There are some patches in the garden that need to be filled in. The NYC Department of Parks should pay more attention to our iconic azalea garden in Damrosch Park and put up a few classy signs that say “No Dog Pee” and “No Big Apple Circus Pee,” peeleezzee — not that such a message would resonate with the neighbors who routinely run their tiny dogs atop the garden retainer walls and encourage them to seek relief among the azaleas. Attention must be paid. We may have to get Gale Brewer involved.
Reflecting on recent performances, there were also some rough patches that needed attention in the jardin de ballet. Let’s start with Tuesday’s performance of La Source. The ballet, itself, comes across as being patched together — because it was patched together by Balanchine: first a pas de deux with the later development of the divertissments and corps work. The dancing of the corps de ballet, all apprentices and relatively new corps women, resembled a student workshop performance — neither charming nor cute to see on NYCB’s main stage. The tutees went from point A ➞ point B ➞ point C with terminal academic dullness as did Bailey Jones who performed in the soloist position. The grownup dancing of Indiana Woodward and Joseph Gordon provided much needed relief (not that ↑ type of relief) with emphasis on purposeful energy, not slam-bam-bang. Indiana's perfume-filled interpretation of Delibes’ music was simply lovely.
Admittedly in the minority here, we found Namouna, A Grand Divertissement still the jokey grand bore it was five years ago except for the sassy trio of Daniel Ulbricht, Emma Von Enck, and Olivia MacKinnon, and some seductive cigarette smoking by Mira Nadon. The ballet still runs on mania that quickly becomes fatiguing to watch. The whole thing is far too long with a central pas de deux that goes on and on and on while saying very little. The programing of Namouna with student-like dancers in La Source made for an evening where we wished we could switch the channel.
Square Dance improved over the week but continued to suffer from miscasting. The pairing of Erica Periera with Taylor Stanley is as odd as could be: he, who possesses some of the most interesting artistry on the planet with she, who struggles to emerge from vapid, risk-free albeit technically solid performances. Where Stanley captivated our attention with his inner life and originality, Pereira produced clean, colorless steps of little interest. Meanwhile, corps dancer Claire Von Enck offered some of the best, most vivacious dancing that we’ve seen from her. Alexa Maxwell and Lauren Collett commanded our attention with their sizzling energies as did Victor Abreu and Cainan Weber.
In addition to Tiler Peck’s delicious debut last week in Raymonda, we were thrilled this week with the performances of Isabella LaFreniere and Chun Wai Chan. LaFreniere dominated the stage with the immense scope of her dancing, authority, and technical perfection. Still relatively new to the trials of dancing Balanchine on the Master’s stage, Chan embraced the challenges of the tempi and superbly partnered LaFreniere. Watching her confidently take flight head first into his arms at the conclusion of Raymonda was one of those “What??!!” moments in the theater.
We witnessed enticing dancing in the performances of Afternoon of a Faun and Haieff Divertimento. Unity Phelan with Joseph Gordon and Dominika Afanasenkov with Christopher Grant in Robbins’ masterful interpretation of Debussy’s seductive score were again illustrative of the current high level of care and careful casting being accorded Robbins’ works. Phelan and Gordon offered a more imaginative approach to their story, whereas Afanasenkov and Grant were more present and literal in their interpretations to the point where the viewer could actually believe that their encounter might really happen in a studio. Afanasenkov has such lovely length and classical shape which she used exquisitely. At one point we saw her reach and rise through Grant’s embrace with a distinctive airiness followed by the simple beauty of her descent to a resting horizontal position.
Christina Clark continues to captivate our attention and grows in artistry with each appearance on stage. Her Haieff Divertimento performances opposite Alec Knight proved to be fascinating. For a dancer so tall, she certainly has fine control of those extraordinary limbs and can move at the speed of the tinier, compact corps dancers. Hopefully, the fall anniversary season will bring her a big ballerina role or two. Alec Knight has such obvious potential as a major partner because of his physical blessings. Like others, his trajectory was interrupted by injury and COVID. Let’s be careful out there.
Donizetti Variations doesn’t accept complaints. It’s always entertaining and vibrant. Megan Fairchild with Anthony Huxley, Indiana Woodward with Joseph Gordon, and Tiler Peck with the reverse-aging Andrew Veyette all turned out superb virtuosic performances with infectious joy and vibrance. Corps dancers Mary Thomas MacKinnon, Charlie Klesa, and Davide Riccardo were standouts every step of the way. We can’t get enough of this sing-along ballet.
Our H.H. Pump Bump Award, a Louboutin blue leather jolie, is bestowed upon Isabella LaFreniere and Chun Wai Chan for their brilliance and beauty in Raymonda Variations.