DANCE REVIEWS
A downpour where you can hear individual raindrops: Dorrance Dance
The danger of amplifying tappers’ footfalls, especially with up to eight dancers onstage, is that if anyone goes a hair off-beat or doesn’t tap cleanly, it’s exposed. Dorrance and her seven dancers nailed it, whether in tight unison or doing a counterpoint like a downpour of sound—a downpour in which you can hear individual raindrops, they’re that precise.
Read MoreDancing Oompa Loompas & Bratty Kids Make a New, Funnier ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’
Joshua Bergasse’s choreography is clean and jazzy, with a Fosse vibe. Without spilling the fudge topping, dance sequences for the Oompa Loompas are simply genius, and puppet master Basil Twist did the puppet and illusion design, so there are artistic elements galore…
Read MoreGlorious Dance and Music in ‘Requiem’ Triple-Bill Marks City Ballet’s 26th Season
Movement and music were unified, and it was difficult to choose where to look. Three dynamic dances set to soft piano, bold snare drum, and a sacred mass reminded us that life is good, and…
Read MoreJared Nelson Creates a Cinderella Story for California Ballet
“Cinderella” was an inspired choice for Jared Nelson’s first evening-length work as artistic director of California Ballet. The ballet, which premiered last weekend, continues the company’s tradition of going with classics that have family appeal and can fill the Civic Theatre. And, like Cinderella shaking off the ashes and emerging as a princess, Nelson’s lively choreography and sense of fun promise to reinvigorate the 50-year-old company’s sometimes-musty repertory.
Read MoreAlvin Ailey American Dance Theater Delivers Stunning Artistry and Message of Hope
The mixed-rep programs included works by Ronald K. Brown and Robert Battle. Both ended with Ailey’s Revelations. We see the influence of Lester Horton, and Ailey’s gift for using props and creating tension…
Read MoreJumping for Joy in High Heels with Joffrey Ballet
The Joffrey’s San Diego performance included exhilarating works by Justin Peck, Nicolas Blanc, and Alexander Ekman. There were local ties and it was raining shoes…
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