james kudelka

The Joffrey Ballet in "Tulle". Photo by Cheryl Mann. — The Joffrey Ballet in “Tulle”. Photo by Cheryl Mann.

by Catherine L. Tully

The Joffrey Ballet displayed determination, range and energy as they tackled three disparate pieces on Wednesday night at Chicago’s Auditorium Theatre. “Unique Voices” offers the work of two choreographers who explore the various aspects of relationships, and one who delves into the very nature of ballet itself.

Maninyas by Stanton Welch — “Maninyas” – April Daly and Miguel Angel Blanco. Photo by Cheryl Mann.

Stanton Welch’s “Maninyas” examines the layers of vulnerability and openness in love relationships, and a range of related feelings are explored throughout. As a backdrop, panels of fabric hang from the ceiling and the dancers are dressed in vibrant hues, moving to Ross Edwards’ “Maninyas Concerto for Violin and Orchestra.”

Five couples whirl and leap through a series of movements so complex that it’s exhausting just to watch. The choreography is extremely challenging and the dancers attack it with strength and energy–although they fall a little short of perfection. That said, “Maninyas” is not an easy piece to dance flawlessly, and the company holds nothing back–women fling skirts around with abandon and men bravely tackle the most harrowing of lifts.

Specific movements are often repeated, reflecting various stages of self-protection—or abandon. At times dancers cover their eyes, while in other moments they wildly hurl their arms open to the heavens as if giving up—or giving in. Women arch backward and “trust fall” onto the backs of their partners, and in the final moments of the piece the women’s legs open widely in submission as men carry them off into the darkness.

The Man In Black ballet — “The Man in Black” – Edson Barbosa, Joanna Wozniak, Fernando Duarte amd Derrick Agnoletti. Photo by Cheryl Mann.

James Kudelka’s “The Man In Black” offers a totally different take on relationships. A decidedly non-showy piece, it meanders quietly through six different Johnny Cash covers—and what feels like many years of relationships between four people. Set for three men (Derrick Agnoletti, Edson Barbosa and Fernando Duarte) and one lady (Joanna Wozniak), it is a very emotional piece that examines the impact each person has on the group as a whole.

Although it takes some time to settle in and get invested after the wild intensity of “Maninyas,” the simplicity of this piece is as beautiful as it is pure. The dancers drift in and out of relationship with one another; sometimes fighting, sometimes desperate to help one who is troubled, and sometimes just going along on the “journey.” Cowboy boots are used both as costume and as a rhythm tool, and Cash’s voice couldn’t be more moving.

“The Man In Black” nearly comes across as an easy piece—until you begin to realize that many of the movements are like a Jenga puzzle, with one person completely reliant upon another for stability. Unlike the complexity of “Maninyas,” here almost everything is stripped down to the core—but paired with Cash’s tremendously powerful voice, it has everything needed to make a striking impact. And that it does.

And then there’s “Tulle.”

Hailed as a “ballet about ballet,” this program-ending piece by Alexander Ekman is more theater than dance at the outset. Large LED panels serve as the backdrop, flashing images of eyes, clowns, and close-ups of what appears to be actual tulle fabric in a blue hue. The marvelous soundtrack by Mikael Karlsson is varied, and includes counting, heavy breathing, stomping and more fun/funny sounds punctuating a variety of “scenes” throughout the piece. The five positions are called off, a dancer talks about why she loves ballet and the history of the art form is examined in narrative.

At one point a bevy of “swans” wanders over to the edge of the stage and stops—looking out at the audience in silence for an uncomfortable amount of time. In an unexpected move, they all nervously begin to whistle the music to “Swan Lake”. It’s silly bits like this that add breadth to “Tulle,” and Ekman manages to deliver just the right amount—without mocking the art form in too terrible a fashion.

Ultimately, this behind-the-scenes, humorous take on ballet dissolves into a tight display of technique and a powerful ensemble piece with music to match. And while Ekman may make light of this dance form in some ways, it is clear that there is also a reverence and respect for the beauty it unveils when all the elements come together on stage. That was on display for all to see on opening night.

And indeed—it was pretty fantastic.

