DanceMetros

BalletXmas’time

Wilma Theater, Philadelphia

Dec. 4-15, 2019

http://www.balletx.org

A scene from Jo Strømgren‘s The Moon
photo credits: Bill Hebert

BalletX artistic director Christine Cox requested holiday themes from choreographers Jo Strømgren and Matthew Neenan that would have their premieres for two weeks in December at the Wilma Theater. Strømgren created ‘The Moon’ a dance-space odyssey, and Neenan ‘s ‘Twelve Bells’ mused on more traditional yuletide dance scenarios. All things being relative– both making the point everybody does not have such a best time observing holiday traditions.

Norwegian choreographer Jo Strømgren is a prolific theater and opera director, and ‘The Moon’ is choreographed around a spoken drama about astronauts played by Andrea Yorita and Zachary Kapeluck who are winding down their space mission and get back to earth for the holidays.   They chat about his marriage breaking up, as good flirty colleagues would do, when their spaceship runs into a meteor shower and they are knocked off course.

Meanwhile, Strømgren has the other eight BalletX dancers behind this narrative moving in abstract configurations, that can also seem to be expressive of the astronauts’ emotional desires and fears. Whether they are meant as Greek dance chorus or just bodies moving in weightless space, the choreography just keeps evolving in such dynamic ways- with streaming duets, trios, and hypnotic group motion in what seems like a gravity less stage.

The choreographic flow is so dynamic that it overshadows Strømgren’s domestic drama. The choreography and the performances by these dancers, is so dynamic without any literal translation, that the astronaught story is a bit lost in space.

Yorita and Kapeluck outpace the pedestrian dialogue as consummate actor-dancers that they are. Eventually, they shuck their spacesuits and join the ensemble.

Strogmen’s MOON choreographic landing

Jorge Cousineau’s video projection of looming images of the moon surface, and the vastness between, with the earth in the distance. The cinematic interplay between dancing bodies moving in space is captivating. Composer Mette Henriette’s is musically intriguing, and jarring cine-sonics substreams used to great effect in tandem with the visuals.

Neenan’s ‘Twelve Bells’

Neenan’s ‘Twelve Bells’ chimes in

Matthew Neenan’s ‘Twelve Bells’ opens with Chloe Perkes in front of a scrim in a vanity chair looking forlorn in a yellow skirt and pointe shoes, she piques across the floor, before she flops on the floor and ties up her limbs in frustration. Behind the scrim, the other dancers paint a mosaic in slow partying motion and she decides to join them.

Composers Rosie Langabeer (in her 4th collaboration with the company) and Tara Middleton perform their score of songs, a mix of holiday ballades and campy instrumentals.  Both are also vocalists and multi-instrumentalist and they move around the stage in various tableaux along with bassist Josh Machiz.

Neenan lacing in comedy and technically demanding pointe work for Perkes. In a gorgeous combination Perkes pull up from a deep lunging position on one leg, a pure strength move that can be very precarious on one toeshoe.

Perkes’ character is stressed out, but then dresses for the party in a gorgeous pink tulle, tights and toe-shoes ensemble. Andie Yorita sits at a keyboard and solemnly decorating a Christmas tree, but forlornly knocks it over. Meanwhile, Roderick Pfeifer and Blake Krapels portray a gay couple at the party who are having the best time, rolling on the floor in their own love hangover, rescuing the tree that Yorita had put up and then in despair knocked down. Wonderful to see an unambiguous duet by a same-sex couple reflected on the dance stage.

Richard Villaverde returned to BalletX earlier last season after a hiatus and is in top form, an athletic and lyrical dancer, he danced full force in both ballets. 

As the ensemble gathers around the singers, Yorita dances alone, still separating herself from the festivities. And they have the moves for some organ grinding basso nova beat by Rosie Langabeer. 

Meanwhile, a party breaks out with Neenan responding choreographically with witty showdance ala Shindig circa 1966. Neenan’s has comic dance signatures, (flat-footing pointe work come to mind) but in ‘Twelve Bells’ he fuels it with breezy balletics mixed with free dance moves (some evoking the 60s ala Shindig) and keeps his more familiar moves packed away.  

Neenan weighs in with a predictable editorial on the commercialism of the holiday season, with dancers prancing around with gift bags, ‘Look what I got’ flaunting or sneering at the contents.  A chance for the dancers to show off their swag and swagger. Meanwhile, costume designer Christine Darsh’s sharp eye for millennial urban chic gives BalletX dancers fabulous couture in this or any other holiday season.

This is Neenan whimsical, warm and choreographically unfussy, and another romp with dancers onstage with musicians. And perhaps a somber coda by the dancers in Neenan’s ringing of the bells finale.

