“Wood Work”, “Shadow Lands”, “Teeming Waltzes”
The Washington Ballet
Harman Hall
Washington, DC
April 6, 2019

In the barrage of new ballets that Washington has had lately, only one eluded a fundamental sameness. It was Trey McIntyre’s “Teeming Waltzes”. I’m thinking not just of The Washington Ballet’s bill of three premiers but also of the Jones/Zane group’s trilogy, of the New York City Ballet’s two programs and of additional fare. Melding hipster configurations of

“Your Flesh Shall Be a Great Poem” “Bound To” “…two united in a single soul. . .”
San Francisco Ballet
War Memorial Opera House
San Francisco, CA
March 27, 2019

Many ballet companies seem to feel that story ballets bring in much needed, faithful audiences. It would, however, be difficult to imagine that anyone watching SFB’s most recent triple bill would not want to return to see more ballet. After the reprise from last year’s Unbound Festival of Trey McIntyre’

“The Leaves are Fading,’  “Flutter,” “In Absentia,” “Six Years Later,” “Ave Maria,” “Valse Triste”
Natalia Osipova’s Pure Dance with David Hallberg
New York City Center
New York, New York
April 3, 2019

It has become commonplace for ballet stars to gather a few supporting dancers to tour a program of solos and duets. Natalia Osipova is in town this weekend for just such a program at City Center. However, choosing David Hallberg as one of her three

"Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes" "Die Toteninsel"
Bjork Ballet"
San Francisco Ballet
War Memorial Opera House
San Francisco, CA
March 29, 2019

The last of this season’s triple bills includes the premiere of Liam Scarlett’s “Die Toteninsel”; Justin Beck’s 2015 “Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes”, new last year for SFB; and Artur Pita’s “Bjork Ballet”, a delirious costume phantasmagoria with a bit of a dark underbelly. Well performed, this last program leads up to the final two that

“Composer’s Holiday”, “Kammermusik No. 2”,
“Opus 19, The Dreamer”, “Symphony in C”
New York City Ballet
Opera House
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Washington, DC
April 2, 2019

The company’s new bosses, former dancers Jonathan Stafford and Wendy Whelan, introduced this DC opening. Both were dressed casually. Their brief appearance in front of the curtains was followed by a premiere – Gianna Reisen’s “Composer’s Holiday” to Lukas Foss music. It is a ballet

DEMO: Now
Terrace Theater
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Washington, DC
March 29, 2019

Tap-dance made the latest in Damian Woetzel’s “Demo” series memorable, and there was just one tapper: Caleb Teicher. He is a thin, young fellow with a bleached blob at the front of his haircut. At rest, Teicher seems high strung. Dancing, he surfs atop a spectrum of moods that includes the joy of free mobility, the relief of secure landings and

DEMO: Now
Terrace Theater
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Washington, DC
March 29, 2019

 Tap-dance made the latest in Damian Woetzel’s “Demo” series memorable, and there was just one tapper: Caleb Teicher. He is a thin, young fellow with a bleached blob at the front of his haircut. At rest, Teicher seems high strung. Dancing, he surfs atop a spectrum of moods that includes the joy of free mobility, the relief of secure landings

“Lessons in Tradition,” “Harlequin and Pantalone,” “Jump Monk,’ “SOUNDspace”
Dorrance Dance
New York City Center
New York, NY
March 28, 2019

It would be hard to imagine a more joyful choice for a celebration than Dorrance Dance, which opened New York City Center’s seventy-fifth anniversary season Thursday evening. Michelle Dorrance’s tap concerts seem made to lift the spirits. Much of this has to do with Dorrance, herself, a whirlwind of motion who appears to delight in every move

Bill T. Jones / Arnie Zane Company of New York Live Arts
Analogy Trilogy – Dora:Tramontane
Eisenhower Theater
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Washington, DC
March 28, 2019

What has become of yesterday’s rebels? In the instance of Bill T. Jones, this dancer remains a choreographer true to his Castor and Pollux vision of companionship with the late Arnie Zane (1948 – 1988).  Jones made “Dora” in 2015, basing it on oral interviews he conducted with

“Simple Symphony” “Another Time” “Like an Ox on the Roof” “Concerto Grosso”
Mark Foehringer Dance Project/SF
Cowell Theater, Fort Mason Center for Arts and Culture
San Francisco, CA
March 23, 2019

Though partially raised in Brazil, and having performed with Brazil’s Cisno Nero Company for a decade, Mark Foehringer has been a respected local educator and choreographer for close to a quarter of a century. Some years ago, he choreographed “Diadorim”, a sprawling full-evening length work, based on

The 13th International Competition for The Erik Bruhn Prize
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts
Toronto, Canada
March 23, 2019

The Erik Bruhn Prize is a unique competition, geared towards young dancers between the ages of 18 and 23 who are already dancing professionally. Established by Bruhn in his will to recognize emerging talent, participants come from companies with which he was affiliated during his distinguished career. Each company's artistic director selects one male and one female dancer to

"Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" 
The National Ballet of Canada
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts
Toronto, Canada
March 7, 2019

The National Ballet of Canada's winter season coincides with March break and as usual presents a crowd favourite meant to attract families and new audience members, "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland". Christopher Wheeldon's brilliant version, a co-production with The Royal Ballet, has been a hit since its premiere in 2011. While the plot twists and spectacular special effects are