Review: A Captivating Evening with NEW CHAMBER BALLET

On September 11-12, choreographer and company director Miro Magloire kicked off the New Chamber Ballet's 2015-16 season with an intimate gathering at the City Center Studios. Magloire, a native of Munich, Germany, began his career as a composer before moving to New York to pursue dance. His work draws from his background in music and home country to present an evening of lovely and sophisticated choreography that is masterfully accompanied to live music, which is integral to the company's artistic identity. This engagement marked the first of five two-night seasons in their home base at City Center.

The evening began with a piece entitled "In The Parlour," choreographed to Mozart's Violin Sonata in E minor, with live music performed by Melody Fader on the piano and Doori Na on the violin. Here, three distinct characters engage in a vivid battle of values. The dancers showcased their long beautiful lines as they glided through space across the stage.

"La Mandragore," accompanied by a piano, is a duet with intricate partner work. The choreography showcased the dancers' strength and flexibility through various intertwined movement and poses that were absolutely breathtaking. The next piece, "Glove," also performed to the piano, told the story of the longing to be like the other. The dancers performed with such grace and elegance, totally captivating the audience.

Next was the much anticipated world premiere of Magloire's "Gravity," a tribute to the great Austrian composer Friedrich Cerha, who will turn 90 this winter. This was just the first two sections, with the continuation to be performed at their next City Center engagement later this year in November. Again, this piece showed just how talented these dancers were with their stunning choreography, strength and flexibility, making your heart skip a beat.

The evening ended with "Friction." Maglorie created this piece earlier this spring, set to Richard Carrick's In Flow for solo violin, as part of a residency at the Center for Faith and Work in New York City. The choreography explored the theme of friction through opposing colors in the costumes, friction on the floor and each other in an increasingly intense and aggressive confrontation between two people.

The New Chamber Ballet continues to provide audiences with a quaint and intimate showcase of ballet with beautiful dancers and innovative choreography accompanied with live music. It provides something that is refreshing and different from the traditional ballet experience. Be sure to catch the company's upcoming engagements in October at the Tahoe Art Haus in Lake Tahoe and back at the City Center Studios in November.

Photo Credit: Tom Caravaglia

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