Tag: The Rite of Spring (dance)

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Firebird

American Ballet Theatre. May 26th at the Met Opera House.

Misty Copeland reprised her role as the Firebird, when the show first opened last season. I also loved Cassie Trenary‘s wonderful dancing and gorgeous expressions as the Maiden.

We were also treated to AfterRite by Wayne McGregor. This is the third choreography that I saw within the past year, set to the dramatic music “The Rite of Spring” by Igor Stravinsky. The other two were Pina Bausch’s and Martha Graham’s creations. It was interesting to see a different interpretation of the music.

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Martha Graham at City Center

Martha Graham Dance Company. April 14th at the New York City Center.

My favorites tonight were “Ekstasis” and the “Rite of Spring”. The former is the most incredible articulation of the human hip movement. The latter is an emotional journey constructed as much from body movements as from the sound of bodies impacting the floor.

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The Rite of Spring

“The Rite of Spring” by the Martha Graham Dance Company.

WOW! What a stunning studio rehearsal on Wednesday. The music “the Rite of Spring” by Igor Stravinsky was strong, but Martha Graham’s dancing was even more powerful.

Right from the beginning, this choreography commanded an incredible amount of energy with the men entering the stage, striking the floor, and stumping in unison. The movements, the music, the percussive sounds, the breathing, and the juxtapose of the individual dancers’ emotions and the geometric patterns that make up the soulless ritual … all came together to tell the story of the young woman sacrificed in a primitive savage ceremony. The sacrifice, danced by Charlotte Landreau, was stunning in her performance with her fear, her sorrow, and her determination — to fight for a meaning of her life. Bravos.

Don’t miss the Martha Graham Dance Company season “Sacred/Profane” at @nycitycenter on April 11-14!!

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Pina Bausch at BAM

WOW!!!

New York Times describes Pina Bausch as having the reputation of being “a creator of life-changing experiences” back in 1984 when she made her New York debut.

More than thirty years later, it still is a most life-changing experience to see “Café Müller” and “The Rite of Spring” at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.

I discovered a whole new meaning of the phrase “dance theatre” and learnt whole new ways dance could be constructed, layered, and shaped — into gorgeous beautiful visuals, raw emotions, and mesmerizing experiences.