Dance Review: Joffrey Ballet School's The Nutcracker

A favorite of the holiday season, The Nutcracker is a treat for an audience of all ages.  In the beautiful NYU Skirball Theater, the Joffrey Ballet School presents its own version with choreography by Davis Robertson adapted from classic versions by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov.  This production does an excellent job of showcasing the students of the Joffrey Ballet School.

Act 1 begins with the party scene, filled with adorable little ones.  Some of the older students play the adults, which they accomplish with a convincing air of maturity.  The choreography conveys a genuine party scene, without being too placed.  The dancers crowd around Drosselmeyer, played by Dmitri Povolotsky. Romelia Valenzuela is a delightful Clara, with lovely lines and cheerful expressions.

The mice leap about the stage, scurrying about and surprisingly even help to remove the furniture from the party scene.  The Mouse King appears more like a "Mouse Queen," using its paws to toss its mane of dreadlocks.  The battle scene is complete with the transformation of a growing Christmas tree, and as a preview to second act, the Polichinelles (the littlest and cutest dancers), line up around the tree.  One of the soldiers shoots a mouse, and all the Polichinelles topple over (an interestingly dramatic choice, but the little ones are still adorable with their spindly legs pointing all different directions). The Snow Scene is lovely, and impressive for its continuous flow of evenly falling snow.  The choreography for the Joffrey school's version of the snow scene contains the usual chasse en tournant and grande jetés, but also a surprising number of pas de chats.  The snowflakes are beautiful dancers...  Adorned with tiaras, these radiant beauties swirl about the stage with elegance and grace. Moreover, the snow pas de deux is wonderfully performed along with another interesting element to this particular production's snow scene:  a male soloist!   

Act 2 introduces Clara with her Nutcracker, the handsome Patrick Ward to the Land of Sweets.  Drosselmeyer accompanies, as if presenting this magical place as a gift to Clara.  I am disappointed there is not a pas de deux between Clara and her prince. The dances are interspersed with excerpts of music from Act 1, during which a young dancer appears to introduce the next group of dancers to Clara and Drosselmeyer. The casting is different from most Nutcrackers in which the various dances in Act 2 are solos or small groups; instead, the Joffrey School chooses to showcase their students so there are about a dozen Russian, Spanish, Arabian and Mirlitons.  It is exciting to watch the larger groups of dancers and the spacing is such that all can be seen clearly.  Tislarm Bouie is delightfully funny as Mother Ginger, looking surprised and relieved as she “births” each child from beneath her skirt.  The Chinese dancers use traditional Chinese fans, and the choreography includes a segment of adagio fan work in a pause between songs.  One young member of the audience clearly asked, “why is there no music?” eliciting a chuckling murmur throughout the audience.  Deandra Dantas is a lovely Sugar Plum, petite and practically perfect in executing her steps.  Matthew Slattery is her brilliant Cavalier, a magnificent partner and soloist.

The performance concludes with the dancers of the Land of Sweets bidding Clara and the Nutcracker Prince farewell.  This directorial choice, to omit a scene where Clara wakes up, plays upon childhood fantasy as if the journey to the Land of Sweets, the preceding scenes of dancing snowflakes transformed into maidens, and the battle between soldiers and giant mice were all real.

To a "trained" eye, this show might be criticized for it's overuse of a certain step, for we see many a developpe en avant en effacé... boooooo. This particular line is also easily “cheated” as it shifts towards a side, rather than front, extension. Being that this is a student performance, it would be nice to see the choreography more diversified as to challenge its students rather than simply show off their "leg."  However, this production offers an astounding opportunity for young dance students to perform on a fantastic stage and is a wonderful holiday gift for their families as well.

