Posts Tagged ‘San Diego dance review’
Who Cares? Everyone—City Ballet’s “Balanchine and More”
City Ballet of San Diego opened its “Balanchine and More” with “Who Cares?,” George Balanchine’s 1970 ballet set to nine Gershwin tunes. Lighthearted and flirty, the piece was a delicious kickoff for a program demonstrating the extraordinary care that has made City Ballet a stellar company whose dancers gobble up challenging repertory … and do it to a live orchestra.
Read MoreEvocative, Transcendent Dance from Jean Isaacs San Diego Dance Theater
A man sinks to his knees, one hand rising from his chest as if he’s pulling his heart out. It’s a beautifully evocative gesture in a dance filled with such images—“Crossroads,” a premiere by Terry Wilson that opened last weekend’s performance by Jean Isaacs San Diego Dance Theater. It was one of Isaacs’ best-ever.
Read More“Small Dances,” Compelling Stories: Litvak Dance at the Vine
Litvak Dance excels at storytelling, turning dances into intimate narratives. And Emily Miller is a gem, not only a powerful mover but a wonderfully mobile-faced actor whose pout could be a weapon. Those were my top takeaways from “Small Dances,” the program Litvak did at the Vine Theater last weekend.
Read MoreA downpour where you can hear individual raindrops: Dorrance Dance
The danger of amplifying tappers’ footfalls, especially with up to eight dancers onstage, is that if anyone goes a hair off-beat or doesn’t tap cleanly, it’s exposed. Dorrance and her seven dancers nailed it, whether in tight unison or doing a counterpoint like a downpour of sound—a downpour in which you can hear individual raindrops, they’re that precise.
Read MoreJared Nelson Creates a Cinderella Story for California Ballet
“Cinderella” was an inspired choice for Jared Nelson’s first evening-length work as artistic director of California Ballet. The ballet, which premiered last weekend, continues the company’s tradition of going with classics that have family appeal and can fill the Civic Theatre. And, like Cinderella shaking off the ashes and emerging as a princess, Nelson’s lively choreography and sense of fun promise to reinvigorate the 50-year-old company’s sometimes-musty repertory.
Read MoreBeijing Dance Theater Appears Sans Sets. Sans Much Interest, Either.
Beijing Dance Theater’s spectacular sets were pretty much missing from the stage at the Balboa Theater. Also missing was a compelling artistic vision in three pieces by company director Wang Yuanyuan. And what was with the handsy guy who kept copping feels?
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