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  2. American Ballet Theatre Curtain Calls

Fall Season 2013

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Cory Stearns, A Month in the Country, November 9, 2013
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Cory Stearns, A Month in the Country, November 9, 2013

CoryStearnsMonthCountry

  • Xiomara Reyes, A Month in the Country, November 9, 2013
  • Cory Stearns, A Month in the Country, November 9, 2013
  • Sarah Lane and Arron Scott, A Month in the Country, November 9, 2013
  • Gillian Murphy, Piano Concerto #1, November 9, 2013
  • Hee Seo, The Moor's Pavane, November 9, 2013
  • Polina Semionova and Cory Stearns, Theme and Variations, November 7, 2013<br /> <br /> The ABT mixed rep bill Thursday was nicely diversified with a Balanchine classic (Theme and Variations), an Ashton story ballet (A Month in the Country), and a new Ratmansky work (Piano Concerto #1).<br /> <br /> Ashton’s “A Month in the Country,” had its ABT debut in May 2013 at the Met. According to John Gruen’s “The World’s Great Ballets,” Ashton retired as director and chief choreographer of The Royal Ballet in 1970 and withdrew from public view. However, in 1975, he announced that he would choreograph a ballet inspired by Ivan Turgenev’s play by the same name with music by Chopin. The work debuted in 1976 with Lynn Seymour and Anthony Dowell as leads. The work "...is another example of Ashton's ability to convey a complex dramatic narrative through seamless choreography, without sacrificing any of the original's insightful characterizations, wit, and passion," according to Gruen.<br /> <br /> The curtain opens revealing the spectacular interior of the Yslaev’s summer home in the 1850s. The scene reveals a carefree day of leisure in the wealthy Yslaev household as the family is engaged in mundane household activities. Yslaev’s wife Natalia Petrovna (Julie Kent) reclines on a sofa with her admirer Rakitin (Grant DeLong) seated on a nearby bench; Kolia (Daniil Simkin), a young son of Yslaev and Natalia, works on his homework while Yslaev (Victor Barbee) sits on a chair reading a newspaper. Vera (Gemma Bond), the Yslaevs’ adolescent ward, plays the piano. Yslaev doesn’t seem bothered by the presence of a fawning admirer of his wife.<br /> <br /> Tiring of her piano practice, Gemma dances an impetuous, spunky solo filled with youthful energy. Gemma is from England and danced at The Royal Ballet until moving to ABT in 2008. Daniil follows with a spectacular solo while playing with a ball, filled with energetic pirouettes with very wide arms followed by a massive double tour that fills a lot of space with his wide arm carriage. Daniil was very good in playing this immature youth.<br /> <br /> Beliaev (Guillaume Côté, guest artist from the National Ballet of Canada), Kolia’s tutor, enters during his solo. Vera quickly takes notice of this handsome man as Natalia affectionately greets him. Beliaev is a debonair cad and all of the women fall for him: Katia a maid (Stella Abrera), Natalia, and Vera. First up is Vera, who dances a tender pas de deux with him as Natalia walks in and discovers them. Upset, Natalia slaps Vera, and then regrets her aggressive action. As Natalia and Vera leave, Katia discovers Beliaev and the two dance together. Katia has clearly fallen for him. However, Beliaev loves Natalia.<br /> <br /> Later in the work, Natalia and Beliaev are alone and embrace. Vera enters and catches them in their romantic pose (apparently the Yslaev’s don’t have locks on their doors) and attempts to extract revenge by calling everyone into the room. Rakitin tells the two lovers that they have caused enough trouble and should leave. Beliaev departs and then comes back to say goodbye. Natalia is sad; recognizing her agony, he decides not to create more anguish and quietly walks away, unnoticed by her. The work ends with Natalia kissing a rose that was pinned to Beliaev’s jacket as the curtain falls.<br /> <br /> Gemma Bond demonstrated her dramatic versatility, ranging from a sweet young girl to a star-crossed lover, to a bitter, spurned women seeking revenge. As Beliaev, Côté has the looks and gravitas to pull of this role of super cad. He had several slow pensive introspective solos filed with plush assembles, arabesques, and pique turns that were well done. Julie Kent excels at these dramatic roles and demonstrated her attraction for Beliaev, rage at Vera, and ultimate loss through her dancing.<br /> <br /> Piano Concerto #1 is my favorite of the three pieces in Shostakovich Trilogy by Alexi Ratmansky that premiered in May 2013. The leads Thursday were Gillian Murphy/Calvin Royal III and Skylar Brandt/Gabe Stone Shayer. Another example of young dancers getting a chance to perform lead roles as all are members of the Corps except for Gillian.<br /> <br /> The dancers' bodies are clearly on display as the males wear unitards (costumes by Keso Deeker) with the women wearing red leotards. The scenery consists of red objects hung in suspension against a blue backdrop, reminiscent of the hammer and sickle and other Soviet imagery.<br /> <br /> There is plenty of non-stop action in this athletic, high-energy piece with the four main dancers appearing in various combinations. Gillian and Skylar danced well together; I was very impressed with Skylar and her rapid, powerful turns. She is small in stature, similar to Principal Dancer Xiomara Reyes. Skylar had a grande jete diagonal section in which she seemed to fly, similar to Natalia Osipova, who performed the role in the spring season. I look forward to seeing more of Skyler, the recipient of a 2013 Princess Grace Award. Gillian was, as usual, very solid.<br /> <br /> Ratmansky gives the men a workout and Royal and Shayer were up to the task. Royal is tall and lean, and covers a lot of ground with ease while Shayer’s more compact build facilitates his rapid, aggressive turns. I particularly liked their nice double assemble diagonal. However, both need to work on landings, as several were sloppy with large hops after landing.<br /> <br /> Polina Semionova and Cory Stearns opened the show with Theme and Variations. I saw them in this role last week and thought that Cory was more energetic in this performance. Polina’s solos were outstanding, demonstrating great control in this difficult up-tempo piece, similar to last week. However, I thought their partnering section was better last week as they were not as in synch Thursday.
  • Polina Semionova and Cory Stearns, Theme and Variations, November 7, 2013<br /> <br /> The ABT mixed rep bill Thursday was nicely diversified with a Balanchine classic (Theme and Variations), an Ashton story ballet (A Month in the Country), and a new Ratmansky work (Piano Concerto #1).<br /> <br /> Ashton’s “A Month in the Country,” had its ABT debut in May 2013 at the Met. According to John Gruen’s “The World’s Great Ballets,” Ashton retired as director and chief choreographer of The Royal Ballet in 1970 and withdrew from public view. However, in 1975, he announced that he would choreograph a ballet inspired by Ivan Turgenev’s play by the same name with music by Chopin. The work debuted in 1976 with Lynn Seymour and Anthony Dowell as leads. The work "...is another example of Ashton's ability to convey a complex dramatic narrative through seamless choreography, without sacrificing any of the original's insightful characterizations, wit, and passion," according to Gruen.<br /> <br /> The curtain opens revealing the spectacular interior of the Yslaev’s summer home in the 1850s. The scene reveals a carefree day of leisure in the wealthy Yslaev household as the family is engaged in mundane household activities. Yslaev’s wife Natalia Petrovna (Julie Kent) reclines on a sofa with her admirer Rakitin (Grant DeLong) seated on a nearby bench; Kolia (Daniil Simkin), a young son of Yslaev and Natalia, works on his homework while Yslaev (Victor Barbee) sits on a chair reading a newspaper. Vera (Gemma Bond), the Yslaevs’ adolescent ward, plays the piano. Yslaev doesn’t seem bothered by the presence of a fawning admirer of his wife.<br /> <br /> Tiring of her piano practice, Gemma dances an impetuous, spunky solo filled with youthful energy. Gemma is from England and danced at The Royal Ballet until moving to ABT in 2008. Daniil follows with a spectacular solo while playing with a ball, filled with energetic pirouettes with very wide arms followed by a massive double tour that fills a lot of space with his wide arm carriage. Daniil was very good in playing this immature youth.<br /> <br /> Beliaev (Guillaume Côté, guest artist from the National Ballet of Canada), Kolia’s tutor, enters during his solo. Vera quickly takes notice of this handsome man as Natalia affectionately greets him. Beliaev is a debonair cad and all of the women fall for him: Katia a maid (Stella Abrera), Natalia, and Vera. First up is Vera, who dances a tender pas de deux with him as Natalia walks in and discovers them. Upset, Natalia slaps Vera, and then regrets her aggressive action. As Natalia and Vera leave, Katia discovers Beliaev and the two dance together. Katia has clearly fallen for him. However, Beliaev loves Natalia.<br /> <br /> Later in the work, Natalia and Beliaev are alone and embrace. Vera enters and catches them in their romantic pose (apparently the Yslaev’s don’t have locks on their doors) and attempts to extract revenge by calling everyone into the room. Rakitin tells the two lovers that they have caused enough trouble and should leave. Beliaev departs and then comes back to say goodbye. Natalia is sad; recognizing her agony, he decides not to create more anguish and quietly walks away, unnoticed by her. The work ends with Natalia kissing a rose that was pinned to Beliaev’s jacket as the curtain falls.<br /> <br /> Gemma Bond demonstrated her dramatic versatility, ranging from a sweet young girl to a star-crossed lover, to a bitter, spurned women seeking revenge. As Beliaev, Côté has the looks and gravitas to pull of this role of super cad. He had several slow pensive introspective solos filed with plush assembles, arabesques, and pique turns that were well done. Julie Kent excels at these dramatic roles and demonstrated her attraction for Beliaev, rage at Vera, and ultimate loss through her dancing.<br /> <br /> Piano Concerto #1 is my favorite of the three pieces in Shostakovich Trilogy by Alexi Ratmansky that premiered in May 2013. The leads Thursday were Gillian Murphy/Calvin Royal III and Skylar Brandt/Gabe Stone Shayer. Another example of young dancers getting a chance to perform lead roles as all are members of the Corps except for Gillian.<br /> <br /> The dancers' bodies are clearly on display as the males wear unitards (costumes by Keso Deeker) with the women wearing red leotards. The scenery consists of red objects hung in suspension against a blue backdrop, reminiscent of the hammer and sickle and other Soviet imagery.<br /> <br /> There is plenty of non-stop action in this athletic, high-energy piece with the four main dancers appearing in various combinations. Gillian and Skylar danced well together; I was very impressed with Skylar and her rapid, powerful turns. She is small in stature, similar to Principal Dancer Xiomara Reyes. Skylar had a grande jete diagonal section in which she seemed to fly, similar to Natalia Osipova, who performed the role in the spring season. I look forward to seeing more of Skyler, the recipient of a 2013 Princess Grace Award. Gillian was, as usual, very solid.<br /> <br /> Ratmansky gives the men a workout and Royal and Shayer were up to the task. Royal is tall and lean, and covers a lot of ground with ease while Shayer’s more compact build facilitates his rapid, aggressive turns. I particularly liked their nice double assemble diagonal. However, both need to work on landings, as several were sloppy with large hops after landing.<br /> <br /> Polina Semionova and Cory Stearns opened the show with Theme and Variations. I saw them in this role last week and thought that Cory was more energetic in this performance. Polina’s solos were outstanding, demonstrating great control in this difficult up-tempo piece, similar to last week. However, I thought their partnering section was better last week as they were not as in synch Thursday.
