Haglund's Heel

Fall for Dance – Friday 10/8 Saarinen, Dresden Semperoper, ABT, Ronald K. Brown/Evidence

Haglund never saw John Logan's Broadway play "Red" – the production about artist Mark Rothko and his murals for the Four Seasons Restaurant in New York, but wishes he had.  Nor has he ever been to the Four Seasons Restaurant for anything other than one overpriced lunch, and wishes he hadn't.  But it only takes a quick glance at any of Rothko's abstract expressionist paintings to see that they were the work of a complicated mind.  Last night at Fall for Dance Tero Saarinen performed Man in a Room by Carolyn Carlson which was inspired by the paintings of Rothko, who committed suicide in 1970.

 

Unraveling is a good theme for choreography – unraveling of a mind, unraveling of a relationship, unraveling of society.  There's a beginning with opportunity for foreshadowing.  There's the chaos in the middle.  And then there is the end.  Saarinen explored an unraveling artist's high anxiety through movement and theater to riveting effect using a fascinating score compilation of Gavin Bryars' A Man in a Room, Gambling and Apocalyptica.  Bryars' compositions have inspired Lar Lubovitch's choreography with great success most notably the beautiful impressionistic ballet Meadow. 

 

Saarinen moved chaotically about the stage that included an artist's work bench on which tubes of paint and folded clothing were neatly arranged.  He stumbled, jumped, flailed, looked out at the audience with convincing crazed expressions.  The score included the accented voice of a man who was offering instructions on how a professional gambler cheats at cards – how to deal oneself an extra card, how to dispose of it, how to hide cards.  The voice explained that the gambler's thrill was not in the winning but in the game of chance itself.  Saarinen picked up a tube of paint, put a dab on his fingers, and began smearing his body with strokes of paint while reacting to the sensation of each "brushstroke" with a range of expressions perhaps suggesting that this particular artist's drive was for the sensation that comes from the act of painting as opposed to the development of a finished piece of art.  The performance ended when a row of lights at the back of the stage was turned onto the audience while Saarinen's form slowly came to the edge of the stage and then retreated back into the lights.  A very stirring performance - one which Haglund intends to see again tonight.

 

The second offering on the program was William Forsythe's The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude by the Dresden Semperoper Ballett.  The piece was described in the Playbill as a perfect stylistic exercise in all aspects of neo-classical ballet.  Well, mostly - just omit perfect and all.  It was very well danced by some very competent technicians.  However, Schubert's Allegro Vivace Symphony No. 8 in C major is a huge orchestrated offering that needs more than just five dancers on the stage – especially when it's so freakin' loud.  But the flat tutus were funky and interesting.

 

ABT's offering at Fall for Dance this year was Frederick Ashton's Thais Pas de Deux performed by Hee Seo and Jared Matthews – a terrific choice.  Haglund was surprised by the extent to which this little ballet pulled in the attention and appreciation of the mostly non-ballet crowd.  The dancers gave a first rate performance.  Watching these two emerge as artists this past year has been joyful for Haglund to witness.

 

Ronald K. Brown/Evidence, A Dance Company closed the evening with Grace, one of Brown's rousing compositions which he originally created for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater to music by Duke Ellington, Roy Davis Jr, and Fela Anikulapo Kuti.  It's a little long but that problem is mitigated by the infectious energy of its handsome dancers.  Haglund looks forward to seeing it again tonight.

 

Haglund bestows this BCBGeneration abstract expressionist beauty of a Pump Bump Award on Man in a Room as performed by Tero Saarinen:

 

 

 

NYCB – Fall Gala 10/7

Well, we had ourselves one heck of a Fall Gala performance at NYCB last night.  The company's first fall season has been one of strength and smarts.  Night after night it has delivered performances of high content and quality at affordable prices. The theater has become a refuge where the public can get a little respite from the crappy economy, crappy politics, and crappy news of the day and just chill out in a comfortable chair and be inspired and transported by masterful music and outstanding dancing.  Rx = NYCB.

Haglund has said this before – Listening to Bernstein in Lincoln Center is almost a holy experience.  Last night's program opened with a rousing rendition of his Candide Overture.  Usually performed across the Lincoln Center plaza by the New York Philharmonic without a conductor in deference to Bernstein's memory, last night it was splendidly led by Faycal Karoui.  The orchestra literally rose from the pit for the occasion and seemed inspired through every note.  Haglund must commend Maestro Karoui, not just on the conducting, but also on the shine of his shoes which could be seen from mid-house.  No details were overlooked last night, that's for sure.

