NYC Ballet 'Swan Lake' Dress Rehearsal

On Tuesday afternoon, September 22nd, I attended the 'dress' rehearsal for Peter Martins' 'Swan Lake' which was opening later that evening.  The idea that it was a 'dress' rehearsal seemed pretty casual -- most of the corps dancers were in practice clothes, except the men wore their garish orange boots.  Even the principals weren't in pristine costume -- Prince Siegfried wore grey sweatpants over his costume through much of the first scene and Odette wore footless tights.

The 'orchestra' consisted of a piano in the pit 'conducted' by Stuart Capps and a violinist who showed up in time for the solo violin passage in the lakeside scene.

Still, it was an opportunity to see a brand new Siegfried, Russell Janzen, perfectly paired with a lovely Odette, Teresa Reichlen.  They are both tall, slender dancers with long arms and legs.  The pas de deux in the first lakeside scene was notable for their long, beautifully coordinated lines and for Russell's partnering of Tess with steady calm.  Surrounded by a corps of swans in drab and raggedy practice clothes Tess and Russell indeed stood out.   

Teresa Reichlen and Russell Janzen in the pas de deux from George Balanchine's 'Diamonds' from 'Jewels'.
Photo by Paul Kolnik for NYC Ballet

At this rehearsal, Taylor Stanley in the role of Benno danced the pas de trois with Indiana Woodward and Sarah Villwock.  Ms. Woodward and Ms. Villwock are new to their roles and there were still a few kinks in the pas de trois to be ironed out later in a rehearsal studio.  Harrison Ball danced the Jester -- a role I dislike and find hard to judge objectively.  It's showy and requires a bravura dancer.  Harrison seemed to be having an off day.  Gwyneth Muller was regal as the Queen, although she or a page or lady-in-waiting need to mind her train which was doubled back on itself here.  The children from the School of American Ballet were well-drilled and adorable -- although they were still getting used to the Theater's stage and the adult dancers surrounding them.

In the lakeside scene, the four cygnets -- including Claire Von Eyck at one end of the chain -- were brilliant.  Silas Farley waved Von Rotbart's flaming orange cape with panache.  Although the role of Rotbart was created by Albert Evans, I see no reason to continue casting minorities -- Silas and Preston Chamblee in the current run -- in this role.  It's way past time for New York City Ballet to introduce color blind casting in all of its works and move beyond this type of tokenism -- it's racist and appalling.

This cast will  be dancing Thursday evening, September 24th -- when Russell will make his debut as Siegried -- and again at the Sunday, September 27th, matinee.

Following the rehearsal of the first half -- I'm never sure if it is two scenes and one act or two acts with no intermission -- of 'Swan Lake' there was a rehearsal of the pas de quatre from the ballroom scene with Megan Fairchild, Ana Sophia Scheller, Tiler Peck and Joaquin De Luz.  This stellar cast did a partially danced walk-thru of this so-so piece of Martins' choreography.  I assume that they've danced this enough times that they were saving themselves for the performance that evening.  It was a rather lackluster finish to a spotty afternoon.

On a different note, Jared Angle was listed in the handout as one of the 'rehearsal masters' and was on stage offering pointers to Reichlen and Janzen about their performance.  Does this portend a transition from principal dancer to artistic staff in Jared's future?  If so, the NYCB website hasn't caught up with the news.  We'd hate to see Jared stop performing, but he's a great addition to the artistic staff with a wealth of experience dancing a wide range of roles.

Albert Evans: A Life in Dance Cut Short

It was a shock to learn that Albert Evans had died at Mount Sinai Hospital on Monday evening, June 22nd, after [what the New York City Ballet spokesman described as] 'a short illness'.  Albert was a vital and vivid presence around the Lincoln Center campus for many, many years.  As a black man, he was a source of inspiration for a growing cadre of young black dancers -- students at the School of American Ballet and dancers in the Company -- Craig Hall, Taylor Stanley, Olivia Boisson, Silas Farley, Preston Chamblee -- still too few but many more than when he came on the scene.  As a man, he was inimitable -- gracious, funny, kind, thoughtful, supportive.