  • Julie Kent, A Month in the Country, November 7, 2013<br /> <br /> The ABT mixed rep bill Thursday was nicely diversified with a Balanchine classic (Theme and Variations), an Ashton story ballet (A Month in the Country), and a new Ratmansky work (Piano Concerto #1).<br /> <br /> Ashton’s “A Month in the Country,” had its ABT debut in May 2013 at the Met. According to John Gruen’s “The World’s Great Ballets,” Ashton retired as director and chief choreographer of The Royal Ballet in 1970 and withdrew from public view. However, in 1975, he announced that he would choreograph a ballet inspired by Ivan Turgenev’s play by the same name with music by Chopin. The work debuted in 1976 with Lynn Seymour and Anthony Dowell as leads. The work "...is another example of Ashton's ability to convey a complex dramatic narrative through seamless choreography, without sacrificing any of the original's insightful characterizations, wit, and passion," according to Gruen.<br /> <br /> The curtain opens revealing the spectacular interior of the Yslaev’s summer home in the 1850s. The scene reveals a carefree day of leisure in the wealthy Yslaev household as the family is engaged in mundane household activities. Yslaev’s wife Natalia Petrovna (Julie Kent) reclines on a sofa with her admirer Rakitin (Grant DeLong) seated on a nearby bench; Kolia (Daniil Simkin), a young son of Yslaev and Natalia, works on his homework while Yslaev (Victor Barbee) sits on a chair reading a newspaper. Vera (Gemma Bond), the Yslaevs’ adolescent ward, plays the piano. Yslaev doesn’t seem bothered by the presence of a fawning admirer of his wife.<br /> <br /> Tiring of her piano practice, Gemma dances an impetuous, spunky solo filled with youthful energy. Gemma is from England and danced at The Royal Ballet until moving to ABT in 2008. Daniil follows with a spectacular solo while playing with a ball, filled with energetic pirouettes with very wide arms followed by a massive double tour that fills a lot of space with his wide arm carriage. Daniil was very good in playing this immature youth.<br /> <br /> Beliaev (Guillaume Côté, guest artist from the National Ballet of Canada), Kolia’s tutor, enters during his solo. Vera quickly takes notice of this handsome man as Natalia affectionately greets him. Beliaev is a debonair cad and all of the women fall for him: Katia a maid (Stella Abrera), Natalia, and Vera. First up is Vera, who dances a tender pas de deux with him as Natalia walks in and discovers them. Upset, Natalia slaps Vera, and then regrets her aggressive action. As Natalia and Vera leave, Katia discovers Beliaev and the two dance together. Katia has clearly fallen for him. However, Beliaev loves Natalia.<br /> <br /> Later in the work, Natalia and Beliaev are alone and embrace. Vera enters and catches them in their romantic pose (apparently the Yslaev’s don’t have locks on their doors) and attempts to extract revenge by calling everyone into the room. Rakitin tells the two lovers that they have caused enough trouble and should leave. Beliaev departs and then comes back to say goodbye. Natalia is sad; recognizing her agony, he decides not to create more anguish and quietly walks away, unnoticed by her. The work ends with Natalia kissing a rose that was pinned to Beliaev’s jacket as the curtain falls.<br /> <br /> Gemma Bond demonstrated her dramatic versatility, ranging from a sweet young girl to a star-crossed lover, to a bitter, spurned women seeking revenge. As Beliaev, Côté has the looks and gravitas to pull of this role of super cad. He had several slow pensive introspective solos filed with plush assembles, arabesques, and pique turns that were well done. Julie Kent excels at these dramatic roles and demonstrated her attraction for Beliaev, rage at Vera, and ultimate loss through her dancing.<br /> <br /> Piano Concerto #1 is my favorite of the three pieces in Shostakovich Trilogy by Alexi Ratmansky that premiered in May 2013. The leads Thursday were Gillian Murphy/Calvin Royal III and Skylar Brandt/Gabe Stone Shayer. Another example of young dancers getting a chance to perform lead roles as all are members of the Corps except for Gillian.<br /> <br /> The dancers' bodies are clearly on display as the males wear unitards (costumes by Keso Deeker) with the women wearing red leotards. The scenery consists of red objects hung in suspension against a blue backdrop, reminiscent of the hammer and sickle and other Soviet imagery.<br /> <br /> There is plenty of non-stop action in this athletic, high-energy piece with the four main dancers appearing in various combinations. Gillian and Skylar danced well together; I was very impressed with Skylar and her rapid, powerful turns. She is small in stature, similar to Principal Dancer Xiomara Reyes. Skylar had a grande jete diagonal section in which she seemed to fly, similar to Natalia Osipova, who performed the role in the spring season. I look forward to seeing more of Skyler, the recipient of a 2013 Princess Grace Award. Gillian was, as usual, very solid.<br /> <br /> Ratmansky gives the men a workout and Royal and Shayer were up to the task. Royal is tall and lean, and covers a lot of ground with ease while Shayer’s more compact build facilitates his rapid, aggressive turns. I particularly liked their nice double assemble diagonal. However, both need to work on landings, as several were sloppy with large hops after landing.<br /> <br /> Polina Semionova and Cory Stearns opened the show with Theme and Variations. I saw them in this role last week and thought that Cory was more energetic in this performance. Polina’s solos were outstanding, demonstrating great control in this difficult up-tempo piece, similar to last week. However, I thought their partnering section was better last week as they were not as in synch Thursday.
