BWW Reviews: Gelsey Kirkland Ballet Presents Harlequinade and Cavalry Halt

On March 27 & 28, 2015, Co-Artistic Directors, Gelsey Kirkland and Michael Chernov presented, at Peter Norton Symphony Space, a double bill of Marius Petipa's ballets of another era, well chosen for their young company, a large number of whom are students at the Gelsey Kirkland Academy of Classical Ballet. Harlequinade, choreographed in 1900, to the music of Riccardo Drigo, is a classic comedy based on the characters of Commedia Dell'Arte. Cavalry Halt, created in 1896, to the music of Johann Armsheimer and Johann Strauss, is rarely performed today. I had never seen it.

The joy of the dancers exploded from the stage the moment the curtain opened on Cavalry Halt, with the support of the marvelous costumes by Jennifer Wood-Bonnell, Jetty Maika, Debra DeJong, and Naomi Morin, and set and costume adaptation by Michael Chernov. The over-the-top delivery, in the style of the time of its creation, was achieved by these young dancers. When a Cavalry troop sweeps into a rustic Austrian village, the flirtations of mischievous girls quickly turn to shenanigans. The high point of the fun was a circular group lift: boys facing in to the circle, the girls joined them facing out, leaning on the cavalry men, kicking their legs up, while the men carried them around.

The tempo was slow and the choreography for the corps de ballet was deliberate and simple, but that's not to say easy. The corps girls and boys danced with good unison and were as dramatic, within their roles, as were the principals. The principals, Dawn Gierling, as Maria; Anderson Souza, as Philipp; Katrina Crawford, as Teresa; Alexander Mays, as The General; Johnny Almeida, as Rotmeister; and Erez Ben-Zion Milatin, were larger than life in their portrayals. Particularly notable was Mays, who was fully committed to the comedy of his character role, engaging the other dancers and amusing the audience.

Set in the joyous atmosphere of a Venetian carnival, Harlequinade is a classic comedy based on the characters of Commedia Dell'Arte. The costumes by the same gifted team who created the costumes for Cavalry Halt, and the splendid set design by Court Watson, replete with front door and a working balcony one level up, were an intricate part of this romantic comedy. At one point, a realistic-looking dancing teapot and a painted teacup, also with legs, danced in front of the corps de ballet, a wonderful touch. The audience was buzzing about these two. The unity of the corps is an important factor in creating a top level company. The principals on March 27th were Johnny Almeida, as Harlequin; Michelle Katcher, as Columbine; Anthony Rosario, as Pierrot; and India Rose, as Pierrette were invested in their characters, bringing the story to life with hilarity.

GKA announces that they are moving to an exciting new home in Dumbo, Brooklyn at 29 Jay Street, in the summer of 2015. I look forward to seeing them there!

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