2016 School of American Ballet Workshop Performances

On June 4th we attended the matinee and evening performances of the 2016 School of American Ballet Workshop at the Peter J. Sharp Theater at the Julliard School.  I had also attended the final dress rehearsal the previous day.

You can learn more about the three works on the program -- 'Danses Concertante' (Balanchine/Stravinsky); 'Les Gentilhommes' (Martins/Handel); and 'The Four Temperaments' (Balanchine/Hindemith) -- in my earlier post about the program here:

http://zylopho.blogspot.com/2016/03/program-for-2016-school-of-american.html

Kay Mazzo, Co-Chairman of the Faculty at SAB, told me this was a "very ambitious" program.  She was not kidding! 

Emma Von Enck (center) and Thomas Davidoff (right) rehearsing Balanchine's 'Danses Concertante' for the 2016 SAB Workshop .  Marie Millard, Gilbert Bolden III, Christina Clark (mostly hidden), Taylor Ayotte and Nathan Compiano behind them.
Photo by Rosalie O'Connor for The School of American Ballet

Much of the dress rehearsal was devoted to improving the coordination between the stage and the pit -- the stagers conferring with the conductor, David LaMarche, about tempo or adjusting the students response to the music.

Let me say at the outset that I have enjoyed watching all of the advanced students in the studios and hallways of the School during the 2015-16 Winter Term.  They have impressed me with their discipline and devotion to their art and they have thrilled me in performances in the student choreography workshops and other performance opportunities.  During the last three months they worked diligently to perfect the three works that they performed at the Workshop.

I regret that a few of them -- including four of my particular favorites -- were unable to dance in these performances due to illnesses and injuries.  Others were not cast in these works, often to give older students a chance to perform.  There are only so many places in these works and many of the younger students will return for SAB's next Winter Term and will probably be cast in next year's Workshop Performances.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Although 'Danses Concertante' is not often performed in recent years, these performances clearly demonstrated that it is an ancestor of later -- and better -- works in the Balanchine canon -- particularly 'Rubies'.  It was interesting to see Mr. B's similar choreographic impulses set to different Stravinsky music.  Susan Pilarre -- who specializes in staging lighthearted romps for the Workshops -- staged this piece and brought out the carefree exuberance in both casts.

Emma Von Enck and Thomas Davidoff as the lead couple in 'Danses Concertante'.
Photo by Paul Kolnik for The School of American Ballet

The lead couple in 'Danses Concertante' at all performances was Emma Von Enck (18 years old from Breckville, OH) and Thomas Davidoff (17; Marietta, GA).  Emma is one of this year's Mae L. Wien Award winners.  Both Emma and Thomas danced these lighthearted roles with effervescence, precision and tongue-in-cheek wit.  Emma's quicksilver clarity make her ideal for this soubrette role.  Thomas was sleek and fleet and his entrechats were awesome.  The off-kilter partnering was executed with good-humored confidence by both.

Emma Von Enck  and Thomas Davidoff (in yellow) in Balanchine's 'Danses Concertante' at the 2016 SAB Workshop .  Marie Millard, Gilbert Bolden III, Christina Clark, and Taylor Ayotte behind them.
Photo by Paul Kolnik for The School of American Ballet

Among the four trios -- two women and one man each -- I was particularly taken in the afternoon with the trio in purple -- Christina Clark (18: New York City), Marie Millard (17; Alanson, MI) and Gilbert Bolden III (17; Lincoln, CA) -- who brought out whimsical aspects of their choreography despite its difficulty. 

Christina Clark, Marie Millard and Gilbert Bolden III rehearsing the 'purple' pas de trois.
Photo by Rosalie O'Connor for the School of American Ballet

Also in the afternoon the red trio -- Hailey Dupont (18; Lafayette, LA), Jennifer Pauker (20, Brooklyn, NY) and Wilson Livingston (19; Grosse Pointe, MI) -- took great delight in executing its punchy athleticism.  The blue trio at the matinee -- Eliza Blutt (18; New York City), Larisa Nugent (17; Ellicott City, MD) and Nathan Compiano (17; Cary, NC) -- overcame their natural seriousness to deliver bubbly performances.  Ms. Clark and Mr. Bolden returned in the purple trio at the evening performance (Ms. Clark replacing the indisposed Gabriela Schiefer).

