ABT at City Center

Last night, I made the trek to City Center to see ABT and it was fantastic!  Everyone's shocked to hear I enjoyed myself, I'm sure.  But I've been looking forward to seeing their fall season for a long time now, and last night's performance certainly didn't disappoint.  It was a lovely evening with beautiful dancing and an awesomely handsome date.  I'll apologize for my horribly blurry photos in advance...

First up was The Leaves are Fading.  This piece, with choreography by Antony Tudor and music by Dvorak, premiered at ABT in 1978, but I've never seen it performed live before.  I've seen bits and pieces of it on film, however.  It's so lovely, with lyricial dancing and beautiful people in love.  My favorite kind of goopy romantic ballet dancing.  :)  The pas de deux were gorgeous, especially those danced by Hee Seo and Roberto Bolle.  He is youthful romance personified and she has such stunning extension - lovely.  They danced beautifully together.  The ensemble was also terrific, especially one gent who just seemed to have all the time in the world.  The other guys looked rushed at times (and we had a minor tumble), but one dancer just seemed to be in a zen place where everything he did was perfectly timed and he seemed to really watch his partner and enjoy her.  I will have to look on the ABT website and see if I can figure out which dancer it was.  I loved loved loved this piece and wish I could see it again.  Thank god for You Tube.  I will say, however, they could probably cut the men's neckerchief's though...

Next was the piece I was most excited to see, the world premiere of Alexei Ratmansky's new ballet, set to Symphony #9 by Shostakovich.  I've really enjoyed the other ballets of Ratmansky's that I've seen (Nutcracker, Bright Stream, Firebird), and I love me some Shostakovich, so all signs pointed towards me loving this piece.  And love it, I did.  I can't wait to see it again, though, because so much happens, you just can't take it in all at once.  The piece is vibrant, with humor and vigor, and it's danced with freedom and commitment.  We did have another minor tumble, so maybe the floor was a little too slippery, or maybe the dancers were a little too excited (there was a fall in the last piece, too, which made this the first evening where I've seen different dancers take similar falls in each piece.  hmmm.), but I guess I'd rather see dancers go for it and slip than play it safe and stay upright.  Maybe.  If this keeps happening, I'll have to re-evaluate. 

 Ratmansky has described the piece as 'storyless, but not abstract,' and I think that sounds about right.  The people on stage connected with each other, and filled the music with movement, but not in a stylized way.  The lead couples, Marcelo Gomes (who truly is ALL THAT) and Polina Semionova were more serious, in a way, and more traditional, and Simone Messmer and Craig Salstein were more loose and humorous.  And then there's Herman Cornejo.  Jeepers, can that man dance.  His elevation is superb, his turns are so fast, and he fills the dance steps with so much personality.  He was fantastic.  The crowd LOVED him.  As they should.  Actually, the audience went wild for everyone.  Everyone was grand.  (I totally stole the above photo of Gomes and Semionova, taken by Gene Schiavone, from ABT's Facebook page.  If they ask me to take it down, I will.  Hopefully, they won't mind...)

 

Ratmansky came out and took a well-deserved bow after the dancers took their curtain call.  He is choregraphing two other pieces to Shostakovich symphonies that will premiere in next year's ABT summer season.  I'm really looking forward to it.  I'm also looking forward to seeing this piece again Saturday night, when a dear friend is taking me back to City Center.  It will be so interesting to see different dancers' interpretations of this piece.  They have pretty big shoes to fill because last night's cast was AWESOME. 

 

The last piece was the one my handsome date was looking forward to, Rodeo, with choreography by Agnes De Mille and music by Aaron Copland.  I think everyone has seen bits and pieces of Rodeo, but my handsome date and I have never seen the entire thing danced live.  What a treat it is.  Marian Butler was a delight as The Cowgirl - mixing spunk and sass with a lovesick heart.  Her appearance in the last scene in a dress, and enjoying her newfound femininity, was just terrific.  She danced and acted with equal success.  Roman Zhurbin and Craig Salstein were also terrific as the rivals for Cowgirl's affections.  I've actually only seen Zhurbin dance as the lizard Rothbart in Swan Lake (at least I can't remember seeing him in other roles) and he moves beautifully, but seeing him dance without a huge lizard costume is a treat.  He has a wonderful presence and beautiful line.  Craig Salstein had himself quite a night - and he delivered the Champion Roper with aplomb.  His tapping/clogging was terrific and his enthusiasm was infectious.  I also thought Lauren Post as the Daughter was excellent.  I loved it and hope to see it again soon.

 

Oh, I forgot to mention - there was an orchestra!  I was so happy - as I've said before, a lot of the time they used recorded music for dance pieces at City Center.  It was fantastic to have an orchestra play the beautiful, and beautifully different, music last night.  Hearing the end of Copland's Rodeo was especially thrilling.

 

It was my first time in the renovated City Center's balcony - it takes a long time to get up there, but the seat was excellent.  Wonderful sightlines (when the gals with big hair in front of me would sit back) and excellent acoustics.  I admit to sneaking a couple of photos after the program.  And it was interesting how quickly the ghost light came out!  We gave the stagehands a well-deserved round of applause, which they charmingly acknowledged.  But what a treat to get to see such an everyday routine after a not-everyday evening of wonderful dance.  All hail ABT!  Can't wait until Saturday night...