Tag: New York Live Arts

Christopher Williams ~ NARCISSUS @ NYLA

Above: from NARCISSUS; photo by Andrew Jordan

Saturday October 30th, 2021 matinee – At New York Live Arts this afternoon with Roberto Villanueva for a performance of Christopher Williams’ NARCISSUS. It was a purely delightful hour, wherein the music, choreography, lighting, costumes, and the beautiful cast of dancers all combined to create a dreamworld at once quirky, erotic, and poignant.

NARCISSUS is set to Nikolai Tcherepnin’s score “Narcisse et Echo” which was composed in 1911 for Michel Fokine’s ballet of the same title, produced by Serge de Diaghilev for the Ballets Russes. In Mr. Williams re-imagining of the ballet, he takes a fresh look at the timeless tale of Nacissus, a young man very much taken with his own beauty. The enticing production features costume and set designs by Andrew Jordan and lighting by Joe Levasseur.

In a brief prologue, in which bouche fermée voices are heard, a group of Boeotians are silhouetted against the breaking dawn. We then meet the Oreads: a brotherhood of mountain nymphs with Spock-like ears. Dancers Casey Hess, Jack Blackmon, Alexander Olivieri, Michael Parmelee, and Logan Pedon cavort, their heavenly, nearly nude bodies adorned with fantastical red penises. For all the intimacy of their partnering, they paradoxically seem chaste. The music underscores the ecstatic feeling of these youthful males, savoring their delight in nature and in each others company. Throughout this provocative scene – and indeed, throughout the entire ballet – the choreography in superbly musical.

The music shifts with the arrival of Echo, who has both a penis and female breasts; Mac Twining plays the part handsomely. Echo is a lonely creature, and is rejected by the Oreads who hiss at him like animals. Now the Boeotians return: hetero and same sex couples of varying ages are danced by Janet Charleston, Alan Good, Ching-I Chang, Shayla-Vie Jenkins, Justin Lynch, and Jake Montanaro. They are joined by a trio of Bacchantes (Christiana Axelsen, Breckyn Drescher, and Caitlin Scranton), dressed in flame-coloured gowns, their faces painted white, their dark hair almost Medusa-like. Their dance is a highlight of the ballet. Now the music becomes tumultuous, the dancing joyous.

The Oreads re-appear, and we are only too happy to see them again; and finally we meet Narcissus himself – in the magnetic person of New York City Ballet principal dancer Taylor Stanley. Clad in a short blue tunic, his solo depicts the character’s self-love.

For Narcissus has fallen in love with his own reflection: a reflection danced by Cemiyon Barber in a yellow tunic. Their duet of mutual admiration is danced in-sync; meanwhile, their shadows follow them on the wall.

Echo returns; smitten with Narcissus, his dance is a visual lament. As the music veers from powerful to eerie, he sustains a balance as if teetering on the verge. Mr. Twining excelled here. Now Narcissus and his double return; the music gets big as they fill the space with swirling leaps and mirror-image passages. They embrace, sink to the ground, their bodies communing whilst the forlorn Echo watches them in despair. Narcisssus expires; reaching under his dead idol’s tunic, Echo brings forth a yellow narcissus as darkness falls.

The dancers were enthusiastically applauded; though I thought solo bows for Mssrs. Stanley, Barber, and Twining were in order, they were not forthcoming. The choreographer was warmly greeted by dancers and audience alike.

One of the many reasons I wanted to see this production was the presence in the cast of my friend Justin Lynch. Justin has danced for Amanda Selwyn, Lydia Johnson, and Nai-Ni Chen, and in 2014 he appeared in the Metropolitan Opera’s controversial production of DEATH OF KLINGHOFFER. In 2010, he participated in Kokyat’s photoshoot at the Secret Theater. Justn’s such a handsome fellow: it was great to see him again.

~ Oberon

October 29, 2021
Amanda Selwyn’s CROSSROADS @ NY Live Arts

~ Author: Oberon

Thursday June 20th, 2019 – Having seen three rehearsals of Amanda Selwyn’s CROSSROADS at various stages of its development, tonight I experienced the finished work in its premiere performance at New York Live Arts.

The process began during wintertime rehearsals: brief movement motifs were introduced by each of the individual dancers. Over time, these were developed and woven into the choreographic tapestry. The dancing is set on a musical soundscape that veers from driven to meditative; the sets, costumes, and props give the piece an eye-opening visual framework, and expert lighting by Dan Ozminkowski is the crowning touch.

In the months between concept and performance, there were some changes in the roster of performers; but Amanda ended up with a cast of brilliant and distinctive dancers whose commitment and flair kept the audience thoroughly engaged throughout the work’s 90-minute span.

The art of René Magritte and M C Escher were initial inspirations for CROSSROADS. A row of fanciful doors provide a backdrop, and columns – illuminated from within – are moved about as the work’s opening movement progresses. Later, the dancers will continually re-arrange a set of boxes to be used as podiums…or obstacles. By the end, everything is stripped down to essentials, the boxes piled in a heap, the dancers liberated.

