It’s Tuesday night at The Joyce Theater and the red velvet curtains open to reveal Ballet Hispanico, led by the recently appointed artistic director, Eduardo Vilaro, as they revisit some oldies but goodies and premiere several new dances.

The first revival of the night, Goodnight Paradise, created in 1994 by Ramon Oller, is a physical and emotional piece of dance theater.  The set, created by Chris Barreca, is a fenced-in enclosure which helps to evoke a patio party in the summertime.  The piece consists of three women and four men who each begin to solo, but soon break off into pairs. Waldemar Quinones-Villanueva is the only one left without a partner, creating an interesting dynamic of the group versus the individual.  Despite the group mentality that is created when the partners are in unison with each other, the dancers all stand out in an individual way.

The three women begin the dance wearing bras and ruffled booty shorts and then graduate to floor-length skirts which they put on during the piece at the back of the stage.  The men begin and end the dance in formal suits and ties, except for Villanueva who is scantily clad in nude colored nylon shorts.  The difference in the rest of the group’s costumes also helps to illuminate Villanueva as the outsider. The dancers perform some of their movements in unison, but although their timing is synchronized, their execution is slightly different.  An example of this is when the women lightly pound their partner’s chest with their fists.  This simple motion is varied amongst the women because of the number of beats they make, their emotional intention, and focus of their eyes.

Chairs are placed against the sides of the stage so guests can sit and relax during the “party.” When they are not dancing, the dancers sit on the chairs as they watch the party unfold.  At first appearing as if they would be merely used as background to set the scene, the dancers begin to interact with the chairs, in particular Villanueva, the outsider at this party. During one of his solos, he struggles to push his way through the crowd of chairs, as if they are immovable objects.  I found myself constantly drawn to Vanessa Valecillos’ beautiful lines and compelling passion throughout the piece. Ms. Valecillo commanded the stage with her elegance and seamlessness.

After Intermission, the audience is immediately thrown back into the world of Ballet Hispanico with their world premiere of the fiery Triptico.  Choreographed by Ron De Jesus and with music by Oscar Hernandez, Triptico is an exploration of traditional Latin dance forms combined with contemporary partnering.  The dancers are saucy and sensual at times, sharp and caustic at others.  With live music of piano and percussion, this dance definitely felt alive for me.  Jessica Batten, a relatively new addition to the company stole the stage with her dynamite energy and presence.  She demonstrates fearlessness as she throws herself at her partner in a breathtaking sideways leap.  The audience freezes for a second in anticipation until our anxieties are eased as he swoops her up into his outstretched arms.

Locked Up Laura, which premiered in NYC last week, is choreographed by Annabelle Lobez Ochoa.  Tonight, I am fortunate enough to catch Min-Tzu Li and Jeffrey Hover perform the duet.  After reading the synopsis of the piece, things start to make a little more sense for me.  The synopsis explains how Ms. Li loses artistic focus because of the daily grind that is required from dance technique and Mr. Hover is trying to help her rekindle her passion.  However, watching the piece, I surprisingly had a completely different interpretation of the relationship between partners.  I imagined a romantic relationship which had gone dry and caused Ms. Li to lose her will to live.  Despite the discrepancies, both Li and Hover move well together.  Mr. Hover’s partnering skills are so adept that it appears as if Ms. Li is floating on air.  Her flexible and delicate body doesn’t hurt matters either.

Pedro Ruiz’s Club Havana is a masterpiece of the Conga, Rumba, Mambo, and Cha Cha rhythms.  The dance is a combination of duets, trios, and ensemble pieces which bring us a feel for Latino dance forms, but Ruiz adds his own personal flare to the movements.  There is definitely classical Mambo steps, but then suddenly the dancers will break out into a different style of dance form altogether.  It is Angelica Burgos in Cha Cha Cha who electrifies the stage and steals the hearts of her partners Eric Rivera and Waldemar Quinones-Villanueva.  Marina Fabila is also a shining presence in the Mambo with her flirtatious movements, gorgeous extensions, and her ability to eat up the space.

