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Pacific Northwest BalletSeptember 2005 Seattle, McCaw Hall by Renee Renouf |
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Full production details and casting are at the bottom of this review Peter Boal, the new artistic director of Pacific Northwest Ballet, specifically chose the program to challenge the forty-seven dancers whose career direction he has assumed in his new position. The dancers themselves are new to me with the exception of Patricia Barker and Batkhurel Bold. Most other PNB dancers I had seen in the early Nineties have departed or, like Paul Gibson, have assumed other artistic roles. Eight dancers are foreign-born and come with prior company experience. Three American-born principals and two soloists have had other company experience; eighteen amongst the corps and the sole apprentice have a PNW School background, a homogeneity which was reflected in Symphony in Three Movements, particularly the women with the Balanchine proportions of length of leg, compact torso and smallish head. These factors certainly were challenged by the Boal choices, none more strongly than in one of Robbins’ most atmospheric works, In The Night. While influenced by the SF Ballet experienced principals, I found Milov and Maraval equal to the mood required of the male partners and Luise Nadeau amongst the women. By the end of the ballet Mara Vinson evidenced an obvious breakthrough in understanding, testimony to Boal’s rationale in selecting the work. Ariana Lallone looked very handsome, but confused hauteur with poise. Young Postlewaite, visually very much the part, seemed more overcome by the assignment than the feeling to be conveyed. Artifact II comes from one of Forsythe’s highly productive periods, already reflecting contradictions; abruptness is registered by the crashing of the safety curtain following at least three sections and collective control by the presence of ‘The Other Person’ directing the gestures and movements of the corps de ballet. The finale sees soloists as well as corps de ballet in absolute sync on a set revealing the entire stage and side lighting. Set to Bach’s sonorous music, I couldn’t help wondering how much Forsythe was influenced by his setting in Post World War II West Germany. The company’s performance, conveying unity and coherence, was impressive. Duo Concertant received not only an excellent musical rendition but also a slightly whimsical air in its dancing rendition. Noelani Pantastico is small, pert, her dimensions a refreshing difference from the small head, long lines such a current standard, much more in the tradition of the demi-charactere dancer who enlivened the cheerful standard classical repertoire. Olivier Wevers expressed a dancing intelligence unformed by major league base or football. Symphony in Three Movements displayed the women in the corps moving like well-trained ponies, their hair bobbing almost like their unfussy rendition of the choreography. Imler and Peretta, the ballet's whiz kids, led the energy charge; Imler evoked vintage Patricia Wilde, Peretta a happy echo of the late Leon Danielian's electric focus, though both were very much themselves. While everyone executed Balanchine’s designs with exactitude and fervor, I was struck by Patricia Barker’s nonchalance in her extremely demanding solo. Her body lines and obvious experience were perfect for her assignment, but she reflected an ease and intelligence reminding me when I watched Sally Bailey in San Francisco Ballet over a quarter of a century earlier – a classicist with a individual sense of humor escaping around her execution. When Peter Boal came out to introduce himself to the audience before the program. he had a young boy beside him. Having said he had urged the audience to bring a friend to the performance, Boal said he was looking forward to watching the ballet from the audience; the friend he brought with him was his son Sebastian, currently a student at PNB’s school. It was patent reassurance that the company’s future is in excellent hands.
In the Night (1970)
Artifact II (1984)
Duo Concertant (1972)
Symphony in Three Movements (1972) |
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