Groundbreaking Contemporary Works Shine In Joffrey Ballet's Winter Program
By Michelle Meywes Kopeny in Arts & Entertainment on Feb 12, 2016 3:50PM
Victoria Jaiani in RAkU. Photo by Cheryl Mann.
The Joffrey Ballet’s “Bold Moves” program opens with a video of dancers and Artistic Director Ashley Wheater emphasizing the importance of dance companies presenting new works. In it, Wheater calls new works the “life blood” of any company, and that without them they “just become a museum of old work.” It’s an apt opening for what has become our favorite program of the year, the annual winter program that focuses on groundbreaking contemporary works.
Dylan Gutierrez & Victoria Jaiani in Tipping Point. Photo by Cheryl Mann
The program opens and closes with two trailblazing choreographers that we’re already familiar with, Jiří Kylián and the return of Yuri Possokhov’s RAkU, but the focus of the evening is on a brand new piece from UK choreographer Ashley Page. Created specially for the Joffrey, Tipping Point is a dark, mysterious piece that stemmed from the music. Set to the violin concerto “Concentric Paths” by Thomas Adés, dancers move in and out of light and in and out of time in a modern expression of drama.
Jiří Kylián’s Forgotten Land is a perfect example of other innovative art influencing contemporary works. Partly inspired by an 1899 Edvard Munch painting called Dance of Life, which depicts a woman on a beach in various stages of life, Kylián's choreography is at times unorthodox and unexpected, yet still romantic and gracefully fluid. Also driven by “musical choreography,” where the artist draws the material directly from the music, the piece is set to Benjamin Britten’s stirring “Sinfonia da Requiem.”
Anastacia Holden,Anna Gerberich & Christine Rocas in Forgotten Land. Photo by Cheryl Mann.
“Bold Moves” closes with the return of a favorite that the Joffrey premiered in Chicago just a year and a half ago. The contemporary story ballet was brought back because of popular demand, and we were excited for the opportunity to see it again. While so many ballets draw intense emotion, few are as affecting as RAkU. Principal dancers Victoria Jaiani and Fabrice Calmels pair up as the Samurai and his Princess in Possokhov’s story of love, jealousy and tragedy set in ancient Japan. Just when you think it can’t get any more heartbreaking for the couple, the story presses on, and you could find yourself moved tears. By the time the curtain comes down over Jaiani’s contorted body, there’s an aching, stunned silence that hangs over the audience.
"Bold Moves" runs through Sunday, Feb. 21 at the Auditorium Theatre. Visit the Joffrey Ballet’s website for the full performance schedule. Tickets start at $32.