New York City Ballet opened its new season this week with Swan Lake!
Swan Lake by Peter Martins
Twyla Tharp Dance
Am absolutely excited about the start of 2017-2018 Season at the Joyce Theater!!!
The new season at began this week with Twyla Tharp Dance presenting four choreographies, separated in time by 47 years as Twyla explores the language of dance throughout her career. We were treated to choreographies as varied as “The Fugue” (created in 1970 without music) and excerpts of “Entr’acte” (produced this year, using a spoken dialogue between Twyla and the audience to start off the piece).
My favorite part of the night, however, belonged to the curtain chat. Twyla, needing no introduction, took the mic and spoke candidly as the audience called out questions.
How did the 70s differ from today? (People were willing — and could afford — to work for free.)
Why do you create dance without music? (Twyla choreographed without music for 5 years, as part of her exploration.)
What do you look for in a dancer? (I need to fall in love with the dancer.)
What is your favorite choreography? (How many children do you have?)
Advice to dancers? (Work, work, work.)
APEX Choreographer Showcase
Wonderful performances by Lauren Wolter, Yoshimura Chikako, and other dancers last night. Peridance’s APEX Choreographer Showcase continues today at 4pm and 7:30pm. More info and tickets at Peridance Capezio Center. Go check them out!
Love the gorgeous dancing by the Hutchinson Collective and Lauren. I’ve seen the choreography “Days of the Open Hand” before, but the uplifting emotion that the movements inspire (accompanied by the soothing voice of George Michael) still gets to me every time.
Finally saw the expressive Chikako perform in a piece that reflects on ourselves as young adults — the longing for a home but also the desire to go out, challenge, and prove ourselves.
Other works tonight include: “Libertango” dramatic Argentine tango on pointe shoes (theatrically and technically!). “We the Artists” exploring the lives of the creative class through the metaphor of riding the New York subway. “T(i)nderness” a fun dance theatre about online dating.
Bravos to all the dancers. Thanks for a wonderful evening. I sadly can’t make the Sunday programs, but go see the show!
Re(Wind) by Ballet Inc.
Battery Dance Festival: Wednesday (Performance 4 of 7)
One of my two favorites of the night!! I love the beautiful, gorgeous, and sensual ballet aesthetics of Ballet Inc…. but that’s not all! More than the movements themselves, I love how Ballet Inc.‘s choreographies showcase the individual dancers regardless of race, ethnicity, and body type — building on their diversity and uniqueness to create the stunning visuals. It’s my third time seeing Ballet Inc., and every performance of theirs has blown me away. Bravos!!
“Re(Wind)” by Ballet Inc. (World Premier)
Choreography: Aaron Atkins
Dancers: Ballet Inc.
Photography: Jason Chuang
Dispar
Battery Dance Festival: Wednesday (Performance 2 of 7)
The CNDC from the Dominican Republic also presented a second work tonight, a duet titled “Dispar” that builds on their earlier theme of how we face issues in our daily lives.
“Dispar” by Compañia Nacional de Danza Contemporánea de Republica Dominicana (New York Premier)
Choreography: Michael Foley
Dancers: Patricia Ortega, Erick Roque
Costumes: Patricia Ortega, Erick Roque
Photography: Jason Chuang
American Cinema
Day Two of the Battery Dance Festival (Performance 7 of 7)
My favorite performance tonight goes to “American Cinema” by the Nadine Bommer Dance Company.
The first thing that struck me about this choreography was the movement quality. The five dancers donned nude-colored costumes and moved like wooden puppets on stage. The amount of details that went into the movement quality was stunning. The dancers’ arms would bound slightly at the end of a movement. Their legs would buckle ever so slightly as they stood. No photography can do this piece justice. You have to see the movements to understand how “real” the puppets felt.
Second, I loved the narrative. The piece is titled “American Cinema” and performed mostly on a set of vintage red velvet “movie theater” chairs. Accompanied by rock music by the Ween Brothers, the choreography evoked memories from the golden era of the American cinema. We never found what what movies the dancers were watching, but each song brought out a different story about our five characters. A flirtatious teenage girl. Boys asking girls out on a date. Making out at the movies. Interlaced with traumatic adolescence events, a boy and a girl finally got together, and so did two other boys.
A wonderfully imaginative and playful piece of dance theatre. Bravos, Nadine Bommer Dance Company!
“American Cinema” by Nadine Bommer Dance Company (2008)
Choreography: Nadine Bommer
Dancers: Jamison Goodnight, Delphina Parenti, Sammy Roth, Gaya Bomer Yemini, Maor Shiry Zuriel
Photography: Jason Chuang
Yo, desaparezco
Day Two of the Battery Dance Festival (Performance 1 of 7)
The National Company of Contemporary Dance (CNDC), from the Dominican Republic, opened this evening’s performance. CNDC presented an abstract piece centered on the theme “disappearing” and explored how we fight for our lives, persist, and return stronger than before.
“Yo, desaparezco” by Compañia Nacional de Danza Contemporánea de Republica Dominicana (New York Premier)
Choreography: Michael Foley
Dancers: Patricia Ortega, Erick Roque, Dayme del Toro, Mildred Rubirosa
Costumes: Michael Foley
Photography: Jason Chuang
Tatting
The Martha Graham School presented “Tatting” tonight at the Battery Dance Festival. Beautiful and gorgeous movements. Bravos to all the dancers!
“Tatting” (World Premier)
Choreography: Tadej Brdnik
Dancers: Cara McManus, Jean-Baptiste Ferreira, Heather Christiansen, Antonella Zanutto, Carley Marholin, Jessica Sgambelluri
Scene Design: Eva Petrič
Photography: Jason Chuang
Bolshoi Ballet: The Taming of the Shrew
Heidi Latsky Dance On Display
Part two of National Dance Day: Heidi Latsky Dance On Display at the Lincoln Center.
#nationaldanceday