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

'Les Gentilhommes' was staged for these Workshop performances by Arch Higgins.  Peter Martins' choreography is supposed to evoke 18th century court life -- incorporating the steps and gestures of fencing and court dancing from which ballet arose.  In general, many of the men needed to employ greater stretch in their legs and feet.  Also, the spacing between the dancers occasionally looked haphazard and the choreographic formations for the entire cast of nine men sometimes seemed tentative.  

Ethan Fuller (center) rehearsing 'Les Gentilhommes' by Peter Martins with (left to right) Christopher D'Ariano, Thomas Davidoff, Nathan Compiano, Ethan Fuller, Michael Garcia, Darius Black, Andres Zuniga and Kennard Henson.
Photo by Rosalie O'Connor for The School of American Ballet

The matinee performance of 'Les Gentilhommes' was lead by another 2016 Wien Award winner, Ethan Fuller (18; Indialantic, FL) -- a student of undoubted talent.  His dancing here was crisp and precise.  Among the other eight men Christopher D'Ariano (18; New York City and the third 2016 Wien Award winner), Kennard Henson (18; Baltimore, MD) and Thomas Davidoff danced with particular elegance and clarity.

Ethan Fuller (center) leading 'Les Gentilhommes' by Peter Martins with (left to right) Thomas Davidoff, 

Andres Zuniga, Christopher D'Ariano, Adrian Pasten, Michael Garcia, Mark Cuddihee, Davide Riccardo

 and Kennard Henson.

Photo by Paul Kolnik for The School of American Ballet

In the evening performance of 'Les Gentilhommes' Andres Zuniga (17, San Jose del Cabo, Mexico) gave a strong, secure performance in the leading role.  Among the eight others Darius Black (17; Voorhees, NJ), Dallas Finley (18; Parrish, FL), Joan Ivars Ribes (15; Benisa, Spain), Wilson Livingston and Nathan Compiano stood out for their assurance and style.  

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Balanchine's 'The Four Temperaments' is a neoclassical masterpiece and posed a daunting challenge for the students.  Staged by Suki Schorer (with some input from Allen Peiffer and Jared Angle on the partnering and men's roles) it was a triumphant conclusion to each performance.

At both performances I was impressed by the boldly astringent dancing of Courtney Nitting (19; Lafayette, NJ) and Gilbert Bolden III in the 'Sanguinic' variation.  Kennard Henson was appropriately unruffled dancing the 'Phlegmatic' variation at the matinee; while Christopher D'Ariano danced with cool elegance and almost architectural clarity in that role in the evening.  Ethan Fuller handled the 'Melancholic' variation in the afternoon with restrained aplomb; in the evening Nathan Compiano offered a thoughtful, pensive performance.  Christina Clark was particularly fierce and emphatic in the 'Choleric' variation at the evening performance. 

Ethan Fuller flanked by Jennifer Pauker and Gianna Reisen in the First Variation: Melancholic of
Balanchine's 'The Four Temperaments'.
Photo by Paul Kolnik for The School of American Ballet

Kennard Henson (center) with Lillian Casscells, Taylor Ayotte, Isabella Carroll and Christina Clark
 in the Third Variation: Phlegmatic from Balanchine's 'The Four Temperaments'.
Photo by Paul Kolnik for The School of American Ballet

Among the couples in the three opening 'Theme' sections, I was particularly impressed by Marie Millard (Theme 1 at the matinee and Theme 3 in the evening); Nathan Compiano (Theme 2 in the afternoon); Eliza Blutt and Wilson Livingston (Theme 3 in the afternoon); and Darius Black (Theme 3 in the evening with Ms. Millard).  They were all terrific in the angular, off-center partnering of the 'Theme' sections and along with Ms. Nitting and Mr. Bolden they provided the spectacular 'fireworks' jetes for the finale.

Darius Black and Marie Millard in the evening performance of Balanchine's 'The Four Temperaments'.
Photo by Paul Kolnik for The School of American Ballet

All of the 14 corps women danced beautifully (hardly the right word for this spiky choreography) and are collectively deserving of praise.  All-in-all these were both splendid performances of a very significant Balanchine work.

