ABT: Swan Lake

By Andrew Blackmore-Dobbyn, 16 June 2016

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“Boylston moved through this commanding performance with complete assurance and regal grace”

Reviewed at Lincoln Center: Metropolitan Opera House, New York City on 14 June 2016

Swan Lake (Marius Petipa, Lev Ivanov)

American Ballet Theatre

Ormsby Wilkins, Conductor

Alexandre Hammoudi, Dancer

Isabella Boylston, Dancer

James Whiteside, Dancer

Joseph Gorak, Dancer

Blaine Hoven, Dancer

Thomas Forster, Dancer

National Ballet of Japan’s Raymonda is a feast of excellent dancing

Naomi Mori, 25th April

National Ballet of Japan’s Raymonda is a gem in the repertoire, despite shortcomings in the plot. Lavish production designs, stunning classical choreography and excellent dancers makes this a ballet lover's heaven.

*****

Acosta's Don Quixote for BRB: polished but not quite enough panache

Jonathan Gray, 23rd April

Carlos Acosta's Don Quixote for Birmingham Royal Ballet returned to Sadler's Wells with polished but low-key interpretations across the board.

***11

Natalia Makarova's La Bayadère: a night to remember in Oslo

Vikki Jane Vile, 17th April

Norwegian National Ballet gives a marvellous rendition of Natalia Makarova's La Bayadère. Opening night in Oslo was a strong argument for its place in any season, displaying ballet escapism at its best.

****1

José Martínez unveils his latest Don Quichotte in Palermo

Vito Lentini, 29th March

José Martínez has envisioned a Don Quichotte that recalls the original 19th century choreography while also acknowledging some of the notable 20th century versions and it's splendid looking.

****1

Dutch National Ballet's reimagined La Bayadère triumphs

Mark Vicente, 26th March

Dutch National Ballet's new production of La Bayadère does away with the ballet’s problematic gestures and movements, allowing the choreography to truly shine.

****1

American Ballet Theatre's double bill is short and sweet in New York

Ivy Lin, 15th March

American Ballet Theatre presents Balanchine's Raymonda: Grand Pas Hongrois and Ratmansky's Firebird which showcases the company well and provides a strong contrast.

****1

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Andrew Blackmore-Dobbyn

Andrew is currently a professional chef in New York City but he began life as a ballet dancer with the Hartford and Ohio Ballet companies. His writing also appears on the Huffington Post Blog and BroadwayWorld.com. His latest work, nominated for a James Beard Award, is “Return to the Rivers”, a Himalayan cookbook.

Isabella Boylston Takes Flight in Swan Lake at ABT