Category: Modern Dance

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Paul Taylor Dance

Don’t miss Paul Taylor Dance, at the Lincoln Center until November 17!!!

Three wonderful performances this evening.

“Brief Encounters” is lively, at times structured but more often random, as if walking through the streets of Manhattan. “Scudorama” is eccentric and strange. Yet, it’s so weird that it captured my full attention, lest I blink and miss the next surprise.

I had wanted to see the show tonight because of “Company B”, one of my favorite Paul Taylor choreographies. With the changing of the guard, several of the roles are now danced by different company members, and the piece is just as amazing as I had remembered it.

The social dancer inside of me just LOOOVE the polka by Kristin Draucker and Michael Apuzzo. I enjoyed the playfulness in “Oh Johnny, Oh Johnny, Oh!” by Lee Duveneck and the cast women, and “Rum and Coca-Cola” by Eran Bugge and the cast men. I also love the emotional scenes “I Can Dream, Can’t I” by Parisa Khobdeh and “There Will Never Be Another You” by Heather McGinley.

Also, a big thank you to Michelle Fleet for a fun backstage tour!

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Paul Taylor Gala Performance

I’m super excited about the start of the Paul Taylor season. Go see this amazing company at the Lincoln Center until November 17th!!!

Tonight’s gala performance features guest artists, Michael Trusnovec and Misty Copeland, and guest choreography by Kyle Abraham.

Kyle Abraham’s “Only the Lonely” started out with various humorous scenes. Michael Trusnovec danced to George Balanchine’s “Episodes”. But my favorite of the night goes to Paul Taylor’s own “Black Tuesday” where Misty Copeland joined the company members for a collection of tales and memories from the Great Depression. I just love how Paul Taylor tells powerful and impactful human stories through movements.

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Fall for Dance: Program 4

Four solid performances tonight.

“Beach Birds” by CNDC Angers is perhaps my favorite Merce Cunningham choreography so far. I really enjoyed the nature-inspired movements — which felt like anything from a chirping bird playing in the forest, to saplings springing out of the soil. The music sounded like a gentle stream and the occasional breeze in the background, and complemented the movements perfectly. The last third of the piece became more abstract, and felt like more general geometric shapes to me.

I also like the variation of movement styles and the energy in Alicia Graf Mack‘s “Come Sunday”, and the powerful message of love in MADBOOTS Dance‘s “For Us”. Finally, it’s great fun to see Stella Abrera, Robbie Fairchild, and Gabe Stone Shayer do something completely different from classical ballet in “Unveiling” by Sonya Tayeh.

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Fall for Dance: Program 3

My favorite tonight goes to “Dare to Wreck” by Madeleine Månsson and Peder Nilsson of Skånes Dansteater, for some of the most amazing partnering that I’ve ever seen.

For context, Madeleine danced mostly in a wheelchair tonight, but this is *not* an “inclusion” performance to make a statement that dance is for everyone. This is *not* a choreography where a disabled dancer traced the approximate path of movements that had been created for another able-bodied dancer, to make a statement that they’re just capable. No no no no no.

“Dare to Wreck” is a showcase of what a wheelchair dancer can accomplish that no “able-bodied” dancers could even dream of. Madeleine could accelerate so rapidly and maintain such a high speed as she dashed across the stage, because she had wheels. The wheels also allowed her to decelerate and interact with Peder in ways not possible to other dancers.

I love the connection between Madeleine and Peder, both emotionally and technically. I love the the weight-sharing, weight-shifting, lifts, and aerials. I love all the creative and unexpected points of contact. I love the speed of their movements. I love the interaction between the dancers, the chair, and the wheels — like the way the wheels spin while Madeleine is lifted high in the air. Bravos!!

I also thoroughly enjoyed “At the Wrong Time” by Mariinsky Ballet featuring a trio of lovers. I love the different personalities on stage, especially the girl portrayed by Maria Shklyarova. I love the movement vocabulary, which looked like ballet movements inspired by Jazz-era ballroom steps. They look so much fun to dance!!!

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Fall for Dance: Program 2

WOW. JUST WOW.

Malevo owned the stage tonight. For a second night in a row at New York City Center, tap dancing took the cake at Fall for Dance. However, Malevo is waaaay beyond just tap or “Argentine folk dance” as the group describes itself.

It’s the most energetic and most energizing show I’ve seen in a long time — combining tapping/clogging, drumming, precision footwork, lighting, sound, and so much more.

Other memorable performances tonight include the unusual, unexpected, and wild French hip-hop dance company Compagnie Dyptik, and the beautiful Washington Ballet.

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Paul Taylor Dance at OSL Bach Festival

Throwback to the Paul Taylor Dance Company performing at the Orchestra of St. Luke’s Bach Festival on June 8, 2019.

I was traveling for two weeks, and so could attend only one performance out of three weeks of programming.

The festival marked the start of retirement of a generation of beloved Paul Taylor dancers, including Michael Trusnovec and Laura Halzack, as well as four more expected departures later this year.

Tonight’s show featured Brandenburgs, Rewilding, and Cascade. As usual, the Paul Tayler dancers filled the stage with artistry and energy. If anything, the stage at the Manhattan School of Music seemed barely large enough for the exuberance of Paul Taylor choreographies.

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Parsons Dance

More belated posts from May.

Parsons Dance at the Joyce Theater. Matinee on May 26.

It’s always worthwhile to go back and see Parsons Dance a second time during their New York season at the Joyce!

My favorites this season:

I love the whole concept of “Round My World” and the beautiful lines and movements.

I also love “Eight Women”, a piece that’s inspired by great women in history, created to honor Aretha Franklin, and set on the company by guest choreographer Trey McIntyre.

Memorable moments include Deidre Rogan’s wonderful presence in the opening scene and Zoey and Katie Garcia’s beautiful duet to the song “Natural Woman”.

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Parsons Dance

More belated posts from May.

Parsons Dance at the Joyce Theater on May 25.

The highlight of the night goes to Zoey Anderson’s stunning performance of “Caught”. Her incredible strength, combined with her flexibility, elevates the already difficult choreography, consisting of more than 100 jumps within 5 minutes, to a whole different level.

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Martha Graham Dance

Had a great time watching Martha Graham Dance at the Joyce Theater.

My favorites this afternoon go to Deo and Hérodiade.

Deo is a world premiere choreographed by Maxine Doyle and Bobbi Jene Smith featuring an all-female cast, and explores the relationship between mothers and daughters. I loved the incredible amount of energy in the piece. Sections of the dance reminded me of Pina Bausch’s the Rite of Spring. e.g., When the women came together and moved rapidly in a tight formation (into the ground, arms crossing their chest, beating their feet to create rhythm) and individual women broke out into their own solo. Even the opening scene, when all but one dancer were lying flat on the ground, felt powerful.

I also enjoyed seeing Martha Graham’s distinct movement vocabulary so vividly executed by Xin Ying and Anne Souder as a woman and her attendant in the 1944 choreography, Hérodiade.