But lets rewind to the start: Part I of CROSSROADS is entitled Sight. It begins with Ashley McQueen entering the shadowy space; she is a dancer with the grace of a ballerina, the groundedness of an Isadora acolyte, and the impetuous musicality of someone who dances because she must. All evening, my gaze kept returning to this woman and multi-hued dancing. Topping it all off, Ms. McQueen is also a comedienne to be reckoned with: her solo, stuck in an inflatable plastic chair, made me laugh out loud.

The other dancers now enter thru the upstage doors; they pair off – Ms. McQueen with Alex Cottone, Misaki Hayama with Isaac Kerr, and Manon Hallay with Michael Bishop – whilst the distinctive and enigmatic Sarah Starkweather weaves among them, a dancer on her own path. The couples creates a flow of beautiful moves and poses, and then the tall and lithe Mr. Kerr comes forward in silence and takes a bite out of Magritte’s apple.

The music now takes on a deep beat, and we are ready for some spacious dancing; fleeting solos and duets are part of the mix. As CROSSROADS progresses, each dancer will have multiple opportunities to show off his or her individuality and flair, seizing our focus in movement that veers from high-energy to expressive. The boys show off their partnering skills, the women each compelling in her own way.

With the columns on a diagonal, Ashley McQueen covers the space to dense, pensive music; her arms and hands speak to us poetically, and then her solo gets more animated. Misaki Hayama emerges thru one of the doors to dance a thoughtful, moving solo of loneliness and hope; Alex Cottone opens another door to dance with Misaki.

A tom-tom beat sets off a bouncy, propulsive ensemble dance: these people are super-movers. Alex Cottone’s solo here is just one of innumerable passages in which this dancer of boundless energy and passion seized the stage. He dances with Ms. McQueen, and then with Ms. Hallay. Michael Bishop and Ashley McQueen, in a duet to languid, deep, and soulful cello music, execute beautiful lifts.

After a blackout, Part II commences. Entitled Faith, it does indeed take on the feeling of a sacred rite when Alex Cottone is seen in a pool of blinding light on a low altar; his solo is simply spell-binding. As the light over Alex fades, another altar is illuminated and here the gorgeous Manon Hallay displays her beauteous line and floated arabesque in a solo at once alluring and pure. Both dancers here wear raspberry-hued costumes that accentuate their physical appeal.

Each dancer now has his/her own box on which to dance or pose, at first in unison. Sarah Starkweather’s plastique solo inaugurates a fresh cycle of movement motifs. To a bigger beat, the boxes are rearranged, and fleeting pas de deux replace the solos briefly. In a spirited trio, Misaki, Manon, and Sarah dance in sync.

Faith now becomes a journey: boxes are arranged along the front of the stage and the dancers walk in procession over these obstacles, pausing to pose or perform gestural solos along the way. A back-beat develops, and the parade breaks up.

A rather purgatorial “red quintet” springs up to a fresh tempo: Alex and the four women dance in sync, with breakouts and swift duets. Misaki’s fancy footwork here captured my eye. Sarah and Alex duet, then the quintet resumes. The beat is all.

Following a blessedly brief interval, Part III – Ascent – commences. In a foggy setting, Sarah Starkweather has a stormy solo to the sound of rushing water. Misaki and Ashley join her, the music (with big piano chords) has a throbbing depth; then Sarah – she of the unique presence – resumes her solo.

Alex Cottone, Michael Bishop, and the four women now have a quartet wherein the darkly lyrical cello gives a feeling of Russian passion; posing and moving, so attentive to one another, the dancers pair off. The woman in a row gesture in sync as the men provide visual counterpoint. This for me was the best part of CROSSROADS; it ends on a long cello tone.

Now comes the comic interlude: to spaced-out music, Ashley McQueen becomes helplessly trapped in an inflatable plastic chair. Her gestures and facial expressions are priceless. The other dancers come and go, unwilling – or too self-absorbed – to help her. Manon Hallay’s lovely arabesques again come into play; she seems intent on perfecting them whilst Ms. McQueen struggles valiantly to stand. Suddenly, Isaac Kerr rushes on and – in a flying leap – sails over the woman stranded in the chair. Meanwhile, Sarah Starkweather and Alex Cottone have carried on with their own duet throughout.

The mood now shifts, aided by sounds of shifting sea tides: Manon Hallay and Michael Bishop have a tender duet, with lyrical partnering phrases. Misaki Hayama and Isaac Kerr dance a spacious duet, with airy lifts and a trace of romance, which the cello accentuates. Sarah Starkweather and Alex Cottone walkabout, connect, and have an agile, gently amusing duet.

While Alex wanders alone, all the others advance from stage right, striking poses and gesturing – a very nice look here – before leaving Alex on his own again. A duet of passion for Ashley McQueen and Isaac Kerr is not without hints of danger. Following a solo passage for Sarah, Manon and Michael have a side-by-side duet with subtle dips and lifts. When Manon leaves him, Michael continues to dance with his memory of her.