Albert Evans grew up in Atlanta, GA.  He first came to the School of American Ballet's for the Summer Session in 1982 when he was just 13.  In September 1986 he came back to the School's Winter Term on full scholarship.  While still a student at SAB, he was chosen by Elliot Feld to perform in 'The Unanswered Question' choreographed for New York City Ballet's American Music Festival in 1988.  It was one of Feld's surrealist circus pieces and Albert played a young man wearing a gold crown and twirling drumsticks as he marched slowly around the stage to a selection of short pieces by Charles Ives.  He was also chosen by William Forsythe as a last-minute substitute for his 'Behind the China Dogs' in that Festival. 

Albert Evans and Maria Kowroski in the pas de deux from Balanchine's 'Agon'.
Photo by Paul Kolnik for NYC Ballet

Albert was invited to join the Company's corps de ballet later in 1988 and was promoted to soloist in 1991 and to principal in 1995.  He was the first black dancer promoted to principal by New York City Ballet since Arthur Mitchell in 1955.  While he performed in a wide repertoire of ballets, Albert was best known for roles in the Balanchine 'black-and-white' pieces -- 'Agon', 'The Four Temperaments', 'Stravinsky Violin Concerto', 'Symphony in Three Movements', 'Episodes', 'Concerto Barocco' and 'Movements for Piano and Orchestra'/'Momentum Pro Gesualdo' -- which he infused with unexpected warmth and humanity as well as exceptional strength.

Alfred Evans as Puck in George Balanchine's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' with Arch Higgins and Alexandra Ansanelli.  Photo by  Paul Kolnik for NYC Ballet

Albert brought his special charisma and superb technique to lots of other ballets from the Balanchine repertory -- memories of an indelible Puck in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'; an elegant Cavalier in 'The Nutcracker'; the swaggering Rhinestone Cowboy in 'Western Symphony'; the suave song-and-dance man of 'Who Cares?'; the haughty leader of the Czardas in 'Cortege Hongrois'; and the antic sailor in 'Union Jack' all come flooding back.

And who can forget his sensual young ballet student in Jerome Robbins' 'Afternoon of a Faun'?

Peter Martins created a wide range of roles for Albert including the swaggering and sinister Von Rotbart in 'Swan Lake'; the playful 'Puss'n'Boots' in 'Sleeping Beauty'; and original roles in 'Jazz in Six Syncopated Movements'; 'Jeu de Cartes'; 'Slominsky's Earbox'; and 'Todo Buenos Aires'.

He was sought out by choreographers to dance in many of the Company's new works.  Among the many memorable roles that were created for Albert were parts in Christopher Wheeldon's 'Klavier'; Ulysses Dove's 'Red Angels'; 

Albert Evans with Maria Kowroski in Ulysses Dove's 'Red Angels'.  Photo by Paul Kolnik for NYC Ballet

Miriam Mahdaviani's 'Appalachia Waltz' and 'Correlazione'; Christopher D'Amboise's 'Circle of Fifths'; Garth Fagin's 'Ellington Elation' from 'Duke!'; Alexei Ratmansky's 'Russian Seasons'; 

Albert Evans with Rebecca Krohn, Jon Stafford and Rachel Rutherford in Alexei Ratmansky's 'Russian Seasons'.
Photo by John Ross

Susan Stroman's 'Makin' Whoopee' from 'Double Feature'; and Twyla Tharp's 'The Beethoven Seventh'.

Wendy Whelan and Albert Evans in the pas de deux from Forsythe's 'Herman Schmerman'.
Photo by Paul Kolnik for NYC Ballet

Albert retired from the stage after a farewell performance on June 20, 2010.  For his farewell Albert danced the pas de deux from William Forsythe's 'Herman Schmerman' with Wendy Whelan; and 'Phlegmatic' in Balanchine's 'Four Temperaments'. 