The Joffrey Ballet School serves the community around NYU a delicious holiday treat perfect for audiences of all ages.  Make sure that you check their Nutcracker out next year!

iDANZ Critix Corner
Official Dance Review by Lea McGowan
Performance: Joffrey Ballet School’s The Nutcracker
Choreography: Davis Robertson with Cameron Basden for “Flowers”
Venue: NYU Skirball Theater
Performance Date: Friday December 18, 2009
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Dance Review: Fraulien Maria, Doug Elkins and Friends

Doug Elkins' Fraulien Maria is an absolute joy.  Featuring exuberant, unbridled dancing and a soundtrack that everyone can sing along to, Elkins' loving send-up of the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic "The Sound of Music" is a must-see for the Holiday season.

A man in a tuxedo takes the stage at Dance Theatre Workshop while the houselights are still up. He welcomes the audience and says that we are going to try an experiment.  He splits the audience into three sections, then instructs us all in the singing of, what else, "Do, a Deer". Instantly I am hooked, and from what I can see, so are those around me.  How rare is it that the audience is all grins before the show even begins?

From there Elkins takes off on a tender modern-dance re-make of the classic musical.  Each song is acted, mimed and danced in Elkins signature blend of pop and lock, breakdance, capoeria, and 90's modern dance grooves.  Here his style is particularly effective, contrasting sharply with the original Northern European feel which everyone clearly remembers, booty-drops in incongruous places become a consistent joke.

But, his sense of humor goes beyond this easy one-liner and he finds ways to make the movement itself funny in clear short statements that make you laugh out loud.  In the nunnery, Elkins crafts a convent of nuns out of hoodie wearing dancers who all move in beautiful canon, clearly exemplifying the harmony of the original vocal score.  The canon becomes a double joke on the line "How do you catch a wave upon the sand?" when the nuns, joined hand to elbow, pass one of Elkins' signature 'waves' through their linked arms.

Elkins has also gleaned some great comic acting from his troupe of fearless dancers.  Notable for their hilarious duet to "I have Courage" are Donnell Oakley and Meghan Merrill, two of Elkins three Maria's.  They fight against one another, symbolizing opposite sides of Maria's personality at this pivotal moment in the story.  Each woman's dancing is full and fearless but their duet timing is the real draw of this dance.  Nearing the end of the exhausting section, Oakley sits in a disjointed pile next to the effervescent Merrill.  Merrill tips herself into a side-ways downward dog as Oakley crosses herself, dives between Merrill's legs, bounces her shoulders off the backs of Merrill's knees and flies off again, only to spring on to the next move.

The supporting cast and guest artists are all in on the joke and perform it with such commitment and energy, I wonder why we can't do this (funny modern dance) more often.  Get to DTW to catch this show while it lasts.

iDANZ Critix Corner
Official Dance Review by Meghan Frederick
Performance: Fraulien Maria
Choreography:  Doug Elkins
Venue:  Dance Theater Workshop
Show Date:  December 17, 2009
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Dance Review: Last Life at The Brick

Last Life is an R-rated thrill.  Timothy Haskell's new fight play, performed as part of the two-week long Fight Fest at the BRICK theatre in Williamsburg, takes a time-hopping journey through a dark and violent world, leaving some viewers invigorated and those more sensitive, myself included, a bit queasy.

Watching Last Life is like watching "Kill Bill," only live.  But, since movie edits don't apply to stage fights, Last Life must deal with the illusion of violence in other ways. Throughout the show there is a special effects man positioned down-stage right, and, at the proper moments, he runs onstage as the action freezes and wipes blood-red paint onto the actors' smashed faces, severed limbs, and stab wounds.  At one particularly gruesome moment, he tosses a red and sloppy bundle onstage (brains) just as someone's head gets smashed in.  Nice.

Last Life's plot line functions as an excuse for breaking into fight choreography; according to the stagecraft fight world, this is called a "Fightsikall."  Glancing at the program before the show, I learn that the action has been cut and spliced back together out of order, each section labeled Present, 7 Years Ago, 8 Years Ago, etc... But, as I watch the play, there is no way to know when one is. The impression of cause and effect is murky, someone kills someone, then someone kills someone else, and now both parties want revenge... and then something about explosive protein shake.

