Whether it was the elegance of the ballet in the first act, the comedic realism of High Heel Blues, or the methodical yet aggressive stop and go portrayal of “Luminous” by the Hong Kong Ballet, this year’s Fall for Dance was technically sound and emotionally powerful.
Each dance was representative of very specific emotions and attitudes, which ranged from cultured and dignified to loose and fun.
Adam Sklute provided the audience with an absolutely outstanding ballet performance, Grand Pas from Paquita. The stage was reminiscient of a bright sunny day, where one might hear birds chirping along with a cool breeze that swayed the dancers.The organization of the performance, with the rotation of attention placed on each dancer, allowed the audience to enjoy the natural talents of each of the performers. Because each of the dancers, fluttering in their pink tutus and shimmering tiaras, had the stage all to themselves for a brief minute or so, the pressure was on for one to be better than the last. These solo routines left the audience in awe. One dancer who stood out far above the others was Sayaka Ohtaki. Near the end of the line full of talented performers, Ohtaki provided the routine with just the spark it needed at that time. Her form was unwavering yet fluid, and the smile on her face seemed to reflect off of the equally jovial audience. The audience held it’s collective breath as she soared diagonally across the stage during her grande jetés, moving seamlessly with the music. She received a fully deserved roaring applause as she bowed at the end.
High Heel Blues exemplifies the truth of human nature in a quick five or so minutes, contrasting the proper and formal ballet of the act before. When people are torn between whether or not they want something, they tend to rely on advice from others. Ms. Sorzano constantly repeats how she wants those high heel shoes, but her inner conflict is “resolved” by the very convincing shoe salesman, who exploits her desire to his advantage. The effortless transitions in the dance directly opposed the tense, difficult mindset of the woman, and her emotions were literally and figuratively put in the spotlight, as she and the salesman were the only people or objects visible on stage. Both the dancers moved flawlessly, providing a visual parallel to the smooth sound of the blues. Received with much humor and enthusiasm, this performance provided a great transition into the intermission, ending the first half of the show on a light note.
Nan Jombang takes the audience across the world in a dance inspired by the earthquake that shook Southeast Asia in 2009 with his Tarian Malan (Night Dances). This was made clear right in the beginning, as a woman wailed, her cries piercing through the air. The slow moving steps along with deep resonating sounds of the percussion shook the audience, just as they must have shaken the victims of Indonesia. Though it may have seemed a little too slow, it is important for viewers to realize the meaning behind it and the graveness of the situation. The beating of their stomachs provided a base beat resembling the rumbling of the earth, as it occurred right in the middle of the performance. This element seemed to heighten the intensity of an already serious dance tenfold. Certain dance steps such as the female dancers jerking their heads back and forth portrayed an image of the actual reverberations felt from the earthquake. This dance, though a little more difficult to interpret for the audience, was still executed to perfection and received a reaction it deserved.
Moiseyev’s Classics became an instant hit with the crown. With four different dances, all depicting Russian folk culture of the mid- twentieth century, the upbeat tempo and athleticism of the performers was the perfect way to end this showcase of talent. Every performer was emitting a full blast of energy and some of the audience could be seen dancing along with the music, especially during Kalmyk Dance, performed by three very talented of the Moiseyev Dance Company. The one aspect of this performance that separated it from the others was the costumes of the dancers. They wore customary Russian clothing: the women with plain blouses with scarfs on their heads and dark colorful skirts, and the men wearing mostly dark long tops with black pants. Judging by how this dance invigorated the audience after the rather mournful sentiment of Tarian Malan, it offered an exciting finish to Fall For Dance.
Fall For Dance proved to be a noteworthy collection of four very different dances, each conveying a different message, did not fall short of expectations one bit. It is definitely worth a watch, and with the price of $15, maybe multiple watches!
Practice Makes Perfect: A Snapshot of a Rehearsal for Kalmyk Dance
Credit: thebestofrussia.ru/ Eugene Masalkov
