NYC Ballet Performance, Friday Evening, October 2nd

FRIDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 2, 8:00 PM (Conductor: Sill)

ASH: *Isaacs, *Stanley
     pause
SONATAS AND INTERLUDES: T. Peck, *Huxley [Solo Piano: Grant]
     pause
TARANTELLA: M. Fairchild, De Luz [Solo Piano: McDill]
     intermission
‘RŌDĒ,Ō: FOUR DANCE EPISODES: T. Peck, Ramasar, Ulbricht, Garcia, Veyette
     intermission
SLAUGHTER ON TENTH AVENUE: Mearns, T. Angle, *Chamblee, Dieck, Scordato, *Coll, Prottas, *Sanz
     *role debuts      

This program, subtitled 'Americana x Five', was immensely satisfying.  Everything was not first rate choreography -- but each work was danced with style and conviction by its talented cast.

'Ash' was choreographed by Peter Martins in 1991 to Michael Torque's commissioned score of the same name.  The original cast featured Wendy Whelan and Nilas Martins as the lead couple -- with four supporting couples that included such starry names as Yvonne Borree, Monique Meunier, Kathleen Tracey, Albert Evans and Ethan Stiefel.

With its neo-Baroque score, high energy and sections of 'call-and-response' choreography, 'Ash' is reminiscent of Balanchine's infinitely superior 'Square Dance'.  Martins' largely symmetrical step-for-note choreography seems frantic and airless, providing his dancers with a test of stamina, but little opportunity for genuine artistry.

Taylor Stanley and Ashly Isaacs in Peter Martins' 'Ash'.  Photo by Hiroyuki Ito for The NY Times

Still, the cast was superb.  Ashly Isaacs and Taylor Stanley in role debuts made strong impressions as the lead couple -- Ashly all speed and sharp angles and Taylor expansive with tensile strength in the convoluted partnering.  Devin Alberda stood out in one brief, dynamic solo.

Richard Tanner's 'Sonatas and Interludes' is danced to a series of pieces for prepared piano by John Cage which were played on stage by Cameron Grant.  Sometimes the music sounds like the humming of insects and at others like a child let loose in a hardware store, but Tanner hears it well and responds with interesting choreography.  It was created in 1982 for the Eglevsky Ballet with Heather Watts and David Moore and then was brought into NYC Ballet's repertory in 1988 for the company's American Music Festival when it was danced by Watts and Jock Soto.  

Tiler Peck and Anthony Huxley (in a debut) were beautifully connected in duets requiring split-second timing.  They seem less austere and more human than what I recall of their estimable predecessors.  I need to retract my previous reservations about Anthony's partnering skills which were strong and confident here.  Still, it's remarkable how his dancing expands when he holds the stage alone.  Tiler tackles the challenges of this role with her own combination of grit and sensuality.

Balanchine's 'Tarantella' to the music of Louis Moreau Gottschalk orchestrated by Hershey Kay is a crowd pleasing gem from 1964 choreographed for Patricia McBride and Edward Villella.  We've probably seen it 25-30 times over the years.

Megan Fairchild airborne in Balanchine's 'Tarantella'.  Photo by Paul Kolnik for NYC Ballet

It was danced on this program by Megan Fairchild and Joaquin de Luz.  Megan, newly returned to the company after her stint on Broadway in 'On the Town', seems to have brought back a welcome verve and confidence which matches nicely with Joaquin's natural showmanship.

We were seeing Justin Peck's 'Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes' which opened during the Company's last Winter Season for the second time.  My post about the 2/8/2015 performance is here:

http://zylopho.blogspot.com/2015/02/nycb-2815-matinee-performance.html

and there are brief comments about a NYCB seminar with Justin on 2/9/2015 in a 'quibbles and bits' post here: 

http://zylopho.blogspot.com/2015/03/still-more-ballet-quibbles-and-bits.html

Justin uses Aaron Copeland's "Four Dance Episodes from 'Rodeo'" which Copeland created from his original ballet score for Agnes de Mille's 1942 ballet 'Rodeo'.

