In a few months, thesedancers have had five ballets created around them and made two existing workstheir own. Each had four performances, most with two casts so that each dancerhad two chances to perform it. In addition, the company has only hours to adapteach ballet from the studio to the Marcus Center stage withcostumes, props, scenery, lighting and sound issues.
It’s a testament to thevalor, skill and devotion of everyone involved that the quality is soconsistently high. Audiences feel such gratitude for the huge-hearted,risk-taking dancing that pours from the stage that small mistakes are easilyforgiven, and searching work that may not have reached its full potential is rightfullycheered. The Ballet produced a slew of babies this season that should have morethan the lifespan of mayflies. No serious human endeavor can be fullyunderstood so quickly.
I wish I had space topraise each dancer who performed in “Pure Dance.” All are fine technicians withpowerful presences, and seemed to really care for each other on stage. Theylooked sensational in Jerry Opdenaker’s fast, dervish-like Coeur de Basque. Company member Petr Zahradnicek’s Concourse featured two intricate duets:a funny apache-style brawl (Susan Gartell, Justin Genna) and a lovers’exploration too intimate for words (Rachel Malehorn, Michael Linsmeier).However, the piece lost direction toward the end, when a multiplication ofsymbolic props diminished the impact each object had initially. ValCaniparoli’s Blades of Grass was ahurricane of gorgeous, staggeringly complicated dancing. It belongs to thiscompany, and I hope to see it again and again.