I am impressed with Eduardo Vilaro’s ability to lead his company into such new and exciting territory and in such a short time span.  Without neglecting the traditional Hispanic dance forms, Mr. Vilaro introduces us to new ways of thinking about the Latino culture.  The choreographers he has chosen for Ballet Hispanico’s season at The Joyce are familiar with traditional Hispanic dance forms, but they are also interested in using their knowledge of classical and contemporary dance as a way to showcase how the Latino culture can expand in interesting and unchartered ways.

iDANZ Critix Corner 
Official Dance Review by Amanda Keller
Performance: Ballet Hispanico, Program B
Venue:  The Joyce Theater
Show Date:  Tuesday, December 8, 2009
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The show opens with my favorite piece of the evening, Triptico, a series of duets choreographed by Ron De Jesus.  Triptico is the ultimate orgy of contemporary ballet and Latin dance.  Ron De Jesus creatively integrates two very different styles in this piece through fancy footwork, daring partnering, and salsa lifts, turns, and flips. Now, imagine all of this with a cast of dancers with impeccable facility and beautiful lines.  Perfection!  Of all the duets, Min-Tzu Li and Rodney Hamilton really take the eye candy prize, with their standout performance and fierce attack of the movement.

In the next piece, Locked Up Laura by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, the mood shifts to a more intimate and somber setting surrounding a mysterious pair.  Angelica Burgos and Jeffrey Hover give a spellbinding performance that keeps the audience curious about their characters relationship and enthralled by the beauty of their movement. Aside from the fact that the two are gorgeous, they maintain an intense chemistry throughout the piece.

Naci, choreographed by Andrea Miller, shows us a whole other side of Ballet Hispanico.  In Naci, Miller ‘s choreography is deeply rooted in culture, and set in a world other than our own.  The cast displays the raw quality of the work and its connection to history through their full out expression of the movement.  In particular, Jessica Alejandra Wyatt has a refined quality in her work that makes the audience feel what she’s feeling and see what she’s seeing every second she is onstage.

The evening concludes with Batucada Fantastica, a piece choreographed by Vincent Nebrada on the company in 1982.  Despite the fact that this piece is 27 years old, the work is still fresh and very much alive.  Although eight solos in any other case would put most people to sleep, the feisty cast keeps all eyes on them with their rolling hips, shimmying, and rhythmic body language.  In the coda the entire company comes together for a final bang.  The pulsating music, bright costumes, confetti, and dancing colorful lights give the feeling of one big carnival onstage.

Eduardo Vilaro is leading Ballet Hispanico in a new and exciting direction that will keep them among the ranks as a contemporary ballet company.  Their eclectic style and stunning dancers coupled with gifted choreographers is what makes this company work so well.  Ballet Hispanico is definitely a force to be reckoned with in the contemporary ballet scene in New York.

iDANZ Critix Corner
Official Dance Review by Simone Sobers
Performance:  Ballet Hispanico
Choreography:  Ron De Jesus, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Andrea Miller, Vincente Nebrada
Venue:  The Joyce Theater
Show Date:  December 1, 2009
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NEW YORK SEASON AT THE JOYCE THEATER DECEMBER 1 – 13

Features Two World Premieres, One New York Premiere, Two Revivals
and One Repertory Favorite

Ballet Hispanico, recognized as the preeminent Hispanic-American dance institution in the United States, presents its annual New York Season at The Joyce Theater December 1 – 13, 2009.  The season marks the company’s first New York engagement under the leadership of Artistic Director Eduardo Vilaro, who took the reigns from Founding Artistic Director Tina Ramirez in August.

Vilaro has assembled an extraordinary season of dance, featuring Tríptico, a world premiere by choreographer Ron De Jesús, in collaboration with GRAMMY Award-winning composer Oscar Hernández, performed to live music; and the world premiere of Nací by emerging American choreographer Andrea Miller.

