Pacific Northwest Ballet’s “New Works”

PNB’s New Works festival details can be found HEEEERE.

There were, in “A Million Kisses to my Skin” two movements that made my evening:   The slowest, most taffy stretched, luxurious pirouette ever.  It was up stage left.  It was as if that soporific fantasy you had of  constantly and without gravity, spinning and spinning, was manifested on the stage from the pocket of your dreams.

I also remember that a man pulled a woman backwards, her feet and legs dangling on the floor, moving like a spider spinning an elegant, masterful thing in her wake.  That was nice. He was propelling her backwards; he was the navigational force, but she was creating something wrought with filigree and elegance in his path.  There were other moments of “well done”, however, much of it was, in my viewing experience not brave enough to be called new.  Be brave good choreographer.  There was a lot of gravity defying after and before that amazing pirouette that seemed to just confirm gravity’s existence. Here is an excerpt from Dutch television of this piece.  You can also find a short clip from PNB on youtube.

“Cylindrical Shadows” held itself in the same hand as the film “Pina” by creating a video in multiple environments. I liked the video and am pleased to see this influence or so I guess it was.  I watched this after I saw the piece on stage, but now, it seems to have been removed from the internet.  Even PNB’s website comes up blank when you click on the video.  I wonder why! Oh my. The piece had some superior choreography and PHRASING!  I mean, good job on the phrasing.  Anyways, here is an excerpt from the stage performance and may I just say, “Yep, we get the whole flame, cylindrical shadow thing.”  This piece is pushy in an adolescent way though I enjoyed it quite a bit minus the absolutely ill-selected spoken word.  Ueber sentimentality is a danger of creating art in the throes of a strong emotion.

The last piece was “Mating Theory”.  It often felt like a college theater class or improvisational choreography class.  It also had delicious tints of the reptilian Cunningham.  This choreographer has a lot of potential, and is fascinated with the power of interaction between dancers. Here is an excerpt.