  • Guillaume Côté, A Month in the Country, November 7, 2013<br /> <br /> The ABT mixed rep bill Thursday was nicely diversified with a Balanchine classic (Theme and Variations), an Ashton story ballet (A Month in the Country), and a new Ratmansky work (Piano Concerto #1).<br /> <br /> Ashton’s “A Month in the Country,” had its ABT debut in May 2013 at the Met. According to John Gruen’s “The World’s Great Ballets,” Ashton retired as director and chief choreographer of The Royal Ballet in 1970 and withdrew from public view. However, in 1975, he announced that he would choreograph a ballet inspired by Ivan Turgenev’s play by the same name with music by Chopin. The work debuted in 1976 with Lynn Seymour and Anthony Dowell as leads. The work "...is another example of Ashton's ability to convey a complex dramatic narrative through seamless choreography, without sacrificing any of the original's insightful characterizations, wit, and passion," according to Gruen.<br /> <br /> The curtain opens revealing the spectacular interior of the Yslaev’s summer home in the 1850s. The scene reveals a carefree day of leisure in the wealthy Yslaev household as the family is engaged in mundane household activities. Yslaev’s wife Natalia Petrovna (Julie Kent) reclines on a sofa with her admirer Rakitin (Grant DeLong) seated on a nearby bench; Kolia (Daniil Simkin), a young son of Yslaev and Natalia, works on his homework while Yslaev (Victor Barbee) sits on a chair reading a newspaper. Vera (Gemma Bond), the Yslaevs’ adolescent ward, plays the piano. Yslaev doesn’t seem bothered by the presence of a fawning admirer of his wife.<br /> <br /> Tiring of her piano practice, Gemma dances an impetuous, spunky solo filled with youthful energy. Gemma is from England and danced at The Royal Ballet until moving to ABT in 2008. Daniil follows with a spectacular solo while playing with a ball, filled with energetic pirouettes with very wide arms followed by a massive double tour that fills a lot of space with his wide arm carriage. Daniil was very good in playing this immature youth.<br /> <br /> Beliaev (Guillaume Côté, guest artist from the National Ballet of Canada), Kolia’s tutor, enters during his solo. Vera quickly takes notice of this handsome man as Natalia affectionately greets him. Beliaev is a debonair cad and all of the women fall for him: Katia a maid (Stella Abrera), Natalia, and Vera. First up is Vera, who dances a tender pas de deux with him as Natalia walks in and discovers them. Upset, Natalia slaps Vera, and then regrets her aggressive action. As Natalia and Vera leave, Katia discovers Beliaev and the two dance together. Katia has clearly fallen for him. However, Beliaev loves Natalia.<br /> <br /> Later in the work, Natalia and Beliaev are alone and embrace. Vera enters and catches them in their romantic pose (apparently the Yslaev’s don’t have locks on their doors) and attempts to extract revenge by calling everyone into the room. Rakitin tells the two lovers that they have caused enough trouble and should leave. Beliaev departs and then comes back to say goodbye. Natalia is sad; recognizing her agony, he decides not to create more anguish and quietly walks away, unnoticed by her. The work ends with Natalia kissing a rose that was pinned to Beliaev’s jacket as the curtain falls.<br /> <br /> Gemma Bond demonstrated her dramatic versatility, ranging from a sweet young girl to a star-crossed lover, to a bitter, spurned women seeking revenge. As Beliaev, Côté has the looks and gravitas to pull of this role of super cad. He had several slow pensive introspective solos filed with plush assembles, arabesques, and pique turns that were well done. Julie Kent excels at these dramatic roles and demonstrated her attraction for Beliaev, rage at Vera, and ultimate loss through her dancing.<br /> <br /> Piano Concerto #1 is my favorite of the three pieces in Shostakovich Trilogy by Alexi Ratmansky that premiered in May 2013. The leads Thursday were Gillian Murphy/Calvin Royal III and Skylar Brandt/Gabe Stone Shayer. Another example of young dancers getting a chance to perform lead roles as all are members of the Corps except for Gillian.<br /> <br /> The dancers' bodies are clearly on display as the males wear unitards (costumes by Keso Deeker) with the women wearing red leotards. The scenery consists of red objects hung in suspension against a blue backdrop, reminiscent of the hammer and sickle and other Soviet imagery.<br /> <br /> There is plenty of non-stop action in this athletic, high-energy piece with the four main dancers appearing in various combinations. Gillian and Skylar danced well together; I was very impressed with Skylar and her rapid, powerful turns. She is small in stature, similar to Principal Dancer Xiomara Reyes. Skylar had a grande jete diagonal section in which she seemed to fly, similar to Natalia Osipova, who performed the role in the spring season. I look forward to seeing more of Skyler, the recipient of a 2013 Princess Grace Award. Gillian was, as usual, very solid.<br /> <br /> Ratmansky gives the men a workout and Royal and Shayer were up to the task. Royal is tall and lean, and covers a lot of ground with ease while Shayer’s more compact build facilitates his rapid, aggressive turns. I particularly liked their nice double assemble diagonal. However, both need to work on landings, as several were sloppy with large hops after landing.<br /> <br /> Polina Semionova and Cory Stearns opened the show with Theme and Variations. I saw them in this role last week and thought that Cory was more energetic in this performance. Polina’s solos were outstanding, demonstrating great control in this difficult up-tempo piece, similar to last week. However, I thought their partnering section was better last week as they were not as in synch Thursday.
  • Stella Abrera and Victor Barbee, A Month in the Country<br /> <br /> The ABT mixed rep bill Thursday was nicely diversified with a Balanchine classic (Theme and Variations), an Ashton story ballet (A Month in the Country), and a new Ratmansky work (Piano Concerto #1).<br /> <br /> Ashton’s “A Month in the Country,” had its ABT debut in May 2013 at the Met. According to John Gruen’s “The World’s Great Ballets,” Ashton retired as director and chief choreographer of The Royal Ballet in 1970 and withdrew from public view. However, in 1975, he announced that he would choreograph a ballet inspired by Ivan Turgenev’s play by the same name with music by Chopin. The work debuted in 1976 with Lynn Seymour and Anthony Dowell as leads. The work "...is another example of Ashton's ability to convey a complex dramatic narrative through seamless choreography, without sacrificing any of the original's insightful characterizations, wit, and passion," according to Gruen.<br /> <br /> The curtain opens revealing the spectacular interior of the Yslaev’s summer home in the 1850s. The scene reveals a carefree day of leisure in the wealthy Yslaev household as the family is engaged in mundane household activities. Yslaev’s wife Natalia Petrovna (Julie Kent) reclines on a sofa with her admirer Rakitin (Grant DeLong) seated on a nearby bench; Kolia (Daniil Simkin), a young son of Yslaev and Natalia, works on his homework while Yslaev (Victor Barbee) sits on a chair reading a newspaper. Vera (Gemma Bond), the Yslaevs’ adolescent ward, plays the piano. Yslaev doesn’t seem bothered by the presence of a fawning admirer of his wife.<br /> <br /> Tiring of her piano practice, Gemma dances an impetuous, spunky solo filled with youthful energy. Gemma is from England and danced at The Royal Ballet until moving to ABT in 2008. Daniil follows with a spectacular solo while playing with a ball, filled with energetic pirouettes with very wide arms followed by a massive double tour that fills a lot of space with his wide arm carriage. Daniil was very good in playing this immature youth.<br /> <br /> Beliaev (Guillaume Côté, guest artist from the National Ballet of Canada), Kolia’s tutor, enters during his solo. Vera quickly takes notice of this handsome man as Natalia affectionately greets him. Beliaev is a debonair cad and all of the women fall for him: Katia a maid (Stella Abrera), Natalia, and Vera. First up is Vera, who dances a tender pas de deux with him as Natalia walks in and discovers them. Upset, Natalia slaps Vera, and then regrets her aggressive action. As Natalia and Vera leave, Katia discovers Beliaev and the two dance together. Katia has clearly fallen for him. However, Beliaev loves Natalia.<br /> <br /> Later in the work, Natalia and Beliaev are alone and embrace. Vera enters and catches them in their romantic pose (apparently the Yslaev’s don’t have locks on their doors) and attempts to extract revenge by calling everyone into the room. Rakitin tells the two lovers that they have caused enough trouble and should leave. Beliaev departs and then comes back to say goodbye. Natalia is sad; recognizing her agony, he decides not to create more anguish and quietly walks away, unnoticed by her. The work ends with Natalia kissing a rose that was pinned to Beliaev’s jacket as the curtain falls.<br /> <br /> Gemma Bond demonstrated her dramatic versatility, ranging from a sweet young girl to a star-crossed lover, to a bitter, spurned women seeking revenge. As Beliaev, Côté has the looks and gravitas to pull of this role of super cad. He had several slow pensive introspective solos filed with plush assembles, arabesques, and pique turns that were well done. Julie Kent excels at these dramatic roles and demonstrated her attraction for Beliaev, rage at Vera, and ultimate loss through her dancing.<br /> <br /> Piano Concerto #1 is my favorite of the three pieces in Shostakovich Trilogy by Alexi Ratmansky that premiered in May 2013. The leads Thursday were Gillian Murphy/Calvin Royal III and Skylar Brandt/Gabe Stone Shayer. Another example of young dancers getting a chance to perform lead roles as all are members of the Corps except for Gillian.<br /> <br /> The dancers' bodies are clearly on display as the males wear unitards (costumes by Keso Deeker) with the women wearing red leotards. The scenery consists of red objects hung in suspension against a blue backdrop, reminiscent of the hammer and sickle and other Soviet imagery.<br /> <br /> There is plenty of non-stop action in this athletic, high-energy piece with the four main dancers appearing in various combinations. Gillian and Skylar danced well together; I was very impressed with Skylar and her rapid, powerful turns. She is small in stature, similar to Principal Dancer Xiomara Reyes. Skylar had a grande jete diagonal section in which she seemed to fly, similar to Natalia Osipova, who performed the role in the spring season. I look forward to seeing more of Skyler, the recipient of a 2013 Princess Grace Award. Gillian was, as usual, very solid.<br /> <br /> Ratmansky gives the men a workout and Royal and Shayer were up to the task. Royal is tall and lean, and covers a lot of ground with ease while Shayer’s more compact build facilitates his rapid, aggressive turns. I particularly liked their nice double assemble diagonal. However, both need to work on landings, as several were sloppy with large hops after landing.<br /> <br /> Polina Semionova and Cory Stearns opened the show with Theme and Variations. I saw them in this role last week and thought that Cory was more energetic in this performance. Polina’s solos were outstanding, demonstrating great control in this difficult up-tempo piece, similar to last week. However, I thought their partnering section was better last week as they were not as in synch Thursday.
