O-U-T-S-T-A-N-D-I-N-G evening at NYCB last night. The men and women of the corps de ballet were unified, committed, and energetic – a joy to watch in all three ballets of the evening.
First up was Balanchine's Episodes to music by Anton von Webern. It required patience because the movement of its first three sections did not travel horizontally too much. There was a lot of manipulative posing and enough pointe tendu for a year, but when the final section entitled "Ricercata in six voices from Bach's Musical Offering" began with the entrance of Sara Mearns and Jonathan Stafford, all of a sudden one actually saw the music. Mearns and Stafford along with a tack sharp corps of women were riveting. Every bar of music that Mearns danced was a lesson in getting the full value out of every note and every movement. The fourth positions were at their maximum. Each tendu was stretched to its maximum. The space covered with each step was its maximum. Pirouettes were punctuated by dipping the head on the final revolution and then whipping the head and face to the audience. Every step was purposeful and commanded attention. Mearns extracted the full value out of the choreography like few others these days are able.
Le Tombeau de Couperin was danced entirely by 16 members of the corps de ballet (eight men, eight women) to Ravel's French Baroque-flavored composition. Amanda Hankes & Allen Peiffer, Ashley Laracey & Daniel Applebaum, Gwyneth Muller & Austin Laurent, Gretchen Smith & Devin Alberda, Marika Anderson & Vincent Paradiso, Likolani Brown & Troy Schumacher, Lauren King & Andrew Scordato, and Brittany Pollack & Henry Seth were nearly flawless for eighteen minutes while they created simple but elegant designs of diagonals, squares, and diamonds. The audience loved this ballet, and it was nice to see all eight couples get to come before the curtain to receive the appreciation that they deserved.
Symphony in Three Movements is in excellent shape this first week of the spring season thanks in no small part to the corps de ballet's outstanding efforts. The principals were fantastic as well. Savannah Lowery, who was paired with Sean Suozzi, was positively glowing with confidence and, oh my, the length and statement of that arabesque is something to behold. Tiler Peck and Daniel Ulbricht had fantastic energy and fine form. Janie Taylor, who was paired with Jared Angle, has never looked stronger. Boy, it's been a while since Haglund saw her firing on all cylinders like she was last night. You have the chance to see this same cast on Friday night. Haglund ain't gonna miss it.
Not only was the corps de ballet fantastic all evening, but several of the dancers had to perform in all three of the ballets. No small challenge there. So, Haglund has this special little Louise Goldin diamond and black spiked Pump Bump Award for the ladies and gentlemen of the Corps de Ballet for delivering the Big O all night long.