Ballet X will repeat its performance on Sunday at the Spa Little Theater in Saratoga Spa State Park. X represents the unknown. Yet Ballet X revealed its dazzling colors on Saturday night at the Spa Little Theater.
This contemporary dance ensemble blazed across the stage in a program that left its audience tipping back on its heels after witnessing its versatility, speed and heartiness. In a program of works by Jorma Elo, Jamar Roberts and Jennifer Archibald, Ballet X demonstrated that it can’t be pinned down – rather it’s a servant to the many choreographers and styles who meet and meld with this talented company. Ballet X set the stage with its opener – Elo’s “Scenes View 2.” As in other Elo’s dances, the piece grabbed attention for not only the bright balletic moves – pirouettes and jetes – but the hundreds of intricate gestures like semaphoric arms, wobbly heads, hands that wipe the floor or slap a bottom and exploratory feet that scuttle sideways before their bodies are launched skyward. All this was pressed on urgently to Bach’s “Partita for Violin Solo No. 2 in D minor” that left audiences stimulated. This terrific curtain-raiser was juxtaposed by Roberts’ thoughtful “Honey,” a work that portrait the intimate moments in three relationships. Of the three couples, Ashley Simpson and Jared Kelly stood out. He carried her about, maintaining her “on-a-pedestal” status. Their connection was intense, leaving audience with not only the visual of their dynamic, but it’s dysfunctional heart too. Happily, the piece ended with Francesca Forcello and Jerard Palazo in a sweet, mature relationship – in which care for each other overrode sexual passion (of the first couple) and ego. Seeing that ending was a sigh of relief. The program ended with “Exalt,” by Archibald. The piece, that blended house and middle eastern music, transitioned unevenly. However, overall, the work showed off Ballet X’s range (they can dance house too) and boundless energy. Thus, while the switch from classical ballet to hip-hop came as a poke to the ribs, the forceful dancing that honored the music and styles overtook that annoyance. Still, the dance could be smoothed out. Finally, the evening included a bonus – an excerpt from Matthew Neenan’s lovely “Credo” that was danced by 10 Skidmore College students. An ode to India, the piece was a symphony of tableaux to which the dancers successfully and carefully wove. The performance will be repeated at 2 p.m. on Sunday.
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No Gravity astounded audiences as it traveled through Dante's "Divine Comedy" on Friday night at The Egg. The best dancers defy gravity. But what happens when the pull that connects us to the earth disappears? We are carried aloft by the wind.
That is what seemingly happened with No Gravity, an Italian dance ensemble that made it first appearance on Friday at The Egg. The band of six drew a depiction of Dante’s journey through hell, purgatory and paradise that was astounding – mainly because the dancers look to tumble, kick and claw through the air for the 90-minutes of “From Hell to Paradise.” Choreographers Emiliano Pellisari and Mariana P tapped theatrical genius when they drew the audience’s eye to watch the mirror image of the dancers who were moving, fully supported by the black stage floor. Yet what the audience saw was a truly frightening descent into an inescapable black hole, lovers reaching out but never connecting to each other and the finally fallen angels who rained down from heaven. While at times, the 11-part dance felt a little overdone, No Gravity’s take on “The Divine Comedy” was hypnotic. Once one got passed the “how do they do that?,” one settled in for a parade of startling and stunning imagery that made reference to Wassily Kandinsky’s moving lines and circles and Maurits Cornelis Escher staircases to nowhere. This was accompanied by a soundscape that at times screechy and menacing, and other times, like a with a composition from Avro Part, the glorious – reflecting both the hell and the heaven that all – dancers and audience -- were traveling through. The work began at the Gates of Hell. Strips of red dancing light inflamed the stage and enveloped the single dancer who tried to climb out of the ring of the damned who encircled her. In the next scene, the convicted dancer appeared to be walking an angled tight rope, desperately trying not to slide down. But the balance beam continually shifted its position, making it impossible for those who are condemned to resist the inevitable. The success of No Gravity was that the audience was on the ride, rooting for the despairing who, as they said, made their bed. There was a hauntingly beautiful, but poignant scene, depicting Paolo and Francesca who stretch their arms toward each other, barely embrace before they fly away separately into the wind. And the section honoring Escher’s mind-blowing staircases, though cumbersome at first while the dancers try to gracefully assembly the steps, once again achieved the impossible – upside-down humans ascending an inverted flight of steps. Finally, the moment when the censored angels were expelled, was also gorgeous as the entire ensemble rotated through the air with fans that were useless parachutes. Bravi No Gravity. Please come again. Monica Bill Barnes' & Company's "The Running Show" was performed on Saturday at the University at Albany. (Photo by Ben McKeown) Dancers are a rare breed. They work their bodies endlessly – trying to achieve a move to perfection. And once there, they then place that move and countless others into a vision that will touch hearts, open minds or simply make its audience sigh, laugh or cry.
