ADVERTISEMENT
Monday, May 19, 2025
SUBSCRIBE
The Ballet Herald®
  • BALLET MAGAZINE
    • Ballet, Contemporary, and Modern Dance Performance Reviews
    • Interviews with Ballet Professionals
    • The Latest Ballet News
    • Feature Ballet Stories
    • Ballet Schools & Training
    • On This Day in Ballet History
    • Opinions
    • Ballet Meets the Mainstream
  • BALLET COMPANIES
    • Ballet Companies in Asia
      • Hong Kong Ballet
      • National Ballet of China
      • National Ballet of Japan
      • Singapore Ballet
    • Ballet Companies in Europe
      • Bavarian State Ballet
      • Birmingham Royal Ballet
      • Compañía Nacional de Danza
      • Dutch National Ballet
      • English National Ballet
      • Finnish National Ballet
      • Hamburg Ballet
      • Hungarian National Ballet
      • La Scala Theatre Ballet
      • Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo
      • London City Ballet
      • Mariinsky Ballet
      • Mikhailovsky Ballet
      • National Ballet of Ukraine
      • Northern Ballet
      • Norwegian National Ballet
      • Paris Opera Ballet
      • Polish National Ballet
      • Royal Ballet of Flanders
      • Royal Danish Ballet
      • Royal Swedish Ballet
      • Scottish Ballet
      • State Ballet of Georgia
      • The Royal Ballet
      • The Stuttgart Ballet
      • Varna International Ballet
      • Vienna State Ballet
    • Ballet Companies in North America
      • Alabama Ballet
      • Alberta Ballet
      • American Ballet Theatre
      • American Contemporary Ballet
      • American Repertory Ballet
      • Atlanta Ballet
      • Avant Chamber Ballet
      • BalletX
      • Ballet Arizona
      • Ballet Arkansas
      • Ballet Austin
      • Ballet Idaho
      • Ballet Memphis
      • Ballet North Texas
      • Ballet Tucson
      • Ballet West
      • BalletMet
      • Boston Ballet
      • Carolina Ballet
      • Charlotte Ballet
      • Cincinnati Ballet
      • City Ballet of San Diego
      • Cleveland Ballet
      • Colorado Ballet
      • Complexions Contemporary Ballet
      • Dance Theatre of Harlem
      • Eugene Ballet
      • Grand Rapids Ballet
      • Hollywood Ballet
      • Houston Ballet
      • Indianapolis Ballet
      • Joffrey Ballet
      • Kansas City Ballet
      • Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo
      • Les Grands Ballets
      • Los Angeles Ballet
      • Madison Ballet
      • Miami City Ballet
      • Milwaukee Ballet
      • Nashville Ballet
      • New Jersey Ballet
      • New York City Ballet
      • Oklahoma City Ballet
      • Oregon Ballet Theatre
      • Orlando Ballet
      • Pacific Northwest Ballet
      • Philadelphia Ballet
      • Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
      • Richmond Ballet
      • Royal Winnipeg Ballet
      • Sacramento Ballet
      • Saint Louis Ballet
      • San Francisco Ballet
      • Sarasota Ballet
      • Smuin Contemporary Ballet
      • Texas Ballet Theater
      • The National Ballet of Canada
      • The Washington Ballet
      • Tulsa Ballet
    • Ballet Companies in Oceania
      • Queensland Ballet
      • Royal New Zealand Ballet
      • The Australian Ballet
  • BALLET PERFORMANCE CALENDAR
  • BALLET SHOWS IN…
    • Ballet Shows in Australia
    • Ballet Shows in Chicago
    • Ballet Shows in London
    • Ballet Shows in Los Angeles
    • Ballet Shows in New York City
    • Ballet Shows in Paris
    • Ballet Shows in Toronto
    • Ballet Shows in Washington, D.C.
  • FAMOUS BALLETS
    • A Midsummer Night’s Dream
    • Cinderella
    • Coppélia
    • Don Quixote
    • Giselle
    • La Bayadère
    • La Sylphide
    • Romeo and Juliet
    • Swan Lake
    • The Nutcracker
    • The Sleeping Beauty
  • MORE
    • Dance Jobs
    • 2025 Ballet Summer Intensive Programs
  • BALLET MAGAZINE
