“Serenade,” “Mozartiana,” “Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2”
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater
New York, NY
January 26, 2019 (matinee)
You cannot go wrong with the music of Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky or the choreography of George Balanchine, and so in some ways New York City Ballet’s “All Tschaikovsky/ Balanchine” program, a fairly regular staple of the company’s seasons, was set up for success. The many debuts in two of the bill’s works wouldn’t have
"Apollo", "Orpheus", "Agon"
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater
Lincoln Center
New York, New York
January 26, 2019 evening
Apollo, in Balanchine's "Apollo" can be anyone from a "rascal"(the choreographer's exhortation to Edward Villella) to a breathtaking god, seemingly fully formed (Peter Martins, exchanging Valhalla for Mount Olympus as the ballet progressed), all valid. In his company debut, Gonzalo Garcia chose the middle ground and made it his own. The softness of his gestures, from
"Don Quixote"
San Francisco Ballet
War Memorial Opera House
San Francisco, CA
January 25, 2019
Everyone should see “Don Quixote” at least once. After all, comic ballets are more than rare. Especially if it’s as fine a production as the San Francisco Ballet’s 2003 version (mostly) by Helgi Tomasson and Yuri Possokov. Much of the dancing is spectacular, much of the Minkus score definitely less so. “Don Quixote” is also fine ensemble work, offering welcome opportunities for Kitri’
SFB Gala: This is Passion
San Francisco Ballet
War Memorial Opera House
San Francisco, CA
January 23, 2019
Sometimes I think it would be desirable if American ballet companies would receive secure support from our national government, including pensions for everyone involved, the way they do in many other countries, France and Finland, for instance. But then, we might not have had San Francisco Ballet’s recent Gala, at the opening of its 86th season. And that would have been
“Serenade,” “Mozartiana," “Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2”
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater, Lincoln Center
New York, New York
January 23, 2019
New York City Ballet began its winter season with programs devoted to Balanchine works set to two of the choreographer’s favorite composers. The opening program on Tuesday was reserved for Stravinsky, with Tschaikovsky following on Wednesday. Repeats of both programs continue through the coming week.
It is unusual to see three Balanchine ballets to Tschaikovsky
New York City Ballet
"Apollo", "Orpheus", "Agon"
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater
Lincoln Center
New York, New York
January 22, 2019
The whims of the calendar decreed that New York City Ballet's winter season opened on Balanchine's birthday and the company honored him by dancing three of his most significant works, the so-called Greek trilogy. "Apollo" is the oldest of his ballets currently being performed, the theatrical "Orpheus" is the ballet that inspired Morton Baum to invite
“Cinderella”
New Adventures Company
Opera House
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Washington, DC
January 16, 2019
The New Adventures Company showcased a new appreciation for a well-known fairy tale at the Kennedy Center this past week, sparked by Matthew Bourne’s reinvention of the Cinderella story. With Bourne’s artistic vision and a cast of brilliantly talented and expressive dancers, the company took the iconic character ballet, while maintaining much of Prokofiev’s original score,
“RedWhiteBlueBlack&Orange -
the Art and Dance of Resistance”
Maida Withers Dance Construction Company
Center for Contemporary Political Art
Washington, DC
January 20, 2019
The performance took place in the main room of a downtown art gallery, a space with windows on one long side and art work hung on the inside walls. Through the windows came the sunlight of a clear winter afternoon, illuminating the space and its pictures. All the art was of actual, recognizable things but not
Fresh 2019
"Hot Mess(Sage)", "Rock e Malta: Orientamento (a collage /study)". "1880-2015", "Queent"
Joe Goode Annex, San Francisco
January 11, 2019
For the last decade the “Fresh Festival” has become a month-long January event of “experimental” dance, music, performance and workshops. It started out modestly as a project by La Alternativa, the artistic team of dancer/choreographer Kathleen Hermesdorf and musician/composer Albert Mathias. This month it includes participants from Germany and Mexico. Coincidentally, the Festival’s
"The Nutcracker"
Oakland Ballet Company
Paramount Theater, Oakland
December 22, 2018
Even if you are not a dance aficionado, you can’t miss “Nutcracker” floating through the holidays in a way the “Messiah” and “A Christmas Carol” never will. Bay Area audiences’ choices of this Tchaikovsky masterpiece are almost unlimited. San Francisco Ballet’s is super elegant, Smuin Ballet’s both sentimental and saucy, while Mark Foehringer Dance Projects’ finely articulate one-hour version boasts of a small live orchestra.
"The Nutcracker"
Miami City Ballet
Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts
Miami, Florida
December 20th, 2018
Miami City Ballet’s Thursday, December 20th second casting of George Balanchine’s “The Nutcracker" was packed for the mid-week showing of the 2018 reformat of the Balanchine classic. The new sets and costumes by Ruben and Isabel Toledo were gorgeous, and they anchored the MCB production to the Hoffmann short story, deepening the ballet. Add to that a
"Les Patineurs", "Enigma Variations", "Diamonds"
The Sarasota Ballet
Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall
Sarasota, Florida
December 14, 2018, December 15, 2018 matinee and evening
A triple bill is a complicated balancing act, needing an inviting opener, a solid middle, and a bravura finish. The art of putting them together seems to have been lost in a number of companies, but Iain Webb, the director of the Sarasota Ballet, created a magical combination for his "Victorian Winters" program. The opening