Watching the young NYCB pups race on stage to run with the big dogs makes Haglund’s heart sing.
In last night’s blistering and beautiful Symphony in C, the young corps dancers Ashly Isaacs and Joseph Gordon tore through the Third Movement: Allegro Vivace with such pleasure, such lift and momentum that they nearly stole the show.
Nearly, we say, because nobody can really steal the show from Ana Sophia Scheller’s First Movement: Allegro Vivo danced brilliantly with Andrew Veyette who stunned with the speed and accuracy of his turns. And of course, nobody can steal the show from Maria Kowroski and Tyler Angle in the Second Movement: Adagio who last night may have given the most extraordinary performance of this Spring Season. And these days, nobody can steal the show from Lauren King in the Fourth Movement: Allegro Vivace who, along with a sizzling Sean Suozzi, lit up the stage with her charismatic dancing and verve.
But the young pups were up for a big run last night, and they ran head to head with the pack leaders and finished with enough energy so that it looked like they wanted to do it all again. What a terrific job from everyone including the blazing corps de ballet and demi-soloists.
Ashley Bouder and Gonzalo Garcia, debuting in Sonatine, made us welcome back this little gem to the stage just as Tiler Peck and Joaquin De Luz did earlier in the season. The chemistry between the players is what makes this piece so lovely, and Ashley and Gonzalo worked it well into their phenomenal dancing. The Bouder-effect could be seen in Gonzalo’s pirouettes which were unusually centered and confident.
Sara Mearns and Jared Angle led La Valse along with Amar Ramasar as the seductive death figure. It was okay, but didn’t take off the way Sterling Hyltin with Jared did last week. How nice to see Faye Arthurs return to the stage. Still missing from the season: Ashley Laracey, Abi Stafford, Chase Finlay, and Emily Kikta –all dancers who Haglund looks for on the schedule each week.
The evening began with Walpurgisnacht Ballet which got a nice, but tepid reading from Teresa Reichlen, Adrian Danchig-Waring, and Erica Pereira. We didn’t get nearly enough stretching to go beyond oneself from the two ladies, all the more apparent because Adrian gave us exactly what was needed. Erica, so tiny in comparison to the massive corps behind her, nearly got lost. The quality of her movement has to be bigger and less safe when she’s not alone on stage.
Walpugisnacht is one of those big hair ballets that Haglund can take or leave. Lovely ladies racing around with their locks down has its appeal, but it can grow tiresome quickly.
The HH Pump Bump Award, a happy tail by Kobi Levi, is bestowed upon the pups, Ashly Isaacs and Joseph Gordon, for their joyous romping in Symphony in C.
So happy you mentioned the loose hair at the end of this ballet. I saw the Mother's day performance and thought it was affected and took away from the dance. It just ruined all the clean beautiful lines of the dancers in my opinion. I didn't like it flopping around when the ballerinas jumped.
Posted by: BJ | May 20, 2015 at 05:55 PM
Abi is out on maternity leave.
Posted by: marjorie miller | May 24, 2015 at 02:04 AM
Hi Marjorie. Thanks much. How did you learn of this great news?
Posted by: Haglund | May 24, 2015 at 08:02 AM