Merce Cunningham Trust – Night of 100 Solos, Centennial Event – New York
★★★★✰ What impresses overall is the clarity of the technique; the precision and control it requires. And the way it enlarges the dancers, distilling their strengths, stretching them to the limit.
Some Memorable Performances of 2018 – New York
Other years have been more exciting, I think, but this one has had its share of remarkable performances, including a few thrilling ones. Here, in no particular order, are the ones that really stood out, for one reason or another.
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater – Lazarus, Revelations – New York
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Lazarus, Revelations ★★★★✰ New York, City Center 30 November 2018 www.alvinailey.org www.nycitycenter.org Forward to Ailey In March of 1958, Alvin Ailey presented his first evening of dance, at…
Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo (Trocks) – Les Sylphides bill – London
★★★★✰ The curtain calls for Robert Carter’s “Dying Swan” are nearly as long as the ballet itself and just as funny.
Sarasota Ballet – Monotones I & II, Symphony of Sorrows, There Where She Loved – New York
★★✰✰✰ After viewing Ashton on a bill with works by Ricardo Graziano and Christopher Wheeldon, I’m not worried about Ashton’s relevance nor his resonance with a future audience. …Both the Graziano and Wheeldon posed some problems from what some might consider a “female” perspective.
An Evening with Namron – From Asphalt to Maple Wood
For around 80 minutes, Namron entertained his audience, largely comprising past and present luminaries of London contemporary dance, with stories and reminiscences, often breaking into movement, before finishing with a brief question & answer session…
Carmen de Lavallade Honoured at The 40th Annual Kennedy Center Honours
Dancer, choreographer, actress, teacher, director, writer, and mentor, Carmen de Lavallade is a true artist in every sense of the word – and a true legend.
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater – 2 premieres: Victoria & Members Don’t Get Weary + many more – New York
★★★★✰ Roberts’ “Members Don’t Get Weary” is very much a mature work with a strong emotional charge and esthetic signature.
Jessica Lang – Catching up with the Choreographer and Director
Answer: “Do it!” Question: “What advice would you give to a young dancer who aspires to choreograph?”
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater – The Winter in Lisbon, Mass, Ella, Revelations – New York
★★★✰✰ I often get the feeling that the Ailey dancers transcend the choreography they’re asked to dance. With the exception of the inescapable Revelations, the company’s repertory can be hit or miss.
Batsheva Dance Company – Last Work – New York
★★✰✰✰ Last Work is not unlike other Batsheva pieces which use an assemblage of vignettes, however it doesn’t hang together as cohesively as say, Sadeh21.
Complexions Contemporary Ballet – Gutter Glitter, So Not A…, Star Dust – New York
★★✰✰✰ Slated as a “rock opera style production” created in the late David Bowie’s honour, Star Dust is a lengthy, razzle dazzle suite of dances set to Bowie’s most popular tunes.
New York City Ballet – The Times are Racing, The Shimmering Asphalt, Fearful Symmetries – New York
★★★✰✰ More than anything, Peck’s “The Times are Racing” reminded me of the movie Rebel Without a Cause. These kids are uneasy, but what is the object of their unease?
BODYTRAFFIC – Death Defying Dances, 3 Preludes, Private Games: Chapter One – New York
★★✰✰✰ BODYTRAFFIC, the Los Angeles-based contemporary dance troupe, drew a robust crowd to the Joyce on Friday night.
Memorable Performances of 2016 – London
Lynette Halewood with her personal selection of London dance memories from the past year…
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater – Four Corners, Untitled America, r-Evolution, Dream, Revelations – New York
★★★★✰ There is no limit to how often one can see Ailey’s 1960 masterpiece Revelations. The elation is always the same.
Royal Ballet – Wayne McGregor bill: Chroma, Multiverse, Carbon Life – London
★★★✰✰ Multiverse: McGregor and his dramaturg may know what they want to convey about life and the universe(s) but despite the dancers’ efforts, the result is baffling.
Dance Proms 2016 – Royal Albert Hall, London
★★★★✰ …the event is less about showing off the talents of dancers and their teachers than celebrating their hard work and dedication.
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater – Programme C – London
★★★★✰ I saw Programme C at Sadler’s Wells and like practically everybody else, have to rave about the dancers.
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater – Programmes A and B – London
★★★★✰ Revelations is always a joy, however often one sees it. Ailey’s choreography, influenced by his mentor, Lester Horton, and Martha Graham, is a reminder of how potent that modern dance technique could be.