Albert Evans as 'Phlegmatic' from 'The Four Temperaments' by George Balanchine.
Photo by Paul Kolnik for NYC Ballet

Denying the sadness of his retirement from performing, Albert used the final moments of his farewell performance to remove his ballet slippers and fling them into the audience and then to lie down behind the mound of flowers he had received from current and former company members.

Albert Evans lying down with the floral tributes at the end of the farewell ovation.

Following his retirement from the stage, Albert was appointed a Ballet Master for the Company.  Among his many assignments, Albert worked closely with Justin Peck on his new ballets for the Company -- including 'Paz de La Jolla' where his supportive presence was evident in the movie 'Ballet 422' which tracked its creation.

Albert taught occasional classes at the School of American Ballet where he was a wonderful teacher and mentor for a generation of adoring students.

Here's a link to a beautiful tribute that Faye Arthurs posted on her blog, 'Thoughts from the Paint', about her memories of working with Albert:

http://www.thoughtsfromthepaint.com/thoughts/for-albert


And here's  a link to a posting on 'Oberon's Grove' that discusses Albert's career:

http://oberon481.typepad.com/oberons_grove/2015/06/beloved-albert.html

By being himself -- a superb performer and a wonderful human being -- Albert Evans had an enormous impact on everyone who knew him or saw him dance.  He left us too soon -- he will be missed.

Comments on 'Ballet 422'

We saw 'Ballet 422' Friday afternoon at the Film Society of Lincoln Center's Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center -- a classy venue with a nice 'take-out' cafe, Indie, and $9.00 tickets for seniors -- $3.00 less than the nearby multiplex.

Poster for 'Ballet 422'

'Ballet 422' is a documentary film about the making of Justin Peck's 'Paz de la Jolla' -- the 422nd ballet created for New York City Ballet -- which premiered during the 2013 Winter season.  Unlike many documentaries, it does not use either voice over narration or on-camera interviews.  A few stark chapter headings let the audience know where we are in the timeline to the premiere which starts two months before the opening night.

At the time, Justin was still a relative choreographic neophyte.  His ballets 'Year of the Rabbit' (October, 2012) and 'In Creases' (July, 2012) preceded 'Paz de la Jolla' into the Company's repertory.  At 25, Justin was still a member of the Company's corps de ballet.

Justin Peck working on 'Paz de la Jolla' in the studio.  Photo: still from 'Ballet 422' by Jody Lee Lipes

'Ballet 422' simply watches as Justin goes through the days leading up to the premiere.  For his music he has selected 'Sinfonietta la Jolla' by Bohuslav Martinu a score for small orchestra and piano soloist from 1950 which was commissioned by a small musical group from La Jolla, CA, a suburb of San Diego -- where Justin grew up.  The selection of the music seems to lead to the ballet's design -- the beach at La Jolla in 1950.

Justin is working with a cast of 18 -- three principals (Sterling Hyltin, Tiler Peck, and Amar Ramasar), 10 corps women and 5 corps men.  The thematic idea of trios -- two women and one man -- seems to occur throughout the ballet as it develops.

The film shows Justin working on a solo with Tiler Peck and a duet with Sterling and Amar in the studio.  For a young corps dancer, he seems both assured and circumspect -- coaxing and coaching them in dancing the passages as he has envisioned them.  There is a nice sense of give and take between Justin and the dancers to achieve what is either possible or comfortable for them within the framework of his creative vision.

With the corps dancers, Justin seems a bit more assertive, going over movements until they are done to his satisfaction.  With all of the cast, Justin knows what he wants and seems to have the knack of getting it from each of them.  The film shows a humorous moment as Justin works out a move when Tiler and Sterling have to brace Amar as he falls back.  Initially the ladies apply unequal strength, causing Amar to slip sideways.  It takes several tries before they get it to Justin's satisfaction without dissolving in giggles.  