The three men dance as the women ‘Vogue’ behind them; then the four women take the floor. Following a brief, compulsive solo, Alex Cottone is left alone as the lights fade.

CROSSROADS had flashed by: never a dull moment in this feast of movement. Thanks to the vibrant commitment of her seven dancers, Amanda Selwyn can chalk up yet another winning entry in her ongoing catalog of successes. How did I feel when CROSSROADS ended? I felt like dancing!

~ Oberon

June 21, 2019
Amanda Selwyn’s CROSSROADS @ NY Live Arts

~ Author: Oberon

Thursday June 20th, 2019 – Having seen three rehearsals of Amanda Selwyn’s CROSSROADS at various stages of its development, tonight I experienced the finished work in its premiere performance at New York Live Arts.

The process began during wintertime rehearsals: brief movement motifs were introduced by each of the individual dancers. Over time, these were developed and woven into the choreographic tapestry. The dancing is set on a musical soundscape that veers from driven to meditative; the sets, costumes, and props give the piece an eye-opening visual framework, and expert lighting by Dan Ozminkowski is the crowning touch.

In the months between concept and performance, there were some changes in the roster of performers; but Amanda ended up with a cast of brilliant and distinctive dancers whose commitment and flair kept the audience thoroughly engaged throughout the work’s 90-minute span.

The art of René Magritte and M C Escher were initial inspirations for CROSSROADS. A row of fanciful doors provide a backdrop, and columns – illuminated from within – are moved about as the work’s opening movement progresses. Later, the dancers will continually re-arrange a set of boxes to be used as podiums…or obstacles. By the end, everything is stripped down to essentials, the boxes piled in a heap, the dancers liberated.

But lets rewind to the start: Part I of CROSSROADS is entitled Sight. It begins with Ashley McQueen entering the shadowy space; she is a dancer with the grace of a ballerina, the groundedness of an Isadora acolyte, and the impetuous musicality of someone who dances because she must. All evening, my gaze kept returning to this woman and multi-hued dancing. Topping it all off, Ms. McQueen is also a comedienne to be reckoned with: her solo, stuck in an inflatable plastic chair, made me laugh out loud.

The other dancers now enter thru the upstage doors; they pair off – Ms. McQueen with Alex Cottone, Misaki Hayama with Isaac Kerr, and Manon Hallay with Michael Bishop – whilst the distinctive and enigmatic Sarah Starkweather weaves among them, a dancer on her own path. The couples creates a flow of beautiful moves and poses, and then the tall and lithe Mr. Kerr comes forward in silence and takes a bite out of Magritte’s apple.

The music now takes on a deep beat, and we are ready for some spacious dancing; fleeting solos and duets are part of the mix. As CROSSROADS progresses, each dancer will have multiple opportunities to show off his or her individuality and flair, seizing our focus in movement that veers from high-energy to expressive. The boys show off their partnering skills, the women each compelling in her own way.

With the columns on a diagonal, Ashley McQueen covers the space to dense, pensive music; her arms and hands speak to us poetically, and then her solo gets more animated. Misaki Hayama emerges thru one of the doors to dance a thoughtful, moving solo of loneliness and hope; Alex Cottone opens another door to dance with Misaki.

A tom-tom beat sets off a bouncy, propulsive ensemble dance: these people are super-movers. Alex Cottone’s solo here is just one of innumerable passages in which this dancer of boundless energy and passion seized the stage. He dances with Ms. McQueen, and then with Ms. Hallay. Michael Bishop and Ashley McQueen, in a duet to languid, deep, and soulful cello music, execute beautiful lifts.

After a blackout, Part II commences. Entitled Faith, it does indeed take on the feeling of a sacred rite when Alex Cottone is seen in a pool of blinding light on a low altar; his solo is simply spell-binding. As the light over Alex fades, another altar is illuminated and here the gorgeous Manon Hallay displays her beauteous line and floated arabesque in a solo at once alluring and pure. Both dancers here wear raspberry-hued costumes that accentuate their physical appeal.

Each dancer now has his/her own box on which to dance or pose, at first in unison. Sarah Starkweather’s plastique solo inaugurates a fresh cycle of movement motifs. To a bigger beat, the boxes are rearranged, and fleeting pas de deux replace the solos briefly. In a spirited trio, Misaki, Manon, and Sarah dance in sync.

Faith now becomes a journey: boxes are arranged along the front of the stage and the dancers walk in procession over these obstacles, pausing to pose or perform gestural solos along the way. A back-beat develops, and the parade breaks up.

A rather purgatorial “red quintet” springs up to a fresh tempo: Alex and the four women dance in sync, with breakouts and swift duets. Misaki’s fancy footwork here captured my eye. Sarah and Alex duet, then the quintet resumes. The beat is all.

