New York City Ballet has been accused of a lot of things lately, but the only thing it’s guilty of is talent hoarding. This excessive, unapologetic displaying of the talent pool drives this balletomane crazy-happy — like a little piggie who gets to roll around in fresh mud every day. “Mejia is debuting in Dances at a Gathering” oink, splat, roll. "Hoxha and Ball are debuting in Stars and Stripes” oink, splat, roll. "Huxley and Gordon are debuting in Theme and Variations" oink, splat, roll. “Laracey and Gerrity are debuting in Scotch Symphony” oink, splat, roll. Filthy happy only begins to describe it.
We’ve been pretty busy beatin’ the path up and down the 9th Avenue ballet trail the past few weeks in an effort to take in all that NYCB has been offering. Seeing veterans revive former levels of excellence or build on already rich interpretations of Balanchine’s and Robbins’ choreography has been most rewarding. Special mention needs to be made about Andrew Veyette’s fine performances in Brahms-Schoenberg Quartet opposite Lauren Lovette, Scotch Symphony opposite Ashley Laracey, and Stars and Stripes opposite Theresa Reichlen. He’s having his own renaissance this season and has brought importance to his performances like we haven’t seen from him in several years. Tyler Angle and Gonzalo Garcia are also dancing as though age doesn’t matter.
The highlights these past couple of weeks have been like a nonstop strobe of brilliance and overwhelming beauty. We kid you not – much more of it and we could all be having ballet seizures.
We want to rave again about the Brahms-Schoenberg Quartet/Tschaikovsky Suite No. 3 program. Haglund saw every one and could happily sit through more of them. The final program last Thursday included See the Music hosted by the ever-popular Clotilde Otranto. Was this a debut? We can’t remember ever seeing her conduct these sessions. Well, she was a hit. The audience loved her energy and has always loved her energetic conducting that challenges the dancers to be their best.
On Thursday Erica Pereira and Anthony Huxley in the Andante of Brahms-Schoenberg once again transported us to musical heaven — such a perfect match of artists and material. Erica is wearing the perfume this season like never before. Megan Fairchild and Gonzalo Garcia in Theme and Variations were blessedly speedy and musically generous without being complacent. Earlier in the run, a T&V performance conducted by Music Director Andrew Litton was so deadly slow in the adagio that Ashley Bouder tried to fill the music by making faces and mouthing her joy. It was difficult to watch and one more sign that she needs to hand off this role to others who deserve the opportunity – such as Brittany Pollack, Erica Periera, Emily Gerrity, and (where the heck is that) Alexa Maxwell – all of whom have the speed and the graceful limbs that could make T&V as stunning as it deserves.
Scotch Symphony showed us that NYCB’s tiniest are terrific, too. Corps women Baily Jones, Rachel Hutsel, and Alston Macgill each got a turn as the Kilt Soloist during this season. All were charismatic but Alston had that unstoppable, run-away-with-it quality that left one breathless after watching her.
Ashley Laracey made a lovely debut in Scotch Symphony on Friday evening opposite Andrew Veyette. But we weren’t quite prepared for what we saw last night in Stravinsky Violin Concerto. Ashley and the debuting Claire Kretzschmar were a stunning pair of newcomers who rocked the house with the strongest debuts of the season. Well, yes, they were helped along by outstanding performances from Amar Ramasar and Ask la Cour, but the two ladies took over the stage with absolute confidence, authority, and flawless dancing. This was a magnificent performance from one and all, and the audience knew it.
An earlier Stravinsky Violin Concerto with Lauren Lovette, Sara Mearns, Joseph Gordon and Aaron Sanz seemed like it had been cast for a completely different ballet. Sara and Aaron as a pair — just no. Maybe if the partners had been switched, it all would have seemed less strange. Joseph Gordon gave a powerful and articulate performance — exceptional. Lauren’s dancing was perfect, but the performance aspect was odd due to a lot of extraneous facial expressions. It all became very predictable: smile,2,3,4, scowl,6,7,8, smile,2,3,4, scowl,6,7,8. But like we said, her dancing was perfect and its scope seems to be growing larger with every season. Aaron Sanz also danced perfectly, but also didn’t have control of his cooing and Vogue-ing with his mouth which was richly lined with lipstick. He flirted with everyone on stage constantly. Enough already. Every role isn’t a flirt role. But like we said, he danced perfectly and we are so happy to see Aaron being featured in principal roles.
