Calm is her super power

Sitting through the shimmer and glimmer of five performances of Jewels last week was certainly worth the increased posterior spread. And we wouldn’t have missed the first performances of Raymonda Variations or Variations Pour une Porte et un Soupir either.

Something strange and a bit wonderful happened during the week. Three times. While watching Diamonds we kept asking ourselves "Who is this new Sara Mearns?” Several times we thought, “Okay, now here is one point where she always goes way over the top into drama queendom and doesn't recover from the self-indulgence. Wait – did we miss it?” As the ballet progressed with this uncharacteristically calm, serene, yet authoritative Mearns, we suddenly noticed that her partner, Russell Janzen, was delivering a performance marked with sincere emotion and loving support of his ballerina – as opposed to usually only noticing his fine partnering, beautiful lines, and handsomeness during pauses in the ballerina’s emotional meltdown. There was a new balance to their performance. No longer was this a diamond solitaire. It had been replaced by a pavé setting that unleashed the light and grandeur of Balanchine’s masterpiece. All three performances were immensely enjoyable. And Janzen owned a terrific manége of coupé jetés entournant throughout the run along with solid turns a la seconde.

 

What a magnificent debut Mira Nadon made in the role of the Tall Girl in Rubies. It’s arguable whether she is really tall — she’s more like the small forward on a basketball team, but she tore through the role like a power forward. Strongly arched feet at the top of lethal battements, a winning seduction that she used to control all of the men on stage, fabulous speed and strength — all propelled her to a huge success.

 

Megan Fairchild and Gonzalo Garcia in the same cast were da bomb. The energy, playfulness, and sharp-shooter technique were off the scale. We have never seen Megan dance better than we saw this past week.

 

We finally got a revelatory performance of Emeralds at the last performance with Lauren King and Daniel Applebaum in the leads. Finally there was eloquence. Finally there was honesty and expressiveness. Finally there were long lines of excruciating beauty. Jeeze, these two make a handsome pair on stage. There was a small snafu on a promenade that brought Lauren off pointe, but other than that, we must say that it was a beautiful rendering of Balanchine’s exquisite choreography. 

 

Emilie Gerrity in a role debut as the ballerina who walks on pointe was mesmerizing. There was an understated beauty in her dancing that compelled the viewer to lean closer to see her. Andrew Scordato was her elegant partner.

 

We noticed early in the week that a brand new Sequoia with long, narrow branches has sprouted in the Emeralds forest. The gorgeous apprentice, Savannah Durham, stunned Haglund with the length and beauty of her port de bras, her swan-like neck, and aristocratic profile. And there she was dancing opposite one of Haglund’s favorite Sequoias, Christina Clark, who we hope we'll see in soloist roles soon.

 

The program of Ramonda Variations, Variations Pour une Porte et un Soupir, and Wheeldon’s DGV: Danse à Grande Vitesse included some fine performances. Megan Fairchild and Anthony Huxley were ravishing in the leads. But they took none of the spotlight away from the five women soloists – Sara Adams, Ashley Hod, Emily Kikta, Kristen Segin, and Mary Elizabeth Sell – who delivered outstanding performances of their extremely difficult material. (There was a magnificent face plant early on which was all but forgotten by the end.) Every one of these dancers possessed outstanding technique and fresh enthusiasm.

 

Variations Pour un Porte et un Soupir received a superb reading from Sara Mearns and Daniel Ulbricht. If it went on a little too long, overplaying its good ideas, we’ll overlook that because of its unique place in the Balanchine canon. It may never become sacred, but it will always be a respected example of the breadth of Balanchine’s genius.

 

The H.H. Pump Bump Award, a Manolo Blahnik richly jeweled stiletto, is bestowed upon Lauren King and Daniel Applebaum for literally saving Emeralds last week.

 

 

 

Comments

[Akiko]

Sara also appears to have been putting in a lot of time in pilates and/or at the gym. Her lines are so much longer even though she has a broader torso and is naturally more of a mesomorph.

[Haglund]

I totally agree that Sara's lines are longer. Obviously her fitness regime is paying off. Also, she's had far fewer injuries and canceled performances.

[Myra Slepoy]

I was there for the Saturday evening performance, and Sara's never been better, and I just love Russel. Was lucky to see What did you think of Sterling Hyltin and Andrew Veyette in Rubies?

[Haglund]

Hi Myra.

I thought Sterling Hyltin and Andrew Veyette were quite fantastic. I included them in the review of opening night – see the post below this one.

[Myra Slepoy]

Thanks, I guess I must have missed that part of your post. Love your blog.