In addition, Vilaro will offer the New York premiere of Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s duet, Locked Up Laura, the revivals of Vicente Nebrada’s Batucada Fantástica and Ramon Oller’s Goodnight Paradise, and Ballet Hispanico repertory favorite Club Havana by Pedro Ruiz.

“I’m thrilled to be presenting an incredible roster of works by some of the finest Latino/a choreographers of our time,” said Vilaro.  These new ‘voices’ in Ballet Hispanico’s  repertory meld classical, contemporary and traditional Hispanic dance forms to collectively showcase powerful fusions of the Latino diaspora.”

Ballet Hispanico at The Joyce Theater December 1 – 13, 2009

WORLD PREMIERES

Nací

(2009)

Choreography by Andrea Miller

Music by A Hawk and a Hacksaw, Capilla Antigua De Chinchilla,

Tony Gatlif, Francoise Atlan, Aïcha Redouane, & Montserrat Figueras

Drawing from the duality of her Spanish and Jewish-American background, choreographer Andrea Miller explores Sephardic culture with her distinctive voice. This work, created for three women and five men, reflects the eclectic religions and origins found in Spain interpreted through her personal identity. Miller takes audiences on a journey through a series of vignettes set to stirring echoes of folkloric music layered with a modern sensibility.

Tríptico

(2009)

Choreography by Ron De Jesús

Music by Oscar Hernandez

Choreographer Ron De Jesús challenges traditional Latin social rhythms with the power, speed, and control of contemporary partnering. This daredevil interpretation of GRAMMY Award-winning Oscar Hernandez’ commissioned score takes an athletic approach to the romantic pas de deux. Three couples fold and unfold into one another, transforming the standard triptych into a dynamic expression of energy, silhouette and composition. 

NEW YORK PREMIERE

Locked Up Laura

(2008)

Choreography by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa

Music by Bart Rijnink

A longstanding partnership, forged through the daily discipline of dance, faces the moment when one partner loses artistic focus.  Ochoa fractures classical ballet technique to capture the wry humor and poignant emotion of this final pas de deux, as Rijnink’s spare soundscape takes the duo from offstage to the spotlight and back.

REVIVALS

Goodnight Paradise

(1994)

Choreography by Ramon Oller

Music by Eduardo Rodriguez and Marina Rosell

Catalan lyrics, haunting tableaus, and relationships that stem from the dark side of the heart shape this powerful and highly physical piece of dance theater. This piece was last performed by the Company in 1999.

Batucada Fantástica

(1982)

Choreography by Vicente Nebrada

Music by Luciano Perrone

Batucada Fantástica evokes the essence of Brazilian Carnival through eight electric solos, culminating in a riotous ensemble finale. Batucada Fantástica rejoins the repertory after 12 years.

RECENT REPERTORY

Club Havana

(2000)

Choreography by Pedro Ruiz

Music by López, Gonzáles, Salim, Prado, and Repilado

The intoxicating rhythms of the Conga, Rumba, Mambo, and Cha Cha are brought to life by Cuban-born choreographer Pedro Ruiz. Echoing the memory of an important era from his heritage, he creates his very own “Club Havana.”

TICKET PRICES AND MEMBER INFORMATION

To become a Joyce Member, ticket buyers simply purchase tickets to four different companies at the same time and they automatically save 25% (not applicable for $19 or $10 tickets).  Joyce Members are entitled to the 25% discount on additional tickets purchased throughout the season – until August 14, 2009. For more information on becoming a Joyce Member, please visit www.Joyce.org or call JoyceCharge at 212-242-0800. Single ticket prices are $10, $19, $35, $59 and go on sale July 27. Tickets can be purchased by calling JoyceCharge at 212-242-0800, in person at the Box Office (Monday – Friday 12-6pm), or online by visiting www.Joyce.org.   The Joyce Theater is located at 175 Eighth Avenue (at 19th street).

