Nadine Lavi’s Dance Notes:"ABT's 70th Anniversary"

ABT’s 70th Anniversary Gala performance

On May 17th, ABT celebrated its 70th anniversary season with an all star gala as rich in choreographic offerings as it was in performance. Prior to curtain, Mischa Baryshnikov, Alessandra Ferri, Natalia Makarova, Lupe Serrano and Martine Van Hamel graced the stage – their contributions to ABT’s history are legendary. There was an announcement of a new 2 million dollar fund by one of ABT’s chief sponsors for Alexei Ratmansky’s new conception of The Nutcracker set to debut in December 2010, which will surely intrigue at its premiere. And then the evening really began.

Birthday Offering with choreography by Frederick Ashton was a charming little confection, with Irina Dvorovenko and Maxim Beloserkovsky as the leads. The costumes recalled French can-can dancers and the steps were light and playful. Ballo Per Sei with choreography by Edwaard Liang to music by Antonio Vivaldi was a welcome surprise, with deft movements by the three couples on stage, showcasing the latest additions to the company roster and some of ABT II’s dancers. Liang has a keen sensitivity for what works choreographically and his unexpected partnering combinations suited the music exactly. Lately of the Morphoses Company, Liang looks to be an interesting and most pleasing choreographic talent in his own right.

Michelle Wiles performed admirably in The Sleeping Beauty’s Rose Adagio to attentive cavaliers. A particular delight was the ballet excerpt, of Act II Giselle that followed. David Hallberg, always interesting to watch, was every inch the prince, with spot on tours en l’air and a technical clarity that neared perfection. With his beautiful line, and natural gifts of great turn out and feet that are so arched they would make any girl envious, Hallberg continues to grow as a dancer, not content to rest merely upon his physical attributes. His sense of drama and flair was palpable to the audience who got caught up in a performance that rivaled that of his partner, Natalia Osipova. Osipova’s Kirov training, placement and alignment, and her passionate interpretation of the role caught the eye right away, but it was her jumps that thrilled the crowd; especially her entrenchat quatre beats which seemed elevated off the floor as if she were on a trampoline. Her grand jetes shot through the air with a controlled pliancy that was startling to watch.

Veronika Part and Marcelo Gomes danced a thrilling Black Swan pas de deux, I prefer her as the White Swan which seems more suited to her beautiful lines and controlled passion; this role seemed to have a bit of a throwaway affect as if the emotions overflowed, making the steps themselves a bit off kilter.

The Brahms-Haydn Variations by Twyla Tharp to music by Joahnnes Brahms was a pleasing divertimento. Of the soloists, Daniil Simkin stood out for his exuberant control and elevated jumps. He has just the right mixture of energy and class when he dances, a mesmerizing combination that never fails to dazzle. Leann Underwood gave a strong performance and Herman Cornejo partnered attentively and ably.

La Bayadere’s Kingdom of the Shades scene was a good exercise in corps de ballet regularity and refinement. The tableau affect at the end when the shades finally line up in swan-like rows always creates a picture perfect image.

The Awakening Pas de Deux, another work by Ashton, to music by Tchaikovsky, was a pleasant surprise, but the real delight was Paloma Herrera, whose infectious air of joie de vivre casts an enchanting glow over anything she dances.

The Sleeping Beauty’s Act II pas de deux was deftly handled by Herman Cornejo and Xiomara Reyes, I just wish he would have been given more to dance. Cornejo, last seen in Angel Corella’s new Corella Ballet where he commanded the stage with his understated air and stellar technique, has so much inside in terms of talent and sheer dedication to perfection that one always hopes for more when he is on the stage.

The true highlight of the evening turned out to be Julie Kent in Lady of the Camellias with John Neumeier’s gorgeous choreography set to Frederic Chopin’s Nocturnes. Kent continues to astonish, for a time it seemed that she was at a plateau in terms of roles and interpretations, but she has ascended into the stratosphere in terms of sheer beauty and the ability to move an audience. The choreography, filled with constant lifts and changes in direction, extended port de bras and epaulement that seemed to go beyond how delicately mesmerizing her upper body could be was difficult, but Kent and her partner, Robert Bolle, made it effortless. This was a ballet that moved me to tears, really it was something that will linger in the memory. With this performance, Kent has effectively, if she hadn’t already, established a place in history as one of ballet’s all time most beautiful ballerinas.

The rest of the evening did not disappoint. Gillian Murphy and Ethan Steifel danced an exuberant Don Quixote ACT III pas de deux and coda. Murphy’s technical abilities are showcased in full here; her fouettes were marked by attitude turns into triples! This kind of pirouettes series is just not done often enough in this country, and is a testament to Murphy’s strength and technique. She danced with joy and she and Steifel had a fun and easy rapport that picked up the ballet’s dynamics very well. Murphy’s facility here is only more astonishing because of her exceptional dramatic sensibilities in other roles, making her remarkable as a dance talent.

Caught by David Parsons, to a series of strobe lights flashing on stage showcased the charm and persona of Angel Corella, very much missed by American audiences now that he is running his own company in Spain. His command of the stage and the lighting effects were, to put it bluntly, very cool, and when he jeted around the stage, he seemed air born each time the light flashed upon him suspended in the air. This is the kind of piece that only a dancer of his abilities and charisma can pull off without having it degenerate into a piece of fluff. Corella did so admirably and capped off the evening with this very enjoyable performance. One can only wait with anticipation for the other highlights of ABT’s performance season and there are sure to be many.

Nadine's past blogs:

Nadine Lavi's Dance Notes: Nadine Lavi’s Dance Notes:"Avi Scher & Dancers"

Nadine Lavi's Dance Notes: Nadine Lavi’s Dance Notes March 13, 2010

Nadine Lavi’s Dance Notes: The gift of a great teacher – Fabrice Herrault

Nadine Lavi's Dance Notes: "Morphoses at Central Park’s Summerstage 2009 in NY"

Nadine Lavi's Dance Notes "The Latin Choreographers Festival 2009: An Evening of Dance and Theater"

Nadine Lavi's Dance Notes "Beatriz Stix-Brunell: First-class dancing from a young dancer on the rise

Nadine Lavi's Dance Notes "Highlights of ABT's Spring Season"

Nadine Lavi's Dance Notes "In Appreciation: Fabrice Herrault: Ballet Ma ster Extraordinaire"