Review: NYCB Fetes the Balanchine Classics

On Friday, September 23, 2016, the David H. Koch Theater was abuzz with excitement, as the company of the New York City Ballet prepared to take the stage. Each time I get to experience this group of artists perform, it's a completely unique adventure. But what remains constant is their collective ability to remain rooted in Balanchine's essence - in movement, character, and cadence. And this night proved no different.

Divertimento No. 15 was up first, as Mozart's score of the same name began to methodically fill the air, anticipation sweetly building like syrup being slowly poured. The curtain rose to reveal an icy blue backdrop, bringing a crisp, refreshing tension to the orchestra's tranquility. Characterized by precise footwork and directional changes, each of the ballet's five movements highlighted a new layer of nuance, emphasized by the dancers' relationships with one another. Standout Harrison Ball danced with soul; exploring the space with weight and purpose, offsetting veteran Megan Fairchild's staccato movement quality, invigorated with fluidity and confidence. It's a joy watching Megan's growth season after season.

Episodes followed, a somber practice of meditation and discovery. The company's mastery of Balanchine's movement vocabulary anchored the ballet, allowing the four movements to oscillate between shadow and light, which emphasized the syncopation woven throughout. Rising star Unity Phelan was a vision, commanding the stage with confidence and bravura far beyond her years. Dancing beautifully with Preston Chamblee, the pair characterized true connection, playing off of each other with a tangible sense of push and pull that was thrilling to watch.

The evening's finale, Vienna Waltzes, hearkened back to a more glamorous time - a time of imperial elegance and mystery. Set to a score of hushed whispers and grand exclamations by Johan Strauss II, Franz Lehár and Richard Strauss, the ballet has the dancers come together as a collective body, twirling with drama as a lavish exclamation point to an entire mood. It was the perfect cap to the evening.

Though it was a more peaceful and introspective program than others, it goes to show just how versatile and strong the New York City Ballet is, and how it will continue to be so for years to come. For it is an unbreakable thread in the quilt of our country's ballet legacy.

Photo Credit: Paul Kolnik

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