BalletMetros

Tags

Balanchine, BALLET, classical dance, dancers

Mr. B’s Nutcracker dances on

Pennsylvania Ballet

George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker

at the Academy of Music, Philadelphia PA through Dec. 31

http://www.paballet.org

Artists of the Pennsylvania Ballet
Photo credits: Alexander Iziliaev

 For years Pennsylvania Ballet’s production of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker had little competition from other live productions, but now all through December there is a bounty of holiday fare (and alternatives) to choose from.   But, The Nutcracker remains one of the biggest audience draws, a family affair for many, and if the Dec. 8 performance was any indication it has turned into Saturday date night for both young straight and gay couples.

Pennsylvania Ballet is one of only a few companies that is licensed to perform it, (in the current version since 1987) and some years have been better than others but consistently solid revivals even with some inevitably rote performances during the near month long run. And part of the reason was the ballet itself. 

Act I can lumber along if everything isn’t moving with character energy as the adults socialize with each other, while their children play games, open presents, before the guests break into a tepid parlor mazurka. Then there is E.T.A. Hoffman’s scary Russian 1816 folk tale about a young girl’s Marie’s fantasy dream about her toy Nutcracker coming to life and battling the Mouse King, can come off as too bizarre or even campy.

Marie’s brother Fritz is the bad boy little brother and otherwise the life of this dull holiday party. Herr Drosselmeier enters with his oversized toy boxes with his life-size dancer dolls. First the Concubines in a charmingly mechanical duet. Next the toy soldier is wound up and dancing to Tchaikovsky’s symphonic march by Ashton Roxander with steely eyed (and haunting) precision,  Later Roxander is the sinewy hoop jumping commando of the buoyant Candy Cane troupe.

Charles Askegard doesn’t modernize Herr Drosselmeier, he gives a vintage classic performance punctuated with pantomime of old world theatricals.

Balanchine’s minted version had its premiere on New York City Ballet in 1954. It remains an amalgam of Russian classical ballet from the Imperial Ballet school of his youth, but in a more streamlined Americanized version. The Dewdrop scene, for instance, has the luster of clever showdance that Balanchine was fond of after working in Hollywood and the Broadway stage.  Still, by now this 50s classic can look dated to contemporary audiences.

The ballet kicks into high gear at the end of act I as when the ballerina snowflakes blow through the corps de ballet Snowflakes scene.   The voices of the mighty Philadelphia Boys Choir serenading the dancers from the Academy’s balcony boxes. The Snowflakes fly, in this choreographically intricate scene with its breezy, quicksilver pointe work and unison patterns that keep evolving. The PABallet corps de ballet women danced it with in this precision and glittering esprit.

Since becoming PABallet artistic director Angel Corella has been polishing Act I to make it more animated within the aesthetic requirements of the Balanchine Trust. Also fueling performance vigor throughout the run by rotating five lead casts in the principal dance roles as well as switching off plum character roles among the soloists, demi-soloists and corps de ballet, and most vital, sharper focus on the technical aspects of Balanchine’s neoclassicism.

And the Act II Divertissements allows for vintage Russian choreographic magic by Balanchine. Among the standout soloists in this performance.

Sydney Dolan commanded as Dewdrop, with mile-high battement, and breezy jetes and point work. A little jagged transitional phrases, but overall a gives a dazzling performance.  

Russell Drucker and Marjorie Feiring flawless in their deportment of European drawing room hosts, get to let loose in the Act II with Drucker as a clown drag diva Mother Ginger, with her 8 Polichinelles children dancing out from under her skirt.  And Feiring proves the sultriest spell (and technique) as Coffee in the Arabian dance solo.

Balanchine’s most lustrous classicism is built into the grand pas de deux in the Nutcracker finale, danced by principals Mayara Pineiro and Zecheng LIang as The Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier. Thrilling pacing and clarity of movement by these dancers in their technical and interpretive artistry. Liang is a muscled and a lyrical prince.  He can execute adagio grande pirouettes as controlled and centered before he pumps them out at high speed.  His circular jete run around the Academy stage is one for the books. Pineiro arabesques are diamond hard, her pirouette runs and expressive carriage is riveting prima ballerina classicism .

And kudos to all of the child performers, many attending PABallet’s school of dance. Ellie Sidlow as Marie and Aoile Mary DiPalma her little brother (and scene stealing mischief maker) Fritz. Rowan Duffy returns as Drosselmeier’s gallant Nephew/Nutcracker.

Ballet Orchestra Conductor Beatrice Jona Affron detailing and pacing with the dancers sumptuous.  Tchaikovsky’s vibrant symphonic rhythms fueled by Ballet Orchestra’s percussion line, pulsing through the strings and powering those flute arabesques. Among the outstanding soloists in the Academy pit, Harpist Mindy Cutcher, violinist Luigi Mazzocchi who once again makes Tchaikovsky’s violin lines breathtaking every year.