Deux", "Firebird"
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater
Lincoln Center
New York, New York
February 5, 2025

In her gracious introductory speech to the evening’s program, Wendy Whelan honored Maria Tallchief, born 100 years ago.  Balanchine choreographed the three ballets performed, “Scotch Symphony”, “ “Sylvia Pas de Deux”, and “Firebird”, for her.  These works showed her impressive range,  from the lyrical “Scotch Symphony”, the rigorously classical “Sylvia”

"Dances Concertantes", "The Cage", "Concertino", "Stravinsky Violin Concerto"
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater
Lincoln Center
New York, New York
January 24, 2025

The evening featured four ballets set to Stravinsky, two by Balanchine (“Dances Concertantes” and “Stravinsky Violin Concerto”) and two by Robbins (“The Cage” and “Concertino”).  Though they shared the same composer, the ballets were all different, and it made for a varied evening.  

“Dances Concertantes” started life in 1944 for the

"Concerto Barocco", "Allegro Brillante", "Brahms-Schoenberg Quartet"
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater
Lincoln Center
New York, New York
January 23, 2025

This all-Balanchine evening showed off three ballets, each with its own distinctive flavor; “Concerto Barocco” has a luminous white and black simplicity, “Allegro Brillante” is a bright and golden celebration of classical technique, and “Brahms-Schoenberg Quartet” with its haunted-ballroom mauve setting, is an elegiac valentine to a lost (and somewhat imaginary) world. 

"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