• ABOUT
  • SUPPORT
  • ADVERTISE
  • CONTACT
SUBSCRIBE NOW
BALLET PODCAST
No Result
View All Result
Tuesday, April 13, 2021
The Ballet Herald™
  • Home
  • Magazine
    • News
    • Features
    • Reviews
    • Opinions
    • Interviews
    • Videos
    • On This Day in History
    • Training
  • Ballet Performances Calendar
  • Famous Ballets
    • Cinderella
    • Coppélia
    • Don Quixote
    • Giselle
    • La Bayadère
    • La Sylphide
    • Romeo and Juliet
    • Swan Lake
    • The Nutcracker
    • The Sleeping Beauty
  • Ballet Companies
    • Alberta Ballet
    • American Ballet Theatre
    • American Contemporary Ballet
    • American Repertory Ballet
    • Atlanta Ballet
    • BalletCollective
    • BalletMet
    • Ballet Arizona
    • Ballet Austin
    • Ballet Nacional de Cuba
    • Ballet West
    • Bavarian State Ballet
    • Birmingham Royal Ballet
    • Boston Ballet
    • Bolshoi Ballet
    • Carolina Ballet
    • Charlotte Ballet
    • Cincinnati Ballet
    • Colorado Ballet
    • Compañía Nacional de Danza
    • Dance Theatre of Harlem
    • Dutch National Ballet
    • English National Ballet
    • Grand Rapids Ballet
    • Hamburg Ballet
    • Hong Kong Ballet
    • Houston Ballet
    • Joffrey Ballet
    • Kansas City Ballet
    • Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo
    • Les Grands Ballets
    • Mariinsky Ballet
    • Miami City Ballet
    • Mikhailovsky Ballet
    • National Ballet of Japan
    • New York City Ballet
    • Northern Ballet
    • Oregon Ballet Theatre
    • Orlando Ballet
    • Pacific Northwest Ballet
    • Paris Opera Ballet
    • Pennsylvania Ballet
    • Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
    • Queensland Ballet
    • Royal Ballet of Flanders
    • Royal Danish Ballet
    • Royal New Zealand Ballet
    • Royal Winnipeg Ballet
    • Sacramento Ballet
    • San Francisco Ballet
    • Sarasota Ballet
    • Scottish Ballet
    • Singapore Dance Theatre
    • State Ballet of Georgia
    • Texas Ballet Theater
    • The Australian Ballet
    • The National Ballet of Canada
    • The Royal Ballet
    • The Washington Ballet
    • Tulsa Ballet
    • Vienna State Ballet
  • Theatres
  • Ballet Summer Intensives
  • ▶️ Online Ballet Performances
  • Home
  • Magazine
    • News
    • Features
    • Reviews
    • Opinions
    • Interviews
    • Videos
    • On This Day in History
    • Training
  • Ballet Performances Calendar
  • Famous Ballets
    • Cinderella
    • Coppélia
    • Don Quixote
    • Giselle
    • La Bayadère
    • La Sylphide
    • Romeo and Juliet
    • Swan Lake
    • The Nutcracker
    • The Sleeping Beauty
  • Ballet Companies
    • Alberta Ballet
    • American Ballet Theatre
    • American Contemporary Ballet
    • American Repertory Ballet
    • Atlanta Ballet
    • BalletCollective
    • BalletMet
    • Ballet Arizona
    • Ballet Austin
    • Ballet Nacional de Cuba
    • Ballet West
    • Bavarian State Ballet
    • Birmingham Royal Ballet
    • Boston Ballet
    • Bolshoi Ballet
    • Carolina Ballet
    • Charlotte Ballet
    • Cincinnati Ballet
    • Colorado Ballet
    • Compañía Nacional de Danza
    • Dance Theatre of Harlem
    • Dutch National Ballet
    • English National Ballet
    • Grand Rapids Ballet
    • Hamburg Ballet
    • Hong Kong Ballet
    • Houston Ballet
    • Joffrey Ballet
    • Kansas City Ballet
    • Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo
    • Les Grands Ballets
    • Mariinsky Ballet
    • Miami City Ballet
    • Mikhailovsky Ballet
    • National Ballet of Japan
    • New York City Ballet
    • Northern Ballet
    • Oregon Ballet Theatre
    • Orlando Ballet
    • Pacific Northwest Ballet
    • Paris Opera Ballet
    • Pennsylvania Ballet
    • Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
    • Queensland Ballet
    • Royal Ballet of Flanders
    • Royal Danish Ballet
    • Royal New Zealand Ballet
    • Royal Winnipeg Ballet
    • Sacramento Ballet
    • San Francisco Ballet
    • Sarasota Ballet
    • Scottish Ballet
    • Singapore Dance Theatre
    • State Ballet of Georgia
    • Texas Ballet Theater
    • The Australian Ballet
    • The National Ballet of Canada
    • The Royal Ballet
    • The Washington Ballet
    • Tulsa Ballet
    • Vienna State Ballet
  • Theatres
  • Ballet Summer Intensives
  • ▶️ Online Ballet Performances
No Result
View All Result
The Ballet Herald™
Home Magazine Reviews