But of course, as an excuse for fight scenes, it works great.  Every couple of minutes someone is either tortured, beaten, or killed.  The tiny stage at BRICK is kept clear for fights by leaving actors (when not fighting) in chairs across the back.  The dialogue is performed seated and facing the audience, as if looking at the other member of the conversation who is, in fact, seated two chairs down.  Kudos to Aaron Haskell, as SkinFace, who's spot on timing, even with lines too explicit to repeat here, offered some much needed comic relief, and Jo-anne Lee, who's screaming Fenrir belied her less than chilling stature. Unfortunately, this minimal movement flattens some of the other speaking moments, but allows the fight scenes to stand out as thrilling, action-packed, frighteningly real vignettes.

As bodies transition from sitting to flying through the air, rolling on the floor, and brandishing knives in no time, I am impressed not only by the intricacy of the action, but by the athleticism of the performers themselves.  This is a brand of choreography that allows absolutely no margin of error.  If you are late, you will get hurt.  Plus, Haskell's choreography is not suave or understated.  It's scrappy, and dirty, and loud, lots of stutter stepping and repeated slapping.  I would imagine it takes lots of concentration to look so desperate and stay so, in reality, safe...  Yowzers!

iDANZ Critix Corner
Official Dance Review by Meghan Frederick
Performance:  Last Life
Choreography:  Timothy Haskill
Venue:  The BRICK Theater
Show Date: December 16, 2009
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Dance Review: Sweet Rasta! Bad Boys of Ballet Rock The Joyce

The air of the Joyce Theater is alive with excitement and anticipation for Rasta Thomas’ Rock the Ballet, the new performance featuring his company, The Bad Boys of Ballet.  A wonderful venue for dance, The Joyce also offers the perfect location in the heart of Chelsea for presenting a male dominated dance show to the tunes of popular rock ballads.  Adrienne Canterna-Thomas is the featured female of the evening’s performance, a guest artist from her own company, Pretty Girls of Dance and choreographer of Rock the Ballet.

The performance begins with the over-played tune of “I Gotta Feeling” by Black-Eyed Peas, dancers entering with jazz runs, beating their shoulders with their hands. The dancers enthusiastically give out energy, adding screams of excitement as if they are the stars of their own rock concerts. 

Act 1: Beautiful Day consists of many well-known popular songs, from U2 to Dave Matthews and even “American Woman” by Lenny Kravitz.  Rasta Thomas choreographs a delightful comedic couple dance, with the Bad Boys of Ballet partnering blow-up dolls.  Funny and wittingly entertaining, this is a highlight of the first half.  There is a hint of a story-thread, something to do with a romance between Rasta Thomas and Adrienne Canterna-Thomas, yet it is prematurely developed and predictable. 

With graphic video projections by William Cusick, the performance attempts to entertain the modern audience accustomed to high-tech flash imagery.  However, the background screen sometimes upstages the dancing, distracting with its motions and karaoke-styled lyrics display. The choreography is very square, dancers often in a pyramid formation performing hip-hop movements with sporadic ballet trick segments. One would hardly describe the overall performance as balletic, yet it contains a few spectacular glimpses of ballet technique as Rasta prepares for another amazing pirouette/tour jete. The dancing is fun, and incredibly demanding as it fuses gymnastic abilities with the mix of jazz and hip-hop.  As I watch, I could only think about all the concussions the dancers probably  had endured in rehearsals and performances while whacking their legs with those uber-high battements!  Robert Roldan stands out among the Bad Boys with his chameleon expressions and enticing stage personality that draws attention and holds it.

