New York City Ballet: Balanchine's Americana

NYCB’s second program of the 75th Anniversary Season might as well have been entitled “Balanchine’s Americana.” It was devoted to four works that showcased Balanchine’s love for his adopted country: Western Symphony, The Unanswered Question (from Ivesiana), Tarantella and Stars and Stripes.

I actually have a story about Stars and Stripes. A long time ago, my idea of ballet was strictly narrative: Giselle; Romeo and Juliet; Swan Lake. If I went to Balanchine ballets, it was the story ballets like Nutcracker, A Midsummer’s Night Dream and Coppélia. One night many years ago, I decided to buy a triple bill ticket to NYCB on a whim. The program was: Prodigal Son, Mozartiana and Stars and Stripes. At the time, Prodigal Son and Mozartiana made little impression (how foolish of me!). But Stars and Stripes, I remember almost crying with joy. The very next day I went to the box office and bought a bunch of tickets. I had no idea what I was buying, just knew that my balletomane life had changed forever.

For this reason, I remain unreasonably fond of Balanchine’s joyous, kitschy send-ups of Americana. I know hardcore Balanchine ballet-goers who roll their eyes at Western Symphony. I love it like oxygen. The clever parody of many Petipa ballets – including a ballerina bourrée-ing onstage in the grand manner, à la Odette, the frenzied finale where the dancers are still pirouetting when the curtain comes down, it’s such fun! The performance last night had a number of debuts and thus seemed fresher than it has in a long time.

In the first movement, Olivia MacKinnon and Gilbert Bolden were sassy and spry. I do wish MacKinnon had a slightly more buoyant jump. She is given a large number of rather soubrette-ish roles, but her earthbound jumps bother. In the second movement, Indiana Woodward and Jovani Furlan were absolutely delightful parodying the Petipa pas de deux mannerisms and moves. Woodward for some reason eschewed the Italian fouettés and substituted attitude fouettés. It was fine. Furlan looked so adorable in his cowboy costume. This always elegant dancer this season has been given some roles that require more panache (he was also terrific in Rubies), and he has stepped up in every way. In the rondo finale, Emily Kikta wowed with her high kicks and more fouettés (I told you it was a Petipa parody), while Andrew Veyette danced with more energy and higher jumps than I’ve seen in a long time from him.

The middle portion of the program was odd. The An Unanswered Question portion of Ivesiana takes about five minutes, and Tarantella about seven. The dancing also dropped. In An Unanswered Question, Sara Adams was a late substitute for Ashley Laracey. Adams is a lovely dancer. But her specialty is petit allegro. She is not particularly mysterious. The role of the woman being held aloft and then manipulated in various ways without ever touching the floor is supposed to be elusive, even melancholy. Adams simply was not that. In Tarantella, Erica Pereira and Daniel Ulbricht showed they have been dancing this for years … not in a good way. It was a professional performance, but with little of the daring or explosiveness that this ballet should have.

Thankfully, Stars and Stripes closed the program. This ballet always works, even with a less than scintillating cast. But last night’s cast delivered the fireworks. Roman Mejia as El Capitan was every bit as great as you’d expect him to be. Mile high frog leaps and natural showmanship. Megan Fairchild as Liberty Bell was a marvel. She is now a 21 year veteran of the company, but her footwork is still fast, her technique preserved in amber. She is also terrific in roles that showcase a sense of humor. She and Mejia were joy in a pint-sized package. The rest of the campaigns were cast well. Sara Adams, who had been so miscast in The Unanswered Question, shone as the baton twirling First Campaign. As I said, petit allegro.

There is nothing as corny as Stars and Stripes’ grand finale, in which an American flag is raised as the dancers march, kick and salute the audience. And yet there I was, grinning stupidly and almost crying with joy, just as I did all those years ago.