  • Polina Semionova, Cory Stearns, Theme and Variations, November 2, 2013 <br><br> Theme and Variations is one of my favorites, having seen this Balanchine classic many times. The work, which Ballet Theatre premiered in 1947, was intended to honor the period when Russian ballet flourished with the aid of Tchaikovsky’s music. <br><br> ABT performed this work Saturday evening with Polina Semionova and Cory Stearns as leads. Polina was outstanding, completely in control and at ease throughout this difficult piece. Tricky segments include a multiple fouetté turn section with alternating arms into a pas de chat jump, a rapid beat section, and double pirouettes from first position into a pas de chat, all requiring rapid fire execution to keep up with the music. Polina pulled off all of these segments with grace and style, one of the best performances that I have seen from her. Her phrasing with her arms was on the mark with the beautiful Tchaikovsky score. <br><br> Cory was fine although not outstanding in his tough solo variations. The challenging section that male dancers dread consists of a diagonal of rond de jamb leaps followed by sissonne jumps and, just when the dancer is running out of gas, a treacherous eight tour/pirouette section. I heard that James Whiteside and Daniil Simkin struggled this season with the tour/pirouette section; Cory safely navigated this section, although traveled some distance during the turns. His rond de jamb section was not exciting or noteworthy, <br><br> The two danced well together in the pas de deux; Polina completed several long balances as she alternated arms with Cory in support before going into a penchée. <br><br> Speaking of Theme, I ran across a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgCareuuxK4">YouTube clip</a> of Baryshnikov and Kirkland from 1978 on PBS. Baryshnikov’s solo at 7:55 is spectacular with his high rond de jamb leaps with alternating arms and perfectly controlled tours. <br><br> Stanton Welch’s Clear (2001) featured Sascha Radetsky, Thomas Forster, Daniel Mantei, and six other male dancers all dressed in tan colored pants and no shirt. Paloma Herrera was the sole female dancer. Although some have have criticized the work as sub-standard, I like the piece, which showcases bravura and adagio male dancing set to a beautiful Bach score. <br><br> Sascha was very good as he showed off his washboard abs and numerous tattoos. The piece features a fouetté section in which the dancer changes his spot from the front, to the side, back, side and front again. He executed this quite well along with turns in other sections. Forster and Mantei are members of the Corps and are featured in several leading roles this fall season. They were paired in a duet to slow music, requiring substantial control. David Hallberg excelled in this role which showed off his substantial extension in a développé section. I enjoyed their adagio section Saturday and I look forward to seeing more of their dancing. Craig Salstein had a nice turn/pirouette section similar to Theme and Variations. Joaquin de Luz, now at New York City Ballet, was my favorite in that role, as he would pull of multiple double tours. <br><br> Paloma Herrera worked well with Sascha and the piece ended with the two in a shrinking spotlight. <br><br> Romeo and Juliet is a successful ballet because the plot is simple, allowing someone unfamiliar with the work to follow the storyline of the ballet. In contrast, I knew The Tempest would be a challenge after I read the synopsis three times and still had problems following the plot and the relationship between the 11 main characters in the ballet. The complexity and short period of time (about 40 minutes) to tell the complex story are the main problems with the ballet. Characters such as Ferdinand (Joseph Gorak) just walk in unannounced, their characters completely undeveloped. In one section, a group of women walk in dressed in blue with strange headdresses. I couldn't figure out their function, nor could my smarter half (my wife). In another part, very tall thin things (trees, ornaments?) were rolled on stage. I had no idea of their purpose. The costumes reminded me of a Greenwich Village Halloween parade. <br><br> Although I didn’t like the work, I did enjoy the dancing. Marcelo Gomes as Prospero, complemented the lovely Sarah Lane (Miranda, his daughter). Gorak showed his great extension and range as Miranda’s future husband. Herman Cornejo was the grotesque Caliban, an inhabitant of the island, impressive in his beast dance. Daniil Simkin showed his technical prowess, featuring his fine double saute de basques. This is a traveling step in which the dancer turns twice in the air with one foot drawn up to the knee of the other leg. He also showed off his trademark pirouettes to a double tour off one leg. <br><br> See Alistair Macaulay of The New York Times <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/01/arts/dance/american-ballet-theater-opens-its-fall-season.html?ref=alastairmacaulay&amp;_r=0">Alaistair Macaulay of The New York Times,</a> <a href="http://haglundsheel.typepad.com/haglunds_heel/2013/10/abt-opening-night-1030.html">Haglund's Heel,</a> and <a href="http://dancetabs.com/2013/11/american-ballet-theatre-opening-night-gala-tempest-premiere-and-others-new-york/">Marina Harss of DanceTabs</a> for more commentary on The Tempest.
  • Paloma Herrera, Sascha Radetsky, Clear, November 2, 2013 <br><br> Theme and Variations is one of my favorites, having seen this Balanchine classic many times. The work, which Ballet Theatre premiered in 1947, was intended to honor the period when Russian ballet flourished with the aid of Tchaikovsky’s music. <br><br> ABT performed this work Saturday evening with Polina Semionova and Cory Stearns as leads. Polina was outstanding, completely in control and at ease throughout this difficult piece. Tricky segments include a multiple fouetté turn section with alternating arms into a pas de chat jump, a rapid beat section, and double pirouettes from first position into a pas de chat, all requiring rapid fire execution to keep up with the music. Polina pulled off all of these segments with grace and style, one of the best performances that I have seen from her. Her phrasing with her arms was on the mark with the beautiful Tchaikovsky score. <br><br> Cory was fine although not outstanding in his tough solo variations. The challenging section that male dancers dread consists of a diagonal of rond de jamb leaps followed by sissonne jumps and, just when the dancer is running out of gas, a treacherous eight tour/pirouette section. I heard that James Whiteside and Daniil Simkin struggled this season with the tour/pirouette section; Cory safely navigated this section, although traveled some distance during the turns. His rond de jamb section was not exciting or noteworthy, <br><br> The two danced well together in the pas de deux; Polina completed several long balances as she alternated arms with Cory in support before going into a penchée. <br><br> Speaking of Theme, I ran across a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgCareuuxK4">YouTube clip</a> of Baryshnikov and Kirkland from 1978 on PBS. Baryshnikov’s solo at 7:55 is spectacular with his high rond de jamb leaps with alternating arms and perfectly controlled tours. <br><br> Stanton Welch’s Clear (2001) featured Sascha Radetsky, Thomas Forster, Daniel Mantei, and six other male dancers all dressed in tan colored pants and no shirt. Paloma Herrera was the sole female dancer. Although some have have criticized the work as sub-standard, I like the piece, which showcases bravura and adagio male dancing set to a beautiful Bach score. <br><br> Sascha was very good as he showed off his washboard abs and numerous tattoos. The piece features a fouetté section in which the dancer changes his spot from the front, to the side, back, side and front again. He executed this quite well along with turns in other sections. Forster and Mantei are members of the Corps and are featured in several leading roles this fall season. They were paired in a duet to slow music, requiring substantial control. David Hallberg excelled in this role which showed off his substantial extension in a développé section. I enjoyed their adagio section Saturday and I look forward to seeing more of their dancing. Craig Salstein had a nice turn/pirouette section similar to Theme and Variations. Joaquin de Luz, now at New York City Ballet, was my favorite in that role, as he would pull of multiple double tours. <br><br> Paloma Herrera worked well with Sascha and the piece ended with the two in a shrinking spotlight. <br><br> Romeo and Juliet is a successful ballet because the plot is simple, allowing someone unfamiliar with the work to follow the storyline of the ballet. In contrast, I knew The Tempest would be a challenge after I read the synopsis three times and still had problems following the plot and the relationship between the 11 main characters in the ballet. The complexity and short period of time (about 40 minutes) to tell the complex story are the main problems with the ballet. Characters such as Ferdinand (Joseph Gorak) just walk in unannounced, their characters completely undeveloped. In one section, a group of women walk in dressed in blue with strange headdresses. I couldn't figure out their function, nor could my smarter half (my wife). In another part, very tall thin things (trees, ornaments?) were rolled on stage. I had no idea of their purpose. The costumes reminded me of a Greenwich Village Halloween parade. <br><br> Although I didn’t like the work, I did enjoy the dancing. Marcelo Gomes as Prospero, complemented the lovely Sarah Lane (Miranda, his daughter). Gorak showed his great extension and range as Miranda’s future husband. Herman Cornejo was the grotesque Caliban, an inhabitant of the island, impressive in his beast dance. Daniil Simkin showed his technical prowess, featuring his fine double saute de basques. This is a traveling step in which the dancer turns twice in the air with one foot drawn up to the knee of the other leg. He also showed off his trademark pirouettes to a double tour off one leg. <br><br> See Alistair Macaulay of The New York Times <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/01/arts/dance/american-ballet-theater-opens-its-fall-season.html?ref=alastairmacaulay&amp;_r=0">Alaistair Macaulay of The New York Times,</a> <a href="http://haglundsheel.typepad.com/haglunds_heel/2013/10/abt-opening-night-1030.html">Haglund's Heel,</a> and <a href="http://dancetabs.com/2013/11/american-ballet-theatre-opening-night-gala-tempest-premiere-and-others-new-york/">Marina Harss of DanceTabs</a> for more commentary on The Tempest.