They are athletes. Unfortunately, to the world at large, dancers and their dances are largely unsung, while the athletes are bestowed superhero status. Monica Bill Barnes & Company makes the nexus clear in a revealing and engaging “The Running Show.” Choreographed by Barnes, this fantastic evening-length event, as seen at the University at Albany on Saturday night, leaves audience no doubt that dancers are athletes – and the care and training of their bodies is paramount to the art. And their passion for that art is ground into their soul. The energetic Barnes, with backup dancing from retired dancer Mary DiSanto Rose, company rehearsal director Flannery Gregg and 14 Skidmore College dance students in baseball pants and muscle shirts, basically composed a love letter to dancers that said yes, we see you; yes, we know you; and yes, we appreciate you. The key was Robbie Saentz de Viteri who served as the sports commentator for the show. As the combination of classical and pop music played and the dancers ran through their paces – sprinting, spinning, stretching — the baseball capped man at the microphone explained the mystery of it all. Calling himself “a chair person,” he touted their abilities – numbering Barnes turns and speaking the how age and injury modify goals while marveling at endurance – just like a commentator overseeing it all. That was sprinkled with snippets of interviews from dancers age 5 to 70 that tried to explain what they were doing, what they were wearing and why they do it. The interviews, played over the sneaker-wearing dancers punching or running in place, were often humorous. Yet they were also deeply sentimental, with the dancers Wendy Rogers, who spoke of her work with Sara Rudner (a former Twyla Tharp muse), and DiSanto Rose who reminisced about her work with Jeanne Brescianni (an Isadora Duncan acolyte). The associations were more than physical – they were spiritual. Her dancing cameo, as her interviewed played, amplified how fleeting moments on stage are built on a foundation of hours and days of sweat and striving. Saentz de Viteri also spoke of the spiritual connection between sports teams and their fans, referencing the historic 2016 Chicago Cubs World Series win; and how homer in the ninth inning brought the beleaguered Cubs’ lovers, who hadn’t seen a series crown in more than a century, collectively to their feet. Throughout all the chatter and music, Barnes is running in place and punching with a focus of a marathoner or prize fighter. Dance is a sport. But I would add that it is harder – as they don’t learn one position well, they learn many. And it’s not just about physical achievement, it’s art. And it's long-past time for appreciation to grow. Still there is a timeless reward for all dancers. Those who follow Terpsichore know they can conquer anything. Dancers, you know what I mean. Mark Morris Dance Group performed the glorious "Water" on Thursday night at The Egg. There are many sides to choreographer Mark Morris – the musical devotee, the irreverent jokester, the compelling storyteller.