Not one boring, pandering speech was part of the program.  The company launched right into Jerome Robbins' I'm Old Fashioned.  No surprise - Haglund loves I'm Old Fashioned.  Fred Astaire and Rita Hayworth glided and swooned across the floor bigger than life followed by mere mortals Rebecca Krohn, Jenifer Ringer, Maria Kowroski, Adrian Danchig-Waring, Jonathan Stafford, Tyler Angle who connected beautifully with the music and each other.  The women were ravishing; the men were in Fred's image but with more hair; and the swirling corps was mesmerizing. 

Following the single intermission of the evening, Plainspoken, a new piece set to a boring commissioned score by David Lang with boring choreography by Benjamin Millepied was performed by Sterling Hyltin, Teresa Reichlen, Jennie Somogyi, Janie Taylor, Tyler Angle, Amar Ramasar, Sebastien Marcovici, and Jared Angle.  A few years ago when Millepied created a piece called From Here On Out for ABT, he must have meant that literally.  Ever since – pardon the plainspeaking – he's been feeding us the same gruel: the same walking/marching/running around, the same poses, the same jumps, the same angst, the same lighting, the same type of music, the same type of costumes (excepting the really bad costume choices of Why am I not where you are), the same gobbledygook.  Millepied has run out of good new ideas and has returned to marginal ones that were never fully developed, never bothered to be revised, but received enough attention to garner him another commission or two.  He needs a new idea or two.  Despite the strong cast, this piece had little to offer but more of the same gruel.  As usual, there were many in the audience who received comp tickets who hooted and hollered in approval at the end.   What a waste.

Ashley Bouder and Daniel Ulbricht blew through Balanchine's Tarantella with huge performances including a mindboggling supersonic circle of coupe jetes from Ulbricht.  You can't ask for anything more when these two perform this dance.  It doesn't get any better than what was delivered last night.

The black hats, black stockings, and high energy of the final movement and finale of Balanchine's Western Symphony closed the evening with Miss Kitty and Matt Dillon smoking and smoldering across the stage pretending to be Sara Mearns and Charles Askegard.  Can't fool the audience one bit with that act.  No sirree.  My, they were sassy!

Bernstein, Gould, Gotttshalk, Kay, Robbins, and Balanchine made for a very fine evening indeed. Haglund awards this lovely golden bling Pump Bump to I'm Old Fashioned for bringing back the old time glamour:

 

Chest relief

Back in the Stone Age, Haglund spent some questionably productive time in the Iowa Writers' Workshop where students read one another's work and then sat around a table and said things like:  "Wow, I can identify with that" followed by "Wow, I can really identify with that" followed by "Why don't you send it to The New Yorker – just to see what they say."  Then dream dasher Professor Leggett would chime in with "Save your stamps, guys, we're not quite there yet."  Back then, it was always a hard but valuable lesson when Big People asserted their authority and yanked your head out of the clouds.  But that was then and this is now.  Today we're cultivating Generation Y or more aptly Generation Y Not?  This is the generation of no hard lessons.  It's been widely described as the generation where everyone is brought up believing he's a winner just for participating - "the trophy generation".  It's the generation of media-manufactured successes.  It's the generation for whom every creative act is art for which one wants to be instantly recognized, compensated, and appreciated.  This is no truer than in the field of choreography.

 

The  doctrine that anything new is better seems to be pervasive as is the idea that classics need to be re-thought, re-tooled, re-imagined to make them relevant to the next generation as opposed to allowing the next generation to mature to a point where it can appreciate what has stood the test of time.  Craftless art product that utilizes no acquired basic skills and disciplines, but hurls into being like some creative vomit, is cheered by its makers as the true art of our times.  Is this art product actually art any more than "cheese product" is actually cheese?

 

Where aspiring artists have no original ideas, they simply and boldly take someone else's genius and re-manufacture it as their own.  The results are things like Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake and Mats Ek's Giselle.  If Matt and Mats called their pieces something else and did not try to capitalize on the geniuses and successes of Petipa, Coralli, and Perrot, would the ticket-buying public pay any attention to them?  Would notable ballet dancers even pay attention to them? 

 

And then there are the matters of what dancers need and desire in order to express themselves and nurture their talents.

 

Haglund believes that ballet dancers should do whatever they want or need to do to fulfill their artistic souls.  If they need to go off and engage in contemporary, unballetic, edgy, experimental performances, they should certainly do so.  Just don't expect your audience to follow you.  Your audience was in love with ballet before you came along and it will be in love with ballet after you are gone.  Don't confuse the audience's love for the art form as a love of you, and do not be disappointed, resentful, discouraged, angry or confused when your audience does not follow you on your path.  As a performer, you may know what is best for yourself, but it's not likely that you know what is best for the audience or the art form.  It is not your responsibility or duty to "shock" the audience, to expand the audience's interpretation of what ballet is or to "educate" the audience in any way.  The audience is the all-powerful consumer that will wield its dollars as it sees fit.  If it chooses not to wield its dollars at a production or performance, it is not because the audience is ignorant, unsophisticated, narrow minded or uncaring.  It is because dance as a performance art is also an art that requires consumption, and consumption decisions are made freely based on a fluid slew of factors.