The lead cast on Friday evening featured Tiler Peck in the role created by Sara Mearns, Anthony Huxley in the role created for Gonzalo Garcia, and Andrew Veyette in the role Justin created for him that Andy was able to dance last February.

This work for 15 men and a single woman holds up very well under repeat scrutiny.  Of course, the second episode for five men -- Daniel Applebaum, Craig Hall, Allen Peiffer, Andrew Scordato and Taylor Stanley -- continues to be the extraordinary core of the work.  While Taylor Stanley seems to have the 'featured' role in this quintet, my eye continues to stray to Craig Hall as the calm anchor of the group.  Craig does less showy stuff than the other four -- but has far greater impact for me.  In their slate blue and beige 'rugby' outfits these men create shifting formations that remind me of rock outcroppings in the badlands.

Craig Hall, Daniel Applebaum, Allen Peiffer and Andrew Scordato support Russell Janzen in Justin Peck's 'Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes'.
Photo by Paul Kolnik for NYC Ballet

Here's a clip from NYC Ballet of Justin Peck and Taylor Stanley discussing the work:

http://www.nycballet.com/Videos/Repertory-Trailers-No-Dates/Rodeo-rep-trailer-NO-DATES.aspx#.Vg6kZAiyeeI.email

Tiler Peck is boldly all-American in the third episode's pas de deux with Amar Ramasar.  In addition to partnering Tiler, Amar adds some goofball moments elsewhere in the ballet which play well now -- but will they continue to get laughs as the ballet ages?

Tiler Peck and Amar Ramasar in the Third Episode of Justin Peck's 'Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes'.Photo by Hiroyuki Ito for The NY Times 

George Balanchine's 'Slaughter on Tenth Avenue' was created in 1936 for the Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart musical 'On Your Toes' starring Ray Bolger and Tamara Geva.  Balanchine originally created 'Slaughter' for a movie starring Fred Astaire, but Astaire turned down the role.  Balanchine mounted it for New York City Ballet in 1968 with Suzanne Farrell as the Striptease Girl and Arthur Mitchell as the Hoofer.  We were there for its opening night that year.

George Balanchine with Suzanne Farrell and Arthur Mitchell working on 'Slaughter on Tenth Avenue' in 1968.
Photo by Martha Swope from the collection of the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts

It has returned to the repertory frequently since 1968 and with its familiar music and slapstick sensibility it's always a crowd-pleaser.  On Friday evening Sara Mearns was a classy, sexy stripper and Tyler Angle was a suave, dapper hoofer.  Tyler had a 'wardrobe malfunction' -- a rip in the seat of his pants that started near the beginning of the big tap finale and seemed to get bigger with each pirouette -- but he tapped right through to the end with no obvious embarrassment and the cool of a real trooper.

Sara Mearns as the Striptease Girl in Balanchine's 'Slaughter on Tenth Avenue'.
Photo by Paul Kolnik for NYC Ballet

This brief clip of Sara dancing 'Slaughter' with Robert Fairchild shows how she transforms herself into a real Broadway babe:

http://www.nycballet.com/Videos/Ballet-Detail-clips/Slaughter-on-10th-Avenue-excerpt.aspx#.Vg60M9Mr4NU.email

'Slaughter on Tenth Avenue' was the perfect climax to a satisfying evening of American ballet inspired by American music.

NYCB 2/8/15 Matinee Performance

SUNDAY MATINEE, FEBRUARY 8, 3:00 PM [Conductor: Sill]  
PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION: Mearns, *Lovette (replaces T. Peck), *Woodward, *Hyltin, Smith, T. Angle, Danchig-Waring, Garcia, Ramasar, Gordon [Solo Piano: Grant] 
RODEO: FOUR DANCE EPISODES/PECK (WORLD PREMIERE): *Mearns, *Ramasar, *Ulbricht, *Garcia, *Veyette Suozzi
MERCURIAL MANOEUVRES: T. Peck, J. Angle, *Segin, *Huxley, *Adams [Solo Piano: Moverman, Solo Trumpet: Mase]

