NYCB: some great debuts in All Ravel program

David Gabriel and Indiana Woodward in Balanchine's Sonatine

Sara Mearns in Balanchine's Pavane

Dominika Afanasenkov in George Balanchine's Errante

Unity Phelan and Jules Mabie in George Balanchine's La Valse

By Ivy Lin, 17 May 2025

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“he seamlessly carried Nadon offstage in an upside-down star lift and it was gorgeous”

Reviewed at Lincoln Center: David H Koch Theater, New York City on 15 May 2025

In G Major (Jerome Robbins)

Sonatine (George Balanchine)

Pavane (George Balanchine)

Errante (George Balanchine)

La Valse (Balanchine) (George Balanchine)

New York City Ballet

New York City Ballet Orchestra

Mira Nadon, Dancer

Tyler Angle, Dancer

David Gabriel, Dancer

Indiana Woodward, Dancer

Sara Mearns, Dancer

Domenika Afanasenkov, Dancer

Unity Phelan, Dancer

Jules Mabie, Dancer

Understatement and spectacle at New York City Ballet

Carla Escoda, 26th February

Jerome Robbins' Dances at a Gathering and George Balanchine's Diamonds make a study in contrasts. With lots of debuts in the former and seasoned leads in the latter.

*****

Irresistible: Justin Peck’s The Wind-Up premieres at NYCB

Carla Escoda, 29th January

Never has Justin Peck seemed more compositionally assured, and paradoxically freer, than in his latest ballet, breaking the mold of past work that mostly celebrated the camaraderie of his generation.

****1

Dutch National Ballet's opener in New York: meandering and unfocused

Ivy Lin, 20th November

Dutch National Ballet returning to New York after more than 40 years should have been thrilling. The opening program, whilst beautifully danced, was somewhat muted.

***11

London City Ballet at the Linbury: joy and sorrow at its best

Deborah Weiss, 19th November

London City Ballet move into a new venue with absolute confidence and gravitas in a quadruple bill that says everything about their future and success.

*****

The Australian Ballet in Melbourne: three prismatic worlds

Ruth Ridgway, 4th October

In its triple bill Prism, The Australian Ballet gives the audience three different dance and sound worlds as well as showcasing fleet, athletic and precise dancing.

****1

Contrasting splendors at New York City Ballet: Robbins and Balanchine

Carla Escoda, 30th September

A sublime Robbins-Balanchine pairing at New York City Ballet, it was Robbins’ Goldberg Variations that came off best.

*****

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Ivy Lin

Ivy Lin's love of ballet began in high school when at the school dance she quickly realized she had two left feet. One always admires things one cannot do, and so Ivy began to attend dance performances to marvel at the grace and beauty of bodies in motion. Ivy's day job is a biology teacher and after a long day in the classroom she loves to unwind by watching dance. She also enjoys theater, opera, pop and classical music. Ivy has her own blog (www.humbledandoverwhelmed,blogspot.com)