Following a blessedly brief interval, Part III – Ascent – commences. In a foggy setting, Sarah Starkweather has a stormy solo to the sound of rushing water. Misaki and Ashley join her, the music (with big piano chords) has a throbbing depth; then Sarah – she of the unique presence – resumes her solo.

Alex Cottone, Michael Bishop, and the four women now have a quartet wherein the darkly lyrical cello gives a feeling of Russian passion; posing and moving, so attentive to one another, the dancers pair off. The woman in a row gesture in sync as the men provide visual counterpoint. This for me was the best part of CROSSROADS; it ends on a long cello tone.

Now comes the comic interlude: to spaced-out music, Ashley McQueen becomes helplessly trapped in an inflatable plastic chair. Her gestures and facial expressions are priceless. The other dancers come and go, unwilling – or too self-absorbed – to help her. Manon Hallay’s lovely arabesques again come into play; she seems intent on perfecting them whilst Ms. McQueen struggles valiantly to stand. Suddenly, Isaac Kerr rushes on and – in a flying leap – sails over the woman stranded in the chair. Meanwhile, Sarah Starkweather and Alex Cottone have carried on with their own duet throughout.

The mood now shifts, aided by sounds of shifting sea tides: Manon Hallay and Michael Bishop have a tender duet, with lyrical partnering phrases. Misaki Hayama and Isaac Kerr dance a spacious duet, with airy lifts and a trace of romance, which the cello accentuates. Sarah Starkweather and Alex Cottone walkabout, connect, and have an agile, gently amusing duet.

While Alex wanders alone, all the others advance from stage right, striking poses and gesturing – a very nice look here – before leaving Alex on his own again. A duet of passion for Ashley McQueen and Isaac Kerr is not without hints of danger. Following a solo passage for Sarah, Manon and Michael have a side-by-side duet with subtle dips and lifts. When Manon leaves him, Michael continues to dance with his memory of her.

The three men dance as the women ‘Vogue’ behind them; then the four women take the floor. Following a brief, compulsive solo, Alex Cottone is left alone as the lights fade.

CROSSROADS had flashed by: never a dull moment in this feast of movement. Thanks to the vibrant commitment of her seven dancers, Amanda Selwyn can chalk up yet another winning entry in her ongoing catalog of successes. How did I feel when CROSSROADS ended? I felt like dancing!

~ Oberon

June 20, 2019
At Amanda Selwyn’s Rehearsal

Monday January 28th, 2019 – Photographer Travis Magee and I stopped in at the Ailey Studios today where Amanda Selwyn and her dancers were rehearsing their work-in-progress, CROSSROADS. Inspired by the art of Magritte and Escher, the premiere performances will be given June 20th thru 22nd, 2019, at New York Live Arts.

In October, we had a first look at CROSSROADS when the Company held an open rehearsal. There, we watched the individual dancers creating movement phrases which are then taught to their colleagues, and later elaborated on or modified by the ensemble, to be finally woven into the overall fabric of the dancework.

This process continued today, and Amanda described to me the set pieces (doors, re-arrangeable boxes) that will become part of the staging. This afternoon, the stackable boxes were in play, with the dancers getting used to using them as seats, pedestals, and springboards for athletic feats.

The rehearsal atmosphere is relaxed, but with a strong focus on mastering the various movements that will become part of CROSSROADS.

The dancers of Amanda Selwyn Dance Theatre are:

Torrey McAnena…

…Alex Cottone…

…Sarah Starkweather…

…Manon Hallay…

…Fabricio Seraphin…

…and Misaki Hayama.

And here are more of Travis Magee’s images from today’s rehearsal:

Sarah Starkweather

Fabricio Seraphin

Fabricio, Sarah, and Misaki

Fabricio, Sarah, Misaki

Fabricio

Alex Cottone

Alex and Misaki

Alex and Misaki

Torrey, with Alex and Sarah

Torry McAnena

Torrey, Manon, with Alex and Sarah

Manon and Misaki

Sarah, Manon, and Misaki

All photos by Travis Magee

~ Oberon

January 31, 2019
At Amanda Selwyn’s Rehearsal

Monday January 28th, 2019 – Photographer Travis Magee and I stopped in at the Ailey Studios today where Amanda Selwyn and her dancers were rehearsing their work-in-progress, CROSSROADS. Inspired by the art of Magritte and Escher, the premiere performances will be given June 20th thru 22nd, 2019, at New York Live Arts.

In October, we had a first look at CROSSROADS when the Company held an open rehearsal. There, we watched the individual dancers creating movement phrases which are then taught to their colleagues, and later elaborated on or modified by the ensemble, to be finally woven into the overall fabric of the dancework.

This process continued today, and Amanda described to me the set pieces (doors, re-arrangeable boxes) that will become part of the staging. This afternoon, the stackable boxes were in play, with the dancers getting used to using them as seats, pedestals, and springboards for athletic feats.

The rehearsal atmosphere is relaxed, but with a strong focus on mastering the various movements that will become part of CROSSROADS.