*Debut in role on Tuesday, February 4th, NEW COMBINATIONS evening

The New Combinations program each Winter season at New York City Ballet is always built around new choreography -- in honor of George Balanchine's birthday on January 22nd.  This year the program opened with Alexei Ratmansky's 'Pictures at an Exhibition' -- which premiered during the Company's Fall 2014 season -- see my comments here:

http://zylopho.blogspot.com/2014/10/new-york-city-ballet-thursday-october-9.html

With Wendy Whelan's retirement at the end of the Fall season her role is now danced by Sterling Hyltin.  Since Tiler Peck was dancing the female lead in 'Mercurial Manoeuvres', her role in 'Pictures' was danced by Lauren Lovette on Sunday afternoon and Indiana Woodward danced the role originated by Abi Stafford.  The rest of the cast remained unchanged from last October.

Sterling Hyltin has the regrettable task of taking on roles created or otherwise imprinted by Wendy Whelan.  At the Sunday, February 1st, matinee she was completely successful in taking on The Novice in Robbins' 'The Cage' -- a role which Whelan owned for nearly two decades after learning it from Robbins himself.  Here, undertaking Whelan's role as the woman in gold Hyltin had the right angular airiness in the pas de deux with Tyler Angle, but lacked gravitas for the 'Dances at a Gathering' moment near the end when the character bends down to touch the stage.  In fact, I think that Ratmansky would be wise to rethink that moment -- without Wendy it seems even more cliched.

Amar Ramasar, Sterling Hyltin and Sara Mearns in Ratmansky's 'Pictures at an Exhibition'.
Photo by Paul Kolnik for NYC Ballet.

Sara Mearns and Amar Ramasar continue to provide eloquent performances in their pas de deux, their solos and their participation in larger group passages.  Lauren Lovette and Gonzalo Garcia looked great together in their duets and Lauren added her dark-eyed vivacity elsewhere.  Though Indian Woodward is mostly seen as part of the ensemble in this work, it is nice to see her stepping out of the corps.  She uses the opportunity here to demonstrate her unique musical qualities and hoydenish stage presence.

Although the use of Kandinsky-like design elements distinguishes 'Pictures', it continues to feel like Ratmansky's tribute to (or rip-off of) Robbins' 'Dances at a Gathering' -- a collection of short piano pieces (played eloquently by Cameron Grant) and a cast of ten deployed in a communal round of dances -- even more than his 'Russian Seasons' had (at least that ballet had a singer and hats).  To me, much of Ratmansky's oeuvre for NYCB seems derivative of earlier and better repertory.

Justin Peck's 'Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes' uses the orchestral suite that Aaron Copeland created from his ballet music for Agnes DeMille's 'Rodeo' (1942).  The suite is in four movements which Justin labels 'episodes'.  Justin uses a cast of 16 -- a principal couple (Sara Mearns and Amar Ramasar); three men (Daniel Ulbricht, Gonzalo Garcia, and Sean Suozzi -- replacing the injured Andrew Veyette); five men (Taylor Stanley, Craig Hall, Daniel Applebaum, Andrew Scordato, and Allen Peiffer); and six men (Messrs. Coll, Nelson, Prottas, Janzen, Walker, and Villarini-Velez) -- that's 1 woman and 15 men.

Amar Ramasar lifts Sara Mearns above 12 of the men in Justin Peck's 'Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes'.
Photo by Paul Kolnik for NYC Ballet

The costumes are by Reid Bartelme, Harriet Jung and Justin Peck.  They give the entire cast a high school jock vibe.

Costume sketches by Reid Bartelme and Harriet Jung for Justin Peck's 'Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes.

The 'five men' are in costumes that resemble rugby uniforms -- dark brownish shorts, long sleeved matching shirts with a wide pale blue band across the chest and blue, brown and white striped knee-length leg warmers that look like rugby socks.  In the two outer movements the rugby players mix with the other 10 men who wear long pants and T-shirts or tank tops in various shades of brown with the same wide chest band. 

Five men in the Second Episode of Justin Peck's 'Rodeo: Four Dance Movements'.
Photo by Paul Kolnik for NYC Ballet

The second episode features just the 'rugby team' in a gorgeous adagio for five men that is the heart (and possibly the soul) of the ballet.  Taylor Stanley with his taut line stands out in this group, while Craig Hall is the strong steady anchor and the entire team works together to create sculptural stage images that capture the viewer's eye and beautifully complement the laconic Copland music.