 

Not many of us live our lives completely fulfilled, not wanting, not disappointed, not annoyed that we can't do or have something or other.  As people rack up achievements, they change their goals and with that the renewed opportunity for gains, losses, happiness, and disappointments is also created.  So ballet dancers who want to seek out new performance challenges and opportunities for themselves should certainly do so.  If they need to leave the art form to do so, so be it.  Just don't expect the audience to follow.  Because, once again, the audience was in love with ballet before you arrived, and it will be in love with ballet after you are gone.

Haglund just looked out the window to see that Habitat for Humanity is building small, old-looking, brick row houses across the street which blend in with this lower class neighborhood's architecture.  Backlash or progress?  Perhaps both.

Heads up: Corella Ballet Castilla y Leon in the U.S.

Look what the Corella Ballet Castilla y Leon is bringing to the U.S. over the next several months:

 

Bruch Violin Concerto – by Clark Tippett and one of Haglund's favorite rep pieces

Clear – by Stanton Welch

Solea – by Maria Pages

DGV – by Christopher Wheeldon

 

Who gets to see all of this?

 

Los Angeles       11/5 thru 11/7

Santa Barbara    11/8

New Orleans       05/14

Seattle               05/19 thru 05/21
Charleston          05/27 thru 05/29

New Yorkers will be thoroughly enjoying Angel and Carmen in Solea this week during the Fall for Dance season at New York's City Center, but it would sure be nice to someday see the whole company in Bruch Violin Concerto.

NYCB – Concerto Barocco, The Magic Flute, Stars & Stripes 10/2 matinee

Haglund wonders what those NYCB dancers are sprinkling on their Wheaties in the morning.  My goodness, they were on fire at the Saturday matinee. 

 

Haglund understands that Friday evening saw some difficulties with Concerto Barocco.  He wasn't there and cannot speak to the complaints.  However, at the Saturday matinee – with the exception of the first two or three minutes of the ballet when some were not as steady and ready as they should have been – the ballet looked super.  The adagio with Abi Stafford and Justin Peck was lovely and coordinated smoothly - especially the somewhat horizontal slides on pointe that evolve into a fouette arabesque.  Those are, more often than not, a struggle for everyone, and it was nice to see them succeed so eloquently this afternoon.  Abi's extension of the musical phrases was beautiful and a reminder that Concerto Barocco does not have to be all steely and angularly abrupt.  Justin Peck has some nice qualities as a partner and showed elegance that Haglund had not observed in his dancing previously.  Ellen Bar as the other violin gave a strong, confident performance as well.  The corps looked well rehearsed and everyone seemed to be actually dancing instead of concentrating on executing the steps.  Again, Lauren King stood out - not because her feet and legs were any crisper or cleaner than the other corps dancers, but because her overall performance was so coordinated and her upper body was so easy to watch whereas many of the other women's arms and legs seemed unnecessarily abrupt.  Haglund cannot wait to see what Peter Martins' plans are for this talented dancer, because she is uniquely beautiful and expressive in much the same way as Jenifer Ringer - but of course, more strawberry than brunette.

 

Haglund just can't stay away from The Magic Flute.  Today's principals were Tiler Peck and Joaquin De Luz.  Have to say that they were slightly more proficient technically than the Thursday cast and quite a bit more advanced in the theatrical and mime aspects of their roles.  However, Haglund absolutely loved the vibrancy and youthfulness that Megan Fairchild brought to the role of Lise on Thursday and thinks that it is perhaps a more natural fit for her than for Tiler Peck who portrayed the character as more mature and sophisticated.  De Luz was in his natural element as Luke.  There was story in his every step and gesture - and all of it, such a pleasure to watch.

 

Haglund meant to mention in the first review of The Magic Flute that he was elated to see that one of the greatest Bunnies in the history of all Nutcracker Bunnydom, Ever Croffoot-Suede, has re-emerged on the big stage – sans bunny ears and sans the very stern bunny concentration which reflected the enormous pressure under which the Bunny performed its awesome heroism – to dance free in curls and a little dress.  Ah yes, life after Bunny Duty discharge can be blessed bliss.

 

Stars and Stripes was given an out-sized performance by one and all.  Erica Pereira led the first campaign.  She executed everything very well but there is an immaturity about her performance – or perhaps it is really only that her face looks so young – that makes Haglund feel like he's watching a student recital.  The technique seems to be in place firmly, but the dynamics of performing are not.

 

Gwyneth Muller finally got to officially debut in the lead of the Second Regiment.  She was thrown into it on Thursday night following Savannah Lowery's unfortunate injury.  She seemed a little leaden in her jumps, and her movement wasn't as precise as the other four principals. 