Nataliya Pinelis -- a staff pianist at The School -- was the excellent piano soloist for 'The Four Temperaments' and the workshop orchestra conducted by Maestro LaMarche provided solid musical support to the students throughout both performances.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

For many of these SAB students these Workshop performances are a stepping stone to professional careers on stages in the U.S. and around the world.  For others they are the culmination of years of ballet training which have prepared them for entirely different opportunities.  For still other younger students they will lead to summer sessions at ballet schools around the nation and then back to SAB in September.  Good luck to all of them, no matter their 'next step'.

Ethan Fuller, Justine Flores and Christopher D'Ariano (center) rehearse the finale of 
George Balanchine's 'The Four Temperaments' with the women's corps.
Photo by Rosalie O'Connor for The School of American Ballet

Program for the 2016 School of American Ballet Workshop Performances

The faculty of the School of American Ballet has announced the program for the 2016 Workshop Performances on Saturday, June 4th, and for the 2016 Workshop Gala on Tuesday, June 7th:

'The Four Temperaments', Hindemith, Balanchine
'Les Gentilhommes', Handel, Martins
'Danses Concertantes', Stravinsky, Balanchine

After a few years of an 'odds and ends' dance recital format, this year they're returning to a substantial Workshop program that honors the School's seriousness of purpose and offers rewards for the talented students it trains and the devoted audiences who attend the three Workshop Performances.

'The Four Temperaments'

'The Four Temperaments' was first staged by Ballet Society -- the immediate precursor of New York City Ballet -- in 1946 at the auditorium of the Central High School of Needle Trades.  Unlike the austere black-and-white leotard ballet that we will see this June, the original 1946 performances had bizarre costumes by the surrealist artist Kurt Seligmann.
  

Kurt Seligmann's sketch of costume designs for Balanchine's 'The Four Temperaments'.

According to many contemporary viewers Seligmann's costumes distracted from Balanchine's revolutionary choreography. 

Elise Reiman and Herbert Bliss in Kurt Seligmann's original costumes for Balanchine's 'The Four Temperaments'. 

Even before the first performance Balanchine pruned some of the greatest excesses of the costumes.
  

Maria Tallchief in Kurt Seligmann's costume for 'The Four Temperaments'.

When 'The Four Temperaments' re-entered the repertory of New York City Ballet in 1951, Seligmann's costumes had been completely scrapped -- replaced by black-and-white leotards that display Balanchine's choreography in pristine glory.

The commissioned score by Paul Hindemith was created in 1940.  Igor Stravinsky admired the music of Hindemith and probably urged his friend George Balanchine to work with him.  Hindemith initially suggested a work titled 'The Land of Milk and Honey' as a joint project in 1938, but he was unable to produce the score on Balanchine's time table.  In 1940 Hindemith offered to produce the first part of a score for a different ballet in one week.  This opening section of Hindemith's score for piano and string orchestra was first heard that year at one of Balanchine's informal musical evenings.  Among the musicians that evening were Nathan Milstein, Samuel Dushkin (for whom Stravinsky wrote the 'Violin Concerto') and Leon Barzin.  Barzin went on to conduct the first performance of 'The Four Temperaments' at Needle Trades and to become the first conductor for Ballet Society and then for New York City Ballet.

The conceit of 'The Four Temperaments' is the medieval theory that each individual is composed of varying amounts of four temperaments or 'humors' -- melancholic, phlegmatic, sanguinic, and choleric -- which collectively form each personality.  The structure of the ballet is first a series of three pas des deux which establish movement motifs that will recur; then sections for each of the four temperaments; followed by a finale.  There are a total of 25 dancers -- 19 women and 6 men.

Here's a short video clip of the New York City Ballet principal Adrian Danchig-Waring discussing, rehearsing and performing 'The Four Temperaments': 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRgViWiqqr8 

Balanchine's choreography is mostly a response to Hindemith's music.  The sections for the four temperaments have a tenuous relationship to those humors at best.   Balanchine uses the classical ballet vocabulary, but makes subtle alterations.  Often the relationship of the dancers to the audience shifts to profile or diagonal; knees are often bent; feet are flexed; hands, arms and wrists stray from classical positions.  

