Christina Pandolfi - Page 4

At its best, classical ballet has the ability to utterly transfix, bending the boundaries of what we as human beings think is possible. With every gravity-defying grand jete and blossoming developpe, dancers transform into otherworldly beings, physicalizing that which can't be believed. At the 2016 Spring Season premiere of American Ballet Theatre's Le Corsaire, the company did just this, mesmerizing the audience and showcasing their ability to create a unique world of beauty, unto its own.

Amanda Selwyn Dance Theatre premiered the second edition of its modern dance festival May 19, 2016 at the Marjorie S. Deane Little Theater on West 64th Street in Manhattan. Comprised of six distinct pieces from different choreographers, the night was a tribute to the creativity of movement and how it collectively inspires us all. But the way in which these pieces were curated left something to be desired. The flow felt disjointed; choreographic styles were often polarizing from one piece to the next, making the audience consider only what was directly in front of them without further context or the continuation of any theme.

A different kind of energy crackled throughout the David H. Koch Theater on the evening of May 13, 2016, vibrant and self-aware, with a knowing sense of the dynamic dancing that lay ahead. As I settled into my seat, preparing to bask in the evening's ode to Jerome Robbins, a British accent behind me said, clearly and plainly, 'I've never been to the ballet...I'm so excited.' I smiled to myself; thankful for all of the ballets I had seen before, and with a keen certainty that after tonight, this gentleman was certainly going to be returning.

Held at the culturally diverse Symphony Space on the Upper West Side on April 30th 2016, the 6th Edition of the Valentina Kozlova International Ballet Competition showcased a bounty of prodigal talent in both classical and contemporary dance. It's encouraging and refreshing to witness such unabashed enthusiasm for the art of movement in young dancers today, especially since this year's installment was dedicated to the unrivaled ballerina Violette Verdy. After a felicitous awards ceremony bestowing medals and scholarships to the competition's most promising dancers, audience members were treated to the very exciting, very real talents of this year's standout competitors in a vibrant gala, with a diverse mix of new choreography and tried-and-true classical favorites.

A heavenly aura flooded through the regal New York City Center this past Thursday night at the MasterVoices premiere of Henry Purcell & Nahum Tate's baroque opera, Dido and Aeneas. With a full orchestra, the MasterVoices choir, and the Doug Varone and Dancers company, this unique production created a majestic escape of light, sound, and movement for audience-goers. But the crème de la crème was the other-worldly talents of lead vocalists Kelli O' Hara & Victoria Clark, both geniuses in their own right, as they created the perfect balance of good and evil, sweet and sinful through every note.

The talented Gelsey Kirkland Ballet tackled Michael Chernov's daring new ballet, Stealing Time, this past Friday night at their modern waterfront theatre in DUMBO, Brooklyn. Set to hauntingly percussive compositions by Kurt Weill, Stealing Time explored love, desire  and the inescapability of time with a penchant for the dramatic, adapted and inspired by themes from Tennessee Williams' Camino Real.

Joyful energy crackled through the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center on the evening of Tuesday, March 15th 2016 when the Paul Taylor Dance Company took the stage as part of the recently established initiative, Paul Taylor's American Modern Dance. Whenever I watch this company perform, it's always like seeing old friends; I treasure the collective warmth they consistently express while dancing and this night proved no different.

Magic happened this past Thursday night at the gorgeous David H. Koch theatre as New York City Ballet lit the stage in the premiere week of their much-anticipated winter season. Getting back to their roots and showcasing what they do so well, the company's three-piece All Balanchine I program celebrated their master choreographer, dancing with undeniable effervescence as they attacked the movement to light up the music's striking affectations; it is an intrinsic quality, and one which makes the company so unique.

As a self-proclaimed Broadway and theatre aficionado, I certainly thought I had a solid working knowledge of Stephen Sondheim. His music and lyrics have spanned a generation and impacted the world with innate complexity and thoughtfulness. In particular, Gypsy has had a tremendous personal impact on my life - as a young dancer, trying to achieve success and now as a writer, finding such delicious harmony in the words. In the seminal love song between Rose and Herbie, "You'll never get away from me, you can climb the tallest tree, I'll be there somehow." Beautiful, sweet, precisely perfect.

'Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, magical creatures were stirring… even a mouse! Gelsey Kirkland Ballet's riveting rendition of The Nutcracker delighted at their new space, located on the East River in DUMBO, Brooklyn. A modest theatre gave way to a spectacular production, characterized by lush costumes, awe-inspiring props and polished dancing that frankly, was refreshing in a time when clean, succinct dancing is often severely underrated.

Celebration lingered in the air like a sweet dessert at this year's premiere of the American Dance Guild festival. Held at the Joan Weill Center for Dance, this four-day festival showcased the unique movement vocabulary of thirty-five different companies nationwide.

A solitary tree, withered and skeletal, lit by a spotlight and ominous percussion. Suddenly, she appeared, crawling rapidly in a storm and fervently circling said tree over and over again. This arresting display is how Life in Progress commenced opening night at the lush New York City Center, kicking off Sylvie Guillem's final world tour after a celebrated 39-year dance career.

Rich in history and antiquated opulence, the BAM Harvey served as the ideal theater for David Michalek's imaginative Hagoromo, the world premiere of a multi-medium artistic portrait of self-proclaimed "Sky, Earth, World, Flesh". A venue rooted to its past with an aesthetic that looks toward the future, Hagoromo served the space by exploring the physical and tonal differences between Heaven and Earth.

Rude Mechs served up stirring, evocative theater this past Thursday in the New York Live Arts installation of their esteemed show, Match-Play. Adapted from Deborah Hay's Bessie award-winning dance, “The Match,” the piece infuses Hay's original choreography and score with original text from Rude Mechs' co-founder Kirk Lynn to spark a theatrical study of perception: How does a human being relate to consciousness?