  • Herman Cornejo, The Tempest, November 2, 2013 <br><br> Theme and Variations is one of my favorites, having seen this Balanchine classic many times. The work, which Ballet Theatre premiered in 1947, was intended to honor the period when Russian ballet flourished with the aid of Tchaikovsky’s music. <br><br> ABT performed this work Saturday evening with Polina Semionova and Cory Stearns as leads. Polina was outstanding, completely in control and at ease throughout this difficult piece. Tricky segments include a multiple fouetté turn section with alternating arms into a pas de chat jump, a rapid beat section, and double pirouettes from first position into a pas de chat, all requiring rapid fire execution to keep up with the music. Polina pulled off all of these segments with grace and style, one of the best performances that I have seen from her. Her phrasing with her arms was on the mark with the beautiful Tchaikovsky score. <br><br> Cory was fine although not outstanding in his tough solo variations. The challenging section that male dancers dread consists of a diagonal of rond de jamb leaps followed by sissonne jumps and, just when the dancer is running out of gas, a treacherous eight tour/pirouette section. I heard that James Whiteside and Daniil Simkin struggled this season with the tour/pirouette section; Cory safely navigated this section, although traveled some distance during the turns. His rond de jamb section was not exciting or noteworthy, <br><br> The two danced well together in the pas de deux; Polina completed several long balances as she alternated arms with Cory in support before going into a penchée. <br><br> Speaking of Theme, I ran across a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgCareuuxK4">YouTube clip</a> of Baryshnikov and Kirkland from 1978 on PBS. Baryshnikov’s solo at 7:55 is spectacular with his high rond de jamb leaps with alternating arms and perfectly controlled tours. <br><br> Stanton Welch’s Clear (2001) featured Sascha Radetsky, Thomas Forster, Daniel Mantei, and six other male dancers all dressed in tan colored pants and no shirt. Paloma Herrera was the sole female dancer. Although some have have criticized the work as sub-standard, I like the piece, which showcases bravura and adagio male dancing set to a beautiful Bach score. <br><br> Sascha was very good as he showed off his washboard abs and numerous tattoos. The piece features a fouetté section in which the dancer changes his spot from the front, to the side, back, side and front again. He executed this quite well along with turns in other sections. Forster and Mantei are members of the Corps and are featured in several leading roles this fall season. They were paired in a duet to slow music, requiring substantial control. David Hallberg excelled in this role which showed off his substantial extension in a développé section. I enjoyed their adagio section Saturday and I look forward to seeing more of their dancing. Craig Salstein had a nice turn/pirouette section similar to Theme and Variations. Joaquin de Luz, now at New York City Ballet, was my favorite in that role, as he would pull of multiple double tours. <br><br> Paloma Herrera worked well with Sascha and the piece ended with the two in a shrinking spotlight. <br><br> Romeo and Juliet is a successful ballet because the plot is simple, allowing someone unfamiliar with the work to follow the storyline of the ballet. In contrast, I knew The Tempest would be a challenge after I read the synopsis three times and still had problems following the plot and the relationship between the 11 main characters in the ballet. The complexity and short period of time (about 40 minutes) to tell the complex story are the main problems with the ballet. Characters such as Ferdinand (Joseph Gorak) just walk in unannounced, their characters completely undeveloped. In one section, a group of women walk in dressed in blue with strange headdresses. I couldn't figure out their function, nor could my smarter half (my wife). In another part, very tall thin things (trees, ornaments?) were rolled on stage. I had no idea of their purpose. The costumes reminded me of a Greenwich Village Halloween parade. <br><br> Although I didn’t like the work, I did enjoy the dancing. Marcelo Gomes as Prospero, complemented the lovely Sarah Lane (Miranda, his daughter). Gorak showed his great extension and range as Miranda’s future husband. Herman Cornejo was the grotesque Caliban, an inhabitant of the island, impressive in his beast dance. Daniil Simkin showed his technical prowess, featuring his fine double saute de basques. This is a traveling step in which the dancer turns twice in the air with one foot drawn up to the knee of the other leg. He also showed off his trademark pirouettes to a double tour off one leg. <br><br> See Alistair Macaulay of The New York Times <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/01/arts/dance/american-ballet-theater-opens-its-fall-season.html?ref=alastairmacaulay&amp;_r=0">Alaistair Macaulay of The New York Times,</a> <a href="http://haglundsheel.typepad.com/haglunds_heel/2013/10/abt-opening-night-1030.html">Haglund's Heel,</a> and <a href="http://dancetabs.com/2013/11/american-ballet-theatre-opening-night-gala-tempest-premiere-and-others-new-york/">Marina Harss of DanceTabs</a> for more commentary on The Tempest.
  • Marcelo Gomes, The Tempest, November 2, 2013
  • Daniil Simkin, Marcelo Gomes, Herman Cornejo, The Tempest, November 2, 2013
  • Twyla Tharp and Marcelo Gomes, Bach Partita, November 1, 2013 <br><br> I enjoy the contrasts between the ABT fall and spring seasons. The spring season presents full-length classical ballets featuring a limited number of leading dancers providing the bulk of the dancing and dramatic action. By contrast, the fall season showcases a wider range of dancers and repertory. This diversity was on display Friday when ABT performed Les Sylphides, a Michel Fokine work from 1909 set in the Romantic era, and modern works Bach Partita and Gong by Twyla Tharp and Mark Morris, respectively. <br><br> Les Sylphides has no plot and consists of sylphs dancing in the moonlight with a man in white tights, with music that reminds me of Giselle. (Sylphs are mythological creatures in the Western tradition. The term originates in the work of Paracelsus, a Renaissance era physician and founder of the field of toxicology. He described sylphs as invisible beings of the air, which were his elementals of air, according to Wikipedia.) <br><br> The single male in the work is Thomas Forster a member of the Corps getting a shot at a principal role. He was attentive in his partnering of Isabella Boylston, Sarah Lane, and Hee Seo. However, at times during his solo, his upper body was tense, resulting in a slumped over upper body. Sarah Lane was my favorite in this work; the carriage of arms and upper body are key in this ballet and she pulled it off well with light, flowing, airy movements coupled with nice controlled arabesque turns. <br><br> Tharp created Bach Partita for ABT in 1983 and was last performed in 1985. The original cast consisted of Cynthia Gregory, Martine van Hamel, Magali Messac (alternating with Cynthia Harvey), Fernando Bujones, Clark Tippet and Robert La Fosse. <a href="http://dancetabs.com/2013/10/bringing-twyla-tharps-bach-partita-back/" rel="nofollow">Marina Harss of DanceTabs</a> explains another challenge of simply re-creating the steps: <br><br> “There were two tapes of Partita. One, a recording of a rehearsal, was made before the ballet was complete, on a day when several dancers were unavailable. The other was a performance tape taken from the back of the cavernous Metropolitan Opera House. The tiny dancers were barely visible because of the brightness of the stage lights. In a painstaking process that lasted over a year, Jones went back and forth between the two, writing down every step in her own shorthand. The notes fill two binders. At a recent rehearsal, she flipped through the pages to confirm detail (“there, the heel is on the floor, not off”), and logistics (“hold her waist for the promenade”). Certain dancers, like the corps member Luciana Paris, seemed to pick up the nuances immediately, becoming the go-to person for everyone else. “Did we do it like this or like this?” someone would ask, and she would quickly sketch out the passage, while counting. Jones welcomed her input. In rehearsal she is unflappable, firm but kind.” <br><br> ABT performed the revival premier Friday. The piece is set to Bach’s Partita in D minor, “…a thirty-minute virtuoso showpiece for solo violin. It is considered one of the greatest works ever written for the instrument,” according to Harsse. 