Dance, Performance

Miami City Ballet – JEWELS

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Miami City Ballet
September 23, 2022
Zellerbach Auditorium
Cal Performances UC Berkeley

JEWELS

“Jewels” is a ballet by George Balanchine, the famous choreographer and director of the New York City Ballet. The tradition is that he was inspired by a visit to Van Cleef and Arpels jewelry store. Whatever the inspiration, “Jewels” is a gem of a ballet! The first section “Emeralds” is, according to tradition, devoted to the “French” ballet.The music is by Gabriel Fauré: “Pelléas and Mélisande” and “Shylock”. It is described as having a “seamless haunting fluidity.” Whether it was nervousness about the opening event or just jitters about a premiere in Berkeley, “Emeralds” did not exhibit the “fluidity” it deserves. Seven soloists and nine “corps de ballet” danced. Program information did not specify the leading ballerina but Ashley Knox, Hannah Fischer, Mayumi Enokibara and Nicole Stalker provided the “cool” lines that weave through this section. This reviewer, (who has some training in ballet) wished for more “fluid” arm gestures. The men soloists were Kenan Cerdeiro, and Cameron Catazara.

“Rubies” was the hit of the show, since it is the most jazzy “American”, using syncopated rhythms by Stravinsky, “Capriccio For Piano and Orchestra” (1929). Here there was no mistaking the energetic, whimsical, flirtatious dancing of ballerinas Jennifer Lawson and Jordan-Elizabeth Long partnered by Alexander Peters. The soloists were backed by twelve members of the “corps”, but the three principals brought delight and renewed energy to the audience after the “cool” “Emeralds”.

One can imagine that “Diamonds” are “a girl’s best friend”, but in this case it was the dancing of Chase Swatoch partnering Dawn Atkins that drew attention. Swatoch has red hair and he is lively and dynamic and brilliant. The “Diamonds” section is supposedly Balanchine’s ‘homage’ to the classicism of 19th century Imperial Russia.

(Note: See a recent New Yorker article on Balanchine’s final visit to Russia.)

Steven Loch, listed as “principal” performed the male feats so featured in this style; turns, jumps, “tour jetes” and grand gestures. “Diamonds” ended with the full cast on stage! It appeared to be almost forty dancers! The audiences greeted them all with a standing ovation.

It was an exciting opening event for the 2022-23 Cal Performances season. Jeremy Geffen, executive and artistic director, welcomed the audiences with special attention to student attendance which will have special attention for future events.

Commentary, spiritus fermenti

What were they thinking????

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The alcoholic beverage of choice here is gin. Our local Costco consistently carries only a few brands, the Kirkland brand, Tanqueray, Bombay Sapphire, Hendricks. At random intervals some other brands will make a brief, cameo appearance, and then disappear forever. One such brand showed up a week or so ago: “Prohobition Spirits / Jack’s Gin / GIN No. 3 / Melon and Mint“. Nothing ventured, nothing lost, we got a bottle.

Once opened, you are overwhelmed by the scent. We tried mixing it with Campari, and the Campari lost big time! This gin smelled and tasted like what I would imagine a cross between Hand Sanitizer and Fruit Loops would produce. I expect that when the current stock is exhausted it will, in fact, disappear forever. It will not be missed.

Dance

CounterPulse

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CounterPulse 80 Turk St. San Francisco, CA
New works by Jim Cave, Nol Simonse and Christy Funsch
September 8-10, 2022

What (and how) does an audience see, learn, accept, know, question … enjoy?

Two performance events marked the events at Counterpulse on Saturday, September 9 when I attended the performance. First on the evening was “Untitled (death pod”.

The dramatic piece was performed by Jim Cave and Nol Simonse with music by Emma Tome. The word “drama” is significant in this event. Each moment held suspense; each action was deliberate, carefully ‘choreographed’; each moment developed the inevitability of the next moment into the “death pod.” The work was fine drama.

Cave enters fully dressed and slowly strips himself of outer garments. He approaches a ‘burial space”, as a bird like figure (Simonse) approaches and gently executes the death ritual. Cave speaks throughout the event. The process is inevitable and fascinating but each step is clear. We are left knowing what has occurred yet curious to know more. “Untitled” is a satisfying, contained work that the audience accepted and enjoyed.

“kid subjunctive” is an event in which “performance, conversation, movement and sound generation ‘ is by Christy Funsch, Emily Hansel, Zoe Huey, Peiling Kai, Jenna Marie and Phoenicia Pettyjohn. For this event only five of the six performers were present. Other credits went to Sharon DeRyan for “early investigation” and Lou Reed, “Metal Machine Music” (used without permission.) Text was by the performers.

A microphone, “downstage left” was used to transmit sound and words. Alas for this listener the sounds nor words were not always clear.

The dancers, in various ‘everyday’ outfits, shorts, pants, T-shirts move beautifully alone and sometimes with two or three others. Funsch started with the group, left and returned. The dancers moved across and through the space using moderately easy effort, although there were sometimes dynamic changes. As the piece finished, the dancers grouped around the microphone and then completed the work, each alone.

This audience member, although trained to watch movement, dance and choreography found it difficult to create a ‘collected’ set of images as the piece proceeded. Each solo dance, duet and trio was well performed although they spread throughout the space.

One had to choose where to focus, so no ‘collective’ impact was established. My old dance brain kept saying “Increase excitement by diminishing space” and although curtains were drawn to ‘contain’ the space, it continued to be a challenge to “see.”

Funsch’s work is challenging in the freedom it provides for the dancers, the space and the “score”, but in this event, especially following the dramatic piece that preceded it, “kid subjunctive” might have come first on the program, used more space limitations and helped audience focus on the brilliant dance moves performed.