Fugate/Bahiri Ballet NY
Fugate/Bahiri Ballet NY, formerly DanceGalaxy, celebrated its ninth anniversary with its fourth engagement at New York’s Joyce Theater in June. This intimate space lent itself well to the mixed program that included the company premières of John Butler’s Othello and Frances Patrelle’s Jazz Fools, and three repertory pieces.
Othello, choreographed in 1976, concisely conveyed Shakespeare’s tale using the three main characters of Othello, Desdemona and Iago, danced by Fidel Garcia, Anitra N. Nurnberger and Danté D. Adela, respectively. Dramatic music by Antonin Dvorák enhanced the earnest performances, with Adela making a convincing villain.
Choreographed in 1990 for company directors Judith Fugate and Medhi Bahiri, Jazz Fools, a brief pas de deux, was danced to “Ordinary Fool,” sung by Mel Tormé. This time, sultry Bonnie Pickard and Addul Manzano made its romantic atmosphere sizzle.
Stanton Welch’s Orange, named for the chakra of that color in the ancient Vedic tradition, was set to a Vivaldi oboe concerto and choreographed for the company in 2001. The three couples wore orange costumes designed by Holly Hynes and Welch: the women in long, flowing chiffon skirts slit to reveal bare legs, and the men in unitards. The opening and closing sections were rousing; and playful groups with miniature solos were built in for each dancer. In between, three pas de deux were filled with emotion, the second expressing a sense of loss. The style was classical, but interspersed were head bobbles, shoulder shimmies and unusual arm movements that lent an air of lighthearted eccentricity. The dancers exhibited a sense of ease and palpable enjoyment throughout.
Lindsay Purrington, John-Mark Owen and Manzano danced the mesmerizing trio from Toni Pimble’s Two’s Company, choreographed for New York City Ballet’s Diamond Project in 1992. They wove and swirled seamlessly to Dvorák’s “String Quartet in F Major.” Even when the dancers paused briefly, gazing at the floor and then toward the audience, they retained a sense of movement. Purrington’s exquisite line and lyrical style were tenderly and adeptly mirrored by her partners. This excerpt from Two’s Company has survived on its own, but seeing the complete, two-part ballet would have been a welcome treat.
Closing the evening was Once Before, Twice After, Thaddeus Davis’s choreographic debut from 2002. Contemporary music, arranged by composer Arnold Dreyblatt and played at an ear-shattering volume, augmented the tensions among the four dancers. The seemingly Forsythe-inspired style displayed the cast’s versatility and comfort with speed and off-kilter partnering. The most exhilarating section involved four chairs where the dancers rested between spurts of frenzied dancing.
The 11-member Fugate/Bahiri Ballet NY has endured for almost 10 years in a difficult financial climate. With its mix of classical and contemporary works and its experienced dancers, the company has found its niche bringing quality performances to small venues across the country.
Karin Ellis Wentz dances with American Ballet Theatre.