The dancers of Amanda Selwyn Dance Theatre are:

Torrey McAnena…

…Alex Cottone…

…Sarah Starkweather…

…Manon Hallay…

…Fabricio Seraphin…

…and Misaki Hayama.

And here are more of Travis Magee’s images from today’s rehearsal:

Sarah Starkweather

Fabricio Seraphin

Fabricio, Sarah, and Misaki

Fabricio, Sarah, Misaki

Fabricio

Alex Cottone

Alex and Misaki

Alex and Misaki

Torrey, with Alex and Sarah

Torry McAnena

Torrey, Manon, with Alex and Sarah

Manon and Misaki

Sarah, Manon, and Misaki

All photos by Travis Magee

~ Oberon

January 30, 2019
Upcoming: Barnard/Columbia Dances @ NYLA

The premiere of Claudia Schreier’s ballet SPLINTER is one of the works featured on a program at New York Live Arts by Barnard/Columbia Dances. The performance dates are November 30th, December 1st, and two shows on December 2nd. Tickets and more information here.

Claudia’s SPLINTER gets its name from the Marc Mellits score from which she draws six of eight movements for her dancework. Each movement is named after a type of tree. It’s quite dynamic music, with passing moments of reverie.

Above: Claudia Schreier and dancers in rehearsal

November 20, 2017
Rehearsing: Lydia Johnson Dance

Above: Nir Arieli’s rehearsal photo from the final moments of Lydia Johnson’s new creation This, and my heart beside…

Author: Oberon

Lydia Johnson Dance will be at New York Live Arts, 219 West 19th Street, on June 21st, 22nd, and 23rd, 2017. The performances are at 7:30 PM each evening. Tickets here.

Two new works choreographed by Lydia Johnson will be presented: Trio Sonatas, to music of Georg Friedrich Handel, and This, and my heart beside…, inspired by Emily Dickinson’s poem “It’s All I Have to Bring Today” and set to music by Marc Mellits and Philip Glass. Completing the program will be a revival of Lydia’s 2012 ballet for five women, Crossings By River, to music by Osvaldo Golijov, and Giving Way, returning from last season, with music by Mellits and Golijov.

On Friday June 16th, Lydia invited photographer Nir Arieli and me to her rehearsal at the Ballet Hispanico studios. Giving Way was being run when we arrived, and here are some of Nir’s images from that work.

Click on each photo to enlarge.

Laura DiOrio

Brynt Beitman

Blake Hennessy-York and Brynt Beitman

Blake and Brynt

Blake and Brynt

Above: Lydia with Sarah Pon, who will be dancing in Giving Way at NYLA, giving notes

After a brief respite, the large ensemble involved in This, and my heart beside… took their places and I got to see this moving and disturbingly beautiful work in a full run-thru.

Here is the Emily Dickinson poem from which the ballet’s title is derived:

“It’s all I have to bring today—
This, and my heart beside—
This, and my heart, and all the fields—
And all the meadows wide—
Be sure you count—should I forget
Someone the sum could tell—
This, and my heart, and all the Bees
Which in the Clover dwell.”

The ballet is built around three couples, each of them at a different stage in their relationship:

MinSeon Kim and Chazz Fenner-McBride, observed by the ensemble…

…Mary Beth Hansohn and Peter Chursin…

…and Daniel Pigliavento and Katie Martin-Lohiya.

Dona Wiley, Hope K Ruth, Blair Reavis-Tyler, and Lauren Treat form the ensemble for this poetic work, and also appearing will be Sara Spangler, a very young dancer who was not at today’s rehearsal.

This, and my heart beside… opens with a sort of prologue set to a Marc Mellits score which serves to set the stage for the drama which will unfold. Above: Dona Wiley, and Katie Martin-Lohiya (seated).

Lydia then turns to one of Philip Glass’s most haunting works, from his Etudes, Book 2: No 17, for the unfolding of the ballet. I won’t give away too much about the piece – Nir’s photos will say more than words can express – but this is a dancework which grasps the heart and never lets go.

Here is This, and my heart beside… in rehearsal:

Katie and Daniel

Daniel, Katie, Chazz, Min

Peter

Peter

Chazz and Min, observed by Mary Beth

Peter and Mary Beth

Mary Beth and Min

Daniel and Katie

Min, Mary Beth, Chazz, Peter

Min and Chazz

Mary Beth and Peter

Mary Beth and Peter

Katie and Daniel

Daniel and Katie

Mary Beth and Peter

Mary Beth and Peter

Peter, Mary Beth, Chazz

Mary Beth and Peter

This, and my heart beside… ends without a musical resolution. It is a ballet filled with unanswered questions.

All photos by Nir Arieli, with my sincere appreciation.

~ Oberon

June 17, 2017
A Quartet of Female Choreographers

Wednesday June 15th, 2016 – Works by four prominent contemporary female choreographers were on offer this evening at New York Live Arts. In a well-contrasted program, distinctive dancing and excellent lighting made each piece glow in its own unique way.