    • Ballet, Contemporary, and Modern Dance Performance Reviews
    • Interviews with Ballet Professionals
    • The Latest Ballet News
    • Feature Ballet Stories
    • Ballet Schools & Training
    • On This Day in Ballet History
    • Opinions
    • Ballet Meets the Mainstream
  • BALLET COMPANIES
    • Ballet Companies in Asia
      • Hong Kong Ballet
      • National Ballet of China
      • National Ballet of Japan
      • Singapore Ballet
    • Ballet Companies in Europe
      • Bavarian State Ballet
      • Birmingham Royal Ballet
      • Compañía Nacional de Danza
      • Dutch National Ballet
      • English National Ballet
      • Finnish National Ballet
      • Hamburg Ballet
      • Hungarian National Ballet
      • La Scala Theatre Ballet
      • Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo
      • London City Ballet
      • Mariinsky Ballet
      • Mikhailovsky Ballet
      • National Ballet of Ukraine
      • Northern Ballet
      • Norwegian National Ballet
      • Paris Opera Ballet
      • Polish National Ballet
      • Royal Ballet of Flanders
      • Royal Danish Ballet
      • Royal Swedish Ballet
      • Scottish Ballet
      • State Ballet of Georgia
      • The Royal Ballet
      • The Stuttgart Ballet
      • Varna International Ballet
      • Vienna State Ballet
    • Ballet Companies in North America
      • Alabama Ballet
      • Alberta Ballet
      • American Ballet Theatre
      • American Contemporary Ballet
      • American Repertory Ballet
      • Atlanta Ballet
      • Avant Chamber Ballet
      • BalletX
      • Ballet Arizona
      • Ballet Arkansas
      • Ballet Austin
      • Ballet Idaho
      • Ballet Memphis
      • Ballet North Texas
      • Ballet Tucson
      • Ballet West
      • BalletMet
      • Boston Ballet
      • Carolina Ballet
      • Charlotte Ballet
      • Cincinnati Ballet
      • City Ballet of San Diego
      • Cleveland Ballet
      • Colorado Ballet
      • Complexions Contemporary Ballet
      • Dance Theatre of Harlem
      • Eugene Ballet
      • Grand Rapids Ballet
      • Hollywood Ballet
      • Houston Ballet
      • Indianapolis Ballet
      • Joffrey Ballet
      • Kansas City Ballet
      • Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo
      • Les Grands Ballets
      • Los Angeles Ballet
      • Madison Ballet
      • Miami City Ballet
      • Milwaukee Ballet
      • Nashville Ballet
      • New Jersey Ballet
      • New York City Ballet
      • Oklahoma City Ballet
      • Oregon Ballet Theatre
      • Orlando Ballet
      • Pacific Northwest Ballet
      • Philadelphia Ballet
      • Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
      • Richmond Ballet
      • Royal Winnipeg Ballet
      • Sacramento Ballet
      • Saint Louis Ballet
      • San Francisco Ballet
      • Sarasota Ballet
      • Smuin Contemporary Ballet
      • Texas Ballet Theater
      • The National Ballet of Canada
      • The Washington Ballet
      • Tulsa Ballet
    • Ballet Companies in Oceania
      • Queensland Ballet
      • Royal New Zealand Ballet
      • The Australian Ballet
  • BALLET PERFORMANCE CALENDAR
  • BALLET SHOWS IN…
    • Ballet Shows in Australia
    • Ballet Shows in Chicago
    • Ballet Shows in London
    • Ballet Shows in Los Angeles
    • Ballet Shows in New York City
    • Ballet Shows in Paris
    • Ballet Shows in Toronto
    • Ballet Shows in Washington, D.C.
  • FAMOUS BALLETS
    • A Midsummer Night’s Dream
    • Cinderella
    • Coppélia
    • Don Quixote
    • Giselle
    • La Bayadère
    • La Sylphide
    • Romeo and Juliet
    • Swan Lake
    • The Nutcracker
    • The Sleeping Beauty
  • MORE
    • Dance Jobs
    • 2025 Ballet Summer Intensive Programs
No Result
View All Result
The Ballet Herald®
Home Ballet Magazine Ballet, Contemporary, and Modern Dance Performance Reviews

