Serenade is a ballet by George Balanchine to Tschaikovsky’s 1880 Serenade for Strings in C, Op. 48. Students of the School of American Ballet gave the first performance on Sunday, 10 June 1934 on the Felix M. Warburg estate in White Plains, N.Y., where Mozartiana had been danced the previous day. This was the first ballet Balanchine choreographed in the United States. Continue reading
The Harlem Hospital Auxiliary, in partnership with the Ailey Arts In Education & Community Programs, presents The Dance Of The Village Elders in Only In The Darkness Can You See The Stars on Friday, March 27; 6pm in the Herbert Cave Auditorium located on the 2nd floor of the Martin Luther King Jr. Pavilion at Harlem Hospital Center, 560 Lenox Avenue at 135 Street. The program title Only In The Darkness Can You See The Stars was a statement made by Martin Luther King Jr. during the bleakest days of the civil rights struggle. Continue reading
By Walter Rutledge
Ailey II opened the 2015 New York City season at the Joyce Theater with the world premiere of Breakthrough by French-born choreographer Manuel Vignoulle. The full company work takes us to a dark world where emotions and relationship are forbidden. Vignoulle’s abstract narrative was the highlight of the company’s first independent season.
Good choreographic structure and strong use of imagery assist to immediately establish his environment/altered reality. Moving in a mechanized uniformity the performers convey a sense of conformity. Vignoulle uses patterns, and isolated movements (such as heads swaying from side to side as the dancers “zombie” walk upstage) to enhance the automaton-like precision.
Occasionally individuals emerge, only to submit back to the group dynamic. These departures are manifested in almost spastic, abrupt movements that exude a sense of anxiety and then suppression. Throughout the opening section there is an underlying and deliberate tension that smolders, instead of explodes; that produced a kind of visual foreplay.
The duet that followed, featuring Shay Bland and Terrell Spence, released the pent-up tension from the preceding section. The costume of pants and turtleneck tops were striped away on stage revealing black briefs and a bra. The ensuing duet was a continuous ribbon of movement. Intertwining, cascading and caressing, at one point Bland walked up Terrell’s back and the stood on his shoulders as he rose from kneeling to standing.
The section that followed is best described as the running section. The ensemble returned clad in briefs and bras and literally ran for their lives. One of the most impressive devises was reversing the stage perspective. Vignoulle removed the ensemble who were running behind Deidre Rogan, but when she yelled, “Wait…. wait”, it became clear she was the one left behind; and soon captured by David Adrian Freeland Jr.
Freeland covered her head under his shirt, and both danced blind under the garment. The duet evoked a feeling of blind terror and victimization. It ended with Freeland exiting leaving Rogan left spent and discarded.
The ensemble returned in their opening attire for a finale section, which served as a combination of a resolution and epilog. The focused physicality built to a coda-like climax, ending with a gravity/momentum induced closing statement. Vignoulle successfully presented a complete statement that balanced unadorned economy with rich, yet directed imagery; the true benchmark of storytelling. Breakthrough is a breakout.
To see an interview with Choreographer Manuel Vignoulle and Ailey II dancer Shay Bland click below:
https://outandaboutnycmag.com/31615-oa-ailey-ii-presents-the-world-premiere-of-breakthrough/
Steven Hill, aka Bones The Machine is a Flex dancer, actor and model. He performs jaw-dropping style of dance that originated from Jamaican brukup, and is rooted in the streets of east Brooklyn. The dance, which consists mainly of shapes you form with your arms, is called ‘Bone Breaking’ as it really looks like Steven has traded his skeleton for some sort of elastic gum. Bones has spent several years to develop his unique technique where he mixes contortion and improvisation with other styles from parallel dance movements such as tutting, popping, connecting and waving – and even a bit of ballet. Continue reading
By Walter Rutledge
Gierre J Godley, choreographer and founder of Project 44, will present his latest project Gandy Dancer, in Metropolis, a choreography showcase, Saturday, March 22 and Sunday, March 23 at 248 West 60th Street; 7:30 pm. The inaugural choreography showcase celebrates the innovative movement of three contemporary dance companies from Miami and New York. The two performances are part of an initiative by Jessica DiMauro and Ana Miranda to bring together artists with the common goal of sharing artistic expression through movement. Continue reading
Borat Sagdiyev is a fictitious Kazakh journalist travelling through the United States recording real-life interactions with Americans. British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen plays the title character.
By Walter Rutledge
Michelle Fleet is a twelve-year veteran of the Paul Taylor Dance Company. Upon graduating from SUNY Purchase (BFA in Dance) Fleet auditioned for Taylor 2 and became a member in the summer of 1999. After two years of “cutting her teeth” she made her debut with the Paul Taylor Dance Company in 2002. Continue reading
By Walter Rutledge
Ailey II will begin their New York City season with the world premiere of Breakthrough by French-born choreographer Manuel Vignoulle. The full company modern dance based work, set to the music of Swedish composer Mikael Karlsson, takes place in a world where emotion and personal interaction is forbidden. O&A NYC Magazine had the opportunity to speak to Vignoulle and performer Shay Bland following a rehearsal.
A conversation with choreographer Manuel Vignoulle and Ailey II dancer Shay Bland
Breakthrough (excerpt) Manuel Vignoulle choreographer
The season runs from Tuesday, March 17 through Sunday 22 at the Joyce Theater. For the complete schedule and tickets visit joyce.org.
In Photo: 1) Ailey II 2) Shay Bland and Nathaniel Hunt 3) Chalvar Monteiro and company
Photo Credit: 1) Eduardo Patino 2&3) Adewale Adekanbi
If you had planned on seeing the annual New York City season of Ailey II, March 17 through 22 at the Joyce Theater don’t walk to get your tickets- run! The company’s first independent season at the Joyce has caught fire and the season could be sold out prior to opening night. “We couldn’t be more excited to present our first full season at The Joyce Theater,” says Ailey II Artistic Director Troy Powell. Continue reading
In The Ballerinas, a sumptuously produced two-part ballet drama, Fracci places her rare artistry in the service of dance history as she recreates roles first premiered by such luminous ballerinas as Marie Taglioni, Emma Livry, Carlotta Grisi, Fanny Elssler, Giuseppina Bozzacchi, Carlotta Brianza, Matilde Kschessinska, Anna Pavlova, Tamara Karsavina and Olga Spessitzeva. Continue reading
The Dance of the Village Elders are back ! This time we exercise, dance and just have fun through the zoom platform or in-person at R.A.I.N. Nereid 
The Dance of the Village Elders are back ! This time we exercise, dance and just have fun through the zoom platform or in-person at R.A.I.N. Nereid 