One couldn’t ask for a more engrossing start to an evening of dance than that offered by Molissa Fenley and Company: a duet entitled THE THIRD COAST (Premiere), and MALI, a solo danced by Ms. Fenley. Evocative music by Ryuichi Sakamoto (duet) and Laetitia Sonami (solo), and splendid lighting by David Moodey, were attractive assets to these two works.

In a violet world, dancers Christiana Axelsen and Rebecca Chaleff dance a stylized duet in-sync. Their moves and gestures imply a secret language. Dawn-light glows as the two continue to mirror one another. In a second, more animated section – to piano music – the lighting goes sea-green. The two dancers bring a compelling grace to the angular movement.

This mysterious duet leads directly into the solo danced by Ms. Fenley: a captivating experience in every regard as the fusion of the soundscape – clattering, crunching, sloshing – the lighting, and the dancer’s mesmerizing movement held the theatre under a spell. Ms. Fenley’s arms and hands were so expressive, and her sense of commitment gave the work a gorgeous resonance.

Elisa Monte’s DEXTRA DEI was originally set as men’s quartet: the choreographer’s 1989 response to the devastation of the AIDS epidemic. Ms. Monte has now expanded the work, adding four women to the cast.

It is a work that is both somber and sexy, full of chiaroscuro effects created by the David Moodey lighting. To atmospheric music by Tibor Szemzo, four men roll onto the stage and form patterns of moving sculpture. The delectable Clymene Baugher rolls on from the opposite corner where she encounters Thomas Varvaro. Their intimate, floor-oriented duet ends in surrender and repose.

Lithe and supremely feminine, Maria Ambrose appears and is manipulated aloft by the three remaining men; the music is ominous, with deep vocals and bird cries. JoVanna Parks and Shay Bland enter, jungle drums sound softly, reverberating in the rain forest mist. The men withdraw, the woman dance a quartet with fleeting solo passages: an exotic tribal rite of a restless sisterhood.

The men reappear, repeating the movement motifs that initiated the ballet. Over a sustained note, partnerships form: stylized lifts and turns abound as pulsing music underscores the communal rituals. The work, perhaps just a trifle too long, showed off Monte’s dancers to perfection.

Margo Sappington’s ENTWINED depicts the melding of bodies and spirits. At once sensual and magical, this on-pointe ballet is set to Erik Satie’s Gnossiennes. I was familiar with this work from having seen Jennie Somogyi and Charles Askegard perform the signature duet from it with Ballet Next in 2011.

This evening I was particularly delighted to find Lily Di Piazza dancing in the ballet’s opening pas de trois; I remember Lily’s dancing from her SAB days. Ms. Sappington and I had a lovely chat before tonight’s show, and she told me she had originally made this role on Lily.

As mists roll by, Lily, Marjorie Fiering, and Marlon Taylor-Wiles danced with effortless beauty, accenting the classicism of the vocabulary. Marlon’s impressive physique and his powerful charisma were a counterpoise to the elegant feminine allure of the two girls.

Silken Kelly appears for a solo, danced in pools of light; the lyrical choreography was sublimely articulated by this radiant dancer. The exquisite Chrystyn Mariah Fentroy then joined Mr. Taylor-Wiles for the tender, languid pas de deux; performing with an intimacy which we are permitted to savor, the two dancers fused into a single spirit. The duet’s ensuing, more animated passage gave the dancers space-filling combinations and complex partnering elements.

Earlier this week, I caught a studio run-thru of Jennifer Muller‘s newest creation, WORKING TITLE. Consisting of four duets – into which interjections by other dancers sometimes occur – the dancing is accompanied live by Yut Chia and Shayne Lebron Acevedo, of Yut and the Hot Four. Ms. Muller told me that she heard Yut playing in the subway station, approached him, and asked if he’d be up for a collaboration. The result is WORKING TITLE, a dancework about relationships that mixes passionate music and dynamic dance. A row of chairs is the setting for the characters, who come and go throughout the ballet, sometimes observing those who are dancing, sometimes isolated, withdrawn, deep in thought.

In the opening vignette, Alexandre Balmain pursues Michelle Tara Lynch, setting up a duet of passionate turmoil, superbly performed by this alluring pair of dancers. Ms. Lynch’s hair becomes an active participant in the dance as she sought to steer clear of the young Frenchman’s advances. Alexandre’s line, and his lavish extension, continually lure the eye. Elijah Laurant, Ms. Muller’s newest dancer, turns this duet into a trio: his place in the romantic triangle is a bit ambiguous: we can’t tell if he’s just a troublemaker or if there’s some attraction between him and Alexandre…or him and Michelle. This added dramatic aspect keeps things lively.

Gen Hashimoto then tries to interest Shiho Tanaka. Who could say “no” to Gen? But Shiho does. Their duet becomes tempestuous: Shiho’s solo marks her desire to be left alone, while Gen covers the space with his trademark sexy, bad-boy bravura. As Shiho continues to resist, the music pounds out a big beat.