Contingent Ballet Review: We All Are

Stefan SmithbyStefan Smith
February 19, 2021 - Updated on May 23, 2024
in Ballet, Contemporary, and Modern Dance Performance Reviews
Reading Time: 3 mins read
A A
Contingent Ballet Review - We All Are

Contingent Ballet Review - We All Are

Contingent Ballet Review: We All Are
January 13, 2021 | Digital

The word “contingent” is both an adjective and a noun.

As a descriptor, something is “contingent” if it is dependent on something else or happens on account of unforeseen causes. As a thing, a “contingent” is a group of people united by a common feature.

In both senses of the word, Contingent Ballet describes Silken Kelly’s vision of creating a platform for a group of artists commonly united in their desire to perform in the midst of the otherwise unforeseeable COVID-19 pandemic.

As you know, if you have read my other contributions to The Ballet Herald, I feel strongly that one positive thing that has come to the world of dance as a result of the pandemic is the accessibility of new capsule performances to audiences all over the world. These performances are examples of the kind of creativity and adaptation that, in the words of Emily Speed, are “born out of the struggles of COVID as an opportunity for us to continue to do the art form we love.”

Online productions open up the world of ballet and dance to an ever broadening and non-traditional audience. We All Are also highlights how cinematography can combine with dance to invite an audience into the art and connect it with the movement and story in a much different way than when the viewer is forced to observe dance from only the one angle of a traditional concert hall.

ADVERTISEMENT

Contingent Ballet: We All Are Trailer

We All Are, which was produced by Silken Kelly and debuted online on December 29, 2020, combines the performance talents of Kelly, Emily Speed, and Jonatan Lujan and the choreography of Melody Mennite, a principal with Houston Ballet. As described by all involved with this production, We All Are took shape over Zoom, was rehearsed in a bubble at a studio in the Dallas suburbs, and was filmed at MATCH in Midtown Houston.

The performance itself is minimalistic – the blank canvas of the MATCH black box and utilitarian costuming allow Mennite to highlight the dancers themselves. Her choreography was inspired by “constraints placed upon people, and wanting to accept how each individual truly is.”

Limited props – one necktie and two skirts – and a soundtrack that ranges from modern and electronic to classic and melodic, help convey this message of progression.

There is a surface-level narrative of Kelly, Speed, and Lujan, respectively, first taking on and then shedding gender identities represented by the skirts and necktie. Mennite’s choreography, however, portrays the dancers as neither gender neutral nor asexual. Kelly and Speed exude a graceful femininity that is complimented by Lujan’s masculinity. Conversely, the ladies’ strength and athleticism are also supported by Lujan’s more tender and subtle movements.

In my opinion, We All Are portrays us not as homogenous or fluid, but asserts that we all have complex and often contradictory aspects to our identities and personalities that can coexist in balance if we allow ourselves to recognize, engage with, and accept them within ourselves and those around us.

Rather than obfuscate the differences between the dancers, the choreography and cinematography challenge the viewer to appreciate their bundle of individual, collective, feminine, and masculine talents, traits, and emotions from an intimate vantage point. 

The performance can also be seen through the current events lens that we all share – our experiences throughout the global pandemic.

In the commentary that accompanies the online performance, Mennite shares that her work was also inspired by the many challenges that have affected the arts and artists over the past year, including the very tangible physical restrictions on movement that have forced dancers to find new ways to express themselves.

Kelly and Speed also highlight how this virus left them not knowing when they would be able to perform again, and this opportunity to create with Contingent Ballet made them realize how thankful they are for their art form.

The progression depicted in the choreography can also be interpreted as a depiction of the dancers’ freedom of expression and the joy provided by ridding themselves of the shackles that have impacted all of us for nearly twelve months.

Everyone might not enjoy consuming arts online subject to the confines of their mobile device or laptop, and online capsule performances are not a replacement for coming together as a community in a theater, but I applaud artists like Silken Kelly for making the effort to extend opportunities to dancers and reinterpret how dance can be presented to both seasoned audiences and those that are new to the arts.

ADVERTISEMENT

Featured Photo for this review of We All Are courtesy of Contingent Ballet

Tags: Virtual
Stefan Smith

Stefan Smith

One of Stefan Smith's proudest professional accomplishments has been helping create a start-up venture called Music Audience Exchange that has pioneered ways to connect musicians with new audiences through innovative brand partnerships, multi-media content creation, and live stream and other events. In that role, he has developed expertise in the areas of music and personal image licensing. He also serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Avant Chamber Ballet and volunteer with youth groups in the Dallas area. Stefan is a practicing attorney who studied at Southern Methodist University and the University of Texas School of Law. In his spare time he loves travel, cooking, fitness, nature, and the arts.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Receive a roundup of ballet news & performances direct to your inbox.

The most interesting ballet news and stories of the week.

You may also be interested in...

