Aspen Santa Fe Ballet
Aspen Santa Fe Ballet returned to New York City’s Joyce Theater in January with an eclectic and enjoyable program, highlighted by Twyla Tharp’s Sweet Fields (1996), an infrequently performed jewel.
The program started off at high speed with Jormo Elo’s quirky and inventive Pointeoff. Relentless speed, actually. Even when the Bach-Busoni music eased into an adagio, Elo had the dancers maintain an allegro tempo and staccato quality. Despite the resulting sameness in the dynamic of the piece, Pointeoff’s breakdance-like upper body movements and clever exit partnering showed off the athleticism of the dancers. Seth DelGrasso and Katie Dehler stood out for their intensity and confidence.
It’s Not About The Numbers is the title of both Nicolo Fonte’s ballet and the James Surls sculpture that inspired it. The sculpture dominates the work, hanging stage left like a huge piece of burnt driftwood sprouting propeller-like daisies and gemstones. Christine Joly’s sheer and skirted costumes, identical for the men and women, rendered the dancers androgynous, even though the women wore pointe shoes (this was the only pointe ballet on the program). During a strong solo, Luke Willis’s energetic musicality kept the focus on him, despite the distraction of the revolving sculpture’s slow descent toward the stage.
Although the ballet’s Steve Reich score and the sculpture both play with a mix of dark and whimsical elements, their combined effect was ominous and driven. In contrast to this mood, several of the dancers smiled and played to the audience during the last section, an inappropriate choice that made me wonder how they had been directed.
With its simple yet endearing movements, Sweet Fields is like a dish in which the ingredients are so tasty that no fancy sauces are required. Tharp chooses evocative images and knows not to dilute their impact with unnecessary embellishment. This simplicity perfectly matches the folksy quality of the 18th- and 19th-century American hymns by William Billings.
Tharp adds excitement by including some physically risky moves, especially a series of horizontal overhead lifts and tosses performed by the men. Among the women, Lauren Alzamora was especially charismatic. The rest of the cast included Eric Chase, Sam Chittenden, Dehler, DelGrasso, Katherine Eberle, Samantha Klanac, Brooke Klinger, Stephen Straub and Willis.
Former dancer Leda Meredith teaches and choreographs both ballet and modern dance. She is rehearsal director of Dances Patrelle and is on the faculty at Adelphi University.
