BWW Reviews: Houston Ballet Proves World-Class Status With MODERN MASTERS

Houston Ballet welcomes springtime with MODERN MASTERS, an eclectic repertory showcase featuring George Balanchine's classic Ballo della Regina, Nacho Duato's earthy Jardi Tancat, and Harald Lander's technically exacting ballet, Etudes.

Ballo Della Regina commences the evening with a precision piece telling the story of a fisherman searching for the perfect pearl. The music of Giuseppe Verdi's opera, Don Carlos, serves as an inspired pairing to this visually light and youthful piece. The choreography is flirtatious and beguiling; the dancers flit across the stage like watery sprites. Soloist Allison Miller exhibits delicacy and strength in her gorgeous alignment. There is a lovely waltz-like portion of the piece, in which soloists Emily Bowen, Soo Youn Cho, Elise Elliott, and Madeline Skelly move across the stage with felicitous grace. Oliver Halkowich dances with a commanding verve, adding to the pleasing juxtaposition between strength and delicacy of the ballet.

Nacho Duato's Jardi Tancat is an interesting counterpoint to the more traditional ballets performed in the lineup. While it was choreographed for the classically trained ballet dancer, the movements and style are more modern and interpretive. Six dancers portray farm laborers dependent on their god to bring rain to their fields. The piece is appropriately paired with Spanish singer Maria del Mar Bonet; her sensual vocals match the earthy feel of the dance. The choreography evokes feelings of hardship and desperation, as the dancers weave in and out around each other, clinging to their livelihood.

The concluding ballet of the evening is Harald Lander's Etudes, which pays homage to the discipline of dance. This a grand showcase, with very challenging technical aspects. Created by Lander for the Royal danish Ballet, Etudes is now prevalent in many of the world's finest companies. The piece begins with dancers demonstrating the most basic foundations of ballet, then gradually builds, showing accumulation of technical strength until it reaches a stunning progression. This energy builds and pulsates as it leads to a powerful apex. Principal dancer Karina Gonzalez holds court as the perfect prima, executing the steps with exactness and glowing presence. Dancers Jared Matthews, Ian Cassidy, and Connor Walsh are all impressively strong and agile in their solo performances. With music by Knudage Riisager, this regimented yet passionate piece makes for a thrilling conclusion of the evening. The use of lighting to create silhouetted dancers effectively highlights the clean lines and technical excellence of this company.

Stanton Welch's Houston Ballet continues to thrive in excellence and artistry. MODERN MASTERS is an accomplished success, proving the continual technical excellence of this company.

For tickets to MODERN MASTERS, go to: http://houstonballet.org/Ticketing-Schedule/Season-Calendar/Modern-Masters-2015

Photo Credits: Amitava Sarkar

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