“Woolf Works”
American Ballet Theatre
Metropolitan Opera House
New York, NY
June 26, 2024

For its second week of the 2024 New York summer season, American Ballet Theatre stuck to the literary works theme, but with an unexpectedly modern, multi award-winning twist.  Created in 2015, Wayne McGregor’s “Woolf Works” is everything one would expect from him – highly physical, seemingly stripped-down yet loaded with meaning and detail, and pushing the boundaries of traditional ballet.  But it

“Jewels”
The National Ballet of Canada
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts
Toronto, Canada
June 15, 2024

It has been 18 years since the National Ballet of Canada performed George Balanchine’s “Jewels”, considered the first abstract three act ballet, in its entirety (they performed “Rubies” as part of a triple bill in 2016). As such, this run introduced a new generation of dancers to this popular work. This run features many exciting (and some less successful) debuts. Indeed,

“Equilibrio”
Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana
The Joyce Theater
New York, NY
June 19, 2024

It can be too easy to forget just how many elements make up the tapestry of the flamenco genre, but Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana company’s performance of Emilio Ochando’s new “Equilibrio” expertly brought the various strands into focus.  Conceived originally as a solo performance in 2020, Ochando expanded the COVID-19 pandemic creation to the whole company.  Infused with a few modern

“Onegin”
American Ballet Theatre
Metropolitan Opera House
New York, NY
June 18 and June 19 (matinee), 2024

American Ballet Theatre boldly opened its 2024 season at the Metropolitan Opera House with John Cranko’s “Onegin.” With somewhat last-minute casting changes, the opening night honors fell on Christine Shevchenko and Cory Stearns as Tatiana and Onegin respectively, who danced with dedication; though it was the next day’s matinee performers, also a substitute cast, Chloe Misseldine and Thomas Forster, who

“Don Quixote”
The National Ballet of Canada
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts
Toronto, Canada
June 1, 2024

The beloved classic “Don Quixote” has not been seen in Toronto since 2011. At that time, it was the Petipa/Gorsky/Beriozoff version, which was fun but perhaps in need of a refresh. Prior to that, in 2007, the company performed the George Balanchine one act version, which is a different work entirely as it is centred more on the

“Law of Mosaics,” “This Bitter Earth,” “Herman Schmerman Pas de Deux,” “Love Letter (on shuffle)”
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater
New York, NY
May 23, 2024

In its second of two programs featuring works by contemporary choreographers, New York City Ballet dazzled and dazed, leaning heavily on the quality of its dancers to bring forward the more vibrant elements of the presented ballets’ expressive palettes, both physical and emotional. The best of the evening – the absolutely devastating

"UtopiVerse", "islands", "Suite en Blanc"
The National Ballet of Canada
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts
Toronto, Canada
March 20, 2024

The National Ballet of Canada’s winter triple bill featured three exciting premieres: a world premiere, a North American premiere and a Canadian premiere. Two of the ballets, “UtopiVerse” and "islands”, were in a contemporary style. In contrast, Serge Lifar’s 1943 showpiece “Suite en Blanc” provided the tutus, pointe shoes and classical bravura that many expect from