NYCB – fall season final week

Well, here it is, the end of NYCB's fall season and Haglund has a little collection of Playbills on the coffee table that need discussing. It's not that he's been lazy; it's that so much of his time has been consumed drunk-dialing Congress. Yes, you heard right. Drunk-dialing Congress. Give it a try at this link but don't go crazy.

Sunday's season-ending performance included another fine Phlegmatic and Choleric from Andrian Danchig-Waring and Ashley Bouder in The Four Temperaments. Phlegmatic was a new role this season for Danchig-Waring. In his first four performances, he has firmly stamped the role with his intensity and acute definition. It's a new vivid interpretation and different from the members of the old guard, such as Adam Luders, who favored a softer, more casual approach. Danchig-Waring makes it all look so much more important. It's going to be exciting if and when another similarly dynamic dancer, Taylor Stanley, takes on Phlegmatic.

We need to see Ashley Bouder in more leotard ballets. Her Choleric was a five-point classic cut by Sassoon scissors. It was geometry alive. Sharp angles, cut diameters, perfect circles. One moment she flew off-kilter and the next moment she swung and bobbed back into the perfect shape.

Ashley Laracey's Theme (third section) continued to impress with its rich musicality. She gave full value to every movement and accented it with her own imagination.

Sterling Hyltin and Robert Fairchild were an exceptional cast in Duo Concertant. Haglund used to think of this ballet as insignificant filler but in Hyltin and Fairchild's care, it has become a reason to buy a ticket. Megan Fairchild was also brilliant in this ballet this season. The high speed and acute clarity of the allegro by Hyltin and both Fairchilds are anomalies in a company where speed and clarity are the first language.

Symphony in Three Movements closed the season with high energy performances from Tiler Peck and Taylor Stanley, both new to their roles this season. Erica Pereira looked stronger in her role as the first pink leotard out on stage. She continues to improve in choreography that requires energy thrust. Haglund was pleasantly surprised to see a little bit of an edgy attitude in her performance. Rebecca Krohn in the red-pink leotard substituted for Megan LeCrone and delivered off-balance battements with perfectly pitched pelvis.

On Thursday, Rebecca had a fantastic debut opposite Robert Fairchild in Ratmansky's Namouna. Last week debuting in the same role, Sterling Hyltin's dancing was flawless but her character came across as pixie-ish. Rebecca's character followed more along the lines of Wendy Whelan who was the originator in the role. Ratmansky's choreographic phrases look beautiful on Rebecca in much the same way as they look on Stella Abrera. The two dancers have many similar qualities and each is a unique beauty.

Haglund saw all but one of the performances of Angelin Preljocaj's Spectral Evidence and is excited that it will return for the Winter Season schedule. Robert Fairchild's performance is a tour de force unlike anything he has ever done. He sometimes looked as though stepping out of his natural element was in fact his natural element.

Friday's La Sonnambula included Sterling Hyltin's debut as the Sleepwalker. Her bourees were not small enough or fast enough to create the ethereal effect that one observes when Wendy Whelan performs the role. At times they looked a little pedestrian. Robert Fairchild was a natural and dramatic poet. Faye Arthurs repeated her fine performance as The Coquette, and Justin Peck was The Baron. 

So, now it's a long three month wait for the Winter Season that will bring Who Cares, Concerto Barocco, and Stravinsky Violin Concerto as some of its treats. For now, the final Pump Bump Award must be shared by Ashley Bouder and Adrian Danchig-Waring for their most wonderful performances in The Four Temperaments.