National Ballet of Canada Review: Contemporary Grace, Power, and Artistry

by Cherilyn J. Lee
January 29, 2020
in Reviews
Reading Time: 4 mins read
National Ballet of Canada Review

The National Ballet of Canada Review - Contemporary Grace, Power, and Artistry

373
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
National Ballet of Canada Review: Forsyth, Kylián, Ratmansky
January 28, 2020 | Kennedy Center – Washington, D.C.

You know you’re in for an exciting ride when an evening of ballet is programmed to showcase The National Ballet of Canada dancing William Forsythe, Jiří Kylián, and Alexei Ratmansky. Before the performance even begins, the Kennedy Center audience is already abuzz regarding the upcoming dances, three which premiered in the 1990s; this means that many a balletomane has already seen these ballets albeit perhaps by another company. And with a reputation that Artistic Director Karen Kain has sustained since taking the reins fifteen years ago, the National Ballet of Canada is sure to please.

National Ballet of Canada - The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude
National Ballet of Canada Artists in Wiliam Forsythe's The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude. Photo ©Karolina Kuras.

Pre-intermission, we are exposed to two of Forsythe’s works, The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude and Approximate Sonata 2016. The first – as the title so adequately implies – is a short and satisfying series of vignettes of varying groupings of the five-member cast. The women are donned in futuristic chartreuse tutus while the men wear vibrant purple biketards. Upon the curtain rising, Naoya Ebe and Harrison James are poised still, only they knowing what is to come. And what is to come is a non-stop energetic suite of dancing set to Franz Shubert’s exuberant Allegro Vivace from Symphony No. 9 in C Major. All in the quintet are superbly precise in the quick footwork and off-balance movements that are signature to Forsythe, but the men shine particularly in their abilities to reach such great heights with such great speed.

National Ballet of Canada - Approximate Sonata 2016
National Ballet of Canada's Spencer Hack and Sonia Rodriguez in William Forsythe's Approximate Sonata 2016. Photo ©Karolina Kuras

The mood changes drastically when during the pause between pieces we are surrounded by a subtly crescendoing pulsing bass, an auditory prequel to its visual interpretation to follow. In Approximate Sonata 2016, Forsythe chooses to stray further away from the classical vernacular that we saw earlier to present the relationships between four couples. Thom Willems’ minimalist score is at best grating to the ears, the pulsing motif cycling with piercing and scratching sounds throughout the piece. Hannah Fischer is a relief from the overall disconcerting vibe, her languidness adding the much-needed rounded edges to an otherwise severe experience.

National Ballet of Canada - Petit Mort
National Ballet of Canada's Spencer Hack and Tina Pereira in Jiří Kylián's Petit Mort. Photo ©Karolina Kuras

Kylián created Petit Mort for the Salzburg Festival in 1991, a tribute to one of the city’s most prodigious celebrities, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The dichotomy between the sweet sounds of the familiar piano concertos and the passionate intensity and coy humor on the stage is a creative representation of aspects of the musician’s history. The cast of six couples is a beautiful ensemble both in artistry and in their skillful, synchronous operation of the props.  Again, Fischer stands out with her expressive lyricism and clean lines; surely she will be a shining star for years.

