The first piece of the evening, Harvest pays homage to the pre-impressionist painter Jean Francois Millet and to people who tend the land.  Although the theme is powerful, it feels as if Mr. Rioult has taken choreography from several different pieces, in particular Martha Graham’s Appalachian Spring, and does not change it too much for the piece.  Although it’s true that all choreographers get inspiration from past choreographers, there still needs to be an element that differs from everyone else; otherwise, what is the point in creating a dance that has already been done before?  The other problem that I makes me feel detached from the piece is the music.  Don’t get me wrong-  Dougie MacLean’s music from “Fiddle” and Altan’s “Flower of Magherally” from The Red Crow are both poignant and beautiful, but the songs sound similar.  Because of their likeness, there is no variation in the music throughout the entire piece.  Despite the fact that the dancers move passionately in several parts of the piece, including a touching duet between Marianne Tsartolia and Michael Phillips, the passion gets lost because of the music.  This problem could have been solved if there had been changes in the music.  Despite the problems with the piece, Anastasia Soroczynski commands a powerful presence.  Her striking movements are clear and right on point.  The major highlight of the piece is the lighting created by David Finley.   Mr. Finley is able to capture the essence of a laborer in the fields with his beautiful backgrounds of pastel colors.

After intermission is the world premiere of Shadow Box. Unfortunately, Shadow Box possesses  the same problem with the music as Harvest does.  The music is from Bach’s “The Well-Tempered Clavier.”  In general,  the entire piece sounds the same, with little variation.  Despite the fact that the dancers are doing diverse choreography, it doesn’t feel like the piece goes anywhere.  The projections on the wall depict the dancers’ shadows doing choreography.  The dancers dance in front of and behind the shadows, either repeating the same movements that the projected shadows are doing or slightly changing the choreography.  The dancers wear lycra shorttards (leotards with shorts attached), with white fronts and black backs.  Marianna Tsartolia really stands out in this piece.  With her lithe body and expressiveness, she is able to bring life to the abstract piece.  The most interesting part in the piece is when the dancers move directly in front of their shadow so it looks like the dancer and the shadow are melting into one entity.  My biggest complaint of the piece, once again, is the musical choices. Although the live pianist, Hsiang Tu, is a wonderful musician, Bach’s music does not add anything to enhance the meaning or the quality of the piece and may have even lessened the effect. 

City is the second world premiere of the evening with music set to Bach’s Sonata for Violin and Piano #6 in G major.  The overhead projector provides the backdrop for the piece which depicts images of New York City.  Brian Clifford Beasley’s beautiful images capture the essence of a city, with views of the skyline, the streets and the people.  Despite the lack of musical or choreographic variation, the dancers are able to make the best out of the situation.  Each dancer possesses a certain sense of confidence, but not in an arrogant way.  Their personalities are different in a unique way, adding to the urban feel that Mr. Rioult is striving for.  Although there is a certain amount of drama, the passion is swallowed up by the unchanging music. 

The final piece of the performance, Bolero, saves the night!  Maurice Ravel’s Bolero helps to carry this piece to a higher level than the rest.  Similar to the repetitions which are found in the music, Mr. Rioult chooses to repeat the same steps throughout the entire piece, but despite this repetition, or maybe because of it, the piece is a mesmerizing masterpiece.  The four men and four women in the piece dance as a company, but then break off into solos as the spotlight changes from dancer to dancer.  The dancers’ movements are sharp and militaristic, but break off into sensual curves as the piece progresses.  The performance ends on a strong note because Bolero manages to save the night. 

All in all, Rioult has the potential to be a great dance company.   The eight company members are strong dancers, in particular the women.  They are technically strong dancers who have a lot to offer.  Mr. Rioult also has the potential to be a great choreographer.  He has the knowledge and experience to create interesting dances.  My advice to him would be to trust himself more and rely on other choreographers less.  If he stays true to himself,  he will be better off in the long run.  I am definitely not a fan of the music choices he made for the performance, but this is a preference that others may not share with me.  I enjoy mixing music to create a diverse soundtrack of sounds and textures.  For Rioult, his inclination to introduce only one song or sound into the music is the deal breaker for me. 

iDANZ Critix Corner
Official Dance Review by Amanda Keller
Performance:  Rioult Venue: The Joyce Theater
Choreographer: Pascal Rioult 
Show Date: January 19, 2010
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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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"Freestyle is the art of self discovery. Breaking away from imitating to

One of my favorite sections, Once Upon a Time, led by Lindsey "OUTTHERE" Blaufarb, mimics a circular assembly line as dancers representing different robots move around the line and manipulate her.  We see a lot of "roboting" and mannequin in hip-hop, as it is a derivative of styles that came out of poppin’; I particularly enjoy this section for it cleverly mixes this style with a thematic presentation.  OUTTHERE just "kills" her isolations with such exciting intricacies in the choreography…  She’s amazing!  Kudos also go out to stand-out, John “JROCK” Nelson, who delivers some of the sickest robotic moves in the business.  Holla!

Lunch Break takes place when one of the dancers in the story is faced with finding a job, and facing the realities of the obstacles standing in the way of his dance career.  The dancer/actors manipulate boxes around, throwing and spinning them until the “boss” comes in (played comically divine by Richard "STEELO" Vazquez)…  causing them to quickly stop dancing and get back to work.  The actors do a hilarious job!  Whoever said dancers can’t act?  Finally, the boss joins in and a "breakin’ fest" begins.  Hot!

Another scene, entitled The Audition captures “a dancer audition” on-the-nose …and often when everybody laughs, I think to myself, "They don’t even know the half of it!”  The characters at the audition are a "girly girl" or "strip-hop" dancer, a musical theatre or jazz dancer ridiculed for being at a hip hop audition, and a girl who hits the movement too hard… a hilarious realistic touch!  Mistakes are even choreographed into each dancer’s act, a small detail that probably is unnoticed to the untrained eye!