25-year old Charles Yang was at the helm, standing on a raised platform, facing a monitor so he could see what the dancers were doing. I didn’t see him looking at music sheets. Did he commit the entire 30-minute piece to memory? <br><br> The leads were Polina Semionova/James Whiteside, Gillian Murphy/Marcelo Gomes, and Stella Abrera/Calvin Royal III. The piece is indeed complicated, with the leads performing in short bursts to be replaced by other leads and cast members. Sometimes the leads would perform together, on their own, and with other cast members. Other cast members included Misty Copeland, Joseph Gorak, Luciana Paris, and Craig Salstein. <br><br> Gillian Murphy stood out, making full use of per prodigious turning skills. With Marcelo, her finger turns and supported turns seemed to last forever with the music her only limitation. Polina and Whiteside made a good pair. At one point, I thought that Polina grazed Whiteside’s head with a long-reaching arabesque as he supported her. This may be an occupational hazard dancing with the limber and long-legged Polina. She is one of my favorites with her great line and expressiveness. I’ve only seen Whiteside once, as Ali the Slave in Le Corsair. He does have very quick, rapid turns and an aggressive style, although I am not completely sold on his dancing due to his unique mannerisms. Stella excelled at the rapid footwork and worked well with Calvin. They had an intricate and unique partnering section that drew a few gasps from the audience. Like Forster in Les Sylphides, Calvin is a Corps member and it is nice to see younger members getting top billing. His dancing was technically solid but not exciting, a trait that he will likely develop with seasoning. <br><br> The bows were emotional as Twyla and Jones made appearances on stage and exchanged hugs, along with the dancers and violinist Yang. I enjoyed this piece and, given all the work that went into the revival, it would be a shame to wait another 28 years to see it again. <br><br> Mark Morris’s Gong, created for ABT in 2001, closed out the evening. This was the second Friday evening in two weeks that I’ve seen a Morris work-two weeks ago San Francisco Ballet performed Beaux. Gong, like Beaux, features brightly colored, humorous costumes by Isaac Mizrahi. <br><br> With my sweeping view of the stage from the second balcony, my brain tried to keep track of all of the combinations of dancers as they hurriedly entered and exited the stage, seeming to go somewhere. It seemed chaotic, but in an organized way, if that makes any sense. After several segments of loud, discordant music, the lights dimmed and a couple danced in silence to a dark stage lit by three side lights. I couldn’t make out the dancers, but it was a unique touch. In another section, a front light highlighted the dancers’ large shadows at the rear of the stage, a play on Indonesian shadow puppetry. Several sources suggest that Gong is influenced by Indonesian culture. Marcelo and Misty Copeland stood out in another darkly lit silent pas de deux which featured difficult multiple lifts from arabesque. Herman Cornejo made an appearance, with seven jazz-style pirouettes. <br><br> Gillian, Marcelo, Misty, Stella, and Whiteside earned their pay Friday as they were featured in both Bach Partita and Gong, both difficult and tiring works. <br><br> Gong was entertaining with comical costumes, varied dance patterns and themes, ranging from fast paced action set to loud music to slow pas de deux in silence to dim lighting. I look forward to seeing it again next Saturday evening, as this is a work that rewards multiple viewings.
  • Twyla Tharp and Susan Jones, Bach Partita, November 1, 2013 <br><br> I enjoy the contrasts between the ABT fall and spring seasons. The spring season presents full-length classical ballets featuring a limited number of leading dancers providing the bulk of the dancing and dramatic action. By contrast, the fall season showcases a wider range of dancers and repertory. This diversity was on display Friday when ABT performed Les Sylphides, a Michel Fokine work from 1909 set in the Romantic era, and modern works Bach Partita and Gong by Twyla Tharp and Mark Morris, respectively. <br><br> Les Sylphides has no plot and consists of sylphs dancing in the moonlight with a man in white tights, with music that reminds me of Giselle. (Sylphs are mythological creatures in the Western tradition. The term originates in the work of Paracelsus, a Renaissance era physician and founder of the field of toxicology. He described sylphs as invisible beings of the air, which were his elementals of air, according to Wikipedia.) <br><br> The single male in the work is Thomas Forster a member of the Corps getting a shot at a principal role. He was attentive in his partnering of Isabella Boylston, Sarah Lane, and Hee Seo. However, at times during his solo, his upper body was tense, resulting in a slumped over upper body. Sarah Lane was my favorite in this work; the carriage of arms and upper body are key in this ballet and she pulled it off well with light, flowing, airy movements coupled with nice controlled arabesque turns. <br><br> Tharp created Bach Partita for ABT in 1983 and was last performed in 1985. The original cast consisted of Cynthia Gregory, Martine van Hamel, Magali Messac (alternating with Cynthia Harvey), Fernando Bujones, Clark Tippet and Robert La Fosse. <a href="http://dancetabs.com/2013/10/bringing-twyla-tharps-bach-partita-back/" rel="nofollow">Marina Harss of DanceTabs</a> explains another challenge of simply re-creating the steps: <br><br> “There were two tapes of Partita. One, a recording of a rehearsal, was made before the ballet was complete, on a day when several dancers were unavailable. The other was a performance tape taken from the back of the cavernous Metropolitan Opera House. The tiny dancers were barely visible because of the brightness of the stage lights. In a painstaking process that lasted over a year, Jones went back and forth between the two, writing down every step in her own shorthand. The notes fill two binders. At a recent rehearsal, she flipped through the pages to confirm detail (“there, the heel is on the floor, not off”), and logistics (“hold her waist for the promenade”). Certain dancers, like the corps member Luciana Paris, seemed to pick up the nuances immediately, becoming the go-to person for everyone else. “Did we do it like this or like this?” someone would ask, and she would quickly sketch out the passage, while counting. Jones welcomed her input. In rehearsal she is unflappable, firm but kind.” <br><br> ABT performed the revival premier Friday. The piece is set to Bach’s Partita in D minor, “…a thirty-minute virtuoso showpiece for solo violin. It is considered one of the greatest works ever written for the instrument,” according to Harsse. 25-year old Charles Yang was at the helm, standing on a raised platform, facing a monitor so he could see what the dancers were doing. I didn’t see him looking at music sheets. Did he commit the entire 30-minute piece to memory? <br><br> The leads were Polina Semionova/James Whiteside, Gillian Murphy/Marcelo Gomes, and Stella Abrera/Calvin Royal III. The piece is indeed complicated, with the leads performing in short bursts to be replaced by other leads and cast members. Sometimes the leads would perform together, on their own, and with other cast members. Other cast members included Misty Copeland, Joseph Gorak, Luciana Paris, and Craig Salstein. <br><br> Gillian Murphy stood out, making full use of per prodigious turning skills. With Marcelo, her finger turns and supported turns seemed to last forever with the music her only limitation. Polina and Whiteside made a good pair. At one point, I thought that Polina grazed Whiteside’s head with a long-reaching arabesque as he supported her. This may be an occupational hazard dancing with the limber and long-legged Polina. She is one of my favorites with her great line and expressiveness. I’ve only seen Whiteside once, as Ali the Slave in Le Corsair. He does have very quick, rapid turns and an aggressive style, although I am not completely sold on his dancing due to his unique mannerisms. Stella excelled at the rapid footwork and worked well with Calvin. They had an intricate and unique partnering section that drew a few gasps from the audience. Like Forster in Les Sylphides, Calvin is a Corps member and it is nice to see younger members getting top billing. His dancing was technically solid but not exciting, a trait that he will likely develop with seasoning. <br><br> The bows were emotional as Twyla and Jones made appearances on stage and exchanged hugs, along with the dancers and violinist Yang. I enjoyed this piece and, given all the work that went into the revival, it would be a shame to wait another 28 years to see it again. <br><br> Mark Morris’s Gong, created for ABT in 2001, closed out the evening. This was the second Friday evening in two weeks that I’ve seen a Morris work-two weeks ago San Francisco Ballet performed Beaux. Gong, like Beaux, features brightly colored, humorous costumes by Isaac Mizrahi. <br><br> With my sweeping view of the stage from the second balcony, my brain tried to keep track of all of the combinations of dancers as they hurriedly entered and exited the stage, seeming to go somewhere. It seemed chaotic, but in an organized way, if that makes any sense. After several segments of loud, discordant music, the lights dimmed and a couple danced in silence to a dark stage lit by three side lights. I couldn’t make out the dancers, but it was a unique touch. In another section, a front light highlighted the dancers’ large shadows at the rear of the stage, a play on Indonesian shadow puppetry. Several sources suggest that Gong is influenced by Indonesian culture. Marcelo and Misty Copeland stood out in another darkly lit silent pas de deux which featured difficult multiple lifts from arabesque. Herman Cornejo made an appearance, with seven jazz-style pirouettes. <br><br> Gillian, Marcelo, Misty, Stella, and Whiteside earned their pay Friday as they were featured in both Bach Partita and Gong, both difficult and tiring works. <br><br> Gong was entertaining with comical costumes, varied dance patterns and themes, ranging from fast paced action set to loud music to slow pas de deux in silence to dim lighting. I look forward to seeing it again next Saturday evening, as this is a work that rewards multiple viewings.