But my favorite is the geometrical genius – a dance artist who knows how to deploy, shake up and reconfigure dancers in the most eye-catching style. And while Thursday night’s program at The Egg was not among the most treasured Mark Morris Dance Group showings, I was swept away by “Water.” The work from 2021 is carried by George Frederic Handel’s “Water Music” and made for an ensemble of 13. The dancers, dressed in black street clothes, jauntily sailed through the six movements in a kaleidoscope of swing arms, runs, tilts and upside lifts that had dancers solemnly tapping the bottoms of the aloft person’s feet. The joyous dance fascinated with its endless movement with dancers seemingly appearing and dissolving as if by magic. The energy was pulsating with not one second of drab. However, Morris too understands the power of stillness. And when the dancers froze in place, that too radiated a beauty that held the eye -- thus making this dance one of Morris' best. The evening also featured two works that unfold in a cordoned off square, illuminated at the center of the stage – “Excursions” to Samuel Barber’s “Excursions for the Piano” and “Candleflowerdance” to Igor Stravinsky’s Serenade for A. Both included the lively accompaniment of music director and pianist Colin Fowler in the pit, which immediately elevated the dance. Of the two works, “Candleflowerdance” was preferred. It was like a mediation with the dancers leaning and melting from a standing position into the floor and then rising again with a finger pointed to the sky. Like so many of his other works, the configuration of the six dancers in the square – throbbing or curled up in corners or stacked in uneven lines was captivating. “Excursions” was a cross of square dance-inspired duets that immediately told the audience that here is a group of dancers who speak with clarity and one voice with their precision hip-shaking and semaphoric-arm gestures. Though danced inside that taped off box on the floor, the piece moves beyond with its sporty persona. Finally, the playful “Wooden Tree,” to songs by Ivor Cutler rounded out the program. The dancers acted out, in silly ways, the ridiculously charming harmonium tunes like “Stick Out Your Chest,” “Little Black Buzzer” and “Cockadoodledon’t.” Eliciting giggles from the crowd, it’s the kind of Morris piece that pairs striking songs with physical antics. While this is not Morris at his choreographic best, these works always amuse. Thank you, Mr. Morris, for the smiles. Saratoga Springs Youth Ballet performed "The Nutcracker" on Saturday at the Performing Arts Center at the University at Albany. (Susan Blackburn Photography) There are so many wonderful holiday traditions, but for lovers of dance, there is only one – “The Nutcracker.”
And Saratoga Springs Youth Ballet’s rendition of the Tchaikovsky classic is a charmer. As seen on Saturday afternoon at the Performing Arts Center at the University at Albany, this version doesn’t cut corners, as some nonprofessional companies do. Better still, it’s inclusive. Every child, even a large cadre of preschoolers, had a role. As snow flurries through the Land of Snow and then as the angels tiptoeing with the Sugarplum Fairy, they brought on the smiles. They and the other student dancers left the audience with warm feeling, one that makes one realize that there is magic in the holidays and one can only truly appreciate it through the enthusiasm of a child. The young company is directed by Joan Kilgore Anderson and Cristiane Santos who choreographed and staged this sweet version that fully embraced all the time-honored traditions of the ballet – the dolls that spring to life, the growing tree, the snowy stage and the fantastical journey through the Land of the Sweets. While the dancers – including some of the adults – are of varying abilities and talents, Anderson and Santos did an admirable job of unifying the cast in clean and kaleidoscopic variations. However, there are certain dancers that stood out and deserved special recognition. Hannah Barber as Clara was delightful. Strong and steady, she drew the eye, initially, with her talents. But she won the audience over with her gregarious smile as the girl who dreamed of a living Nutcracker who whisks her off to an adventure. Emeline Hong was a revelation in the Coffee divertissement. Elegant and poised, this young dancer looked to have a future beyond her high school years. She, like other dancers, moved about throughout the cast to fill out the corps de ballet – a tall and exhausting order for all of them. It was also wonderful to see Andre Robles, known for his work with the Ellen Sinopoli Dance Company, who guested as Drosselmeyer, the mystical toymaker. Tall and stately, he was a soloist supreme whom no one could ignore. He carried the first act party with class. The central to it all was Sarah MacGregor as the Sugarplum Fairy and Aram Hengen as her Cavalier. She was pretty and pleasant in both delicate pointe work in the grand pas de deux with Hengen, an attentive escort. While he didn’t have the requisite ballon that ensured wowing those in the seat, Hengen didn’t miss a step and held MacGregor aloft with calm. While Saratoga Springs Youth Ballet’s “Nutcracker” was delightful, some in the audience were not. They fell in two camps -- those who can’t seem to put their phones away and those who feel responsible for shaming the fanatics. Twice, a man shouted “put down your phone.” The second time, someone responded by yelling “shut-up.” While I understand the shrieker’s frustration, as phones are distracting and inappropriate at the ballet, so too is yelling. Perhaps the best way to handle the issue is to have designated ushers tapping shoulders. I’m not sure the answer, but I implore those in the seats, out of respect for the children on the stage, put away your phone and be quiet. Nacre Dance Group celebrated the holidays with Charles Weidman's rendering of Bach's "Christmas Oratorio" on Sunday at Universal Preservation Hall. “The Nutcracker” ballet dominates the holiday dance season. But there is another dance creation that deserves to be revered each December too – Charles Weidman’s “Christmas Oratorio.”
