Peter Quanz, Genius Choreographer
Amanda Green and Tristan Dobrowney in Luminous. Photo by Bruce Monk
Any ballet by Peter Quanz. He's just the freshest and brightest choreographer around. The photo to the right is from Luminous, and features Amanda Green and Tristan Dobrowney (photo by Bruce Monk). This was one of two ballets Peter brought with his company, Q Dance, to the Joyce in June. It was an amazing ballet, and I was so fortunate to be able to see both performances. See my comments in an early Chronicler's Tales posting.
Seeing Peter's Rodin/Claudel with Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montreal in October 2011 was a transcendent experience. Peter told a story about love and art so creatively that I can still close my eyes and see the dancers. And a trip to Toronto in 2009 gave your Chronicler one of her best weekends ever: I got to see In Colour four times! The National Ballet of Canada got an exciting new ballet with an exciting new score by Anton Lubchenko. Loved Montreal, loved Toronto, loved Rodin/Claudel and loved In Colour.
I wish ABT would bring back Kaleidoscope, which I'd love to see on the Met stage. I got to see his brilliant In Tandem at Works & Process at the Guggenheim in September 2010. It worked on so many levels, literally and physically. The Times review was fine, though I consider the piece more exciting than "academic." He redid it for Q Dance in Winnipeg in 2010, and it was wonderful. He has so many projects now in the works that I can't list them all. I'm always excited by whatever he does.
Dance Is All Around Us
I am so fortunate to live in New York City, where there is always a dance performance to be found, usually more than one!
I have so many "favorite" companies. Here are some.
Paul Taylor American Modern Dance. The Paul Taylor seasons in New York always bring joy and cogitations. His ballets makes you think, but also makes you laugh. It was always a joy to see him walk on stage after a premiere. When he died in 2018, Mr. Taylor left a great hole in the choreography universe.
Alvin Ailey American Dance Company. The Christmas season wouldn't be the same without a chance to see the Ailey dancers at City Center. (One thing's for sure: no one messes with the Ailey women!) We've enjoyed seeing the company at other venues around the city, too.
American Ballet Theatre. Oh, the glorious years I spent seeing Julie Kent in Romeo and Juliet. I attended her final performance at the Metropolitan Opera when she retired. I have so many favorite performances, from Mikhail Baryshnikov in Giselle to Nina Ananiashvili in Swan Lake to the Giselle with Natalia Osipova. One of my current favorite dancers with ABT is Veronika Part. I love her Swan Lake. So many years I stood at the back to watch this company, getting up early for standing-room tickets in the 1970s and 80s. It's nice to finally sit down, and to still experience that same excitement.