  • Charles Yang, Bach Partita, November 1, 2013 <br><br> I enjoy the contrasts between the ABT fall and spring seasons. The spring season presents full-length classical ballets featuring a limited number of leading dancers providing the bulk of the dancing and dramatic action. By contrast, the fall season showcases a wider range of dancers and repertory. This diversity was on display Friday when ABT performed Les Sylphides, a Michel Fokine work from 1909 set in the Romantic era, and modern works Bach Partita and Gong by Twyla Tharp and Mark Morris, respectively. <br><br> Les Sylphides has no plot and consists of sylphs dancing in the moonlight with a man in white tights, with music that reminds me of Giselle. (Sylphs are mythological creatures in the Western tradition. The term originates in the work of Paracelsus, a Renaissance era physician and founder of the field of toxicology. He described sylphs as invisible beings of the air, which were his elementals of air, according to Wikipedia.) <br><br> The single male in the work is Thomas Forster a member of the Corps getting a shot at a principal role. He was attentive in his partnering of Isabella Boylston, Sarah Lane, and Hee Seo. However, at times during his solo, his upper body was tense, resulting in a slumped over upper body. Sarah Lane was my favorite in this work; the carriage of arms and upper body are key in this ballet and she pulled it off well with light, flowing, airy movements coupled with nice controlled arabesque turns. <br><br> Tharp created Bach Partita for ABT in 1983 and was last performed in 1985. The original cast consisted of Cynthia Gregory, Martine van Hamel, Magali Messac (alternating with Cynthia Harvey), Fernando Bujones, Clark Tippet and Robert La Fosse. <a href="http://dancetabs.com/2013/10/bringing-twyla-tharps-bach-partita-back/" rel="nofollow">Marina Harss of DanceTabs</a> explains another challenge of simply re-creating the steps: <br><br> “There were two tapes of Partita. One, a recording of a rehearsal, was made before the ballet was complete, on a day when several dancers were unavailable. The other was a performance tape taken from the back of the cavernous Metropolitan Opera House. The tiny dancers were barely visible because of the brightness of the stage lights. In a painstaking process that lasted over a year, Jones went back and forth between the two, writing down every step in her own shorthand. The notes fill two binders. At a recent rehearsal, she flipped through the pages to confirm detail (“there, the heel is on the floor, not off”), and logistics (“hold her waist for the promenade”). Certain dancers, like the corps member Luciana Paris, seemed to pick up the nuances immediately, becoming the go-to person for everyone else. “Did we do it like this or like this?” someone would ask, and she would quickly sketch out the passage, while counting. Jones welcomed her input. In rehearsal she is unflappable, firm but kind.” <br><br> ABT performed the revival premier Friday. The piece is set to Bach’s Partita in D minor, “…a thirty-minute virtuoso showpiece for solo violin. It is considered one of the greatest works ever written for the instrument,” according to Harsse. 25-year old Charles Yang was at the helm, standing on a raised platform, facing a monitor so he could see what the dancers were doing. I didn’t see him looking at music sheets. Did he commit the entire 30-minute piece to memory? <br><br> The leads were Polina Semionova/James Whiteside, Gillian Murphy/Marcelo Gomes, and Stella Abrera/Calvin Royal III. The piece is indeed complicated, with the leads performing in short bursts to be replaced by other leads and cast members. Sometimes the leads would perform together, on their own, and with other cast members. Other cast members included Misty Copeland, Joseph Gorak, Luciana Paris, and Craig Salstein. <br><br> Gillian Murphy stood out, making full use of per prodigious turning skills. With Marcelo, her finger turns and supported turns seemed to last forever with the music her only limitation. Polina and Whiteside made a good pair. At one point, I thought that Polina grazed Whiteside’s head with a long-reaching arabesque as he supported her. This may be an occupational hazard dancing with the limber and long-legged Polina. She is one of my favorites with her great line and expressiveness. I’ve only seen Whiteside once, as Ali the Slave in Le Corsair. He does have very quick, rapid turns and an aggressive style, although I am not completely sold on his dancing due to his unique mannerisms. Stella excelled at the rapid footwork and worked well with Calvin. They had an intricate and unique partnering section that drew a few gasps from the audience. Like Forster in Les Sylphides, Calvin is a Corps member and it is nice to see younger members getting top billing. His dancing was technically solid but not exciting, a trait that he will likely develop with seasoning. <br><br> The bows were emotional as Twyla and Jones made appearances on stage and exchanged hugs, along with the dancers and violinist Yang. I enjoyed this piece and, given all the work that went into the revival, it would be a shame to wait another 28 years to see it again. <br><br> Mark Morris’s Gong, created for ABT in 2001, closed out the evening. This was the second Friday evening in two weeks that I’ve seen a Morris work-two weeks ago San Francisco Ballet performed Beaux. Gong, like Beaux, features brightly colored, humorous costumes by Isaac Mizrahi. <br><br> With my sweeping view of the stage from the second balcony, my brain tried to keep track of all of the combinations of dancers as they hurriedly entered and exited the stage, seeming to go somewhere. It seemed chaotic, but in an organized way, if that makes any sense. After several segments of loud, discordant music, the lights dimmed and a couple danced in silence to a dark stage lit by three side lights. I couldn’t make out the dancers, but it was a unique touch. In another section, a front light highlighted the dancers’ large shadows at the rear of the stage, a play on Indonesian shadow puppetry. Several sources suggest that Gong is influenced by Indonesian culture. Marcelo and Misty Copeland stood out in another darkly lit silent pas de deux which featured difficult multiple lifts from arabesque. Herman Cornejo made an appearance, with seven jazz-style pirouettes. <br><br> Gillian, Marcelo, Misty, Stella, and Whiteside earned their pay Friday as they were featured in both Bach Partita and Gong, both difficult and tiring works. <br><br> Gong was entertaining with comical costumes, varied dance patterns and themes, ranging from fast paced action set to loud music to slow pas de deux in silence to dim lighting. I look forward to seeing it again next Saturday evening, as this is a work that rewards multiple viewings.
  • Charles Yang, Gillian Murphy, Marcelo Gomes, Bach Partita, November 1, 2013 <br><br> I enjoy the contrasts between the ABT fall and spring seasons. The spring season presents full-length classical ballets featuring a limited number of leading dancers providing the bulk of the dancing and dramatic action. By contrast, the fall season showcases a wider range of dancers and repertory. This diversity was on display Friday when ABT performed Les Sylphides, a Michel Fokine work from 1909 set in the Romantic era, and modern works Bach Partita and Gong by Twyla Tharp and Mark Morris, respectively. <br><br> Les Sylphides has no plot and consists of sylphs dancing in the moonlight with a man in white tights, with music that reminds me of Giselle. (Sylphs are mythological creatures in the Western tradition. The term originates in the work of Paracelsus, a Renaissance era physician and founder of the field of toxicology. He described sylphs as invisible beings of the air, which were his elementals of air, according to Wikipedia.) <br><br> The single male in the work is Thomas Forster a member of the Corps getting a shot at a principal role. He was attentive in his partnering of Isabella Boylston, Sarah Lane, and Hee Seo. However, at times during his solo, his upper body was tense, resulting in a slumped over upper body. Sarah Lane was my favorite in this work; the carriage of arms and upper body are key in this ballet and she pulled it off well with light, flowing, airy movements coupled with nice controlled arabesque turns. <br><br> Tharp created Bach Partita for ABT in 1983 and was last performed in 1985. The original cast consisted of Cynthia Gregory, Martine van Hamel, Magali Messac (alternating with Cynthia Harvey), Fernando Bujones, Clark Tippet and Robert La Fosse. <a href="http://dancetabs.com/2013/10/bringing-twyla-tharps-bach-partita-back/" rel="nofollow">Marina Harss of DanceTabs</a> explains another challenge of simply re-creating the steps: <br><br> “There were two tapes of Partita. One, a recording of a rehearsal, was made before the ballet was complete, on a day when several dancers were unavailable. The other was a performance tape taken from the back of the cavernous Metropolitan Opera House. The tiny dancers were barely visible because of the brightness of the stage lights. In a painstaking process that lasted over a year, Jones went back and forth between the two, writing down every step in her own shorthand. The notes fill two binders. At a recent rehearsal, she flipped through the pages to confirm detail (“there, the heel is on the floor, not off”), and logistics (“hold her waist for the promenade”). Certain dancers, like the corps member Luciana Paris, seemed to pick up the nuances immediately, becoming the go-to person for everyone else. “Did we do it like this or like this?” someone would ask, and she would quickly sketch out the passage, while counting. Jones welcomed her input. In rehearsal she is unflappable, firm but kind.” <br><br> ABT performed the revival premier Friday. The piece is set to Bach’s Partita in D minor, “…a thirty-minute virtuoso showpiece for solo violin. It is considered one of the greatest works ever written for the instrument,” according to Harsse. 