Ballet West at the Joyce Theater tonight… and a curtain chat with Adam Sklute about the company’s versatility, experience with reality TV, and his own career from a dancer at Joffrey Ballet to artistic director at Ballet West.
Ballet West
Fall for Dance: Day Seven
Finally saw Abraham.In.Motion (and Connie Shiau) perform at the NY City Center. Tonight’s world premier of “Drive” didn’t have (at least to me) the charged political statements or the emotional pains that I had read much about in Kyle Abraham’s work. Artistically, I loved the style, the body language of the dancers, the sharpness of the movements, and the responsiveness to the music. I felt connected to the dancers and the scene — set through lighting, movements, and music — that reflects New York.
Abraham.In.Motion is presenting “Dearest Home” in Purchase on Oct 20-21. Should I go see it???
Also loved Gauthier Dance//Dance Company Theaterhaus Stuttgart’s US premier of “Streams” choreographed by Andonis Foniadakis. Smooth flowing movements with sharp emphases. Like ocean waves approaching a beach. Something is always happening. Something is always building up. You never know what to expect, when the waves would collide, or how the waves would break. The dancers could be going in 13 different directions and, BOOM, they were suddenly in unison creating a big splash on stage. Everything then fades away, and we await the next wave of approaching dancers.
This contemporary-themed evening closed with Ballet BC’s “Bill” choreographed by Sharon Eyal and Gai Behar. 16 dancers in nude full body suits with their hair dyed in white. There was nothing to focus on except for the 16 bodies. And boy were they gorgeous! Incredible movement quality from each of the dancers, but it’s the group’s synergy, slight contrasts between the dancers, and interactions that made this piece so mesmorizing.
Finally, saw Sara Mearns in yet another dance genre… learning to hip hop with Honji Wang!
p.s. Had a serendipitous conversation with former MOMIX dancer Taz Loft tonight. Meeting interesting people and fellow dance lovers: That’s why we live in this city! Also, MOMIX!! 😍
ABT Season Preview
Preview of the American Ballet Theatre fall season at the Guggenheim Museum tonight.
Caught the gorgeous Gillian Murphy in an excerpt of “Thirteen Diversions” (and heard her speak in an interview). Looking forward to the ABT Gala on October 18th!
More from the evening. Saw Benjamin Millepied working with Devon Teuscher, Catherine Hurlin, Misty Copeland, David Hallberg, and Cory Stearns on “I Feel the Earth Move” (and heard about his childhood in Senegal and the influence of modern and African dance). A glimpse of Isabella Boylston and Thomas Forster in “Elegy Pas de Deux”. Of course, Blaine Hoven dancing with Gillian!
Fall for Dance: Day Six
Learnt a little more about classical Indian dance tonight from a Czech Indian dancer.
Still love Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo. The ballerina chest bump before the finale (what a way to end a ballet parody, right?) actually reminded me of a personal story… but let’s leave that offline!
ABT’s Souvenir d’un lieu cher is also lovely. On this fourth occasion seeing the performance, I interpreted the choreography differently. I always thought the dance was the stories of the two couples. Tonight, I had the strange feeling perhaps it’s actually the dream/desire of one of the girls?
Fall for Dance: Day Five
Featuring a full company of male dancers on pointe, Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo won the most applaud (and laughters) tonight with their comic presentation of Paquita. More than just comedy, their technical works including the fouetté sequences (16? More than 16? I was mesmorized and wasn’t counting) were equally impressive too!
Fall for Dance: Day Four
Fall for Dance: Day Three
The New York premiere of German Cornejo’s “Tango Fire” easily takes the cake tonight. Fabulous aerials. Incredible foorwork. Live music. And fabulous aerials. Did I mention fabulous aerials? I was as awed by the ladies flying through the air while executing intricate footwork as I was scared for them. On numerous occasions, as they were lifted and/or spun around, there was no room for error, between the ladies and the floor, the chairs, or other dancers flying through the air at the same time. Of course, they also mark the most stunning moments of the evening.
Pennsylvania Ballet presented “Rush” choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon and a New York premiere, featuring a happier and more light-hearted theme (compared to the ballet from the opening nights).
Cie Art Move Concept had a few crazy sick moves in their performance tonight. Dancers spinning on their head… backflipping on their head… flying through the air, landing on their back, and then rebounding (while still on their back) into another leap. Wow!
Fall for Dance: Day Two
Seeing Michelle Dorrance with my amazing tap dance teacher Tony Mayes!
Miami City Ballet brought out the best of Christopher Wheeldon’s choreography. Love how the dancers defy gravity in Polyphonia.
Trisha Brown’s two dancers are as incredible as yesterday. It’s amazing how they stay so synchronized and connected despite dancing the majority of the choreography facing away from each other.
Still deeply impressed by the creativity and amount of energy in Vincent Mantsoe’s work!
Fall for Dance: Day One
Fall for Dance opened tonight at New York City Center with four amazing performances.
Dorrance Dance was stunning. I love how much life, character, and personality Michelle Dorrance gives to tap dance.
The dark horse of the night goes to Vincent Mantsoe in his solo work “Gula” (or “Bird”) where he brought to life the movements (and singing!!!) of a free-spirited animal. The opening fog was really cool, but I wasn’t sure how it was related to the rest of the performance?
Learnt more about (post-)modern dance with Trisha Brown’s “You Can See Us”! I much enjoyed seeing more of how dance was developed in the 20th century.
With incredible precision and techniques, Miami City Ballet opened tonight’s performance with Christopher Wheeldon’s “Polyphonia.”
“Suite” by Sidra Bell Dance
New York Moves (20/20)
Dancers raised over $7000 to aid those affected by Hurricanes Irma and Harvey in a benefit concert last weekend at Peridance Capezio Center organized by Shelly Hutchinson.
Last but not least, Sidra Bell Dance put on six solo performances, each one creative and distinctive in its own way. Here is the final solo “velvet chariot.”
“suite”
(1) the essence of sumo
(2) carousel
(3) rooms
(4) lavender
(5) i was their horse
(6) velvet chariot
Choreographer: Sidra Bell Dance New York
Dancers: Sebastian Abarbanell, Tushrik Fredericks, Drew Lewis, Misa Kinno Lucyshyn, Madison Wada, Leal Zielinsk
Photographer: Jason Chuang