Created in 1961, the work is inspired by Bach’s cantata of the same name in which angels extol and celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ in both tender and joyous scenes. And in the hands of Nacre Dance Group, an ensemble from Saratoga Springs, this rarely seen gem inspired a holiday mood. The dance likely doesn’t hold a place in the pantheon of great works of holiday art, likely because of its religious nature. Yet Nacre, which is also performing its version of “The Nutcracker” next weekend at The Egg, “Christmas Oratorio” has become a staple. And this year, Nacre’s Artistic Director Beth Fecteau staged the late Weidman’s work at Universal Preservation Hall. The stage was slightly too small for the number of dancers — in red and blue – to maneuver smoothly. Yet it didn't matter much as the dance as, seen on Sunday afternoon, was one that stirred emotion both for its brilliant marriage between music and dance and the depiction of wide-eyed adoration. Fecteau’s clean staging was in three parts, the nativity, the life of Jesus including his death and the final glorious celebration. The dance began with two sets of angels, one group calling out to herald and another embracing the impending birth. The sense was light and jubilant with the dancers bouncing with small footwork, gently tapping wrists as if releasing a fairy dust, and appearing to fly as they perched themselves in arabesque. What followed was Joseph and a pregnant Mary’s futile search for a room and then the adoration of the shepherds who followed the star. The narrative was crystalline, and touching, even for nonbelievers. The second half fast-forwarded to Jesus’s arrest and crucifixion; and then came one of the dance’s most beautiful moments – a stirring duet between Katie Mebert as the lamenting human figure and Erin Calhoun as the encouraging angel, Echo Air. As Mebert's head and body was bent in distress, Calhoun’s luminescence, pointing the way, offered hope. The finale was generous with the entire ensemble of 16 swept up in the resplendence inherent in the triumphant singing. It carried the audience along to the last tableau – all the angels standing still, raising their arms to splendor. Of course, this dance could scare off those who are not Jesus devotees. But it shouldn’t. “Christmas Oratorio” was a jubilee that stimulated a smile – just like “The Nutcracker.” Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company performed on Saturday night at The Egg in Albany. There are few companies more willing to go out on a limb than Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company. Thus, in all of my decades critiquing dance, I find it difficult to define this amazing ensemble. The ineffable Jones, whose work once again surprised on Saturday night at The Egg, remains indescribable.