25-year old Charles Yang was at the helm, standing on a raised platform, facing a monitor so he could see what the dancers were doing. I didn’t see him looking at music sheets. Did he commit the entire 30-minute piece to memory? <br><br> The leads were Polina Semionova/James Whiteside, Gillian Murphy/Marcelo Gomes, and Stella Abrera/Calvin Royal III. The piece is indeed complicated, with the leads performing in short bursts to be replaced by other leads and cast members. Sometimes the leads would perform together, on their own, and with other cast members. Other cast members included Misty Copeland, Joseph Gorak, Luciana Paris, and Craig Salstein. <br><br> Gillian Murphy stood out, making full use of per prodigious turning skills. With Marcelo, her finger turns and supported turns seemed to last forever with the music her only limitation. Polina and Whiteside made a good pair. At one point, I thought that Polina grazed Whiteside’s head with a long-reaching arabesque as he supported her. This may be an occupational hazard dancing with the limber and long-legged Polina. She is one of my favorites with her great line and expressiveness. I’ve only seen Whiteside once, as Ali the Slave in Le Corsair. He does have very quick, rapid turns and an aggressive style, although I am not completely sold on his dancing due to his unique mannerisms. Stella excelled at the rapid footwork and worked well with Calvin. They had an intricate and unique partnering section that drew a few gasps from the audience. Like Forster in Les Sylphides, Calvin is a Corps member and it is nice to see younger members getting top billing. His dancing was technically solid but not exciting, a trait that he will likely develop with seasoning. <br><br> The bows were emotional as Twyla and Jones made appearances on stage and exchanged hugs, along with the dancers and violinist Yang. I enjoyed this piece and, given all the work that went into the revival, it would be a shame to wait another 28 years to see it again. <br><br> Mark Morris’s Gong, created for ABT in 2001, closed out the evening. This was the second Friday evening in two weeks that I’ve seen a Morris work-two weeks ago San Francisco Ballet performed Beaux. Gong, like Beaux, features brightly colored, humorous costumes by Isaac Mizrahi. <br><br> With my sweeping view of the stage from the second balcony, my brain tried to keep track of all of the combinations of dancers as they hurriedly entered and exited the stage, seeming to go somewhere. It seemed chaotic, but in an organized way, if that makes any sense. After several segments of loud, discordant music, the lights dimmed and a couple danced in silence to a dark stage lit by three side lights. I couldn’t make out the dancers, but it was a unique touch. In another section, a front light highlighted the dancers’ large shadows at the rear of the stage, a play on Indonesian shadow puppetry. Several sources suggest that Gong is influenced by Indonesian culture. Marcelo and Misty Copeland stood out in another darkly lit silent pas de deux which featured difficult multiple lifts from arabesque. Herman Cornejo made an appearance, with seven jazz-style pirouettes. <br><br> Gillian, Marcelo, Misty, Stella, and Whiteside earned their pay Friday as they were featured in both Bach Partita and Gong, both difficult and tiring works. <br><br> Gong was entertaining with comical costumes, varied dance patterns and themes, ranging from fast paced action set to loud music to slow pas de deux in silence to dim lighting. I look forward to seeing it again next Saturday evening, as this is a work that rewards multiple viewings.
  • Misty Copeland, Gong, November 1, 2013 <br><br> I enjoy the contrasts between the ABT fall and spring seasons. The spring season presents full-length classical ballets featuring a limited number of leading dancers providing the bulk of the dancing and dramatic action. By contrast, the fall season showcases a wider range of dancers and repertory. This diversity was on display Friday when ABT performed Les Sylphides, a Michel Fokine work from 1909 set in the Romantic era, and modern works Bach Partita and Gong by Twyla Tharp and Mark Morris, respectively. <br><br> Les Sylphides has no plot and consists of sylphs dancing in the moonlight with a man in white tights, with music that reminds me of Giselle. (Sylphs are mythological creatures in the Western tradition. The term originates in the work of Paracelsus, a Renaissance era physician and founder of the field of toxicology. He described sylphs as invisible beings of the air, which were his elementals of air, according to Wikipedia.) <br><br> The single male in the work is Thomas Forster a member of the Corps getting a shot at a principal role. He was attentive in his partnering of Isabella Boylston, Sarah Lane, and Hee Seo. However, at times during his solo, his upper body was tense, resulting in a slumped over upper body. Sarah Lane was my favorite in this work; the carriage of arms and upper body are key in this ballet and she pulled it off well with light, flowing, airy movements coupled with nice controlled arabesque turns. <br><br> Tharp created Bach Partita for ABT in 1983 and was last performed in 1985. The original cast consisted of Cynthia Gregory, Martine van Hamel, Magali Messac (alternating with Cynthia Harvey), Fernando Bujones, Clark Tippet and Robert La Fosse. <a href="http://dancetabs.com/2013/10/bringing-twyla-tharps-bach-partita-back/" rel="nofollow">Marina Harss of DanceTabs</a> explains another challenge of simply re-creating the steps: <br><br> “There were two tapes of Partita. One, a recording of a rehearsal, was made before the ballet was complete, on a day when several dancers were unavailable. The other was a performance tape taken from the back of the cavernous Metropolitan Opera House. The tiny dancers were barely visible because of the brightness of the stage lights. In a painstaking process that lasted over a year, Jones went back and forth between the two, writing down every step in her own shorthand. The notes fill two binders. At a recent rehearsal, she flipped through the pages to confirm detail (“there, the heel is on the floor, not off”), and logistics (“hold her waist for the promenade”). Certain dancers, like the corps member Luciana Paris, seemed to pick up the nuances immediately, becoming the go-to person for everyone else. “Did we do it like this or like this?” someone would ask, and she would quickly sketch out the passage, while counting. Jones welcomed her input. In rehearsal she is unflappable, firm but kind.” <br><br> ABT performed the revival premier Friday. The piece is set to Bach’s Partita in D minor, “…a thirty-minute virtuoso showpiece for solo violin. It is considered one of the greatest works ever written for the instrument,” according to Harsse. 25-year old Charles Yang was at the helm, standing on a raised platform, facing a monitor so he could see what the dancers were doing. I didn’t see him looking at music sheets. Did he commit the entire 30-minute piece to memory? <br><br> The leads were Polina Semionova/James Whiteside, Gillian Murphy/Marcelo Gomes, and Stella Abrera/Calvin Royal III. The piece is indeed complicated, with the leads performing in short bursts to be replaced by other leads and cast members. Sometimes the leads would perform together, on their own, and with other cast members. Other cast members included Misty Copeland, Joseph Gorak, Luciana Paris, and Craig Salstein. <br><br> Gillian Murphy stood out, making full use of per prodigious turning skills. With Marcelo, her finger turns and supported turns seemed to last forever with the music her only limitation. Polina and Whiteside made a good pair. At one point, I thought that Polina grazed Whiteside’s head with a long-reaching arabesque as he supported her. This may be an occupational hazard dancing with the limber and long-legged Polina. She is one of my favorites with her great line and expressiveness. I’ve only seen Whiteside once, as Ali the Slave in Le Corsair. He does have very quick, rapid turns and an aggressive style, although I am not completely sold on his dancing due to his unique mannerisms. Stella excelled at the rapid footwork and worked well with Calvin. They had an intricate and unique partnering section that drew a few gasps from the audience. Like Forster in Les Sylphides, Calvin is a Corps member and it is nice to see younger members getting top billing. His dancing was technically solid but not exciting, a trait that he will likely develop with seasoning. <br><br> The bows were emotional as Twyla and Jones made appearances on stage and exchanged hugs, along with the dancers and violinist Yang. I enjoyed this piece and, given all the work that went into the revival, it would be a shame to wait another 28 years to see it again. <br><br> Mark Morris’s Gong, created for ABT in 2001, closed out the evening. This was the second Friday evening in two weeks that I’ve seen a Morris work-two weeks ago San Francisco Ballet performed Beaux. Gong, like Beaux, features brightly colored, humorous costumes by Isaac Mizrahi. <br><br> With my sweeping view of the stage from the second balcony, my brain tried to keep track of all of the combinations of dancers as they hurriedly entered and exited the stage, seeming to go somewhere. It seemed chaotic, but in an organized way, if that makes any sense. After several segments of loud, discordant music, the lights dimmed and a couple danced in silence to a dark stage lit by three side lights. I couldn’t make out the dancers, but it was a unique touch. In another section, a front light highlighted the dancers’ large shadows at the rear of the stage, a play on Indonesian shadow puppetry. Several sources suggest that Gong is influenced by Indonesian culture. Marcelo and Misty Copeland stood out in another darkly lit silent pas de deux which featured difficult multiple lifts from arabesque. Herman Cornejo made an appearance, with seven jazz-style pirouettes. <br><br> Gillian, Marcelo, Misty, Stella, and Whiteside earned their pay Friday as they were featured in both Bach Partita and Gong, both difficult and tiring works. <br><br> Gong was entertaining with comical costumes, varied dance patterns and themes, ranging from fast paced action set to loud music to slow pas de deux in silence to dim lighting. I look forward to seeing it again next Saturday evening, as this is a work that rewards multiple viewings.
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