The Stuttgart Ballet Returns to Kennedy Center

The Stuttgart Ballet Returns to Kennedy Center After More Than 30 Years

May 19, 2025
Gibney Company Joyce Review 2025

Gibney Company at the Joyce Review: A Few Choreographic Explorations

May 13, 2025
The Grey Swan: Where Retired Dancers Take the Stage Again

The Grey Swan: Where Retired Dancers Take the Stage Again

May 9, 2025
Guillaume Côté Bids Adieu to the National Ballet of Canada

Guillaume Côté Bids a Fond Adieu to the National Ballet of Canada

May 7, 2025
Ten Times Better - Dancer George Lee

Ten Times Better: (Re)Turning the Spotlight on Dancer George Lee

May 6, 2025 - Updated on May 13, 2025
The Ballet Herald®

SECTIONS

  • Dance Performance Reviews
  • Interviews with Ballet Professionals
  • Feature Ballet Stories
  • The Latest Ballet News
  • Ballet Schools & Training
  • Opinions

FAMOUS BALLETS

  • A Midsummer Night’s Dream
  • Cinderella
  • Coppélia
  • Don Quixote
  • Giselle
  • La Bayadère
  • La Sylphide
  • Romeo and Juliet
  • Swan Lake
  • The Nutcracker
  • The Sleeping Beauty

MORE

  • Ballet Performances
  • Ballet Companies
  • Ballet Summer Intensives
  • Dance Jobs

COMPANY

  • About
  • Contact
  • Support
  • Advertisement & Paid Content Opportunities

© 2025 The Ballet Herald™ by BalletNomad, LLC®

Receive a roundup of ballet news & performances direct to your inbox.

The most interesting ballet news and stories of the week.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home Page
  • Ballet Performance Calendar
  • Ballet Magazine
    • Ballet, Contemporary, and Modern Dance Performance Reviews
    • Interviews with Ballet Professionals
    • The Latest Ballet News
    • Feature Ballet Stories
    • Ballet Schools & Training
    • On This Day in Ballet History
    • Opinions
    • Ballet Meets the Mainstream
  • Ballet Shows In…
    • Ballet Shows in Australia
    • Ballet Shows in Chicago
    • Ballet Shows in London
    • Ballet Shows in Los Angeles
    • Ballet Shows in New York City
    • Ballet Shows in Paris
    • Ballet Shows in Toronto
    • Ballet Shows in Washington, D.C.
  • Famous Ballets
    • A Midsummer Night’s Dream
    • Cinderella
    • Coppélia
    • Don Quixote
    • Giselle
    • La Bayadère
    • La Sylphide
    • Romeo and Juliet
    • The Nutcracker
    • Swan Lake
    • The Sleeping Beauty
  • List of Ballet Companies
  • 2025 Ballet Summer Intensives
  • Dance Jobs
  • ⊙ About
  • ⊙ Contact
  • ⊙ Advertisement & Paid Content Opportunities
  • ⊙ Privacy Policy
  • ☕ Buy us a coffee!

© 2025 The Ballet Herald™ by BalletNomad, LLC®

Receive a roundup of ballet news & performances direct to your inbox.

The most interesting ballet news and stories of the week.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home Page
  • Ballet Performance Calendar
  • Ballet Magazine
    • Ballet, Contemporary, and Modern Dance Performance Reviews
    • Interviews with Ballet Professionals
    • The Latest Ballet News
    • Feature Ballet Stories
    • Ballet Schools & Training
    • On This Day in Ballet History
    • Opinions
    • Ballet Meets the Mainstream
  • Ballet Shows In…
    • Ballet Shows in Australia
    • Ballet Shows in Chicago
    • Ballet Shows in London
    • Ballet Shows in Los Angeles
    • Ballet Shows in New York City
    • Ballet Shows in Paris
    • Ballet Shows in Toronto
    • Ballet Shows in Washington, D.C.
  • Famous Ballets
    • A Midsummer Night’s Dream
    • Cinderella
    • Coppélia
    • Don Quixote
    • Giselle
    • La Bayadère
    • La Sylphide
    • Romeo and Juliet
    • The Nutcracker
    • Swan Lake
    • The Sleeping Beauty
  • List of Ballet Companies
  • 2025 Ballet Summer Intensives
  • Dance Jobs
  • ⊙ About
  • ⊙ Contact
  • ⊙ Advertisement & Paid Content Opportunities
  • ⊙ Privacy Policy
  • ☕ Buy us a coffee!

© 2025 The Ballet Herald™ by BalletNomad, LLC®