Joffrey’s “Unique Voices” program runs through February 22nd at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago.

Disclosure: Joffrey dancer Cara Marie Gary and conductor Scott Speck are contributing writers to the site.

by Catherine L. Tully

The Joffrey Ballet’s 2012-2013 season opened Wednesday evening with a mixed repertory program aptly titled “Human Landscapes”. Forgotten Land, Pretty BALLET and The Green Table were offered to the audience at Chicago’s Auditorium Theatre, along with a live orchestra to accompany the three works.

Joffrey Ballet 2012 — Christine Rocas & Rory Hohenstein in Forgotten Land, photo by Herbert Migdoll

With its simple set and dancers clothed primarily in earth tones and varying shades of red, Jirí Kylián’s Forgotten Land opened the program for the evening. Set to music by Benjamin Britten, the contribution that the musicians and conductor Scott Speck made to the atmosphere was immediately apparent. As dancers whirled across the stage in what seemed an endless series of lifts, the music punctuated both the timing–as well as the tone of the piece. Performed confidently by the 12 dancers with the exception of a few minor timing issues, it was a surprise to learn that the piece hasn’t been done by the company since 1985.

joffrey ballet — Pretty BALLET, photo by Herbert Migdoll

Next was Pretty BALLET by James Kudelka, which opened with Victoria Jaiani held in a striking, if unusual pose–high above the head of partner Miguel Angel Blanco. With white fog blanketing the stage, the simple, dream-like scene was interrupted visually by a pair of bright red pointe shoes.

The contrast of effortless beauty and diligent work is explored throughout this piece–both concepts dear to the very heart of ballet as an art form. Denis Lavoie’s fragile-looking white skirts lend a magical quality to the stage, while the plain gray tights and shirts worn by the men seem to depict the repetition, labor and practice involved in perfecting ballet movements.

Highlights from the four movements in Pretty BALLET included a magnificent pas de deux, which featured Jaiani and Blanco, and a complex and extremely well-executed sequence for five men, performed by Derrick Agnoletti, Raul Casasola, John Mark Giragosian, Graham Maverick and Ricardo Santos. The music by Bohuslav Martinu˚ was brought to life by The Chicago Philharmonic, adding significantly to the overall impact of the piece.

Always last on the program (by the specific request of choreographer Kurt Jooss) is The Green Table, a ballet that is interwoven with the very history of the Joffrey itself. Originally choreographed in 1932, the Joffrey was the first American company to perform this German Expressionist work–years later in 1967. A commentary on the fruitlessness of war, it is a powerful piece illuminated by costuming, gesture, music and nuance.

The ballet opens and ends with a group of diplomats who are gathered around a large green table. Clad in wonderfully crafted masks created by Hermann Markard, this is a political gathering that could be taking place anywhere–at any time. At the outset of the ballet, negotiation gives way to argument and the scene helps to set the stage for what is to come; battles, war, and eventually, death.

Death is a strong character in this ballet, and it seems as if dancer Fabrice Calmels was born to play this role. With his large frame costumed in frightening skeletal imagery the mere sight of him is imposing, whether he is marking time before he collects the next body or is claiming someone from the battle ground of war. Other standout performances include April Daly as The Old Mother and Temur Suluashvili who seemed to have boundless energy as The Profiteer.

The costuming by Hein Heckroth certainly adds to the haunting atmosphere of this ballet–especially since the scenery is, for the most part, absent. Frederick A. Cohen’s music gives the choreography another dimension, especially because of the dual piano work of Paul James Lewis and Mungunchimeg Buriad, which was incredibly powerful.

The entire company danced well here, and there were many strong characterizations and striking moments. As a ballet, The Green Table is only as good as the care taken to preserve its symbolism and structure, and that was done with a wonderful attention to detail by the Joffrey Ballet at all levels.

It connects.

“Human Landscapes” is at the Auditorium Theatre through October 28th.

Joffrey Shows Range With “Unique Voices” Program

Joffrey Ballet’s “Human Landscapes” Program Connects

Disclosure – Affiliate & Ad Info

Copyright Notice