Sonja Chung, Elise King, and Seiko Fujita takes seats to observe the denouement of Gen’s attempted seduction: he and Shiho carry on – to no avail – as the music turns bluesy.

Sonja Chung (above, in a Julie Lemberger photo), a phenomenal dancer and presence, meets her match in height and allure in Elise King. As the two tall women veer between attraction and avoidance, emotions well up and feelings are hurt. Seiko Fujita tries to intervene – again, we don’t know her motive – but Sonja and Elise leave things unsorted.

Suddenly, Elijah Laurant sweeps Seiko Fujita off her feet (Julie Lemberger photo above) as they go wild in a high-energy duet, ripe with power and passion.

All the dancers then take seats, to ponder their solitary desires. Gen has another vivid solo, as does Sonja, and then a bit more brilliance from Seiko. All seek resolution. Sonja and Elise move off together; Gen finally persuades Shiho of his sincerity. We can’t be quite sure of the Michelle-Alexandre-Elijah situation. Seiko walks forward alone as the lights dim.

June 15, 2016
Monte/Buglisi/Muller @ NYLA 2015

Tuesday June 16th, 2015 – A triumvirate of distinguished female choreographers presenting their work at New York Live Arts: Jennifer Muller, Elisa Monte, and Jacqulyn Buglisi drew together to offer an impressive evening of dance, and each had the benefit of the excellence of her dancers.

Sacred Landscapes – Episode 1 (Buglisi/World Premiere) This dreamlike dancework is set to an evocative score by Paola Prestini, performed live by cellist Jeffrey Zeigler and vocalist Helga Davis. As the lights come up, the dancers – clad in diaphanous garments – stride towards us in slow motion as fog billows about them. A sombre theme from the cello sets the mood. Among the many danced highlights, solos by Ari Mayzick and the ever-ravishing Carrie Ellmore-Tallitsch stood out. There are demanding partnering motifs, including some wafting high lifts.

Ms. Davis’s voice is first heard in whispered parlando; she will later sustain some other-worldly high notes. The cellist meanwhile veers from dreamy to profound. The dancing is ritualistic and the dancers evoke an atmosphere that is both spiritual and the sensuous. Ms. Ellmore-Tallitsch gave an enthralling performance: her simple act of crossing the stage near the end of the piece took on a depth of resonance thanks to this dancer’s particular mystique. Lovely to re-encounter Lauren Jaeger (such expressive hands) and Darion Smith – all the dancing, in fact, took on a fine lustre.

Hurricane Deck (Monte) begins with a quirky announcement: “A blow to the head…I’ve never been unconscious before!” and from there Elisa Monte’s eight dancers zip about the space against a sky-blue background, the choreography witty and active. Clymene Baugher, Maria Ambrose, Mindy Lai and JoVonna Parks swirl about in swift, playful combinations while the bare-chested boys – Malik Kitchen, Justin Lynch, Alrick Thomas and Thomas Varvaro – pursue and partner them: the movement is fun and eclectic.

David Lang’s score is a lively setting for all this activity, with odd rhythms, stuttering brass, and a sense of whirring at one point as the dancers switch partners. The backdrop has gone black as the dancers stand in a row, each stepping forward in an agitated danced narrative. They hit the floor only to bob up again. “Say it!…end it!” says the unseen narrator, and as the dancers embrace, silence falls and we hear their breathing. The piece seems to be over.

But instead, clanging sounds rouse them; the music turns rather ominous as they perform a sort of darkish coda to heavy brass. The atmosphere takes on a cloying tinge and the work moves slowly to an un-premeditative end. The dancers sustained this longish final section strongly, though I think the work might have benefited by stopping earlier, with the words “End it.”

Alchemy (Jennifer Muller/World Premiere): I had an opportunity to see this work in rehearsal a week before the performance. At that time, Jennifer mentioned there would be ‘projections’ but the production was in fact quite elaborate, with a scrim having been installed during intermission. Across the backdrop and scrim, thought-bytes appear in swift succession: “…a deluge of information…” and “…accumulating none-essentials…” are but two timely references. Later, catch-phrases from pop culture and Yahoo!-style headlines flash across the screens, making me chuckle. Eventually, single words come flying at us. The four-elements inspiration for Alchemy brings us a firestorm; projections of the scorched Earth finally give way to the blessed, cleansing effects of rain. Kudos to Mark Bolotin, who devised the video design.

All these visual effects might have tended to dwarf dancers of lesser power than Jennifer’s; but the Muller troupe – and Jennifer’s choreography – assured that the dancing held forth and remained central to the production. We first find Caroline Kehoe alone onstage, a feminine presence of alluring line; Seiko Fujita appears, striking a sustained arabesque. They are joined by Shiho Tanaka, Michelle Tara Lynch, and Sonja Chung: even thru the scrim, their personalities read clearly.

