NYCB plays to its strengths in the Winter Season opener

        We're grateful to be back among the civilized herd of NYCB regulars who appreciate the genius of Balanchine and can chat intelligently about the bright performances on the stage before them. Speaking about the well-balanced four-bill of Donizetti Variations, Haieff Divertimento, Valse-Fantaisie, and Stravinsky Violin Concerto, one said, "This is the unpretentious real deal." Thank goodness nobody replied that the pretentiousness will arrive next week.

        Tuesday night's opening performance of the Winter Season may not have revealed the tidiest corps de ballet, and there was an old-time sense that some newer members had been thrown into the deep end of the pool, so to speak, to either sink or swim. Everybody eventually made it to the safety of the pool's edge. As the night progressed, things improved.

        Donizetti Variations, set to music from his opera Dom Sebastian (not Don Sebastian as misprinted in the Playbill), has a Bournonville bounce and cadence without adherence to Bournonville's strict style. Occasionally the port de bras lowered to accentuate what the feet were doing, but mostly this was a festive romp filled with deceptively difficult challenges for the dancer's entire body. We had the luxury casting of Megan Fairchild and Anthony Huxley leading the first night. Surprisingly, this was Huxley's debut in the role, but he danced it as though it had been created on him. His skimming allegro, compact pirouettes, and instantly airborne jetes seemed as effortless as breathing. Watching Megan Fairchild make song of the steps was the first of several uplifting performances of the evening. The beautiful shapes of her supported grand jetes and the cheery, boundless energy in her grand pas de chats were all achieved with a twinkling joy and not an ounce of hubris. The corps de ballet definitely needed more rehearsal, and the polish of Mary Thomas MacKinnon is what they should aspire to in the future.

        Haieff Divertimento is an "arty" piece that is dependent on length of line and the ability to achieve starkly clear geometry. While Indiana Woodward and Harrison Ball made an honest go of it, the ballet didn't seem to be a good fit for their individual talents. Here we saw some real standout dancing by corps women Jacqueline Bologna and Lauren Collett. Lauren possesses the length and innate glamour of a pint-sized Kowroski. Jacqueline is one of those corps women who is long overdue for a major principal role. She has that quality of being immediately likeable in addition to possessing killer legs and pristine feet.

        We may never have seen Erica Pereira jump as strongly as we saw in last night's Valse-Fantaisie opposite Daniel Ulbricht. Her composure, mature demeanor, luxuriant musicality, and soaring jetes (except for one exit) were a joy to watch. Ulbricht seemed to spur her on with his infectious joy, precision, and accelerating energies. Here, the corps women were impressive and radiant -- Olivia Boisson, in particular, sparkled throughout the glorious Glinka music.

        Stravinsky Violin Concerto closed the evening with riveting performances from Ashley Laracey, Joseph Gordon, Mira Nadon and Adrian Danchig-Waring. While the company has several dancers who achieve fine performances in this ballet, it now belongs to Ashley Laracey whose ability to combine strength and acutely accurate lines with delicacy gives her a unique place within the company. And it is hard to think of a more perfect partner for Joseph Gordon - physically and temperamentally. He danced like a dancer with goals, like someone who aspires to a greatness of his own design. As each familiar moment approached in his solos, we wondered in eager anticipation what he might make of it. He and Laracey dance SVC again on Thursday and next Wednesday. They simply should not be missed.

        Mira Nadon had a highly successful debut (subbing for Sara Mearns) opposite Adrian Danchig-Waring. There was a tendency to add individual detailing which sometimes cluttered the choreography, but all in all, it was a very strong, well-prepared performance. Adrian danced with a force and exhilaration that seemingly know no peak. Again, the corps women slayed: Olivia Boisson, Christina Clark and Mimi Staker to name three who controlled the stage. The men were far less ready although it was certainly a relief to see Spartak Hoxha back in the lineup and dancing with his customary authority.

        We are very much looking forward to tonight's performance which will feature Tiler Peck in Donizetti, debuts by Christina Clark and Peter Walker in Haieff, and another brilliant cast of Stravinsky including Russell Janzen. For now, we bestow the H.H. Pump Bump Award, a bejeweled Louboutin, upon Ashley Laracey for her standard-setting performance in Stravinsky Violin Concerto.

 

 

Comments

[Allie Kenney]

Thanks for this; I was not there so really appreciate it. I just noticed in looking at the casting for week 3 that Jared Angle is giving his farewell performance (in Firebird) at the Feb. 4 matinee. First I'd heard of that, though not surprised.