"The Sleeping Beauty"
The National Ballet of Canada
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts
Toronto, Canada
March 17, 2022
Rudolf Nureyev's The Sleeping Beauty is a signature ballet for the National Ballet of Canada. A lavish production with challenging choreography for the whole company, it has been used to mark many special occasions. It opened the inaugural season at the company's current home, the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, in 2006. This ballet was
"Skyward", "After the Rain", "On Solid Ground", "Elite Syncopations"
The National Ballet of Canada
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts
Toronto, Canada
March 9, 2022
The National Ballet of Canada's winter season started with a farewell run of "A Streetcar Named Desire" for company veteran Sonia Rodriguez. The farewells continued with a mixed program to celebrate Jillian Vanstone's retirement after 22 years. The NBoC acquired Christopher Wheeldon's stunning "After the Rain" for the occasion – an intimate and emotional choice.
"A Streetcar Named Desire"
The National Ballet of Canada
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts
Toronto, Canada
March 2, 2022
The National Ballet of Canada is back with full capacity performances at last. The pandemic delayed many retirements and planned farewell performances for dancers around the world. Thankfully, principal dancer Sonia Rodriguez was able to hold out and close a remarkable 32 years in the company with a run as Blanche DuBois in "A Streetcar Named Desire." It
"For a Dance Never Choreographed"
A film by Luca Veggetti
Text from notes by Martha Graham
Voice: Chen-Wei Lee
Cinematography: Stefano Croci
Music: Paolo Aralla
For artists and introverts, the Pandemic of 2020-22 was a window of opportunity – a chance to observe the world in the absence of normal human activity. During lockdown and quarantine periods, walking deserted streets or sitting in empty public spaces, we could suddenly see form without function — the structure of civilization without its uses.
"The Four Temperaments", "Sonatine", "Black Swan Pas de Deux", "Swan Lake"
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater
Lincoln Center
New York, New York
February 15 and February 19, matinee, 2022
These two performances featured debuts of many of City Ballet's talented young dancers. Some, of course, were more successful than others but all of the dancers, new and old, looked comfortable, confident, and very well rehearsed, especially when dancing in pairs; the dancers seemed to be
"Serenade", "Andantino", "Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux", "Swan Lake"
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater
Lincoln Center
New York, New York
February 11, 2022
New York City Ballet had scheduled a marathon of Peter Martins' "Swan Lake", but like so many plans, it had to be revised, though echos of that eternal bird did remain in the programing. The audience did get a full evening of Tchaikovsky's music, a pas de deux set to the music originally written
"Mozartiana", "Rubies", "La Valse"
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater
Lincoln Center
New York, New York
February 5, 2022, evening
City Ballet's all Balanchine program spanning 30 years, from the 1951 "La Valse" to the 1981 "Mozartiana" included snapshots of some of Balanchine's most distinctive ballerinas, Tanaquil Le Clercq ("La Valse"), Patricia McBride ("Rubies"), and Suzanne Farrell ("Mozartiana"). The current dancers, so different from the originals, need to both copy the steps and go beyond them to
"Allegro Brillante", "La Source", "Firebird"
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater
Lincoln Center
New York, New York
January 22, 2020
New York City Ballet celebrated Balanchine's 116th birthday with an all-Balanchine program which looked back to his (and ballet's) past. The classical clarity of "Allegro Brilliante", the nineteenth century Parisian perfume of "La Source", and the Diaghilevish exoticism of "Firebird" are from different streams which flowed into his imagination.
"Allegro Brillante" opened with a flourish, with the
San Francisco Ballet
“Nutcracker”
San Francisco War Memorial Opera House
San Francisco, CA
December 22, 2021
Even if you are not that interested in Ballet, chances are you have seen “Nutcracker” at least once as a child, during an elementary school class visit, or even on a date, I have been told that those are popular as safe and pleasant. But then are those of us who go year for year, sometimes wondering whether it is really worthwhile
Alonzo King Lines Ballet
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
November 6, 2021
San Francisco, CA
It is rare to get a standing ovation half-way through an evening’s program. But the Alonzo King Lines Ballet dancers had it more than had earned with outstanding performances of excerpts of four King choreographies, the oldest going back to 2007. The company had been on the road and, after two performances only, was about to take off again for a tour
"Serenade", "Angels' Atlas"
The National Ballet of Canada
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts
Toronto, Canada
November 11, 2021
Having endured one of the longest lockdowns in the world, the pent up desire for connection and live performance in Toronto has been palpable. The National Ballet of Canada’s triumphant return to the stage after 20 months was cause for joyous celebration, an opening night like no other. The evening consisted of two great ensemble pieces: George Balanchine’s
"Eternity 123"
Vangeline
Triskelion Arts, Brooklyn
October 30, 2021
Butoh queen Vangeline describes her solo "Eternity 123" as a "symbolic journey of women's liberation across time." I tossed the program note aside and watched the show with an open mind, with which the artist proceeded to play.
The piece begins with nothing but a dress – a full-length, frilly see-through chiffon – draped over a slip, revolving in the air. In time the dancer appears behind it