Justin Peck and Rebecca Krohn of NYC Ballet show the bent knees and profile poses characteristic of Balanchine's 'The Four Temperaments'.  Photo by Paul Kolnik for NYC Ballet

The finale is like a fireworks display as four men lift their ballerinas in explosive grand jetes above the rest of the cast.  Here's a link to a video from San Francisco Ballet performing snippets from the Phlegmatic section and the finale:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBqOG3mJyl0

Suki Schorer is enlisting the help of several men from New York City Ballet -- Ask la Cour, Cameron Dieck, and Peter Walker -- in staging this modern masterpiece.

'Les Gentilhommes'

This year the SAB Workshop Gala on Tuesday, June 7th, will celebrate the School's Boys Program, which provides tuition free ballet training to male students.  The Boys Program is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.  Here's a video describing the program:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VllP_nNcWis

Listen for Jock Soto's comments about retirement -- Jock retired from the School's faculty at the end of 2015.

Peter Martins created 'Les Gentilhommes' in 1987 as a tribute to Stanley Williams who taught at the School of American Ballet from 1964 until 1997.  Peter Martins himself had studied with Williams at the Royal Danish Ballet before Williams left Copenhagen for SAB.  Williams' men's classes were legendary for producing some of the finest dancers in American ballet -- and for attracting ballet stars, including Rudolf Nureyev and Mikhail Baryshnikov, whenever they were in town.  Nine of Williams' students danced in the original cast -- Gen Horiuchi, Peter Boal, Carlo Merlo, Jeffrey Edwards, Michael Byers, Damien Woetzel, Richard Marsden, Cornell Crabtree and Runsheng Ying.

The cast of the 2011 School of American Ballet Workshop production of Peter Martins' 'Les Gentilhommes'.

Set to Georg Friedrich Handel's 'Concerto in F, Opus 6, #9' and the Largo from 'Concerto in F, Opus 6, #2', Martins choreography displays the refinement and elegance that Williams demanded of his students.  Through the costumes, lighting and movement, we are brought into the courtly world of the 18th century with allusions to fencing and dancing and formal rules of conduct.

Peter Martins and Arch Higgins are already working with the Advanced Men on 'Les Gentilhommes'.

'Danses Concertantes'  

Balanchine's 'Danses Concertantes' was created in 1944 for the Ballet Russe de Monte-Carlo.  Igor Stravinsky composed the score in 1941 as an orchestral work --  in effect, 'concert dances'.  The score is decidedly dancey and Balanchine found it inspiring -- twice.  The original 1944 production was lead by Alexandra Danilova (another legendary teacher at SAB) and Frederic Franklin.  Although the pick-up orchestras the Ballet Russe used on their perpetual tours struggled with the complexities of the score, it remained in their repertory until 1948.

Balanchine created new choreography for a second version for New York City Ballet's 1972 Stravinsky Festival -- he claimed that he couldn't remember the original steps.  Linda Yourth and John Clifford led the 1972 cast.  The same colorful sets and costumes designed by Eugene Berman were used for both the 1944 and 1972 versions -- they were particular favorites of Stravinsky.

Darci Kistler and Robert LaFosse led New York City Ballet's 1988 revival of the 1972 version.  Hopefully, Ms. Kistler will be involved in staging 'Danses Concertantes' for the SAB workshops.  

New York City Ballet dancers in a recent revival of Balanchine's 'Danses Concertante' led by Megan Fairchild and Andrew Veyette.  Photo by Paul Kolnik for NYC Ballet

The cast consists of a principal couple and four color-coded trios of two women and one man.  They are introduced in a prologue -- a parade in front of Berman's colorful front curtain.  When that curtain rises there is a sequence of four pas des trois followed by a pas de deux for the lead couple and then a final parade for the entire cast.  

Balanchine's choreography is bubbly and effervescent -- like champagne -- but then quickly evaporates.  The whole ballet is colorful, clever and energetic.  It will provide a frisky, insouciant high note for the students at the end their program.