New York City Center, New York, NY.
September 21, 2024.
In the NYC dance world, nothing signifies the change from summer to autumn more than the annual Fall for Dance Festival, held at New York City Center each year. The festival hosts companies and artists from all over the world in various styles, with the program changing every couple of nights. With all tickets starting at $30, it provides an accessible way to see world-class dance for those who might otherwise not be able. On the night of my attendance, three companies performed: Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Boston Ballet, and kNoname Artist.
Complexions opened with excerpts from the 2023 work, Dwight Rhoden’s Crying Out Loud, set to music by U2. Having seen the piece when it premiered last year in the context of a full evening of programming, it had a greater impact on me as a stand alone piece, so to speak. The dancing was impeccable, with striking clean quality in group sections and beautiful solos and duets. It’s noteworthy as well, that that company hires dancers of varying body types — taller women, shorter men and everything in between. A true testament that great dance need not be relegated to a narrow window of dancer – an approach more companies should adopt.
In great contrast to the full stage and modern music of the first piece, Boston Ballet presented Sabrina Matthews’ Ein von Viel (premiere 2001) with live piano accompaniment by Alex Foaksman. Principals Jeffery Cirio and Yue Shi performed with both a lightness and a strength, giving the audience a clear and clean view of truly excellent technique. Program notes suggest the piece explores human connection, although I saw and heard the artists more as individuals having a shared experience than the connection between the three.
Last on the program was Roderick George’s Venom from kNoname Artist, a company that started in Berlin and has since made its home in NYC. Venom, a work for seven men, explores the the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the derivative effects it has on the LBGTQ+ community today. The piece juxtaposes the glitter of a shimmery disco ball with what resembles a grey snow on the ground, echoing both the joy and vibrance in community and the discrimination of the queer world at the hands of media, power and intolerance. The dancers share this same ability to transform within the piece, brilliantly displaying the complexity of being human with movement deeply woven into their bodies.
Fall for Dance always offers a unique look into works and companies less seen on stages like City Center, and it was a delight to see the three works onstage on this evening. For me, Vemon left the largest impact as a complete experience, although it was all undoubtably world-class dance.
By Emily Sarkissian of Dance Informa.
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