Gen Hashimoto, Michael Tomlinson, and Malik Warlick appear in stylized, slow-motion phrases; Benjamin Freedman will later complete the impressive male quartet. The dance becomes more active; the dancers rush about as if searching for something. Lightning flashes; threatened by Nature, Caroline and Malik dance an entwined, restless pas de deux.

Having been cast down upon the blasted terrain, Gen struggles back to the land of the living; as Seiko also revives, they dance a tender, earth-bound duet. Sonja and Michael are beautifully matched in their duet. A feeling of desolation creeps in. In the dim light, Shiho’s poetic hands evoke the rain…which finally falls, bringing a glimmer of hope and renewal.

Sand (Buglisi) is performed to a luscious Philip Glass score which continually put me in mind of Debussy’s L”après–midi d’un faune. Beautifully lit (by Clifton Taylor), this exotic pas de six calls for both lyrical movement and powerful elements of partnering. The three couples – So Young An with Juan Rodriguez, Stephanie van Dooren-Eshkenazi with Ari Mayzick, and Anne O’Donnell with Darion Smith – met all the demands of the piece whilst creating a sultry atmosphere, induced by the swaying sensuousness of the Glass score.

June 16, 2015
Fadi J Khoury Dance @ NYLA

Above: the artists of Fadi J Khoury Dance, photo by Nir Arieli

Wednesday July 23rd, 2014 – Fadi J Khoury Dance enjoyed a highly successful opening night at New York Live Arts, the first of two sold-out evenings. Founded by Fadi Khoury, a native of Iraq, the Company boasts an international roster: dancers from Turkey, Spain, Italy, France, Costa Rica, and Colombia join together to present danceworks in a style in which Fadi, as choreographer, has skillfully merged elements of ballet and ballroom, with a dash of distinctively Middle Eastern spice thrown into the mix.

I met Fadi and his partner, Sevin Ceviker, when they were dancing with Nejla Yatkin’s troupe; another of tonight’s dancers, the lovely Karina Lesko, has also danced for Nejla and for Morales Dance.

The opening work tonight, TANGO UNFRAMED, was danced to a collage of tango-oriented music by Ron Jackson, Emilio Solla, and Rosa Antonelli. Judith Daitsman’s lighting designs were an intrisic element in the evening’s visual appeal.

Blending the sultry sophistication of the tango with a fusion of ballet and contemporary movement, TANGO UNFRAMED opens with a striking vision of the lithe and charismatic Fadi Khoury standing in a pool of light. His solo dancing is marked by expansive port de bras and an elegance of phrasing which is underscored by a subtle sensuality. Sevin Ceviker, in high heels and a pretty frock, appears in her own spotlight and establishes a connection with Fadi.

The three other couples come and go from the dance; there is a female ensemble segment and then a finely-wrought duet for Sevin and Fadi, danced to a piano solo. They display a mystic affinity both for the music and for one another.

Fadi has been onstage all the time up to this point, but now the space clears and the stage remains empty for a piano interlude. Then there is an amusing quartet where two girls set their sights on two boys only to find that the boys have their sights set on one another.

Sevin and Fadi commence another duet which blossoms into the work’s closing ensemble for the entire Company. The audience responded with genuine enthusiasm to this evocative, passionate work.

The intermission stretched a bit long and though I usually dislike hearing music played during intermissions at dance performances – it tends to detract from the music the choreographer has chosen to set his dances to – some Middle Eastern melodies here would have been welcome.

ARABESQUE opens with Sevin Ceviker seated upstage in a lighted space as fog swirls about. The music is ominous, with an outer-space feeling. She remains on the floor for a while, then rises to dance on pointe. The other women join her, dancing to a big beat, then suddenly Fadi explodes onto the scene with a spacious jeté.

The bleak sound of the desert wind signals the start of a ritualistic duet for Sevin and Fadi; they are kneeling, facing upstage, and they remain on the floor for a long time but luckily Fadi is a choreographer who knows what to do with floor time and so the duet sustained our interest, especially when Fadi sank back in a pair of voluptuous backbends.

The ensemble intrudes, the boys bare chested in satiny midnight blue tights. Then Sevin and Fadi resume their duet, the music driving to a pounding beat: things get sexy, yet the movement remains balletic. The girls dance to a swirl of Arabic music, then the boys come leaping on one by one. Sevin and Fadi continue to dance in their own private realm.

In a new section, two couples appear, followed by a boy’s trio and a trio for the girls which melds into a dance for all six. Sevin and Fadi ignite another duet passage, which leads into the concluding ensemble for the whole Company.

The composers drawn upon for ARABESQUE are Mercan Dede, Samer Ali and Said Mrad: a very effective mixture, and again Ms. Daitsman’s lighting was excellent.

The evening ended with a rousing standing ovation and the Company dancers were all greeted with cheers, marking an auspicious start for Fadi J Khoury Dance. Let’s see where this success leads them!

July 23, 2014