Edwaard Liang, the new artistic director of the Washington Ballet, pilots the company to new heights in his first inaugural program, When WE Take Flight. It features three iconic works: George Balanchine’s Stravinsky Violin Concerto, Gustavo Ramire...
Edwaard Liang, the new artistic director of the Washington Ballet, pilots the company to new heights in his first inaugural program, When WE Take Flight. It features three iconic works: George Balanchine’s Stravinsky Violin Concerto, Gustavo Ramirez’s 18+1, and Liang’s own Murmuration. The program presents a stunning blend of stylistic and thematic brilliance that captures the evolution of ballet. The evening opens with a classic in the repertoire: Balanchine’s Stravinsky Violin Concerto. In true Balanchine fashion, the dancers wear plain black leotards and flesh toned tights and pointe shoes that centers their technical prowess and complex choreography. The choreography features intricate shapes, long lines, and fast turns are made all the more impressive when danced to the brisk, expressive notes of the violin. The technically challenging pas-de-deux and trios highlight the precision and strength of The Washington Ballet dancers. Although Balanchine’s Georgian roots are evident in the choreography, the plotless nature of the piece feels artistically unfulfilling —even slightly outdated in today’s artistic landscape. However, it pays homage to the art form’s traditional roots, and paves the way for the program’s exploration of more modern expressions of ballet. The second piece, Gustavo Ramirez’s 18+1 is a highly captivating cultural piece. The electrifying and energetic choreography is set to the lively rhythms of Perez Prado’s mambo music. Ramirez originally created the piece to celebrate his 19 years as a choreographer. As 18 is a notable age in Spanish culture, he added the +1 in a humorous way that mirrors the amusing spirit of the piece itself. The work is as joyful for the audience as it is for the dancers. At one point, a dancer (Akira Lida) continues singing the music aloud and dancing the choreography long after the ensemble and music has stopped. In another surprising moment, a dancer throws pink sparkles into the air during a moment of stillness. The dancers even get a chance to improvise, choosing their own funky movements as they gyrate their hips and pantomime swinging cowboy ropes overhead. In the last scene, the audience gets to participate when the dancers sit at the edge of the stage, and mirror the audience’s funny gestures.This light-hearted twist adds a playfulness to a genre long known for its solemnity, elegance, and discipline. The perfect execution of each contemporary moment and its seamless transition into a single work of choreography showcases a new versatility of The Washington Ballet. They can dance their traditional pointe work and new contemporary movement with equal ease. Edwaard Liang is repositioning the company in a new formation, flying into the forefront of contemporary dance. The final piece, Murmurations, choreographed by Liang himself, is a breathtaking contemporary ballet that vividly captures the fluid and hypnotic flight patterns of birds. Dancers enter by soaring across the stage in a V formation, flapping their arms (wings) behind them. Their shadowy silhouettes are set against the backdrop to mirror a flock in flight. Liang takes the static, elegant shapes of classical ballet and breathes new life into them with his fluid movement. White feathers fall from the ceiling amidst extensions, lifts and falls, and intimate partnering. The dancers reach for the sky, suspending into the air, before collapsing gracefully into each other. The work showcases themes of collaboration, connection, freedom, and unity. The soft piano along with the rapid notes of the violin keeps the piece moving, allowing the audience to awe at the athletic physicality of the dancers in their graceful movements. Just before the curtain fell, the audience was already up on its feet in a standing ovation. Murmurations is more than a performance. It’s a powerful metaphor for Liang’s new direction for The Washington Ballet. Liang’s background with Netherlands Dans Theatre gives rise to a new company that blends classical and contemporary ballet in participatory, exploratory, experiential movement as seen in Ramirez’s 18+1 and Murmurations. Ending the program with Murmurations feels intentional, as its themes of collaboration, connection, and unity symbolize Liang’s new leadership style for the company, echoed in the program’s title, When WE Take Flight. Much like his work, Liang lead this new flock of dancers northward, ascending to new heights.