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There's lots of promise among the advanced JKO students and other members of the Studio Company (formerly ABT-II). I was particularly interested in seeing a reconstructed Antony Tudor work, Soiree Musicale, created in 1938, set to Britten's arrangement of Rossini melodies. It's a delightful 13-minute work performed by 9 dancers in various Bournonvillesque costumes (e.g., a Sylphide and a 'James,' a tarantella pair, a Tyrolean couple and three Spanish senoritas a-la 'Ventana'). One could almost call it 'Tudor's Bournonvillesque Divertissements'! Paulina Waski was gently beautiful sylphide and Sem Sjouke a noble partner in the Canzonetta. The mood lit up with a bright Tirolese performed by Michaela DePrince and Alex Kramer, both spectacular jumpers and bright personalities. A slow Spanish Bolero acccompanied a languid pas de trois for three lovely ladies, Kaho Ogawa (leader), Claire Davison and Carolyn Lippert. The final episode -- which led directly to a group finale -- was the saucy Tarantella by Lindsay Karchin and the amazing Zhiyao Zhang, who has gorgeous long lines and clear entrechats...but needs just a little bit of pep and emotion to be the perfect danseur.
Balanchine's Tarantella was uneven -- a spectacular male and a pretty-but-weak female. The man, Shu Kinouchi, is definitely on the fast track to stardom. He was chanelling Baryshnikov's ca-1980 rendition of this work while making it his own. I barely could look at the somewhat-feeble and unmusical lady -- the very pretty Catherine Hurlin...somebody please give her a silent tambourine -- Kinouchi was so dynamic, musical, extraordinary in technique and pizzazz. Kinouchi has exemplary technique but it's his ability to PLAY with the music and infuse his performance with adorable nuances that had this audience on fire. Did I mention that I loved him???!!!
Intermission
The slinky pas de deux A Tango (by Susan Jaffe) gave Ms. Ogawa and Lucius Kirst a chance to show-off their long lines and flexibility.
There followed Anton Dolin's showpiece for male virtuosi, Variations for Four, remembered by many as a number danced often by the original 'Kings of Dance' group. I'm not sure that all four of our pre-professional lads were quite up to the task...but I greatly admired them for 'trying' and, in fact, two of them are worthy of it, IMO: the aforementioned Shu Kinouchi and, a new member of the Studio Company via the Bolshoi Ballet's academy -- the extraordinary Gabe Stone Shayer, who paired virtuosity and elegance unlike anyone on the stage that night. The audience went absolutely crazy for both of these gents as they took their individual bows.
DeMille Broadway Suite promised excerpts from three Agnes DeMille musicals but, in fact, only two were presented (with the planned 'Riders and Postcards' number from Oklahoma! excised...maybe deemed too risque for the young ones?). What we saw -- excerpts from Brigadoon and Carousel -- was missing 'oomph' and came across as Amateur Hour. Big waste of the dancers' talents, IMO.
Intermission
The evening concluded with Susan Jaffe's hyper-modern and sexy We Insist, danced by most of the Studio Company. All members of the ensemble acquitted themselves splendidly but I was most impressed by Michaela DePrince as the leader of a featured trio of dancers. She is magnificent. I just hope that, upon graduation, a top-flight ballet troupe will accept her untraditional muscular beauty and nurture her to the greatness that is her destiny. Brava, Michaela! Bravi tutti!!!
