If the spring season of New York City Ballet could be packed into a fragrance, it would be fresh, green, earthy and sweet like a breeze after the rain. how did we get here This company is seemingly suddenly very strong, but more importantly, very light. The high fives as the dancers crossed the stage in Alexei Ratmansky’s “Namouna” seemed funnier, more triumphant, more real than ever.
As a new generation of City Ballet dancers finds their way, not only is individualism growing, but so is interpersonal cohesion. Her debut came on a regular basis and was dizzying. Along with the risks, there is airiness and breadth, which brings a sense of realism and ingenuity to the repertoire.
The old ballet had a new sparkle. “Baroco Concerto” (1941) and “La Source” (1968) are great dances. Even a bad performance can’t detract from its brilliance, but this season the dancers have come back to life as if they’re aware of their responsibility. The City Ballet is a larger company than they are, but they know they are its current custodians. It shows compassion.
Though the casting was generally thoughtful, even more cautious than usual, the company hit the mark by assigning Erica Pereira the lead role in two of Balanchine’s most important ballets, La Source and Square Dance. , which proved that it wasn’t always the steps that mattered. She can perform them, but her body rarely comes to life without more extensibility. finished they.
The season, which ended on Sunday, saw many memorable performances, including the sophisticated Unity Phelan on “Agon,” “Barocco,” and “Namouna,” as well as Joseph Gordon and Roman Mejia on nearly every production. there was.
Here are some valuable ones.
“La Source”
Indiana Woodward
Indiana Woodward’s perky sound makes any ballet shine, but in Balanchine’s La Source, set in Delibes this season, her melodic delicacy, shimmy delicacy, and Her cheerful elegance was a sight to behold. Nothing is flat. She has movements that gently reveal the angles of her body, always good taste and always delicate. Her French pedigree, as well as her generous presence and unfailing charm, create an affinity with the dancer Violet Verdi for whom her role here was created. At the same time, Woodward is completely himself.
Sarah Marnes returned to the troupe with her Barocco Concerto debut after a few months of hiatus due to mental health issues. In her first movement, I felt how she began to know her stage again, the feeling of her gaze upon her. But when she gets used to the music, especially in the above pas de deux with Russell Janzen, her unpretentious simplicity and down-to-earth, seductive beauty are what we miss. It instantly reminded me of something. She was dazzling.”Namuna‘ Her Swan Lake, unencumbered by the artificial, full of embracing yourself and the moment, was so heart-breaking.
‘Square Dance’
Anthony Huxley
It didn’t happen overnight, but City Ballet’s most elegant classicist, Anthony Huxley, has an imposing warmth that seems to have opened up a new space for the contemporary male ballet dancer. I grew up to be a great dancer. In Balanchine’s “Square Dance” he was an extraordinary presence, balancing his own supple precision with his newfound exuberant personality. He didn’t just dance this ballet. lead It was a moving image of clarity and supple grace, in striking contrast to his solo variation above.
“Afternoon of the Faun”
Dominika Afanasenkov
Rookie legionnaire Dominika Afanasenkov certainly stands out in the crowd with her lengthy lines and endearing demeanor, but in Robbins’ intimate “Afternoon of the Faun” opposite the dreamy and understated Christopher Grant (above) By making her debut, she proved otherwise. She’s not afraid of being seen herself. Subtle and dewy–Debussy’s music seems to overflow from her limbs and supple back–Afanasenkov is a strange combination of modern and rare archaic grandeur. is.
“Pictures at an Exhibition”
Mila Nadon
The welcome return of Ratmanski’s gorgeous Pictures at an Exhibition has brought a few surprises this season. In addition to the addition of a new projection of the Ukrainian flag in the “Kiev Gates” section, it was also full of first appearances. It was hard to take my eyes off Mila Nadon, who has the makings of an important Ratmanski dancer. In the “The Gnome” section, Nadon flitted around the stage like she was dancing with a ghost, ending with her palms hitting the floor in a glittering wildness. Nadon has a lot of lovable qualities, but here’s another one. It’s that she’s not afraid to be weird.
“Agon”
India Bradley
In Balanchine and Stravinsky’s 1957 masterpiece collaboration, Agon, the first pas de trois performance with India Bradley, Taylor Stanley and Megan Dutton-O’Hara captivates with its tension. I was. This was a brilliant trio. But Bradley, a member of the corps de ballet, has instilled the steps with a seriousness that instills a clear focus throughout his body. Throughout, she maintained her delicacy and strength.
This season saw a farewell to soloist Georgina Pascogin and principal Harrison Ball, each making their debut. Ball starred in Afternoon of a Faun, subtly infusing the role with Nijinsky flair. And Pascogin, whose performance as Anita in Jerome Robbins’ West Side Story Suite will forever be etched in my mind, brought her audacity and humor to Ratmanski’s Namouna. As she puffed on her arrogance, she moved so happily that she left her mark on the stage. Fittingly, there was more joy than tears.
