Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet 2013 Season at the Joyce Theater….

Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet Jin Young Won & Guillaume Queau in Adonis Foniadakis’ “Horizons” Photo by Paula Lobo

Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet opened its 2013 season at the Joyce Theater with the New York premiere of Jiri Kylián’s Indigo Rose and what an opener it was.

The music for Indigo Rose is a surprising mix that ranged from Robert Ashley and François Couperin to J.S. Bach and John Cage. The dancers of Cedar Lake brought their unique artistry, and together with the score, they created an expression of youthful exuberance.

Jon Bond is seen in a pirouette that seems unending and soon is joined by Matthew Rich. The teaming of these two is a powerhouse of adroit energies that explode into action. At one point a white curtain of billowy silk at a slight diagonal is unfurled.

Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet in Jiri Kylián’s Indigo Rose. Photo by Paula Lobo

Two women dance while casting their shadows on the curtain behind them. But what we see are the silhouettes of two men reflected back. The men shadow the women with every motion and each gesture, both moving in complete sync. It was the perfect blending of the female and male energies, the Yin and the Yang made visible.

Ebony Williams, a goddess of dance, exhibits a brief moment of complete stillness, the purity of her classical training evident. The images of the dancers’ faces are briefly projected upon the back wall, a hand covering the mouth, or the eyes… sometimes the facial expressions range from haunting and disturbing to light-hearted and humorous. The piece ends with the dancers standing still, the images behind them looking down as if in a captured moment of self-observation.

I was so excited when I discovered that Billy Bell had joined Cedar Lake, for I cannot think of a more perfect place for his singularly unique talents. I believe Billy Bell will be one day be regarded as one of the greatest dancers of his generation, much as Nureyev or Jorge Donn were dancers that defined their generations. When he took the stage for his all too brief solo, I was transfixed, for dance pours from his soul like water flows in a stream, clear, fresh and pure…

Crystal Pite’s Ten Duets on a Theme of Rescue is series of duets that are woven together and interplay with one another. The work encompass a range of emotions that run the gamut of affection to anger, to offering comfort as well as refusing it.

Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet Jason Kittelberger & Joseph Kudra in Crystal Pite’s Ten Duets on a Theme of Rescue. Photo by Paula Lobo

It all occurs in a place of austerity that lies somewhere between light and dark. A place that was masterly crafted with the use of 15 moveable standing spotlights by lighting designer Jim French.

The score for the work are selections from Cliff Martinez original soundtrack for the 2002 film Solaris.  It is a work for five dancers; Jason Kittelberger, Navarra Novy-Williams, Acacia Schachte and Mathew Rich who were joined by newcomer to the company Joseph Kudra.

The first duet between Mr. Kittelberger and Mr. Rich seemed almost conflictual in nature, as if struggling for dominance. The new company member Joseph Kudra exhibited a beautiful movement quality, fluid and strong.

Ms. Schachte joins Mr. Rich in a moment of anguish and seeks unsuccessfully to comfort him. Their upper bodies hunched over, hands in the air as the foot travels up the leg to the knee on one leg and then the other. It’s a powerful performance of a powerful work.

Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet in Adonis Foniadakis’ “Horizons”. Photo by Paula Lobo

Adonis Foniadakis’ Horizons, utilizing a score by Julien Tarraide and with the lighting of Clifton Taylor, explores the urban world. Mr. Tarraide’s score is comprised of voices giving advice and direction. Dancers come and go, freezing in tableaus but only momentarily.

Jin Young Won and Guillaume Queau engage in a duet of surprising beauty. Dressed in loose fitting costumes of cream colored silk, they move with tenderness and passion upon a red carpet. As they dance rain begins to fall, soaking them. The wet costumes cling to their bodies, becoming almost transparent, allowing nothing to be hidden and the rain washing away all doubt and any fear.

Benoit-Swan Pouffer has to be commended on the excellence of his leadership and the beauty of his artistic vision. Thank you for sharing that with us……..Now, if only he would revise his Cold Song…….

Now, I am greatly looking forward to the Cedar Lake 360 summer installation on July 24-26….Information on the Company’s website….

http://cedarlakedance.com/