Outdoors Ballet – some different responses to Lockdown from around the world
As lockdown eases ballet is getting out of streaming from living rooms and into the big wide world – Jann Parry looks at six happenings/films involving dancers from Dance Theatre of Harlem, New York City Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Alonzo King LINES Ballet & The Royal Ballet
RAWdance presents – CONCEPT series: Digital Edition and Dance Party – San Francisco
★★★★✰ Rather than succumb to a COVID-19 hiatus, RAWdance pivoted to a dance-on-camera format for the CONCEPT Series’ 28th edition, and presented seven new short films created by various artists over the past few months…
Smuin Contemporary Ballet – Indigo – streamed archive recording of 2016 performance
★★★★✰ Indigo is one of those dances that doesn’t seem totally abstract, yet doesn’t follow a linear path either. It’s more about concept and emotions. Layers and extremes. Just like the colour indigo itself.
Nancy Karp + Dancers – piano piano – San Francisco
★★★★✰ the phrase ‘piano piano’ translates as “slowly, slowly, gradually, gently, carefully; quietly; take your time; don’t rush – you’ll figure it out.”
San Francisco Ballet – Dance Innovations, Big Hunger (premiere) bill – San Francisco
★★★✰✰ There were parts I adored and elements that didn’t resonate as much.
Paul Taylor Dance Company – Concertiana, Company B, Esplanade – San Francisco
★★★★✰ Paul Taylor Dance Company shone in the two older works on the program, Esplanade and Company B.
San Francisco Ballet – Program 2, Classical Re(Vision) bill – San Francisco
★★★★✰ San Francisco Ballet’s Program 2 was dubbed Classical Re(Vision) – a remembering of and reconnection with choreography in SFB’s existing repertory catalogue.
San Francisco Ballet – Opening Night Gala – San Francisco
★★★★✰ ‘Spellbound’ delivered in every regard – opulent grandeur, terrific people watching and above all, marvelous dance.
Mariinsky Ballet – La Bayadère – San Francisco
★★★★✰ the Mariinsky’s production was a welcome ravishment of vibrant costumes, shimmering jewels, romantic storytelling and sheer entertainment…
AXIS Dance Company – In•ter•twine, works by Arthur Pita, Jennifer Archibald & Robert Dekkers – San Francisco
★★★★★ AXIS, a bold and innovative leader in physically integrated dance, just presented their latest triple bill including two important premieres…
Interview: Arthur Pita on choreographing “Alice in Californiland” for AXIS Dance Company
Arthur Pita’s latest work is called “Alice in Californiland” for the Bay Area AXIS Dance Company – to be premiered later this week, on Friday 25 October, Claudia Bauer caught up with him to find out what its all about – a thought provoking collision of Lewis Carroll and homelessness…
Alonzo King LINES Ballet – The Personal Element, Azoth – San Francisco
★★★★✰ A double-bill of compelling contemporary movement, the centerpiece of the performance was Azoth, a new collaboration between Artistic Director Alonzo King, tenor saxophonist Charles Lloyd and composer/pianist Jason Moran.
Mark Morris Dance Group – Mozart Dances – San Francisco
★★★★✰ Mozart Dances goes far beyond a basic choreographic rendering of the score, instead inviting an active dialogue between disciplines.
Margaret Jenkins Dance Company – Trace Figures – San Francisco
★★★★✰ Friday the 13th was auspicious for San Francisco dance: Margaret Jenkins Dance Company premiered Trace Figures, a site-specific performance immersion that could be done by no other company or permutation of artists.
FACT/SF Summer Dance Festival including works by Davis/Mullis, Dazaun Soleyn and Maurya Kerr – San Francisco
★★★★✰ SF choreographers Maurya Kerr, Dazaun Soleyn and Slender-White, and the visiting duo of Joy Davis (Boston) and Eric Mullis (Charlotte, North Carolina), presented new works of 10–20 minutes in length.
Garrett + Moulton Productions – Four Acts of Light & Wonder bill – San Francisco
★★★✰✰ …the most apt descriptor for the entire program was joyful.
Amy Seiwert’s Imagery – SKETCH 9: Perspective bill – San Francisco
★★★★✰ The SKETCH series, from Amy Seiwert’s Imagery, is one of my favorite summer dance events in San Francisco. The company dancers are always terrific, both technically and artistically.
Eifman Ballet – The Pygmalion Effect – San Francisco
★★★★✰ Yes, the narrative has its inherent challenges, but the choreography, performances and design all riveted with drama, intensity and humour.
Lauren Simpson Dance – Dance Exhibit – San Francisco
★★★★✰ I caught the show on closing night and saw a terrific company debut filled with collaboration, rigor and a connection to the visual art community.
Dorrance Dance – ETM: Double Down – San Francisco
★★★★✰ Dorrance Dance have a winning formula – creative innovation, dynamic physical feats, engaging stage presence and feet that move at superhuman speeds.