Other stand-outs to this production is Julie "LADY JULES" Urich, who is one of the illest b-girls on the scene, and Daniel “CLOUD” Campos.  Lady Jules’ skills are really incredible; no doubt, she is strong and really has that "power freestyle" to hit her moves head-to- head to even to the best b-boy on the block.  She is so good that I would have loved to see her even more featured in the show.  Cloud (one of the leads in the show), quite simply, is the "The Truth."  His skills are MAJOR.  He flips, then hits,… goes from smooth, a slide, a turn, a jump tour, then a freeze without blinking.  In other scenes, he has a brilliant ability to put "presence" into the contemplative, more silent moments opening the audience to connect with his story with sincerity.  When Cloud dances, there is a glow literally around his body that excites the audience no matter what he does.  Only a true artist has that glow.  He’s a gift to the hip hop/freestyle world.

Amongst all the dancers, one of the most genuine and inspiring dancers to watch drop his grooves is Steven "Boogieman" Stanton.  He moves like butta and takes his time. His hits are nothing less than crystal clarity and definitely his presence and style show a link to old school hip hop in its purest form.  I do have to commend Steven "Boogieman" Stanton for rockin’ the entire show with a walking cane to support his leg trauma from a spinal cord injury!  Yes, the entire show!  That’s commitment, ya’ll… That is enough to teach all of us dancers to shut up and stop complaining!

It’s no surprise that these dancers have worked professionally in L.A., as they dominate the balance between entertaining and playing characters.  Although the show is very dynamic, I would have liked to see more originality and risk in the thematic ways that the story is told.  For Hip Hop Dance to break into the world of touring conceptual shows, more depth and range of aesthetic and perception needs to be coupled with those neck-breaking head-spins.  Can anyone say back flips landing on the elbows?  (Ouch!) Ivan Velez (aka Flipz) even flips off the back balcony – at least 8 feet high! 

All in all, if you want to see illest, most wicked skills of some of the best freestyle b-girls and b-boys on the planet, go see the Groovaloos.  Groovaloo is hot show, and an excellent step forward in hip hop and break dancing on the world stage.

Groovaloo runs December 1, 2009 through January 3, 2010 at Union Square Theatre, New York City.

iDANZ Critix Corner
Official Dance Review by JoiLynn
Editorial Contributions by Candice Rox and Sheena DiMatteo
Performance: Groovaloo
Venue: The Joyce Theater  New York City
Date: Tuesday, September 15th, 2009
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Benoit-Swan Pouffer, Artistic Director of Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet, announced the New York premiere of “Orbo Novo” (“The New World”), a full-length dance work by Belgian choreographer and theater artist Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui. In a first for the troupe, Cedar Lake will take a leave from its 170-seat Chelsea home theater and offer the work’s New York premiere at The Joyce Theater Tuesday October 20, 2009. Linda Shelton, Executive Director of The Joyce Theater, remarks, “We are thrilled to co-present this work with Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet.  Performed by such fabulously talented dancers, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui’s piece is certain to be a rare treat for New York audiences to discover.” “Orbo Novo” had its World Premiere earlier this year at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival July 8, 2009.

Hailed in anticipation by The New York Times as a “coup,” “compelling prospect,” and “one of the most exciting events of the new season,” “Orbo Novo” is the first work created by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui for an American dance company. With his invitation to Cherkaoui, Pouffer continues to introduce Cedar Lake audiences to the work of vanguard choreographers working internationally. Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui was voted "Choreographer of the Year" for 2008 by Europe’s leading dance magazine, Ballet-Tanz.

Founded in 2003, Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet has swiftly established itself at the forefront of contemporary American dance companies. At their home in Manhattan’s West Chelsea Gallery District, Cedar Lake provides choreographers a comprehensive environment for the creation and curating of dance for presentation to a worldwide audience. The Cedar Lake repertoire currently includes works by Ohad Naharan, Jill Johnson, Stijn Celis, Nicolo Fonte, Crystal Pite, Jacopo Godani, Jo Strømgren, Angelin Preljocaj, Luca Veggetti, Didy Veldman and Artistic Director, Benoit-Swan Pouffer.

Schedule and Ticket Information:

‘Orbo Novo’ at The Joyce Theater, October 20 – 25 

‘Orbo Novo’ will be presented at The Joyce Theater, Tuesday October 20 – Sunday October 25. Tue-Wed 7:30pm; Thu-Fri 8pm; Sat 2pm & 8pm; Sun 2pm & 7:30pm.

For single tickets call JoyceCharge (212-242-0800); visit the Box Office (Monday-Friday, 12:00-6:00pm); or charge online at www.Joyce.org. For more information on becoming a Joyce Member, or for season ticket purchases visit www.Joyce.org or call JoyceCharge at 212-242-0800. The Joyce Theater is located at 175 Eighth Avenue at 19th Street.

A free post-performance “Dance Chat” dialogue will follow the Wednesday performance.

Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet’s “Dance Talks” at Joyce SoHo 
Monday, October 12, 6:00 – 8:00

Join writer and dance historian Linda Szmyd Monich in discussing the creative process and challenges faced by the dancers in creating “Orbo Novo”.  Alexandra Damiani, Cedar Lake’s Assistant to the Artistic Director and Ballet Mistress, along with two Cedar Lake dancers, will participate in this video-illustrated talk. They discuss both movement and text elements in the new work and how the work evolved over the eight-week rehearsal period. “Dance Talks” are free and take place at Joyce SoHo (155 Mercer Street, between Houston and Prince). Reservations are required: 646-792-8377.

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