Sara Mearns and Amar Ramasar in Episode Three of Justin Peck's 'Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes'.
Photo by Paul Kolnik for NYC Ballet

Sara Mearns and Amar Ramasar have a generally contemplative duet in the third episode.  Mearns is mostly in prom queen or head cheerleader mode, but she gives the lone woman a wonderful calm joy that plays well against Ramasar's out-going, hopeful jock.

In the two outer episodes, all of the men are in jock mode -- racing across the stage from the left wing in a long diagonal as the curtain opens, then cavorting in groupings of three, four or five.  The three lead men could be gymnasts -- competing in leaps and pirouettes.  Peck makes striking use of the athleticism of all 15 men.  They seem to belong in the great American West -- where there is plenty of room for their expansive, space-filling exhuberance.

Here's a link to three brief clips from the ballet on the Company's website:

http://www.nycballet.com/Ballets/N/New-Copland-Peck.aspx

The sharp-eyed can pick out Justin Peck in the first clip -- dancing in place of Andrew Veyette as he did in some sections on opening night.  

Peck has given the Company a wonderful new piece, filled with hope and vigor and the wistful innocence of youth.  I would only change the coyly arch spelling of 'rodeo' in his title -- it's too clever for this very appealing work.

Christopher Wheeldon's 'Mercurial Manoeuvers' was created in April, 2000, for the Diamond Project using Dmitri Shostakovitch's 'Piano Concerto #1'.  The original cast included Miranda Weese and Jock Soto with Edwaard Liang.  On Sunday it was lead by Tiler Peck and Jared Angle.  Anthony Huxley, Kristen Segin and Sara Adams made debuts in their featured roles the previous Tuesday.

The opening is a coup d'theatre that never fails to impress -- the male soloist (Huxley) stands alone at the back of the stage in a red unitard against a red background flanked by dark translucent panels as the mysterious opening section of the concerto begins.  

Joaquin De Luz as the 'man in red' in the opening of Wheeldon's 'Mercurial Manoeuvers'.
Photo by Paul Kolnik for NYC Ballet

The shadowy figures of the twelve-member female corps  appear behind these dark panels arrayed in two rows of three on each side.  As the man moves forward the panels slowly begin to lift, revealing the women on either side of him.  The means are so simple, but the effect is dazzling.

Anthony Huxley is an impressive dancer with his own arrow sharp technique, but he is quite different from Edward Liang -- who originated the role -- and from Daniel Ulbricht and Joaquin De Luz who have danced it more recently.  Huxley makes it less overtly flamboyant and more elegantly articulate.  Wheeldon's choreography has enough elasticity to embrace each of these dancers as individuals.

Tiler Peck and Jared Angle in the pas de deux from Wheeldon's 'Mercurial Manouevres'.
Photo by Paul Kolnik for NYC Ballet

Tiler Peck and Jared Angle were wonderfully fluid as the central couple -- no mean feat given Wheeldon's penchant for difficult, off-center partnering.  Kristen Segin and Sara Adams were perky as the two female soloists.  Wheeldon marshalls the corps of 12 women and four men effectively in complex and interesting patterns.  As with many Wheeldon ballets there are too many entrances and exits -- and an overall sense of busy-ness.  But that haunting and brilliant opening sequence sticks in the mind.  And the central pas de deux -- when it is executed with the confidence and finesse that Tiler and Jared brought to it -- can be a stunning display of partnering pyrotechnics.

The Shostacovitch Piano Concerto was beautifully played by the piano soloist, Alan Moverman, with brilliant trumpet solos by Raymond Mase.  In fact, the music on Sunday afternoon was top notch under the direction of Andrews Sill and with the excellent Cameron Grant as piano soloist in 'Pictures at an Exhibition'.

This program proved a delightful celebration of Balanchine's 111th birthday and a reminder of the mission of NYC Ballet to continue to bring new chorography to the stage.