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AUDIENCE REVIEW: NYCB's "Dances at a Gathering" and "Everywhere We Go"

Company:
New York City Ballet

Performance Date:
October 11, 2019

Freeform Review:

New York City Ballet’s Friday evening performance on October 11, 2019 was truly a treat to watch.  The company presented Dances at a Gathering by Jerome Robbins and Everywhere We Go by Justin Peck. The two works are completely different from one another, but being presented in the same program was a recipe for an exciting evening of dance.

Dances at a Gathering by Jerome Robbins was performed effortlessly, and instantly captivated me with its light-hearted, wistful energy. The difficult duets were seamless, and the constant air of joy present between the dancers had me smiling along with them the entire piece. I was particularly amazed by intricate choreography that was demanded of the female dancers, consisting of complex footwork a lot of the time, while the upper body moved with grace and ease. There were many sections in the ballet, but each one presented a new variety of movement and I was constantly eager to see what would come next. There were solos for the female dancers, solos for the men, duets, group sections, and so on. The constant interchange of dancers added an element of surprise to such a long ballet and allowed for a freshness to be maintained throughout the course of the work. The piece seemed as if it was performed on one breath – the flowy dresses for the women coupled with color-coordinating costumes for the men, only adding to the fluidity and airiness of the dance. Then taking in Chopin’s beautiful music, which was played flawlessly by Susan Walters, I was mesmerized by this dreamy ballet.

Justin Peck’s piece followed the intermission and I instantly saw that this ballet would be a very modern contrast to the Robbins piece. I was particularly taken aback by Sufjan Steven’s powerful score and how well the choreography accented all the dynamic changes that happened throughout. The backdrop that changed consistently throughout the ballet, in conjunction with the formational changes of all the dancers, gave off impressive visual effects. The ballet felt like a constant surge of energy, not only because of the fast-paced choreography, but also going from sometimes having a duet on stage to the whole cast of 25 dancers moving at the same time. I also liked how the choreography felt like a modern take on ballet, being unique with all its different nuances and intricate details. The whole effect of the ballet was great, and I was excited by the constant liveliness of the work.

Both works were amazing, and I was so inspired by the choreography and the performance of the company!

Author:
Leila Bershad

Photo Credit:
Erin Baiano