Above: from Bradley Shelver's RANDOM PEOPLE WITH BEAUTIFUL PARTS; photo by Andrew Fassbender for Rachel Neville Studios
Author: Oberon
Thursday February 16th, 2023 - The Joffrey Ballet Concert Group, under the artistic direction of Bradley Shelver, offered a pleasing program of four works tonight at the Ailey Citigrouo Theater.
The opening work, The 12th ROOM, is choreographed by Mr. Shelver to music by Ezio Bosso, Andrea Falconieri, Philip Glass, and Ólafur Arnalds. The piece has a narrative quality, telling of how we find our place in the world; it's enigmatic, and beautifully lit by Serena Wong, with gorgeous costumes by Erica Johnston.
A white door has stood on the stage since we took our seats. After a thunderously chaotic burst of sound, the door begins to drift about the space. Wearing a satiny emerald-green frock, Laura Severo Mendes moves warily along a path of light; as if in a dream, she is seeking something. At last she knocks on the door and is invited in, where a party is in progress. The women wear duplicates of her dress, but in different hues.
The Renaissance music for this gathering is by Andrea Falconieri, giving the party a rather formal feel. But the mood begins to change; there is shouting, and some very cool choreography for the partygoers. Suddenly we are in the ladies' room, where some of the girls have drunk too much or are are indulging in unnamed substances.
Ms. Mendes leaves, and the floating door takes her back along the hallway. Behind the door, a couple (Breeanna Palmer and Jean Da Silva) dance an expressive pas de deux to music by Philip Glass which seems to focus on the aspects of a long-term relationship: I simply loved their rapport. Kneeling outside the door, Ms. Mendes eavesdrops.
Following the door's lead to another room, she knocks and enters, and finds her alter-ego (Joliana Canaan) whose companion (Daniele Campi) partners each of the women in turn. The work's ending seemed to leave things up in the air; in fact I was not quite certain that it was over.
There followed an intermission during which the house lights were not turned up, leaving us in the dark; most everyone remained seated, unsure as to whether an actual break was happening, and not wanting to stumble about in the dimness.
The program then continued with FALTER UPWARD, choreographed by Lindsay Grymes to a whimsical musical collage which runs the gamut from Franz Liszt to Dinah Washington, with Nils Frahm's "Improvisation for coughs and a cellphone" winning the prize for title-originality.
A jazzy solo becomes a duo, and then an ensemble; all the dancers wear fitted black trousers and yellow tops. The music turns ominous - dark and pulsing - as a quartet, duet, and sextet follow. The community joins in a unison passage, stepping in place.
Now Franz Liszt's immortal Liebesträume is heard, the dancers responding with shuffling steps. A duet for two women ensues, and as the music becomes expansive, the full ensemble joins. This felt like a finale, and when it turned out to be a false finish, I was at first a bit put-off. But a single woman remained onstage, dancing so persuasively that I was immediately drawn in. As the music became increasingly reverberant, her struggle seemed palpable. The work ends in silence.
Bradley Shelver's second work on the program, RANDOM PEOPLE WITH BEAUTIFUL PARTS, is set to music by J S Bach. Here the woman are on pointe, executing demanding combinations with a contemporary flair. At the start, the dancers stand in small clusters in pools of light at each corner of the space. To the music of Bach, played by the Hillard Ensemble, a series of solos and duets ensues, set against a back panel awash with changing colours. The work's structure - and the passion, commitment, and grace of the dancers' artistry - made this balletic interlude highly enjoyable.
Above: from Eric Trope's GAZEBO DANCES; photo by Andrew Fassbender for Rachel Neville Studios
A second intermission, now with the lights on, preceded the evening's finale: choreographer Eric Trope's GAZEBO DANCES, which draws its title from John Corigliano's composition of the same name. This airy, cordial piece has a summertime feeling, with the costumes - in shades of red/orange/yellow - having the comfy look of poolside lounging pajamas.
The piece starts big, with a group dance in fast-paced combinations and stylized unison gestures. Quirky music leads to a sprightly second movement wherein the dancers seem to form a human carousel. Moody blues (featuring the oboe) then set the tone for a female solo danced by an exceptionally pretty young woman whose name I cannot tell you. As this section develops, more dancers joining, I was especially taken with a trio of nymphs in saffron yellow, who reminded me of Isadora's muses.
Now the pretty solo girl returns alone in a spacious dance, further enhanced when a second girl joins her. As the two move about the stage, one senses a developing affection - perhaps sisterly, perhaps something else. They began to walk away from one another, but the attraction is strong, and they go off together: a small detail which left me feeling inexplicably happy. There follows an exuberant finale, everyone dancing beautifully.
Kudos to the three choreographers, and to their musical choices, which made for an evening as enjoyable to hear as to watch; and also to the dancers, who honored Terpsichore with their dedication and spirit.
~ Oberon