FALL FOR DANCE PROGRAM 3

Review by Celia Ipiotis

City Center’s President and champion of happiness, Michael Rosenberg welcomed everyone and thrilled in the applause of audience members who claimed to be first timers. Indeed, he had good reason to be ecstatic. It’s important to develop new audiences, and in this case, younger audiences for dance. Fall For Dance Program #3 mixed organic modern dance with ballet and tap.

From our neighbor up north, Montreal’s Anne Plamondon Productions performed the US premiere of Myokine. Sensual and grounded, the mob of attractive dancers moved in unison and rondo form. Impressed by their physical control and texture, the company threaded together ballet, hip hop, contact improve and modern dance, staying on stay close to the ground. A sensuousness seeped into the animalistic forms that built up to waves of images. In one instance, the dancers pulled their legs together and boureed (minute steps traveling in quick succession) from the back of the stage to the front creating an optical illusion of bodies ethereally floating forward and back. Bathed in moody lighting by Eric Chad, the ballet was choreographed by Plamondon and set to a repetitive score by Olivier Fairfield and Ourielle Auve. An intriguing work, it would have benefited from some edited nips and tucks.

Many balletomanes came to see Herman Cornejo and Skylar Barndt in Cornejo’s remake of Michel Fokine’s famous The Specter of the Rose.  Responsible for the staging, scenic design, staging, and costume design (along with Elsa Edit), Cornejo’s retained the romantic score by Carl Maria von Weber score. Standing in front of a massive painting of wild roses, Brandt and Cornejo joined in a duet of whimsical effervescence. One of our truly great ballet partners and dramatic interpreters, Cornejo dotes on his partners, supporting them effortlessly. In his new vision of the ballet, Brandt was dressed in short shorts and a creamy sheer blouse, hair braided around her head–a bit like Heidi– and he appeared in a one-shoulder nude colored unitard and jeans.

Cornejo projected a technical ease,  underscoring his dynamic presence and partnering chops. From the beginning, Brandt’s skills were immediately put on display when she stood on point, and slowly raised her leg in arabesque while remaining on point the whole time. A handsome couple, they danced with ease, as if they’d grown up together like brother and sister.

The final piece included iconic songs by Nina Simone. Shockingly, M.A.D.D. Rhythms opened on the devastating Strange Fruit first sung by Billy Holiday about Black lynchings in the South. While jazz vocalist Felena Bunn powerfully sang in a red dress and red framed glasses, M.A.D.D. founder and artistic director, Bril Barrett stood beside her and tapped out the percussive beat.  Tapping between the notes built on the song’s rhythmic complexity and drama. However, when he’s joined by another tapper, the balance between taps and song were thrown off. One song fed into another featuring different members of the troup. Choreographed by Barrett,  Starinah “Star” Dixon, Alexandrya Fryson, Donnetta “Lil Bit” Jacskson, and Tristan Bruns were joined by the fine, on-stage combo with Ben Johnson, drums; Terrell Montgomery, bass; Leandro Pellegrino, guitar; and Philip Adair, piano. A feel good set, hopefully next time the audio balance will be better calibrated between vocalist, band and hoofers. That said, the dance closed on Simone’s uplifting “Feeling Good” and left the audience shouting for an encore. 

EYE ON THE ARTS, NY – Celia Ipiotis