Jones’ skill is honed by skirting on the edge of spirituality, delving into the essence of humanity – its glories and horrors – in a way that is not obvious. Jones bids you to come to him, to sit, to listen, to see, dodging conventional lanes that other dance artists consider compulsory. It’s part of what makes “Love Re-Defined” from 1996 so charming. This is a folksy work that touches on the need in all of us to be loved – not in the romantic way – but in the deep visceral sense. What’s interesting is Jones selected songs written and performed by Daniel Johnston. They are not beautiful – at times off-key to an accompanying accordion — nor are they particularly danceable (generally, important for a choreographer to consider a score.) They are simple, repetitive and oddly sweet. And in Jones hands and in the bodies of the outstanding nine members of his company, the work becomes an ode to love. The dance is set in white with a black silhouette of a plant blossoming its first delicate tendrils. What strikes one first are the dancers themselves – Huiwang Zhang especially. He is supple, agile, strong – able to move every muscle in a way that the audience not only sees, but gasps at. Then one realizes all of Jones’ dancers are like that. They are an extraordinary group that elevate Jones’ art, message and mystic. The work has two sections that are particularly moving – one in which the singer tells us the story of King Kong and how “they shot him dead.” Jones’ king wore a white hoodie, and one couldn’t help drawing a parallel to Trayvon Martin – shot dead for being who he was. The finale is beautiful with the singer repeating the Biblical passage that defines love: “Love is patient and kind. Love isn’t jealous or boastful. It is not arrogant or rude…” As one dancer scuttles about alone and away from the crowd, another spreads open an arm to her. She comes and is embraced as the lights dim. The company also performed “Story/” from 2013, a jumble of athleticism and grace involved in sport. With the floor lined like a court or field, Jones’ outstanding dancers romped, tumbled, posed and wrestled to Schubert’s “Death and the Maiden.” With an occasional ball being tossed between them, the dancers once again showed off their skills as super athletes. The audience happily sat back and enjoyed. Derek Hough performed with his wife Hayley Hough in "Symphony of Dance" on Friday at The Palace in Albany. Derek Hough is Mr. Entertainment. He’s an actor, singer, musician and, of course, a dancer extraordinaire who is best-known as a six-time “Dancing With the Stars” champion.
Aside from his giant talent, his secret sauce is his charm. And he heaped it onto Palace Theatre Albany audiences on Friday night and they lapped it up with screams and swoons that couldn’t be contained. And he and his cast of seven dancers, including his wife Hayley Hough, responded by throwing down some feisty and gorgeous dancing in his newest tour “Symphony of Dance.” As expected, a “Dancing With the Stars” spinoff is all sequins and smiles adorning quick dance segments that meld ballroom and gymnastics peppered with some luscious lyrical dance. And each in the cast, including a trio of musicians, were expert – navigating the pumped up rhythms and steps like a Swiss watch. Hough was the center of it all who appeared in nearly every number, skipping into the spotlight, cocking his hips, twirling his frame and at one point, ripping off his t-shirt and throwing it to a delighted crowd. He also brought up six members of the audience onto the stage where he lined them up – back-to-back – and then sprang over them en masse in a split, like an Evel Knievel of dance. It was impressive. Hough is not just a show-off. He also spoke of those that came before him and inspired him – with a tribute to Tina Turner’s rock ‘n’ roll with a raucous, hair-swinging romp to “Proud Mary” and to Gene Kelly with his own silly rendering of the brilliant “Good Morning” from “Singin’ in the Rain.” He also spoke sweetly and sincerely about the love for his wife and the death of “Dancing with the Stars” beloved judge Len Goodman. And that’s where a devotion to Hough’s talents expands to one that sees and honors his humanity. But that was a small part of it. Mainly, the show was a dizzying array of dances. I especially liked the Latin dances, the rhumba and jives, as well as the Houghs’ stern command of the tango. As the show was loud – both musically and in the seats – the occasional beautiful lyrical duets were welcome as they lowered the volume. I was also amazed at the seemly endless changes of colorful costumes – all gorgeous with many of them flirtatiously revealing. The wardrobe staff must be the busiest in all of show business. The flash and fun all dovetailed with “Symphony of Dance,” an energy-charged showcase that will surely expand Hough’s already large and loyal fans base. Passion Fruit, with dancers Lauriane Ogay, left, and Mai Lê Hô, right, performed "Dance Within Your Dance" by choreographer Tatiana Desardouin's, center, on Saturday night at the University at Albany. (Photo by Loreto Jamlig) What is the groove? It's an intangible and delicious impulse that when you see or feel it, you know it.
