NYCB 2/6 & 2/7
The Four Temperaments & Liebeslieder Walzer

        It seems we're all a little temperamental these days. The world is out of balance; so why shouldn't our temperaments be off, too? But thanks to Balanchine, who in 1946 turned temperamental off-balance into brilliance with his masterpiece The Four Temperaments, we can sit back and briefly enjoy somebody else's bad moods. Paul Hindemith's rich and intense string score serves as the loom and warp for Balanchine's genius weft.

        On Tuesday and Wednesday, NYCB presented the Winter Season's first Balanchine ballets after two weeks of other choreographers' works. Some of us are of the opinion that every season should open with a major Balanchine work, not anybody else's.

        Tuesday's performances were jittery at times with marked improvement on Wednesday. The Theme section began with Olivia Boisson and Samuel Melnikov. Olivia dances this role frequently, and it highlights her beautiful placement, legs and feet, and her equally beautiful demeanor. This was Samuel's debut, and he partnered Olivia accurately, but not smoothly — in comparison to Olivia's previous partner, Lars Nelson. For this particular PdD, the great height difference between the two dancers did not serve the ballet well. Olivia MacKinnon and Kennard Henson danced the second Theme, and Sara Adams and Davide Riccardo danced the third Theme. All were satisfactory. Blocking Haglund's vision was the memory of a revelatory performance of the third Theme by Alexa Maxwell some seasons back.

        Sebastian Villarini-Velez performed Melancholic as a replacement for Anthony Huxley. Sebastian, who has had an ongoing issue with turning on his jets full force for every step of every ballet whether it's a glissade or grande jete, was obviously trying to modulate his phrasing but just didn't have the idea down yet. Modulating is not simply about using less force or less energy. Unfortunately, it often looked like his lines of energy truncated in the middle of his arms or legs. The expected flexibility in his back was not present in the dramatic backbends. Haglund kept thinking how incredible Davide Riccardo will be in this role if he ever gets the chance to dance it.

        Modulation is the key to success. Yes, yes, yes, there is that famous Balanchine quote about using energy: "What are you saving for?" However, Balanchine never told his dancers that their variations should be suicide missions. There are dancers today who will risk everything on stage. Not only does it thrill the audience, but the audience becomes addicted to it. They want to see every performer dance to the very edge of disaster. Quite simply, it is addictive to the balletomane like the blood sports were addictive to the spectators in the ancient Roman arenas. Thrilling, yes, but at what cost? Wouldn't we rather have had Harrison Ball modulate his performances if it meant that we would be able to enjoy his dancing for a few more years? Modulation doesn't mean holding back or scrimping on energy — it's smart dancing and wise choices.

        Isabella LaFreniere gave extraordinary performances in the Sanguinic variation on both nights. She slipped out of some turns on the first night but otherwise, my word, she was glorious in the breadth, accuracy, and musicality of her dancing. Preston Chamblee did a good job partnering her, and he squeezed out some pretty fine batterie in his variation. The Sanguinistas (Olivia Bell, Gabriella Domini, Quinn Starner, Rommie Tomasini) were all fierce and focused, but we kept following Bell's movement for its precision and the quickness & ease with which she got to each position.

        Adrian Danchig-Waring articulated Phlegmatic's dysfunction perfectly. The droop of the arm and wrist conveyed his apathy. He was slow to react to all around him until his four no-nonsense therapists (Christina Clark, Naomi Corti, Savannah Durham, and Malorie Lundgren) arrived on the scene to extricate him from his indifference with their pillar presence and monumental attitudes.

        Emily Kikta wasn't just Choleric — she was looking for a fight. No one in his right mind would take on those weaponized legs of hers. So incredibly angry, but again, modulation was in order here. Modulation would have inserted a dangerous unpredictability into Choleric: unpredictability as in when a snake prepares to strike. But Kikta definitely made one ornery, quarrelsome Choleric with ferocious jumps and spins. Hoping to see more of this dancer in the Spring Season than we have this Winter Season. We don't understand the short shrifting.

        Liebeslieder Walzer was touching and pretty. We appreciated the fine tenor voice of Blake Friedman who sang our favorite parts of Brahms' Opus 52 & 65. How many different ways are there to waltz, and what can a waltz convey if in heeled shoes and heavy satin versus pointe shoes and airy tulle? The dancers in the heeled shoes were polite society whose passions were a distinct under-current. But once the pointe shoes and tulle emerged, so did the true inner life of the party. Sort of. These performances were lovely — filled with grace and harmony — but for some reason, less than magical. Even Mira Nadon's opulent imagination could not bring up the thespian skills of the others. Why aren't we seeing Andrew Veyette and Daniel Ulbricht cast in this ballet? Whatever…

        The H.H. Pump Bump Award is bestowed upon Isabella LaFreniere for her exemplary dancing in Sanguinic. In the Balanchine black & white canon, illustrating his bold architecture is everything. She understands it.