March 29The Aspen Santa Fe Ballet is a small American repertory company that conjures up stage magic with a spirited group of 10 dancers who have performed a wide range of works by well-known international dance-makers.This company, like most repertory companies in the US, is doing its best to cater to the typical dance lover, who looks for aesthetic reassurance rather than artistic risks. On this tour, they gave us a small sample: three creations by , Jiri Kylian and Jorma Elo – three artistic approaches that require strong, classically trained dancers in a contemporary setting.The hypnotic sound of Philip Glass’s music, which streams like ripples on the river, was matched by the fluidity of Fonte’s choreography. Fonte used the small group in a clever way, shuffling the formations with fast-changing compositions to create a lovely, easy-going piece. The years he spent as a dancer with Nacho Duato’s company were not wasted.Almost 30 years have passed since prominent choreographer Jiri Kylian premiered his Stamping Ground, a brilliant masterpiece that he created after intensive research into the Aboriginal culture in Australia. Aspen Santa Fe’s rendition did justice to the piece, with its strong male dancers in particular. It showed the ingenious movements, rhythms and originality that transcend time and have not faded a bit.The evening ended with Red Sweet by Jorma Elo, a Finnish choreographer who made an international name for himself within a few years. His lovely piece, set to music by Vivaldi and H. Biber, combined precision and quick wit with the quicksilver speed required to work in all the steps.
DANCE REVIEW: Aspen Santa Fe Ballet
The Aspen Santa Fe Ballet is a small American repertory company that conjures up stage magic with a spirited group of 10 dancers.
March 29The Aspen Santa Fe Ballet is a small American repertory company that conjures up stage magic with a spirited group of 10 dancers who have performed a wide range of works by well-known international dance-makers.This company, like most repertory companies in the US, is doing its best to cater to the typical dance lover, who looks for aesthetic reassurance rather than artistic risks. On this tour, they gave us a small sample: three creations by , Jiri Kylian and Jorma Elo – three artistic approaches that require strong, classically trained dancers in a contemporary setting.The hypnotic sound of Philip Glass’s music, which streams like ripples on the river, was matched by the fluidity of Fonte’s choreography. Fonte used the small group in a clever way, shuffling the formations with fast-changing compositions to create a lovely, easy-going piece. The years he spent as a dancer with Nacho Duato’s company were not wasted.Almost 30 years have passed since prominent choreographer Jiri Kylian premiered his Stamping Ground, a brilliant masterpiece that he created after intensive research into the Aboriginal culture in Australia. Aspen Santa Fe’s rendition did justice to the piece, with its strong male dancers in particular. It showed the ingenious movements, rhythms and originality that transcend time and have not faded a bit.The evening ended with Red Sweet by Jorma Elo, a Finnish choreographer who made an international name for himself within a few years. His lovely piece, set to music by Vivaldi and H. Biber, combined precision and quick wit with the quicksilver speed required to work in all the steps.