Act 2 is a separate compilation of dances with some fun Michael Jackson songs. The Bad Boys of Ballet show their stellar skills with bravado, their personalities shining.  Adrienne Canterna-Thomas doesn’t do herself justice, jogging offstage with no great finishes to her segments, belittling herself with child-like over-excitement.  I find her two order-by-mail costumes to be unflattering and the men’s white t-shirts and jeans to be boring and disappointing... booooo.  Perhaps they can advertise with The Gap...  The second half, the Boys reappear in silhouette seemingly topless...  (Now we're talking).  My excitement dissipates when I realize they are actually wearing white wife-beaters with their black pants, a boring though modern look.  Their appearance actually improves as they changed their combination of looks adding jackets, ties and hats for different dance numbers.

So, competition dancers unite!   There is at least one career opportunity for competition dancers aside from “So You Think You Can Dance” with a tour schedule on real concert dance stages where dancers can show all their skills they've perfected and trained for years.  Yes, the choreography of this show develops from a competition vocabulary, lacking in substance and depth; however, it is impressive to watch with the array of technical dance stunts. The average audience member is astounded seeing the stunning talent and incredible physical abilities of this troupe. Young dancers of the competition circuit will eat this show alive! 

iDANZ Critix Corner
Official Dance Review by Lea McGowan Performance: Rasta Thomas’ Rock the Ballet
Choreography: Adrienne Canterna-Thomas
Venue: The Joyce Theater
Performance Date:  December 15, 2009
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Dance Review: Monk’s Mood, Thomas DeFrantz at Joyce SoHo

 As I walk into the Joyce SoHo the stage is already preset sparking my interest as to what is about to come.  A chair, a hanging dress and hat, a projection screen, and a coat stand with various coats and hats hang upon it.  Hmmmm.  I wonder...  I also notice panels on the ground and wonder what they are for. The lights go down and Thomas DeFrantz walks out and takes his position.

The show begins and the audience is taken on an abstract journey into the mind of Thelonius Monk.  We are literally looking into the apartment of Monk as DeFrantz expresses the different emotions and memories of certain important players that have inspired Monk throughout his lifetime.

The scenery is funky. Through tap dance and an occasional passé or battement, DeFrantz expresses a period where Monk is frustrated from being “passed over” for young musicians as well as an artistic love for his muse, Billy Holiday.  DeFrantz approaches a picture of Holiday and “plucks” a gardenia from her picture in reference. 

At another point, he shows Monk's admiration for his wife in a very creative way by picking up a dress hanging in the background and begins to do a sort of abstract ballroom dance with the dress occasionally throwing in a shuffle or two.  For a one man show, this sequence is a very creative and interactive way to show love for a woman. 

Delightfully imaginative, we see monk dance happily around his apartment as a “parade of musicians.”   At other times, DeFrantz exhibits unhappiness and sits depressed in his chair.  Overall, the piece creates an emotional aftertaste that leaves the audience with the spirit of Monk.  And, for those who don’t know about the man, you need to get on it!

The most intriguing part of the piece and focus of the work is the technology used.  At various points in the evening DeFrantz interplays with projection and music creating a composition that is unique to every evening of performance. Each panel triggers a prerecorded visual and/or audio sequence that DeFrantz is in control.  The panels are connected to a laptop where Eto Oro, the media artist who collaborated with DeFrantz on this project, monitors the media and only interacts if there is glitch. 

The technology platform is created through a program at Massachusetts Institute of Technology that DeFrantz created called SLIPPAGE: Performance|Culture|Technology.  This collective's goal at M.I.T. is to “stage alternative histories of race, sexuality, gender, performance, and technology.” What an innovative idea! 

