It’s not easy to shock ole Haglund in Swan Lake. But Tuesday night’s ABT performance stirred up the lake's tranquility when Hee Seo sculled through an Act III Odile that actually crested above her Act II Odette. Her Prince Siegfried, Aran Bell, who is a dozen or so years her junior, gave a startlingly brilliant performance from his authoritative entry at the top of the staircase in Act I to his dramatic death dive off the cliff at the end of Act IV. Did having a fresh young pup for a partner perk up Hee to be a little more lively? Actually the fresh young pup also happens to be the franchise quarterback. And this Aran was so much more watchable than that other scraggly-faced Aaron that the Post’s sports columnists can’t stop gushing over. He danced with a boldness, freshness, and confident classicism that rarely went awry. His leg and arm lines were as clear as - ahem - a bell, and his aerial positions were pristine. He committed to the mime and made it no less meaningful than his allegro.
Hee’s Odette began Act II with timid reserve. Her entrance wasn't the perfection that she’d planned but she steadied her center to bring forward a nicely shaped pique arabesque. There was a sense that while her legs, arms, and torso were ready to dance, she had not warmed up emotionally for Odette. Her positions were pretty; the transitions were smooth; the shapes of the supported pirouettes were beautiful. While Hee may not possess the long arms we associate with Odette, she used them elegantly and spared us any excessive flapping. Everything was lovely, but there was a remoteness that prevented the viewer from connecting with her.
Hee's remoteness evaporated in Act III when Odile arrived in shimmering black on the arm of Joo Won Ahn’s seductively wicked von Rothbart. Maybe she indulged in a can or two of Red Bull at intermission because here we suddenly had a character alive with impulse and motive and full of scamp. Odile found such joy in toying with Siegfried and conspiring with von Rothbart. Ahn had full control of his evil character but unfortunately didn’t have full control of the Hungarian Princess, Anabel Katsnelson, on a lift that went glaringly wrong. It definitely spooked the young corps dancer who displayed a panicky expression as she quickly walked out of the calamity. At least Ahn didn’t drop her on her back and then trip over her like he did to Veronika Park early in his career. Ahn danced a commanding solo in full character brimming with confidence and with sharp legs that sliced through the grand allegro. Like the best von Rothbarts, he gave up a bit of tidiness for theatrical effect. (Recall Hallberg’s sensational debut as von Rothbart with his splayed fingers and throw-away grand jetes entournents.)
The Black Swan PdD did not disappoint. Bell’s gyroscope-like ability to keep his center was remarkable. He has continued to add layers of color and detail to his Siegfried who on this night was a satisfyingly complex character, not a poster-Siegfried. We should cherish his 90° arabesque and pray that he takes care of it over the next decade. The grand jetes, coupe jetes, and pirouettes were simply breathtaking in their scope.
Hee’s Odile variation didn’t include a bunch of bells & whistles — just basics, which for the most part were cleanly and confidently danced. Her variation began with a double en dehors pirouette and single en dehors turn in attitude. She fought for the finishes which is something that she hasn’t necessarily been known for doing over the past decade. Her turns a la second and renverses in attitude were lovely and clear. Those fouettes were a happy surprise. Fast singles that traveled forward, and as she came downstage her expression of wicked determination came into focus. She got close enough to 30-32 to get a pass, and finished with authority.
Hee was far more emotionally invested in her Act IV Odette than she had been in Act II. She was quite the captivating portrayal of distress and commitment that even overcame the shortcomings of the staging. Bell, too, was deeply invested even though he had to deliver all those big lifts after an entire night of taxing dancing.
Carlos Gonzales defined his Benno with accomplished, authoritative mime and supercharged pirouettes that included unusually high retiré positions. Obviously so talented, Gonzales has also been prone to injury, and the effect shone in the areas of stability and grand allegro. We’d love to see him continue to progress in soloist roles but have also observed that Patrick Frenette needs more of a show of confidence by management. His pristine lines and noble bearing were unmistakable within a large group of corpsmen. He has obviously been putting in the work to polish his dancing, and we need to see that highlighted in a leading principal role sooner than later.
The PdT in Act I was danced by Gonzales, Zimmi Coker and Breanne Granlund. It was okay, but nothing great. Zimmi was accurate and full of energy whereas Breanne displayed poorly shaped feet, missed beats on the cabrioles and struggled with the speed. She was replaced in the PdT in Act IV by Léa Fleytoux, a sparkling jewel of a ballerina.
Luigi Crispino and Tyler Malone held their own in the Neapolitan dance, but only Crispino delivered the showmanship that the dance demands. The Two Swans, Chloe Misseline and Sunmi Park, jumped impressively. The Cygnettes (Fleytoux, Hannah Marshall, Rachel Richardson, Kotomi Yamada) were accurate, but were also distracting in their physical differences, like they were assembled from other quartets and thrown together for this performance.
The best that can be said about the swan Corps de Ballet is that they moved together in military fashion but without the flowing beauty that one always hopes to see. The dancers were of such different sizes and shapes that it sometimes prevented the viewer from looking at the corps as a single body instead of a bunch of individual dancers. ABT needs to standardize the makeup of this corps. Some swans were as bland as if they were in a tech rehearsal whereas others were overdone with Kitri-like eyebrows and excessively black rimmed lids. At least everyone could wear the same color of lipstick, couldn’t they?
We’re going to catch a couple of more Swan Lakes this week including Devon Teuscher’s on Friday night. Hopefully her Siegfried will show some life. By the way, we did manage to see Devon’s Giselle and were thrilled with her classic interpretation and the beauty of her port de bras. She showed the most elegant back and neck lines in her arabesques. Her conveyance of Giselle’s ethereal spirit was stunning in its beauty. Her Albrecht was Aran Bell, a perfect match, and together they transported the audience into their magical realm and provided the aesthetic pleasure that we all actually pay to see.
The H.H. Pump Bump Award is bestowed upon Aran Bell who has been a sight to behold from every angle of every role performed thus far this season.