Limon Dance Company

“I believe that we are never more truly and profoundly human than when we dance,” proclaimed José Limón (1908-1972), one of the greatest dancers and choreographers of the 20th century and a pioneer of American modern dance. The dancers of the Limón Dance Company, which he co-founded with Doris Humphrey (his teacher and mentor) in 1946, demonstrated the credibility of his words in their spectacular performance at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at Maryland.

Read the review in the October issue of the Ballet.Co. Magazine.

Bach Cello Suites - Winds in the Void (DVD)

“In Den Winden Im Nichts” is a three-part abstract ballet comprising 18 interlinked, fleeting dances (each lasting from 2 to 6 minutes). Like most music-driven ballets, it is pure dance without narrative. Each part has its intrinsic color: ruby-red, emerald-green, and deep-blue, respectively, corresponding to colors of the dancers’ costumes: silver-trimmed elegant leotards. A giant circle, illuminated with colored lights and adorned with vapors, is the only element of décor. The visual effect is striking, providing a dramatic background to the imagery of the dance onstage. The lighting, designed by Martin Gebhardt, creates a stunning dichotomy of the backdrop and floor with contrasting illumination. Claudius Herrmann, a cellist with the Zurich Opera House, delivers an expert reading of the Bach score, providing a beautiful live accompaniment for the dance.

Read the review in the October issue of the Ballet-Dance Magazine.

Bolshoi Ballet: Pique Dame (DVD)

The new version of “Pique Dame” is a spectacle with deep dramatic content and amazing theatrical choreography. Four characters take the spotlight: Hermann, the Countess, Lisa, and Chekalinsky. Hermann, a young man obsessed with winning a fortune by playing cards, has a principal role in the story. He is not an inveterate gambler, yet he is a social climber. Hermann learns of the Countess, who has knowledge of a magical sequence of three winning cards, and is determined to learn this secret at any price. In the end, he is driven by his growing obsession and greed to attempted murder, madness, and his eventual death.

Read the review in the October issue of the Ballet-Dance Magazine.

Trey McIntyre Project at Wold Trap

The Trey McIntyre Project is a unique dance company. It rehearses at the White Oak Plantation complex in Florida, and performs at a number of dance festivals only off-season in summer. The founder and artistic director, Trey McIntyre, is widely recognized as a talented, prolific, innovative, and much in-demand choreographer. This summer, he invited eleven dancers from some of the best companies around the country to create new works and showcase some of his earlier productions at venues such as the renowned Vail International, Jacob’s Pillow, and Wolf Trap festivals.

Read the review in the October issue of the Ballet-Dance Magazine.

Ronald K. Brown/Evidence and Philadanco

The Filene Center of Wolf Trap presented Ronald K. Brown/Evidence and Philadanco in a five-dance program on Tuesday, July 18. New York-based Evidence opened the evening with “Come Ye,” a dance created by the company’s founder, Ronald K. Brown. “Come Ye” is a call for peace and a tribute to people who “have no fear, and still have hope and love.” The dance is set to three songs by jazz and blues vocalist Nina Simon and traditional African tunes composed by Fela Kuti. Brown’s choreography is intense and dynamic, featuring soaring jumps, powerful spins, and turns. The dancers breezed through each element with astonishing tempo and vigor. The lighting, masterfully designed by Brenda Gray, contributed to the success of the work.

Read the review in the September issue of the Ballet-Dance Magazine.

The Kirov Ballet: Giselle

“Spirits in white gowns... the snow-white wilis who waltz pitilessly the whole night long... What a pretty ballet one could make of that!” wrote prominent French writer and critic Théophil Gautier in 1841, inspired by a legend from Heinrich Heine’s novel De l’Allemagne. This is how the greatest romantic ballet Giselle or Les Wilis (the original title) was conceived. History has it that composer Adolphe Adam completed the music score in a week. And what great music it was! Adam’s music with its enchanting leitmotifs tailored to each personage of the story made history of the practice of repackaging existing songs for ballet.

Read this review in the September issue of the Ballet-Dance Magazine.