Above: Shawn Lesniak and Alex Clayton in Lauren Lovette's ECHO; photo by Whitney Browne
~ Author: Oberon
Thursday November 9th, 2023 - The Paul Taylor Dance Company continuing their 2023 Lincoln Center with a program that opened with Lauren Lovette's newest Taylor creation, ECHO, continued with Ulysses Dove's VESPERS, and concluded with a repeat of Paul Taylor's PIAZZOLLA CALDERA. It was a fantastic night, both of dancing and music-making.
Lauren Lovette's ECHO is not only the finest thing she has done for the Taylor dancers to date: it's actually a masterpiece. Everything meshed perfectly - music, choreography, lighting, costumes - and the Taylor men danced divinely. Such an exhilarating experience!
The Kevin Puts score is gorgeous; the composer is not afraid of melody, and his wide range of rhythmic patterns and his blendings of instrumental timbres made it ideal for dancing. Zac Posen's long-skirted black costumes added a swirling effect to the movement, and - these being Taylor men - they all looked super-sexy. James F. Ingalls' lighting designs enhance the dancing at every moment, and include some striking silhouette effects.
As the houselights dimmed, the orchestra pit rose almost to stage level, and Maestro David LaMarche and the Orchestra of St. Luke's came into view. The string trio Time for Three were greeted with whoops of delight from the crowd: Charles Yang and Nicolas Kendall (violins) and Ranaan Meyer (bass) seem already to have a fan following, and they are astonishing musicians - as entrancing to watch as to hear. They opened the piece with harmonized vocals, quite lovely. Throughout, their impeccable musicianship and visual engagement with the score made a vibrant impression; they were vociferously cheered during the bows, and then they turned to salute the dancers onstage, who replied in kind. Volleys of applause wafted back and forth across the footlights, til Ms. Lovette came out to a much-deserved ovation.
As the house darkened, the dancers appeared from the proscenium doorways, or advancing down the aisles to the edge of the pit, where their colleagues gave them a lift-up onto the stage. ECHO's opening movement, The Call, commences with a duet by Shawn Lesniak and Alex Clayton (above photo by Whitney Browne). They establish the spiritual quality of the work, and also its sense of brotherhood.
The other men in the cast of eight joined the central pair: Lee Duveneck, John Harnage, Jake Vincent, Devon Louis, Austin Kelly, and Kenny Corrigan. The ballet takes on a ritualistic feeling.
The second section, Codes, opens with a trio for Mssrs. Duveneck, Kelly, and Corrigan. There's quite a bit of floor time here, but it's perfectly handled and seems integral to the work. The three are eventually joined by Mssrs. Lesniak and Louis. Austin Kelly made an especially vivid impression in this segment.
Mssrs. Duveneck and Corrigan then have an intriguing duet, Contact, where touches of humor evolve into tenderness. Some misgivings arise between the two, but eventually all's well as ends well. Lee and Kenny are well-contrasted in their personalities and their physical appeal, making the duet a study in the rules of attraction.
Now the community comes together for the finale: Convivium. John Harnage, who has made fleeting, Puck-like appearances in the earlier movements, has more opportunities to shine here, and Jake Vincent truly impressed in a solo passage. ECHO moves to its fabulous finish, buoyed by the Puts score and by the superb playing of it. This work should become a repertory staple for the Company: I can just imagine how much Paul Taylor would have loved it.
More of Whitney Browne's images from ECHO:
Jake Vincent
Shawn Lesniak, Devon Louis, Jake Vincent, and Austin Kelly
Shawn Lesniak, Devon Louis, and Kenny Corrigan
I can't heap enough praise on everyone involved in this production; and a special bouquet to Whitney Browne for her atmospheric images.
Above: the Taylor women in Ulysses Dove's VESPERS; photo by Whitney Browne
From the late, lamented Ulysses Dove, whose RED ANGELS delighted me so often at New York City Ballet (...and that radiant beauty, Heléne Alexopoulos, who danced it so perfectly, was in attendance tonight), the Taylor Company have taken up VESPERS. It was staged by Ulysses' brother, Alfred, and is danced to a percussion score by Mikel Rouse.
I must say, from its title, I was expecting something very different from this work: something peaceful and reassuring, like an evening prayer. Instead, it is dark and relentless, filled with alarmingly obsessive, stylized movement and much rushing about.
Seated alone, Jada Pearman (above photo by Whitney Browne) exudes nervous tension as she waits on the dark-as-night stage. Mr. Pearman has found a beautiful home for herself in the Taylor Company, showing a wide interpretive range and a captivating presence. She was simply stunning here.
Jada rushes across the space to another row of chairs, where she is joined by five other acolytes: Maria Ambrose, Lisa Borres, Eran Bugge, Madelyn Ho, and Jessica Ferretti, all clad in black. To the ceaseless rhythms of the drums, they dash about the space, seeming fearful and at times almost deranged. They move from one set of chairs to the other, without finding any consoling grace anywhere. Each has her solo moments, with Lisa Borres making a particularly strong effect in her anxiousness. I've known Lisa for a while; when she danced in the past with smaller companies, I always felt she was capable of bigger and better things...and tonight she got a hearty round of applause when she stepped forward to bow.
I loved seeing PIAZZOLLA CALDERA again, so soon after last week's showing. Although cast changes were not announced, it seemed that Alex Clayton had replaced Kenny Corrigan in the pas de trois with Eran Bugge and Jessica Ferretti, and that Austin Kelly took over for Mr. Clayton in the duet with John Harnage. Mr. Kelly was having a great night, and the audience cheered him enthusiastically when he took his bow. Maria Ambrose and Lee Duveneck were again excellent in their duet.
Leaving the theatre, I ran into former Taylor superstars Take Ueyama and Francisco Graciano. I see Take fairly often (just a few days ago, actually) but it's been a long time since I last saw Cisco. It was a great pleasure to meet Cisco's girlfriend...we found an instant rapport.
Now I have to see if I can get Lauren Lovette to choreograph the Prokofiev piano concerto #1...I'm convinced, by ECHO, that she is the person to do it. And the Taylors are the people to dance it.
~ Oberon