Haglund is going to stop wearing socks to NYCB performances because that Maria Kowroski knocks them off every time. At the end of the night, the ushers are in no humor whatsoever for an exhaustive search around the econo-seats to retrieve Haglund's socks and help get them back over his toes. Last night, socks and garters were flying everywhere as Maria danced her second Terpsichore of the week and her fourth Agon - her fifth is scheduled for this afternoon. Her energy has been accelerating since the Fall Season opened on Tuesday and we have seen superb performances all week long.
In Wednesday night's Apollo, Maria led two new muses in their debuts (lovely debuts from Teresa Reichlen and Rebecca Krohn, by the way) and last night in the same cast she helped to quickly restore the calm and confidence of the young Apollo, Chase Finlay, when his character's vulnerability suddenly and unexpectedly appeared during an en dedans turn. After a somewhat deflated exit, Finlay came roaring back onto the stage and gave one of his strongest and most commanding Apollo performances to date.
Right now at NYCB, the opportunity to watch Finlay's young and vulnerable Apollo and Robert Fairchild's intensely dramatic and more mature Apollo illuminates the greatness of this historic ballet and brings such joy. This new cast, however, should adjust the final sunburst pose to fan the legs more eloquently. In Wednesday's and again in last night's performance, the pose looked a little out of sorts – over-rotated and too winged at the top.
Maria along with Teresa Reichlen, Amar Ramasar, and Sean Suozzi led the performance of Agon which also included Amanda Hankes, Gretchen Smith, Devin Alberda, and Daniel Applebaum. Terrific energy and pinpoint musicality from everyone. The combined shapes and positions of Maria's and Amar's limbs and torsos in the PdD were fascinating.
The evening's program also included Orpheus with Janie Taylor, Sebastien Marcovici, and Jonathan Stafford. The dancers poured everything they had into it, but it's just not a very entertaining or thought provoking ballet.
The evening's Pump Bump Award, a Valentino creation with cool long lines and strong pointes, goes to Maria Kowroski for an entire week of luminous performances.
I saw Maria Kowroski maybe ten or more years ago in Slaughter on Tenth Avenue, a ballet I had expected to hate. Instead, it became my favorite of the season, all because of Maria. I lost my socks that night too.
Posted by: Angelica Smith | September 23, 2012 at 02:57 PM