David H. Koch Theater, New York, NY.
July 30, 2024.
For the fourth summer in a row, five of NYC’s most iconic dance companies joined forces for five days of spectacular dancing with the BAAND Together Dance Festival. Started in 2021, as a way to bolster the dance community after the pandemic, the festival features works from Ballet Hispánico, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, American Ballet Theatre (ABT), New York City Ballet (NYCB) and Dance Theatre of Harlem (DTH). This year, the show moved from the outdoor venue of years past inside to the David H. Koch Theater in Lincoln Center, a change that allowed for light design to be more relevant and worries of rain or extreme heat removed, but the delightful summer-y vibe of drinking seltzer or rosé at dusk while watching dance was certainly lost.
NYCB opened with George Balanchine’s Duo Concertant, danced by Megan Fairchild and Anthony Huxley, and accompanied by Sean Lee on violin and Elaine Chelton on piano. The neoclassical piece has moments when the dancers are still and simply take in the music, giving a sense of honor to the musicians with their stillness. Watching such veterans of the the company dance so well was an inspiring way to start the evening given the high level of skill and artistry they both continue to bring the stage after decades with the company.
The Ailey company brought veterans to the stage as well, performing Solo, a work for three men. The powerful dance showed the skill and virtuosity of the artists without overcomplicating ideas – both the strength and grace of these men were able to shine in this work by Hans van Manen. Following this trio, Ballet Hispánico performed Sombrerísimo, originally choreographed for all men as well – although over time has been reimagined with both all-female and mixed-gendered casts. This evening, we saw one woman and five men. That malleability is a strong option based on the casting I saw, one that took the audience down an entertaining, surrealist journey based on the work of painter René Magritte.
Shifting tone entirely, ABT performed Night Falls by Brady Farrar (a 19-year-old member of ABT Studio Company), which is a new work originally set on ABT Studio Company this past May. This intimate pas de deux was danced by longtime ABT Principal Thomas Forster and brand new Principal Chloe Misseldine. The calm serenity of the piece was truly divine to watch and amazing to consider the deep breadth of talent shared by both the dancers and choreographer.
Finally, DTH closes the evening with Blake Works IV (The Barre Project), a William Forsythe work which was a commission for the company as part of the larger Barre Project series, originally a filmed work created during the height of the pandemic and streamed to audiences worldwide. The newer versions are intended for the stage but still utilize a barre and a sense of feeling boxed in, both via set pieces and lighting design. The dancers appeared completely in tune with the vibe and the choreography, and danced it all brilliantly. It was a robust and strong way to end the evening.
BAAND Together Dance Festival is a treat for dance audiences in NYC, with its varied program and affordable (pay-what-you-can) structure. Whether indoors or out, it’s worth the effort to take in if you enjoy world-class dance.
By Emily Sarkissian of Dance Informa.
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