NYC BALLET | Robbins & Balanchine

Review by Celia Ipiotis

When intermission hit at NYC Ballet, I saw Nancy Reynolds, a former NYC Ballet dancer, turned dance historian with an encyclopedic knowledge of George Balanchine’s repertory and keen observer of Robbins’ works.

To my surprise, when I asked what she thought of the evening’s program Nancy confessed, ” The Goldberg Variations is one of my favorite Robbins ballets.” Like many other fans, she’s a fan of the music and choreography. The ballet is set to the devilishly difficult piano music by J.S. Bach. On this evening, William Wolfram stepped up to the grand piano on stage right and proceeded to play nonstop for the next 80 minutes. Of course, his concern was not only the music, but the dancers on stage.

Many in the cast of 14 were new to their roles, and yet, their commitment was complete. Low hops and tidy criss-crossed legs suggested the era when the music was born in 1741– the age of the Minuet. 

Throughout the ballet, there was a sense of play and camaraderie, lacing delicate movements in between virtuosic passages conjuring a multitude of musical styles. Inspired to toy with the variations, Robbins  created sections that resembled playful games, a theatricalized dance class, folk dance rounds and silky duets. 

Everyone in the cast rose to the occasion appearing as real people capable of executing extraordinary feats of dance.

In the lushly musical Tschaikovsky Suite No. 3, George Balanchine wrings the emotion out of each section. In Elegie, Miriam Miller and Peter Walker establish the dreamy illusion of man discovering woman in the mists of time. Hair loose, Miller moves like a breeze through the mist, back arching, her face looks towards the audience as she flips her body around. There is deep yearning in the runs towards each other, Miller’s long arabesques get stretched out even further by Alec Knight. They collapse into each other’s arms like a couple starring in a deeply romantic 1940’s film.

 In contrast to the Elegie, the final, full blown classical ballet section with Tiler Peck and Roman Mejia, embellishes the traditional technique. Peck’s regal extensions are elevated into running lifts punctuated by a soft leap caught in mid air by Mejia. The unhinged classical technique is stylishly expressed through Peck’s musical intuition and Mejia’s technical aplomb.

The kids are all right at New York City Ballet.

EYE ON THE ARTS, NY — Celia Ipiotis