American Contemporary Ballet Jazz Review
March 7, 2024 | Bank of America Plaza – Los Angeles, CA, USA
If you think you don’t like ballet, it’s because you’ve never seen American Contemporary Ballet (ACB). The company, established in L.A. in 2011, stands out in the dance world as an institution not afraid to break down barriers and take risks.
ACB’s shows, which are never just ballet and never just something else, reject categorization, working to transform the art form into something entirely new. The company’s latest program, “Jazz,” is no exception.
American Contemporary Ballet Jazz Review
“Jazz,” an electric new program by ACB Artistic Director and primary choreographer Lincoln Jones, premiered in L.A. on Mar. 1.
Hinting at a Vaudeville variety show, the evening features the polyphonic ensemble playing of some of the best jazz musicians in the city, the sharp witticisms of comedian Matt Donaher, the vocal stylings of Angelina Bower, a 16-strong cast of technical and artistic adeptness, and more.
Much like ACB’s other productions, the show starts upon arrival. Instead of taking my normal ascent to the 28th floor of 2 California Plaza in Downtown L.A., I was told to arrive at, then be ushered into, the ground level of the Bank of America Plaza.
Hinging on an aura of discreteness, the space embodied a late 1920s or early 1930s speakeasy; it was dimly lit, buzzing, and saturated in the familiar sounds of Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Jelly Roll Morton, and others.
Adding to the semi-immersiveness of the evening, ACB cleverly substituted traditional programs with vintage-looking posters hung by the bar.
The billed program opens with the dry-wit humor of Matt Donaher. For 15 minutes, the sport coat-clad Donaher hopped from one topic to the next, warming the audience up on subjects such as drugs, personal hygiene, politics, and relationships.
The dancing starts with “The Charlestons,” the second part of the show. While music serves as the ground for this piece, emphasis was on the dancers who, while brilliant together, shine on their own.
After Donaher, Elise Kruger took to the stage for the first of five Charlestons – but not before asking an unsuspecting audience member to save her drink.
Dancing to Johnny Dodds’s “Bull Fiddle Blues,” Kruger personified the improvisatory spirit of jazz. With angled wrists and spasmodic hip-swinging as recurring motifs, she was like a pull-string puppet in the way you didn’t know how or in which way her limbs would move.
The second Charleston was danced by Brittany Yevoli. Reflecting a different tone of jazz in Duke Ellington and Bubber Miley’s “East St. Louis Toodle-Oo,” Yevoli was distinctly more calculated in her movement quality. Like music incarnate, her dancing was genuinely interesting and richly melodic.
After a brief interlude filled with more jokes from Donaher, Hannah Barr entered the scene. Barr is one of ACB’s most natural and luminous dance-actresses. Performing as much with her face as with her arms and legs, she turned what would have otherwise been a plotless piece into a story about a woman who knows what she wants and is not afraid to go after it.
Set to Louis Armstrong’s “West End Blues,” Barr’s piece seemed like it was choreographed for no one else but her.
The fourth Charleston was danced by Annette Cherkasov. A strong dancer, Cherkasov brings a regal power to Jelly Roll Morton’s sleazy-sounding “New Orleans Bump.” Her performance crackles with energy, like a firecracker on the brink of explosion.
Madeline Houk performed the fifth and final Charleston. Attacking the rhythm and structure of Jelly Roll Morton’s “Gamblin Jack” with relish and exactitude, Houk was electric. She danced with speed and clarity, but there was an easy, unforced quality to her movement, too. Amidst the light, punctuated steps, she showed an organic sense of enjoyment in what she was doing. Her eyes seemed to say, “watch what else I can do.”
The Charlestons was followed by a brief intermission, during which the entertainment didn’t ease. During this time, audiences were treated to delicious kitty highballs served at their seats (should they have elected at ticket purchase) and an impressive jazz trio consisting of a flute, trumpet, and saxophone.
Intermission was chased by "Four by Ellington", a new piece featuring six dancers in – like an episodic silent film – four distinct vignettes.
The first vignette, danced by Sarah Bukowski and David Prottas, was decidedly playful. Mixing flirtatious teasing, elegance, and astonishing footwork, the two took on a delightfully Fred and Ginger-esque air.
The second, danced by Barr and Maté Szentes, conveyed a more mature romance. Barr seemed to tantalize the woefully over-ardent yet incredibly talented Szente with slow, sinuous steps that pushed into the slinkiness of the trumpet.
Kruger and Prottas performed the third vignette, an easy crescendo in virtuosity as the dancers evolved from awkward, angular movements into daring partnered promenades.
The fourth and final vignette was danced by Houk and Szentes who – through syncopated hip swings and longing arabesques – transformed Ellington’s “Pyramid” into something titillatingly tangible.
The rest of the evening featured a mélange of up-tempo, downbeat, animated, and doleful numbers that you’ll just have to attend to experience.
While all dancers were spectacular, several stood out. Prottas, in particular, was pure dynamite. An incredible mover, he danced with an uncanny sense of ease, buoyancy, and rhythm, making dancing look as easy as walking.
Kristin Steckmann is another to watch. At first, she is unassuming, taking to the stage with an unusual modesty. As she dances, however, she gains certainty in her work and becomes absolutely radiant, leaving me wanting more.
On the whole, ACB’s “Jazz” is utterly unique and absolutely worth seeing. A different way of listening to jazz, it showcased the boldness and adaptability of the cast while taking advantage of the thrilling possibilities of the music chosen – all masterfully played by Morgan “Daddy Butterbeans” Jones and his Hot Nine.
Note: The show may contain language that may be objectionable to minors.
Featured Photo for this American Contemporary Ballet Jazz review of Maté Szentes and Madeline Houk. Photo by Anastasia Petukhova | Asilda Photography.
