Review: FALL FOR DANCE Closes the 13th Annual Festival With a Mesmerizing Quadruple Bill

Founded in 2004, New York City Center's annual "Fall for Dance" festival is an inspired idea that continues to fulfill the admirable mission of introducing new and younger audiences to the world of dance. Tickets are a mere $15, a price that's within the reach of millennials yet that coincidentally also tempts NYC's older dancegoers to venture out for performances of less than traditional dance fare. Over the years, the offerings have become an increasingly diverse and international roster of works created by innovative choreographers and performed by first-rate dancers.

On October 7th 2016, I marveled at the mesmerizing mix of styles and disciplines that made up the closing quadruple bill of the 13th annual festival. In just one evening, I was treated to a dance history lover's dream come to life, with an opener by the enchanting East Indian dancer Shantala Shivalingappa, followed by a decidedly contemporary Nederlands Dans Theater piece. Next up was a consummately captivating pas de deux by Alessandra Ferri and Herman Cornejo. The closer was the Cloud Gate 2 company in "Beckoning", a work based on Taiwanese street dancing rituals.

Shantala Shivalingappa's musicians and vocalist were on stage with her as she performed "Shiva Tarangam". A program note told us that "tarangram", meaning waves, is the name given to the devotional songs written by the saint Narayana Turthat, one of the founders of the classical Indian dance form Kuchipudi. The work is dedicated to Shiva, the Lord of Dance. The fact that Shivalingappa held our attention for a full 45 minutes is testimony to the power of her technique and stage presence, as well as the skill of her musicians and the vocalist. My concentration did not waver for even a moment as she undulated, moved her head from side to side, and used her arms and hands in the unmistakable East Indian manner.

That was a tough act to follow, but the Nederlands Dans Theater proved more than up to the challenge. "Woke up Blind", by choreographer Marco Goecke, set to love songs by Jeff Buckley who died at the age of 30, is a poignant but pleasingly passionate exploration of the universal recklessness of young - or in fact any - love encounter. The dancers are terrific contemporary technicians and superb performers. What a joy to have this company on our shores!

Ah, but for this lifelong balletomane, nothing could top the sensuous and saucy pas de deux by the legendary Alessandra Ferri and the ever gallant Herman Cornejo. I saw Ferri's farewell performance in 2007 in ABT's "Romeo and Juliet", and even then I sensed that this remarkable ballerina was in fact not truly retired from the stage. As dance aficionados, we are blessed that she has indeed continued to grace us with her talent. Yes, those incredibly archy feet are notable, but it's her one-of- a-kind expressiveness that puts her over the top. At 53, she has slightly scaled down the technical demands of what she gives us, but that in no was diminishes the joy of watching her.

After the intermission, the company from Taiwan did not disappoint as the evening's final offering. Choreographer Cheng Tsung-Lung, to music composed by the Chung Cheng-Da and Quiet Quartet, had the dancers interweave in interesting patterns and a pas de deux that spoke of relationships both ephemeral and lasting. My only criticism is that the lighting was often overly dim, as it was in several of the other pieces on the bill. Lighting designers take note: Your job is to enhance the visual experience for the audience, not simply to indulge your own creative whims.

If you missed "Fall for Dance" this year, be sure to put the 2017 festival on your calendar. Here's another BWW Dance World Review of the 2016 season to convince you further that this is a terpsichorean tradition not to be foregone if you're in NYC!

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