The Australian Ballet started out pretty good and slowly went downhill. The pas de deux sampler showcased their principal dancers nicely, but it was hard not to think of all the fabulous performers across the plaza that have lit up the stage in the same roles... ah, the NYC pressure!
The first pas "La Favorita" was a pseudo-Spanish, don Qish spin off with none of the build up - the second half of her variation was a series of double fouettes - what was the coda going to bring? More turns and jumps, but somehow not satisfying. Fokine would have sniffed at such a blatant display of pyrotechnics without even a pretense of content or emotional connection.
Giselle pas - so pretty, but kept thinking of Osipova and her suspended jumps and super slow entrechaquatre passe sequence. And he was so understated technically and emotionally in his variation, bouncing out of a double assemble (in place of that famous revoltade) and not bending out of his cabrioles...
Don Q - She was so perky, loved her! Nureyev's choreography added some interest, just by virtue of trying to decipher why he kept some traditional things intact and not others. Her fouettes ended rather abruptly and he started his a la seconde turns... early?
The best excerpt was Molto Vivace with Amber Scott and Adam Bull... indeed! That was some hard partnering, and he did it without batting an eye. This couple seemed the most polished and at ease in their performance. Very smooth silky adagio work.
Then... the Stanton Welch thing: a spoof of classical ballet? Leather bras and bare chested men all in straight lines doing "corps work" with a bunch of attitude. The opening pas de deux was almost comical in its aggressiveness and posturing. Not to mention the hairy bell bottom pants on her!
The Wayne McGregor piece was very disappointing. The music wore on me after a while (Steve Reich of course) and the pretentiousness and incoherence of the choreographer's program note (what the hell did the Ballets Russes have to do with any of it??) added to the annoyance. As usual, the dancers made something of what they were given - how they can move! Kept thinking Lucinda Childs work because of the music and set, but there was none of the intensity and craft of her work. I was bored after a while, not a good sign. So many steps, so many moves, so much money spent, saying absolutely nothing.
But then came the collaboration with Bangarra Dance Theater. I really tried to be open minded, though I was not optimistic. Unfortunately, this work was even more dull. The soporific music did not change in feel the whole time. The stage was mostly dark, and almost every scene had a woman surrounded by "aboriginal" men dancing, kneeling, rolling, reaching, dropping, ZZZzzzzzz...
