The ending of Stars and Stripesis a sure-fire applause machine. The lowering of the flag while all the regiments march and salute onstage is so corny that only Balanchine could have choreographed it with a straight face. And yet it worked in 1958 and it works in 2019.
As City Ballet grapples with lawsuits and lurid accusations, and the loss of an unprecendented number of male principals, new works by Kyle Abraham, Gianna Reisen, and Matthew Neenan stoke inspired performances from the dancers.