Last night Indiana Woodward and Harrison Ball blew the lid off of Valse-Fantaisie. They, along with the brilliant quartet of Alston Macgill, Olivia MacKinnon, Kristen Segin, and Sarah Villwock, simply could not be contained. They clearly went for the athletic aspect of the choreography, but it was certainly fun to watch. We’re almost to week seven of the season, and Harrison Ball is still fully intact from head to toes which is amazing considering the explosiveness of his dancing this season. He has elevated his dancing the most of anyone and now stands shoulder to shoulder with all the principal men in the company.
Spartak Hoxha made a smashing debut leading the 3rd Regiment of Stars and Stripes. What a charmer he is. And what a strong impact he made with his squeaky clean double tours and tight fifth landings. We remember enjoying him quite some time ago in Emeralds. It's time for more.
It’s been an outstanding season. We’re sad that Maria Kowroski won’t be able to dance her two Titanias next week. However, we hope that means that we’ll see one, perhaps two debuts. There are so many potential Titanias hanging out in the rank & file. Christina Clark and Emily Kikta, who have been monopolizing our attention every time they are on stage, could be wonderful Titanias. And, of course, Lauren King and Emily Gerrity would as well. So we’ll just have to wait and see. Whatever happens, we need to see much, much more of all four of those ladies.
We wish we could have cheered more for Megan LeCrone’s work in Stars and Stripes and as one of the all important demis in Theme and Variations, but something is very off in her dancing this season. The stone face in T&V was so distracting that it negatively impacted all of the performances she was in. In S&S, Megan’s exits from the stage were marked by her quitting before she got fully off stage. Leaps literally quit in mid-air; the head dropped; and she would stoop over at the side edge of the stage to pick something up. The exit leaps didn’t even look committed when she took off. Overall, the dancing was very, very small and uncommitted whenever she was on stage. It is a shame to see this happening.
It is worrying to see Lars Nelson being featured so much in demi and quartet corps roles when his dancing can be sloppy and unfinished. His port de bras is so unformed that it looks like it came out of hockey camp. It all becomes even more evident when he's dancing side by side the very gifted and charismatic Alec Knight.
We're on to the final week and then it's a long dry spell until the fall season. It would seem that some promotions should be coming up. It's always nice to see the dancers who we enjoy the most get well-earned recognition from their company. It's been four years since a woman has been promoted to principal. There are at least four, maybe five or six who have consistently been dancing at a high principal level. Our H.H. Pump Bump, a fashionable futuristic Balmain sandal with rhinestones, is bestowed upon Erica Pereira, Lauren King, Ashley Laracey, Brittany Pollack, Indiana Woodward, and Emily Gerrity. The future looks good.
8 responses to “NYCB – There is no such thing as too much.”
Sad to learn from Instagram that Ashly Isaacs has left the company. I noticed that her name was appearing less and less on the casting lists. I wish her all the best, and wonder if this opens the door for a corps promotion to soloist?!
Sad to learn from Instagram that Ashly Isaacs has left the company. I noticed that her name was appearing less and less on the casting lists. I wish her all the best, and wonder if this opens the door for a corps promotion to soloist?!
Ashly was sidelined quite a bit due to injury. It’s such a shame when that happens, and it happens all too often.
It appears that due to Maria’s current injury, we will see Sara Mearns and Miriam Miller as Titiana on her MND dates this week.
Ashly was sidelined quite a bit due to injury. It’s such a shame when that happens, and it happens all too often.
It appears that due to Maria’s current injury, we will see Sara Mearns and Miriam Miller as Titiana on her MND dates this week.
I saw Megan LeCrone dance Dewdrop in December (filling in for Reichlen sadly) and was distracted by the extreme stone face. It’s almost menacing. What is usually such a joyful variation was a big downer and I would not choose to watch her again. Totally unprofessional in my opinion. Slap on a smile and force it if you must, it was Nutcracker FGS.
I saw Megan LeCrone dance Dewdrop in December (filling in for Reichlen sadly) and was distracted by the extreme stone face. It’s almost menacing. What is usually such a joyful variation was a big downer and I would not choose to watch her again. Totally unprofessional in my opinion. Slap on a smile and force it if you must, it was Nutcracker FGS.
So true, Gerry, it is part of performing. Megan did make an effort in S&S to be more joyful. In last night’s opener of Midsummer Night’s Dream, she also made more of an effort, and was overall more energetic. The result was a performance with an improved impact. But much more is needed. This has always been somewhat of an issue with her dancing which is a shame considering how blessed she is with her instrument and facility.
So true, Gerry, it is part of performing. Megan did make an effort in S&S to be more joyful. In last night’s opener of Midsummer Night’s Dream, she also made more of an effort, and was overall more energetic. The result was a performance with an improved impact. But much more is needed. This has always been somewhat of an issue with her dancing which is a shame considering how blessed she is with her instrument and facility.