Rose Marija - Page 3

Paige Fraser, a beautiful and talented dancer with severe scoliosis, is currently dancing with Visceral Dance Chicago. I was fortunate to see her perform with this company on January 18, 2018, at the Gerald W. Lynch Theater at John Jay College, NYC. She appeared in each of the five pieces performed. Even knowing about her disability, it was not obvious that she is dealing with scoliosis. Her passion for dance and performance is evident.

Francis Patrelle (Artistic Director/Resident Choreographer) founded Dances Patrelle in 1988 as an outlet for his choreography. Patrelle engages professional dancers and, for The Yorkville Nutcracker, he invites students of Ballet Academy East to dance many of the roles, as Nutcracker productions traditionally use children and young dancers for a large number of roles. This year marks the 22nd anniversary of Dances Patrelle's The Yorkville Nutcracker, which I saw on December 8, 2017.

On Tuesday, October 31, 2017, I attended the opening night of the Dresden Semperoper Ballett, under the artistic direction of Aaron Sean Watkin, at the Joyce Theater with great anticipation. I was excited to see contemporary ballet as it is presented in Europe. The flyer for this company describes its program, 'an elegant program that showcases classical ballet with a contemporary bend'. There was pointe work in David Dawson's two pieces and no shoes in the other two works. The dancers must have been chosen for their flexibility of spirit.

On Saturday evening, October 14, 2017, at the David H. Koch Theater, I saw a performance by NYCB including five contemporary pieces choreographed by four members of NYCB and the fifth who had trained at SAB (School of American Ballet, the official school of NYCB).

The Joyce Theater's Ballet Festival, continuing through July 29, 2017, is an opportunity for young dance groups to perform at this venue. On Wednesday evening, July 26th, I saw Gemma Bond Dance. Choreographer Gemma Bond is a member of American Ballet Theatre, as are her sixteen dancers. Bond, born in Bedfordshire, England, got her first taste of choreography at 13 when she competed in the Royal Ballet's (where she trained) Sir Kenneth Macmillan Choreographic Competition. From 2010 to the present, she has created new pieces for ABT's Choreographic Company as well as for other companies and competitions.

I was fortunate to see the Cirio Collective on Monday, June 24, 2017, a part of the Joyce Theater's Ballet Festival, July 18 - 29. Drawn to see the company of extraordinary American Ballet Theatre principal dancer, Jeffrey Cirio, the artistic director of his own company, I was not disappointed. Cirio's associate artistic director is his sister, Lia Cirio, principal dancer of the Boston Ballet, also a remarkable dancer.

Emery LeCrone, founder, choreographer, and artistic director of Emery LeCrone Dance, is committed to developing contemporary ballets that feature live music and costume collaborations with fashion designers. All choreographies on the program were created by LeCrone. Emery LeCrone Dance performs at the Joyce Theater July 18, 19, and 20. I saw the performance on Wednesday July 19th.

North American premiere of Saburo Teshigawara's Sleeping Water was brought to New York City by the Lincoln Center Festival, performed at Jazz at Lincoln Center's Rose Hall July 13-15, 2017. I was fortunate to attend the opening night performance. Teshigawara, whose background includes the study of plastic arts and classic ballet, did the choreography, set design, lighting design, and costume design for this work. This is understandable as lighting, sets, and costumes were all integral parts of the performance. understated flowing black costumes contributed to the flow, as did the music and the lighting, varieties of spot light formations. One particularly interesting lighting choice was floor level spotlights, lit from the sides of the stage in lines of light across the stage. As the dancers moved through them, there was a strobe effect. The backdrop was black. There were, at certain moments, objects that descended, catching the lights, but never hitting the floor. 1985, Teshigawara formed KARAS. Evidently, Sleeping Water is entirely his creation.

On Saturday morning, May 20, 2017, ABT gave an hour length performance designed to introduce children to the ballet, as they do every year. The Metropolitan Opera House was full of excited young ones. I had a running commentary from a boy of about 4 years old, sitting next to me on his father's lap. It is a performance composed of excerpts from several ballets.

On Saturday morning, May 20, 2017, ABT gave an hour length performance designed to introduce children to the ballet, as they do every year. The Metropolitan Opera House was full of excited young ones. I had a running commentary from a boy of about 4 years old, sitting next to me on his father's lap. It is a performance composed of excerpts from several ballets.

New York City Ballet continues to include new choreographies in its repertoire, billed this season as the Here and Now Festival. On May 12, 2017 NYCB performed four newer works created in 1994, 1998, 2006, and a world premiere.

BWW Review: Ballet Hispanico Fuses Latin and Contemporary Dance with a Flare

American Ballet Theatre Studio Company Performs at the Kaye Playhouse

Gauthier Dance//Dance Company Theaterhaus Stuttgart

Sydney Dance Company performs at the Joyce Theater, NYC, NY

On February 10th and 11th the ABT Studio Company (formerly ABT ll), under the artistic direction of Kate Lydon, and graduate students of London's RBS met at the NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts to give three performances of classical and new classical repertory. The shared performances are part of a unique exchange, which began in 2003, between the ABT Studio Company and The Royal Ballet School. On alternate years, they perform in NYC, while on alternate years, they perform in London. I attended the opening night performance, February 10, 2017.

This contemporary dance company from France, currently under the direction of Peter Jacobson, a former principal dancer for Sadler's Wells Royal Ballet, embarks on its first ever US tour. On Wednesday, February 10, 2017, I attended the first performance of the Ballet de Lorraine's Program B at the Joyce Theater. This program has one piece only, Unknown Pleasures, an intriguing title. No choreographers, music, lighting, nor costumes were credited.

Complexions Contemporary Ballet, founded in 1994 by Co-Artistic Directors, Dwight Rhoden, choreographer and Desmond Richardson, legendary dancer, is currently in its second week of its season at the Joyce Theater. All works in both programs have been choreographed by Rhoden, resident choreographer. On Wednesday, February 1, 2017, I attended Program B with excited anticipation.

There are two pieces on the program presented by Soledad Barrio and Noche Flamenca, currently at the West Park Presbyetearian Church, on Amsterdam Avenue and W.86th Street, which I am so glad to have seen on Wednesday, December 28, 2016. The Artistic Director and Producer is Martin Santangelo, who founded the company in 1993. His wife is the brilliant force of Flamenco dance and choreography, Soledad Barrio. The venue lends itself to spirit and emotion, main ingredients of this troupe of dancers and musicians. The lighting is not elaborate, but it is an extremely effective part of the production.

On Wednesday evening, December 21, 2016, I was fortunate to be present as the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater performed three pieces created in the 21st century by three choreographers, two European, Johan Inger and Mauro Bigonzetti, and one home grown, a veteran dancer of the Ailey company, Hope Boykin. Each piece is a world unto itself, different from the other two.