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This past Saturday, I found myself at the beautiful, yet hard to find, Queens Theatre in the Park for Ballet Hispanico, brought to life by its new artistic director and former Ballet Hispanico dancer, Eduardo Vilaro.

Goodnight Paradise opens the evening, choreographed by Ramon Oller.  Originally performed in 1994, this piece easily boasts the most elaborate set of the program by virtue of being the only set!  A piece for four men and three women, it displays Ballet Hispanico’s theatrical side that…isn’t.  Strong gestures reek of ambiguity and in instances where they could acquire beauty with time, they are too fleeting.  For example, a female dancer spills red wine down her chest, but proper attention is not paid to this moment. Sometimes spoken text seems warranted, but instead we see long, sustained moments of walking tension between the dancers, as they stare straight into each other’s eyes.  This typically happens at the end of one song on our way to the next, but these moments read as choreographic mistakes- time to cover lost ground because of uncalculated transitions.  Is this the fault of the dancers’ execution or the choreographer?  It is hard to tell, but something does not quite fit.  The music however is beautiful and intoxicating!  A playlist of sorts by Eduardo Rodriguez, Marina Rossell, and Maurici Villavecchia tempts me to just close my eyes and listen.

After the first intermission, a preview of Triptico performs.  This abstract, sassy contemporary ballet is a strong showcase of the Ballet Hispanico dancers.  If you aren’t convinced from watching the first piece, Triptico flaunts all the dancers’ crazy beautiful flexibility.  The men are impeccable partners, lifting with grace and ease.  But one dancer in Triptico, Min-Tzu Li, is completely eye-catching.   Although this seems to be a piece meant to impress and entertain, Li has that talent that can make you forget about technique and showmanship.  Everything is flowing, energetic, and purposeful. Nothing she does is just a pose.

My favorite piece of the night, Locked Up Laura, by former Scapino Ballet Rotterdam soloist, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, is simple and smart, elegantly performed by Jeffery Hover and Angelica Burgos.  This piece shows that impressive movement can be used as a tool to carry choreographic motifs and gestures, which lets dancers explore their own relationships to the piece and to each other.  Hover’s physical manipulation over Burgos is seamless.  The two look great together, and they connect flawlessly.  I prefer Locked Up Laura: a dance where I can see something happening in front on me rather than a dance thrown together for my perspective and my enjoyment.  I want a dance that makes me think, not one that makes me think, "Why are they smiling and I am not?"

Finally, Batucada Fantastica, from 1982, closes the show.  Eight variations of solos and a coda of the whole company stitch this modern quilt, as some who never have graced the stage all night, join the other company members in an easy celebration of all dance.  A little bit of jazz, and a little bit of African, modern, ballet, theater, and just about anything else you can think of is thrown into this.  When I say easy, I mean, easy for me to enjoy.  The dances are most definitely difficult.  But, I like that complexity here. With no subject I could simply enjoy virtuosic dancing.  Although their brightly colored unitards made them all look like Sherbet Skittles,  I can forgive this as a nostalgic nod to my childhood. "Variation III" dancer, Jessica Alejandra Wyatt, catches my attention.  I remember her from Goodnight Paradise, where I didn’t think she was much of anything (which again makes me think the dancers are the victims).  In this piece she embodies awesomeness!  So clean and effortless, she executes her double pirouette perfectly on relevé, and eventually chooses to exit.  In this moment both dancers and non-dancers alike go ‘Whoa.’

At the end of the night, I am glad to be challenged as an audience member with pieces that cause me to feel different, to feel …something.  It makes me ask "Why," which is one of the best things a company can do…  make me keep thinking about what I’ve just seen. 

Ballet Hispanico will be performing December 1 – 13 at The Joyce Theater in New York City.  Click here to read more about there upcoming program on iDANZ.

iDANZ Critix Corner
Official iDANZ Eyewitness Exclusive by:  Nicholas James Bruder
Company: Ballet Hispanico
Venue:  Queens Theatre in the Park
Show Date:  November 7, 2009
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