Passion Fruit proved beyond any doubt it has an overflowing abundance of groove in its “Dance Within Your Dance.” As choreographed by Tatiana Desardouin, the hour-long duet, seen Saturday night at the University at Albany, glides and gets down in a seamless and fascinating hip-hop/house club battle between two inexhaustible dancers who defy human limitations. Aside from a short and charming video that questions “what is groove” by Loreto Jamlig, the piece is nonstop with Mai Lê Hô and Lauriane Ogay trading bops, bobs and weaves in astounding synchronicity. And they kept going and going and going. At any moment, I expected one of them to faint from weariness. But these two never even let on that they were breathing heavily. The tall, lean Ogay was especially amazing as she did not ever leave the stage, as Hô did only briefly. I loved “Dance Within Your Dance” too because the piece honors how each dancer finds their groove in their personal shuffles and port-de-bras. The work begins with the two finding their beat in the electronic music, mixed by Jamlig. They flick a wrist, cock their head, poke a hip or a rib to rev up their irrepressible groove to Axel Bowman’s remix of Maribou State featuring Pedestrian. As they build their dance, the music becomes layered with rhythms overlapping and the voice of Sam I Am Montolla repeating the phrase “All we ever want.” The lighting by Elmer Martinez defines the space with initially a shaft of light – making it appear the two are passing through a portal into a well-lit room and then transitions to spotlights referencing dance clubs that give special individuals the floor. Ogay and Ho obviously deserved it. Their fancy and fluid footwork and arm gestures that ripple their torsos make them look casual, like they are just the most interesting person walking down the street. But their complexity and stamina assures the audience that this is dance on a top creative and professional level. Passion Fruit has definitely found its groove. And for that, the small ensemble will also bear much fruit. Pilobolus, seen here in "The Ballad," returned to the area Sunday with two shows at the Spa Little Theater in Saratoga Springs. A half-century ago, Pilobolus turned its head on dance. The ensemble jacked up the art’s athleticism, swung into scenic illusion and created a tantalizing magic that still draws enthusiastic audiences – a major feat in the world of dance.
They were back at it on Sunday afternoon at the Spa Little Theater where the troupe of six spun beautiful yarns of nature, strength and humanity. Appearing in the renovated theater, which is still not ideal for dance as there are shallow wings and no curtain, the sextet managed to enchant as they always do — bending reality with a touch of humor. Entitled “re:Creation,” the afternoon blended old favorites like “Walklyndon” that got the children tittering, and the gorgeous duet “Symbiosis,” in which two literally elevate each other, with more recent works like “The Ballad,” that crystallized the culture and heartaches of Native Americans through the story of the creation and the windigo. For my tastes, it all came together in “Branches,” which sported a bit of Pilobolus wit and vigor while declaring our connections to each other and the natural world. The work begins with Zachary Weiss as a bird, snapping his head with bird-like ticks. The others arrive, in a wide stance, like leaping frogs, dipping their toes and then making a splash in an imaginary pool. They pair off for slow-moving duets in which the dancers blossom. Their floating arms and legs appear like unfurling pedals on a flower. All six merge into one this way in a rotating circle of symmetry, with some dancers upright and others upside-down. In the end, they are individuals again, tumbling about the boards in a roiling romp that looked both fun and blissfully alluring. The program opened with “Awaken Heart,” a seamless work for a quartet that brought to mind images of the beginning of time with the creation of the four elements – fire, earth, air and water — passionately and peacefully establishing their domains, while pairing off with their true partners. The ensemble also offered up another favorite, “Behind the Shadow,” where an illuminated screen offered skewed and surprising perspectives. All of these works adhere to the Pilobolus aesthetic of collaboration -- both in the studio and on the stage for the dancers who literally support each other throughout. The bonds that tie the Pilobolus artists together remain firm. Perhaps that is their secret continually delighting its audiences. We dance lovers are glad for it. |
Wendy
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