Above: from an APAP showing of Igal Perry's EL AMOR BRUJO, photo by Kokyat.
Sunday May 6, 2012 - The New York City premiere of Igal Perry's EL AMOR BRUJO along with new works by choreographers Kristin Sudeikis and Sidra Bell and an appearance by Jose Manuel Carreno made for a very impressive evening of dance as Peridance Contemporary Dance Company commenced the first of two weekends of performances at Peridance. A second Igal Perry's new work, to Henryk Górecki's String Quartet # 3, featured a live quartet led by cellist Nan-Cheng Chen while the Manuel de Falla score of EL AMOR BRUJO was performed by the PostClassical Ensemble conducted by Angel Gil-Ordóñez and featuring Flamenco vocalist Marija Temo. Special guest star Jose Manuel Carreño, former principal dancer at American Ballet Theater, appeared on the first weekend only.
In the opening work, Igal Perry's CONFLICTED TERRAIN, the excellence and appeal of the individual dancers was immediately evident - among them Oberon's Grove favorites Leigh Lejoi and Kentaro Kikuchi. The opening movement dealt with relationships in conflict, giving way to a more animated ensemble section. The Gorecki score was played live by a fine quartet of musicians seated on small platforms; these were wheeled around the space from time to time - a bit too fussy of an idea, especially since the choreography and dancing were powerful enough to stand their ground without distraction. Nevertheless, the cumulative effect of the piece was very pleasing indeed both from a musical and choreographic viewpoint.
Though using less persuasive music, Kristin Sudeikis' I AM YOU was equally absorbing to watch. A sexy, free-wheeling opening passage allowed us to savour the dancers as individuals; this evolved into a more sculptural slow movement. Perhaps the only miscalculation came with the grandiose musical phrase that opened the concluding segment; the choreographer allowed this opportunity for a visual coup to pass, though she soon got back into an exciting groove. Again the dancers looked superb.
Guest artist Jose Manuel Carreno (above, in a John Rocca photo) performed an Igal Perry solo set to the Schubert Ave Maria which was played live - and beautifully - by a trio of young musicians. If the music is thrice-familiar, I never tire of hearing it. Jose Manuel's smoothly flowing movement indicated - but did not dwell on - the spirituality implied by the music; clad in simple jeans and a t-shirt he moved in a pool of light, sometimes stretching into sustained arabesques that showed off his trademark perfection of line. Always one of the handsomest of dancers, he basked at the end in sustained applause.
Hazy smoke then filled the space as the dancers in leather straps and see-thru tops commenced Sidra Bell's THE UNGATHERED. Set, as so many danceworks these days are, to generic and vaguely ominous club music with some kind of uninteresting spoken narrative mixed in, the work was gorgeously lit and had some provocative choreography along the way but it simply went on too long, in the end becoming random. Periodically the dancers would rush to the walls and attempt to climb out of this purgatorial place. It seemed rather telling that this work received the evening's most subdued applause; there's some really fine stuff here - and some ultra-sexy dancers involved - but it desperately needs to be pared down.
At last the piece de resistance: Igal Perry's EL AMOR BRUJO is a real jewel. With the de Falla score played live by a chamber ensemble seated behind a gossamer white drape, the ballet evolves thru a series of dances which evoke traditional Spanish movement motifs yet remain vividly contemporary. Kudos to flamenco cantante Marija Temo for not using a microphone; her dusky, vivid singing was completely natural and came from the heart. Ms. Temo wandered among the dancers as she sang, becoming a part of the rather abstracted narrative.
Mostly EL AMOR BRUJO is all about the dancing, and how fortunate to have Attila Joey Csiki (above) of the Lar Lubovitch Company heading up the ensemble with his wonderfully sensuous smoothness of style. Nikki Holck was Attila's partner in duets, and the rest of the dancers impressed yet again. EL AMOR BRUJO is one of the finest danceworks I've seen in the past decade, and I hope I'll have a chance to see it again.