Review: Washington Ballet's TRANSCENDANCE at The Kennedy Center

The Washington Ballet’s winter performances at the Kennedy Center featured three contemporary works which stretched the company’s versatility and showcased some limitations too. 

TranscenDANCE, which runs through Sunday, February 23, opens with a new work by Jennifer Archibald LucidNOISE which perhaps inspired the spelling of the evening’s title. Meant to reflect a club dance atmosphere with dramatic lighting and use of house music, the piece features angular movements and flailing legs made sharper as accentuated with black point shoes. I tired of seeing the women developé à la seconde, the edgy force of confronting the audience with a stare waning with each repetition. Early on a group of five to six men took the stage to partner and almost show off for each other; this felt the most authentic to the club intention both in the way they moved and the relational construct. Ultimately the pacing felt off, the ending taking me by surprise, though perhaps I was distracted by the imprecisely-danced unison section coming moments before. The costumes included cage-like mini-tutus for the women and collar details that evoked leather and bondage-wear on the men. Though beautifully constructed, they were less cool than they were trying to be. Stretching the dancers to move more freely is a noble aim, though perhaps the ballet should play more to its strengths. 

Ulysses Dove’s Vespers, a timeless work, filled the second spot and was a stunning showcase for six female dancers. Staged by the choreographer’s brother, this production is tight in all the ways that LucidNOISE is not, and thank goodness because it has to be for the dramatic power to build. An enigmatic work about female grief and rage, it unfolds almost like a stylized Quaker meeting; the dancers sit on chairs and periodically erupt - sometimes individually and other times together - expressing themselves through Graham-based contractions and beseeching gestures, all set to a propulsive drumming score by Mikel Rouse. It’s a great piece and fits the company well. I hope it stays in the repertory for years to come. 

The final piece on the program was Seasons by Edward Liang, The Washington Ballet’s Artistic Director who is in his first season with the company. Set to Max Richter’s reimagining of Vivaldi’s classic score, this plotless ballet showcased the dancers’ partnering skills and musicality. It’s an enjoyable work, mostly because it’s wonderful music, with few enduring images or impressions lingering after the curtain closed. At times some dancers seemed to be trying too hard, smiling from ear to ear instead of leaning into the steps. Liang, a former leading dancer at New York City Ballet among other internationally-acclaimed companies, has his work cut out for him to hone the sense of daring among these dancers. Placement is often safe and lovely, and that’s a good position from which to begin pushing boundaries. 

Runtime: Two hours and ten minutes with, at least on Thursday, two very long intermissions

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