Albert Evans is the ballet master working with Justin on 'Paz de la Jolla'.  At one point Albert halts a rehearsal to give Tiler a 5-minute break -- required by the dancers' and musicians' union contracts.  At other points, as Justin develops the piece Albert is there to record and remember the sequences, since he will be responsible for restaging the work and rehearsing other dancers who may take over from the original cast.  Albert also gives Justin a sounding board for his notes and thoughts as the rehearsals proceed.

Sketch of costume for Tiler Pack by Reid Bartelme & Harriet Jung from the NYC Ballet archives.

Justin is seen with the lighting designer, Mark Stanley, and his lighting crew working out the lighting that will give the ballet the on-stage atmosphere he's looking for.  Justin goes over costume ideas with the designers Reid Bartelme and Harriet Jung and interacts with them and Marc Happel, the head of the Company's costume shop.  Later some of the dancers try on the costumes to make sure that they give Justin the look he's after while still allowing the dancers to dance the steps he's created for them.  Each dancer has a different costume to give the effect of a crowded summer day at the beach circa 1950.

Costume designs for 10 of the 15 corps dancers by Reid Bartelme and Harriet Jung from the NYC Ballet archives.

Cameron Grant, the Company's principal piano soloist, is a presence throughout the creative process -- playing for studio rehearsals as the ballet is developed and then in the pit as piano soloist for orchestra rehearsals with Andrews Sill conducting the orchestra.  Just before the final rehearsal, Grant suggests that Justin give the orchestra a pep talk to thank them for their efforts and rev them up for the premiere.  Following the rehearsal Justin asks the conductor for time to say a few words.  It is a touching moment as the neophyte takes the advice of a mentor (Grant) to get the orchestra's buy-in to his creative process.

While the creation of the ballet proceeds, the rest of Justin's life goes on in parallel.  He takes company class, dances in the repertory, goes home to an empty apartment in Morningside Heights.

Finally, the night of the premiere of 'Paz de la Jolla' arrives.  Justin dons his dark suit, white shirt and tie, puts on his round horn-rimmed glasses and mingles with the Company's benefactors before the premiere.  He takes his seat in the second ring and watches 'Paz de la Jolla'.  Justin seems pleased with the result.  When the curtain comes down he rushes down to the stage to take part in the curtain calls.

Then, negotiating the deserted hallways backstage to his dressing room, he takes off the suit, puts on his costume and make-up and goes on stage to perform in the corps for the last work of the program -- Alexei Ratmansky's 'Concerto DSCH'.

'Ballet 422' was directed and photographed by Jody Lee Lipes.  Lipes is the husband of Ellen Barr, a former New York City Ballet dancer, who is now the Director of Media Projects for the Company and one of the film's producers.  To me, it was a surprise that Peter Martins doesn't appear in the film and gets minimal coverage in the credits.  Did Peter really stay that far in the background?

Banner for 'Ballet 422'

You can watch the trailer for 'Ballet 422' here:

http://www.magpictures.com/ballet422/

But you really should just go see the movie while it's in town.  It really does take you behind the curtain at New York City Ballet to see how the pieces of a very complex puzzle fit into place and to get a sense of how a young choreographer goes from 'let's put on a show' to actually getting the show onto the stage in something like his original vision.  Despite all of its insight it leaves you wanting to know even more.  It also leaves you wanting to see and savor 'Paz de la Jolla' in a live performance now that you know a bit about how it came into being. 

Of course, Justin Peck has gone on from 'Paz de la Jolla' to create even more ballets for New York City Ballet and other companies.  Just this week, his new ballet to Aaron Copland's orchestral suite from 'Rodeo' opened at NYC Ballet -- we'll see it on Sunday, February 8th.  He has been promoted from corps de ballet to soloist and has been named the Company's resident choreographer.  Benjamin Millipied, the director of dance at the Paris Opera, just announced that Justin will create a work for them in 2016.  This film is a glimpse at the creative process of one of the 21st century's most promising choreographers.