In a post performance discussion DeFrantz expresses the purpose of the project and his hopes that other performers will be inspired to use the platform that he has created. This project seems very promising and is an important new addition to the history of dance and performance in general.

 iDANZ Critix Corner
Official Dance Review by JoiLynn 
Performance: Monk’s Mood
Choreographer:  Thomas DeFrantz
Venue: Joyce SoHo, New York City, NY
Date: December 11th, 2009
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Dance Review: Juilliard New Dances/2009

The Peter Jay Sharp Theater houses the best dance party of the season, hands down.  Alive with birthday cakes, M.I.A. beats, Lady Gaga-esque costumes and cowboys, the New Dance Edition concert at Juilliard reminds me that I live in New York City.  Should Dorothy have landed in the theater she would have begun clicking her heels immediately.  Or would she?

The freshman piece, Unwrap These Flowers, reads as the opposite of fledgling.  From moment one, they prove their right to be in the school, in the theater, and in the professional dance world.  Vibrantly curving, athletic movement allows the moments of violence to read as intrinsic to the characters and not startling.  Their enigmatic quality of being both new and capable should keep upperclassmen on their toes.  Choreographer Andrea Miller would be wise to take a careful eye to fully sculpting the piece.  Occasionally it reads as a dance concert where the exits in and out of the wing need more preparation.  Given full continuity, this piece blows the seniors out of the water.

Boasting the best piece of the night, the sophomore class haunts a packed house with Un Denier Verre (A Last Drink).  Fabien Prioville’s Americation debut offers the audience a birthday party where the birthday girl will cry…or talk if she wants to.  Drawing on his background with dance theater choreographer Pina Bausch, Prioville makes the mistake of giving his dancers far too much text.  When devoted solely to the dance, they send chills up my spine, convincing me of the despair their words make me doubt.  The piece’s heroine, a fuchsia clad soloist, extends her torso like a snake shedding his skin, arms teaming with articulation, feet planted.  The remaining cast members execute flawless unison sections rife with tangible turmoil.  These moments seem to represent the emotional tightrope of her mind, giving physical representation to the words that might as well be axed.

Flinging the theater into a flirtatious, Friday night feel, Larry Keigwin’s Megalopolis borrows futuristic costumes from Lady Gaga, music from M.I.A., and builds on the energy that makes New York the city that never sleeps.  Two unitard-donning dancers open the piece with gyrating hips snugly held by shiny unitards with Working Girl shoulders.  Before this has a moment to get old, the stage is flooded with black and silver unitard encased dancers leaping, jogging and swirling with the precision of a marching band.  A bird’s eye view would have felt like…a night at a club where people could actually dance.  Keigwin’s greatest win is his ability to showcase talent and sexuality and acknowledge that having one doesn’t negate the ability to have the other.  Unlike Prioville, he recognizes his dancers versatility without presumptions about other artistic realms to which they can delve.

Closing the show is Aszure Barton's Happy Little Things (Waiting On a Gruff Cloud of Wanting).  As I watch, I truly wish that Barton’s piece had more time to come into its own.  Nicole Pearce, the show’s set designer beautifully sets up a Western feel.  If Barton’s piece would have only seemed to have some connection to the West, I would be calling the pair a dream team.  Unfortunately for the seniors in this piece, it did little to honor their talent.  While their embodiment of Barton’s choreography fully shows their ability as dancers, the overall confusion of the disjointed sections, unflattering costumes, unutilized western flair, and sole dancer in cowboy boots never takes me into their "world," whatever it is.  Without a set or costumes, this piece could have engaged me fully as a work in progress.

Juilliard dancers have unlimited facility and talent, period.  When choreographers work with the very thing they were put on this earth to do, success emanates.  Uncomfortable text and poorly constructed aesthetics can only act as sequins on naturally bedazzled creatures.  Go to the Peter Sharp Theater to see the core of what Juilliard dancers do best - dance with guts, grace and abandonment.

iDANZ Critix Corner
Official Dance Review by Eileen Elizabeth
Performance:  New Dances/Edition 2009
Choreographers:  Larry Keigwin, Aszure Barton, Fabien Prioville, Andrea Miller
Venue: Peter Jay Sharp Theater, Lincoln Center
Show Date: December 12, 2009
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