Also gratifying: the continuing progress of Maria Kowroski toward finally realizing her considerable talent. She was the heart of Middle Duet, the pas de deux by Alexei Ratmansky that was the lure that brought me almost directly from the airport (home from Paris) to the State Theater. Once again, Ratmansky shows a subtle and original musicianship: This piece is filled with witty tilts and off-balances and fascinating partnering (Albert Evans provided Kowroski with invaluable support) that suggests human connection rather than calculated ingenuity. For reasons known only to itself, City Ballet is not planning to repeat the Ratmansky during its regular season.
Middle Duet is eight years old, and it’s a worthy precursor to the other works by Ratmansky we’ve admired here: the Bolshoi’s The Bright Stream and City Ballet’s Russian Seasons. Who would have thought we’d be looking to the antediluvian Bolshoi (he’s the artistic director) to lead us out of the post-Balanchine doldrums? But that’s the tricky thing about choreographers: You can’t predict when they’ll turn up, or from where, and—alas—you can’t legislate them into existence.
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109.11.08
Also gratifying: the continuing progress of Maria Kowroski toward finally realizing her considerable talent. She was the heart of Middle Duet, the pas de deux by Alexei Ratmansky that was the lure that brought me almost directly from the airport (home from Paris) to the State Theater. Once again, Ratmansky shows a subtle and original musicianship: This piece is filled with witty tilts and off-balances and fascinating partnering (Albert Evans provided Kowroski with invaluable support) that suggests human connection rather than calculated ingenuity. For reasons known only to itself, City Ballet is not planning to repeat the Ratmansky during its regular season.
Middle Duet is eight years old, and it’s a worthy precursor to the other works by Ratmansky we’ve admired here: the Bolshoi’s The Bright Stream and City Ballet’s Russian Seasons. Who would have thought we’d be looking to the antediluvian Bolshoi (he’s the artistic director) to lead us out of the post-Balanchine doldrums? But that’s the tricky thing about choreographers: You can’t predict when they’ll turn up, or from where, and—alas—you can’t legislate them into existence.