BWW Reviews: Fall for Dance Offers 'Diverse' Bill

Though formulaic, Fall for Dance programs, presented each fall at New York City Center with the universal ticket price of $15, tend to succeed in including a diverse set of voices. Program 4 fulfilled this expectation, featuring works by Brian Brooks Moving Company, Tim Harbour, Benjamin Millipied, and Dr. Rennie Harris. The evening was delightfully varied in both the styles danced and the experiences represented. One important exception dampened this program and the festival as a whole--the lack of work by women choreographers, a disappointing but not unusual exclusion.

Brian Brooks' 2013 piece, Torrent, features a twenty-six person cast of Juilliard dancers and Moving Company members. Billed as "fluctuating between orderly patterns and unrestrained turbulence," Torrent excels at the former but struggles with the latter. Brooks' large cast allows him to create arresting structural patterns, but clutters the stage when this structure is deconstructed. Clutter masks the brilliance of Brooks' movement and the energy of his young cast: crisp, clear lines and seamless transitions from solo work to contact mark the moments that stand out amongst the chaos.

The program note for Tim Harbour's trio on the Australian Ballet plays on the way Balanchine spoke about storytelling in ballet: "A man and a woman together onstage is a story, and a mystery." The late choreographer's impact on the piece is more extensive than these words since Ostinato, unfortunately, is a mediocre imitation of Balanchine's style. Bill Evans' expressive and complex score is the highlight of the piece, and yet it calls for much more subtlety than Harbour allows for. The piece is dominated by overly virtuosic phrases that fall into overdone ballet conventions, and is thematically and stylistically disjointed.

Benjamin Millepied's duet, Closer, provides a more refined and original variation on the classical form. Performed by the exquisite Céline Cassone and Alexander Hille of Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal, Closer explores partnering relationships by experimenting with gravity and balance in unexpected ways. Many almost-kisses and prolonged hug-lifts develop "closeness" between the two bodies and lead to a sensual floor sequence concluding the piece with intertwined limbs and suggestive positions. The performers feel extremely human and yet more than human, genuine in their execution of Millepied's imaginative and extraordinary style.

High-energy, standing ovation-worthy pieces always find their way to the end of Fall for Dance programs, but this by no means should discredit the worth of Students of the Asphalt Jungle. The signature Rennie Harris Puremovement work pays tribute to the African heritage of Dr. Harris and his company members, and showcases the personalities of each performer through playful solo moments where dancers execute mind-boggling tricks. As dancers slide across the stage on their heads or leap over one another, they are supported by the vocalizations and call and response energy provided by the rest of their cast, creating a community onstage that we are invited to partake in.

Photo Credit: Raphaelle Garcia

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