Another musical homage closes the program, this one abstract and quite chaotic. The finale of Ratmansky’s nod to Dmitri Shostakovich, Piano Concerto #1 is part of the full ballet Shostakovich Trilogy. The choreography is no doubt challenging, perhaps too much so as there are several moments when it seems like the dancers can’t keep up.  This is not a reflection on their abilities – the corps is solid and the two lead couples are charismatic and technically spectacular.

National Ballet of Canada will be performing this program and The Sleeping Beauty at The Kennedy Center through February 2, 2020.

Featured Photo for National Ballet of Canada Review: Contemporary Grace, Power, and Energy of National Ballet of Canada Artists in Alexei Ratmansky’s Piano Concerto #1  © Karolina Kuras

Tags: Alexei RatmanskyApproximate Sonata 2016​Hannah FischerHarrison JamesJiří KyliánKennedy CenterNaoya EbePetite MortPiano Concerto #1The National Ballet of CanadaThe Vertiginous Thrill of ExactitudeWashington D.C.William Forsythe
Cherilyn J. Lee

Cherilyn J. Lee

Cherilyn's lifelong passion for ballet has opened the door to the next chapter of her journey. Her strong foundation includes training at the School of American Ballet, being a featured dancer with Hartford Ballet and Carolina Ballet, and being co-director/owner of City Ballet Raleigh. She was granted the Affiliate Teacher Award after successfully completing the ABT National Training Curriculum®. A professional career in the industry along with extensive global travel provide her with a unique set of experiences to draw upon as an audience member. Cherilyn is excited to be sharing her insight about ballet around the world.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

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

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.


Ballet Beats

13 Episode

Tune in to hear the latest performance reviews and featured news about happenings in the ballet industry. Narrated by Editor-in-Chief Cherilyn J. Lee and guest artists, these stories from The Ballet Herald will be your source and entertainment on a relaxed day at home or when you're

San Francisco Ballet Review: Jewels Brings Elegance, Sass, and Romance to Your Home

April 5, 2021
4 min

Pacific Northwest Ballet Review: Reflections on Rep 4

April 2, 2021
6 min

Texas Ballet Theater Review: An Immersive and Surreal Dance Experience

April 1, 2021
5 min

Order Now!

The Ballet Herald™

Subscribe to our newsletter to receive updates direct to your inbox!

(Be sure to add news[at]balletherald.com to your contact list so that we don't end up in your spam folder.)

BROWSE THE NEWSLETTER ARCHIVES

LATEST PODCAST EPISODES

San Francisco Ballet Jewels Review

San Francisco Ballet Review: Jewels Brings Elegance, Sass, and Romance to Your Home

April 5, 2021
4 min
Pacific Northwest Ballet Review - Rep 4

Pacific Northwest Ballet Review: Reflections on Rep 4

April 2, 2021
6 min

CONNECT WITH US

Facebook Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkedIn RSS
  • Privacy Policy

© 2021 The Ballet Herald™ by BalletNomad, LLC®

No Result
View All Result
  • ➩ Subscribe Now
  • ➩ Ballet Podcast
  • Home
  • Magazine
    • News
    • Features
    • Reviews
    • Opinions
    • Interviews
    • Videos
    • On This Day in History
  • Performance Calendar
  • Online Ballet Performances
  • Famous Ballets
    • Cinderella
    • Coppélia
    • Don Quixote
    • Giselle
    • La Bayadère
    • La Sylphide
    • Romeo and Juliet
    • Swan Lake
    • The Nutcracker
    • The Sleeping Beauty
  • Ballet Companies
  • Ballet Summer Intensives
  • ⊙ About
  • ⊙ Support
  • ⊙ Advertise
  • ⊙ Contact

© 2021 The Ballet Herald™ by BalletNomad, LLC®

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.