Review: CELTS at KC Ballet

Friday night saw the long-delayed debut of "Celts", a trio of dance performances going from Tchaikovsky to the Chieftains, with Philip Glass in between. Originally meant to close out the 2019-20 season, we need hardly go into the reasons for the performance's delay. Suffice to say that this season opener occurred exactly 600 days after the last performance on the Kauffman stage and leave it at that.

So, to the performances. First was "Serenade", Balanchine's first American ballet, revered to this day as one of the seminal moments in the history of American classical dance. Begun as an exercise in technique, Balanchine's bag of tricks is relentless and innovative, even after over eighty years. As the performance went on, it was very clear that the KCB companies have not been idle; they were pin-sharp in following Balanchine's demanding choreography. It is a tremendous work, both in itself and in the opportunity it gives the ballet fan to reflect upon what has changed as a result of the ground set here.

Next was "Wunderland", a fantasia of sorts created by Edwaard Liang to the music of Philip Glass (and where would modern dance be without Philip Glass?). Inspired by a fanciful vision in a snow globe, this is a very intense and modern piece (it premiered in 2009), filled with extraordinary athleticism. Of note is the accompaniment provided by the Opus 76 Quartet and pianist Ramona Pansegrau. This was a relentless, memorable performance, and easily this reviewer's favorite piece of the evening.

Finally, there was "Celts", choreographed by Lila York and featuring a variety of celtic artists. This was a mix of modern dance and traditional line dancing. Now, this reviewer must admit themselves not a fan of the Irish jig style; no matter how skillfully done (and it is quite skillfully done here), it simply leaves yours truly unmoved. There was quite a good male sextet that broke from the mould and provided a few moments of lively interest, but then it was back to the jigs again. To these, I must in all fairness reserve judgement, and defer to those more inclined to appreciate the form.

Overall, the night was a success. The three pieces were of such variety as to suit the tastes of any contemporary audience, and the dancers were in excellent form. In short, it was as strong a return to the Kauffman as one could hope for.