 

Daniel Ulbricht repeated his masterful performance leading the Third Campaign on Thursday night.  He made the crowd crazy - happy, happy crazy.

 

Ashley Bouder and Andrew Veyette carried the Fourth Campaign.  Bouder's Liberty Bell was more in control than Sarah Mearns' on Thursday, and her movement was, well, clear as a bell – but still explosive.  Veyette had a relatively good performance - relative to some of his other performances during these past three weeks.  He punctuated his variations nicely and securely partnered Bouder.  He's a dancer who is quite good in most respects, but not exceptional in any.  Haglund wishes that Veyette would work toward being exceptional in just one area, for now. 

 

People, you have two more chances to see The Magic Flute:  Sunday matinee and Wednesday, and two more chances to see Stars and Stripes:  next Friday and the final Sunday performance.  And, the Fall Gala on Thursday will be packed with dance and include the Overture to Bernstein's Candide.  Hasn't this been a fantastic first Fall Season?!

 

So, [drum roll, please] Haglund bestows this autumn leaf inspired Pump Bump Award to the cast of Stars and Stripes for bringing the afternoon to a burning and colorful peak:

 

NYCB The Magic Flute - a cute toot

What a brilliant evening at NYCB on Thursday! 

 

The program opened with a splendid performance of Serenade from Ashley Bouder, Rebecca Krohn in her debut, Jenifer Ringer, Ask La Cour, and Jonathan Stafford.  Rebecca came out with a roar – perhaps due to nerves – which suggested that work needed to be done on smoothing out the upper body and arms and making the movement less abrupt.  But then in the final two movements as the dark angel with hair down, she was a different dancer:  very steady when steady was called for with generous, sweeping movements that had been missing earlier.  Ashley and Jenifer each gave inspiring performances using the music to its fullest.  Ashley's beautifully crossed beats and Jenifer's arabesques denoting longing were especially lovely.  Ask La Cour is turning his role in Serenade into one of his best.  His manipulation of the dark angel's promenade in arabesque was flawless this evening.  His partnering of all of the women was lush and romantic.  His demeanor was poetic and soulful.

 

Peter Martins' The Magic Flute returned to the repertory Thursday, and Haglund has to say that it's a keeper for sure.  The original production was created by Martins at Balanchine's suggestion for the SAB students in 1981 and was taken into the company in 1982.  The production is not The Magic Flute story and music familiar to Met Opera goers.  Instead of Mozart, Martins used the score by Riccardo Drigo which is very danceable, hummable, and is full of beautiful melodies.  The story is a simple one:  boy and girl who are in love are being kept apart by parents; a magic flute descends from the sky which when played by the boy makes parents, peasants, and everyone else dance against his or her will; the lovely Oberon intervenes in the chaos and unites the boy and girl forever. 

 

The whole ballet was charming from start to finish with thoughtful, interesting choreography and substantive corps work integrated into the story.  Absolutely amazing is the best way to describe the performances by Megan Fairchild as Lise and Andrew Veyette as Luke along with a slew of character roles impressively played by Adam Hendrickson, Henry Seth, Christian Tworzyanski, Andrew Scordato, Ralph Ippolito, Gwyneth Muller, Devin Alberda and Ellen Ostrom.  The stage was packed with kids who were in complete control of the audience's attention – and not simply because their entire families were seated in the theater.  The costumes and scenery, new this year, were elaborate by NYCB standards.  One aspect of the costumes that Haglund didn't care for was the use of black outlining or edging for so many costume parts.  It made the costumes look like they came out of a kid's coloring book.

 

Haglund recommends that everyone see The Magic Flute.  You will be happily surprised.

 

Stars and Stripes closed the evening with rousing allegro performances from Daniel Ulbricht in the Third Campaign and Sara Mearns as the Liberty Bell.  Unfortunately Savannah Lowery suffered an injury from a fall she incurred while leading the Second Campaign.  One of her solos was omitted from the section, and she was eventually replaced for the finale. 

This ballet is a crowd pleaser for its Sousa music and its regimented technical spectacle.  Daniel Ulbricht doesn't just do fast, tidy double tours, he does them with amazing elevation.  As with Ms. Bouder, his crossed beats were a delight du jour.

The corps was tremendous in all three pieces on Thursday.  However, Haglund must mention Lauren King as one to watch closely in future performances.  She truly is a gem undergoing polishing.  This evening she was one of four demi-soloists in Serenade and The Magic Flute.  A magnetic performer with a beaming smile, she seems to be having the time of her life dancing in the corps at the New York City Ballet.

The evening was a testament to powerful programing packed with variety, grand music, and magnificent performances.  But even Haglund is shocked to be bestowing this Sizzle silver Pump Bump Award on Peter Martins' The Magic Flute: