Above: painting of Ask la Cour by Elaine Kurie*
Saturday October 9th, 2021 - The tall Danish dancer Ask la Cour bade farewell to New York City Ballet this evening. As the pandemic stretched out far longer than most of us expected, I wondered if NYCB would be able to re-open and if Ask's farewell performance would actually take place. I purchased my ticket in advance, hoping for the best. It turned out to be a wonderful, uplifting evening, commencing with catching up with Wendy Whelan and Kurt Froman before the dancing started.
One of my favorite memories of watching Ask la Cour was at the Manhattan Movement and Arts Center in 2011, when Justin Peck was preparing a program to take to Saratoga. Ask and Teresa Reichlen were to dance excerpts from Balanchine's APOLLO; photographer Matt Murphy was with me to capture moments from this unforgettable studio session: here.
Then came an additional treat: Justin's THE ENORMOUS ROOM was also on the bill for that Saratoga performance, and Sean Suozzi joined Ask and Tess to rehearse this Mendelssohn piece while Matt Murphy continued shooting: here. Such a great experience for me, watching three of my dance idols in an intimate studio setting.
Ask could move effortlessly from the classic look of Balanchine's DIAMONDS (above, with Sara Mearns)...
...to the more contemporary style of FOUR TEMPERAMENTS (above).
Ask made an outstanding impression in such diverse roles as the Prince in FIREBIRD, Rothbart in SWAN LAKE, Friar Laurence in ROMEO & JULIET, and - so moving - as the Father in PRODIGAL SON. He was poetic in LIEBESLIEDER WALZER, EMERALDS, SERENADE, and Peter Martins' MORGEN; bereft in the Élégie from TCHAIKOVSKY SUITE #3; lyrical - and later annoyed - in BARBER VIOLIN CONCERTO; on the brink of madness in Davidsbündlertänze; sexy in the Russian dance in SWAN LAKE; and a perfect Balanchine/Stravinsky cavalier in STRAVINSKY VIOLIN CONCERTO and MONUMENTUM/MOVEMENTS.
Ask la Cour talks about one of his signature roles - in Balanchine's STRAVINSKY VIOLIN CONCERTO - here.
Ask and Maria Kowroski dance the pas de deux from Christopher Wheeldon's AFTER THE RAIN - filmed at daybreak against the New York City skyline - here. Ask and Maria danced this duet tonight as the program's finale.
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For his farewell gala, Ask danced Balanchine and Wheeldon. Clothide Otranto was on the podium, and the New York City Ballet orchestra were in fine fettle, playing music from Gluck to Muhly.
I'll always remember the first time I saw Balanchine's MONUMENTUM PRO GESUALDO/MOVEMENTS FOR PIANO AND ORCHESTRA: I was headed to a matinee at The Met, and I popped into the State Theater to watch M/M which was the first work on the program. Helene Alexopoulos was the ballerina that afternoon. I was fascinated watching the dancers of the corps de ballet rearrange themselves in new patterns after each movement.
These are two of Stravinsky's most intriguing scores; tonight, Alan Moverman was the piano soloist for MOVEMENTS. When the curtain rose, I realized how out-of-touch I have been with NYCB these past few years: I hardly recognized anyone on that stage. Aside from Teresa Reichlen and Ask, Mary Elizabeth Sell and Gil Bolden were just about the only really familiar faces.
Tess and Ask made such an impressive partnership, with their long limbs and their cool command of the intricacies of the choreography. MONUMENTUM/MOVEMENTS seemed like a breath of fresh air tonight, and I particularly enjoyed Balanchine's combinations for the corps in the second ballet.
Justin Peck's ROTUNDA, to music by Nico Muhly, came next; this was my first opportunity to see it. Over time, I have run hot and cold over Justin's ballets, sometimes finding them soulless. But I loved ROTUNDA; from curtain-rise to dramatic finish, both the airy, spacious staging and Muhly's fine score made a very positive impression.
The dancers, casually dressed, outdid themselves. In the ballet, they periodically huddle in a circle, as if choosing who will dance next. Two just-promoted ballerinas - Indiana Woodward and Unity Phelan - were delightful in contrasting ways; we can expect much from them in the coming seasons.
It was lovely indeed to see Sara Adams and Claire Kretzschmar again, and I was truly impressed by the pairing of Miriam Miller and Andrew Scordato: two tall dancers, dancing to perfection. Daniel Ulbricht, as always, lit up the stage, though he is somewhat under-utilized in this ballet. I've admired Daniel Applebaum since he first appeared on this stage; he's grown into an exceptional presence, so pleasing to watch. Jovani Furlan and Gil Bolden rounded out the male contingent.
Simply stellar dancing from Megan Fairchild, debuting in this ballet tonight, won the audience's delighted approval both with her thoughtful, flowing dancing of her solo and later in a magical pas de deux with Gil Bolden. What a captivating performance!
Watching the charismatic Gonzalo Garcia onstage tonight, one wonders why he would even think of retiring: what a complete artist he is. His solo was spellbinding; the audience seemed to hold its collective breath as the danseur moved with consummate grace about the space. And it is Gonzalo who brings ROTUNDA to its striking finish: realizing he is alone, he rushes forward into a sudden blackout.
Balanchine's CHACONNE, to music from Gluck's poignant opera ORFEO ED EURIDICE, was danced by Sara Mearns and Russell Janzen. Their performance drew great applause from the audience, though I found myself missing Kyra Nichols. Baily Jones and Harrison Coll did very well in their tricky duet, Aaron Sanz was marvelous in the pas de trois, and Kristen Segin thoroughly charming in the pas de cinq. The flautist played the haunting Dance of the Blessed Spirits exquisitely.
The pas de deux from Christopher Wheeldon's AFTER THE RAIN united Ask and the soon-to-retire Maria Kowroski; pianist Nancy McDill and violinist Kurt Nikkanen performed the haunting Arvo Pärt score from the pit.
Maria's dark hair came as a bit of a shock, even though I had seen photos in advance. She and Ask gave a lush performance, Ask's partnering so astute and so caring. Their curtain calls were a poignant souvenir of longtime colleagues and friends savouring one last dance together.
At the end, Ask (above in a Henry Leutwyler photo) was given a classic NYCB send-off from both the audience and his colleagues. Each of his fellow dancers came out to give him flowers and an embrace, and each carried a Danish flag. Amar Ramasar and Ask had an amusing dance-off. It was a happy farewell.
During the applause, I was remembering not only Ask's many excellent performances but also his kindness to me when I was suffering from sciatica in 2017. He sent me some excellent advice about dealing with the problem, which I'll never forget.
More recently, as the pandemic moved into its second wave this past Summer, I ran into Ask outside the stage door one afternoon and greatly enjoyed talking with him. He was heading to Denmark that day, and it's to Denmark that he'll now be returning, to teach at the Royal Danish Ballet School, and to work with Nikolaj Hübbe at the Royal Danish Ballet. Held og lykke, Ask!
~ Oberon
* Note: Elaine Kurie's painting of Ask la Cour (top of the article) was awarded First Place in the Portrait Society of America Members‘ Show. Visit Ms. Kurie's website here to see more of her beautiful work.