I saw Balanchine’s Jewels twice the past
Fall season: once with my family (9/22/18, matinee) and once by myself
(9/25/18, evening). My family outing was a special one, as this was the first
time my brother, his new wife/my new sister-in-law, my mom, and my dad were to
see the ballet together. We splurged on nice seats in the orchestra. When I
went myself, I sat in the fourth ring clutching my newly bought tickets via the
30 for 30 program NYCB has with its younger audience.
The same ballet with different seats still
results in different experience, especially when one seat is far closer to the
stage than the other. The orchestra seat offered an intimate experience. In
Emeralds, I feel Tiler Peck’s airy and sparkly presence and see spirits of
nature embody her. Unity Phelan’s youthful aura reminds me of my freer days. In
Rubies, Claire Kretzschmar (who replaced Emily Kikta) dazzled as the tall girl
and her later promotion to soloist evidently shows. Though I am usually
enamored by Sterling Hyltin, her dancing as rubies seemed more cautious and
less jazzy than I wished. Indeed, in New York Times article, she reveals that
she was coached to dance differently than what her muscles were trained to do.
In Diamonds, a special shout-out goes out to Joseph Gordon, whose boyish
stature does not reflect his grand, yet subtle dancing; my whole family was
very impressed with him and not surprised by his promotion to principal dancer
a few weeks later. Sara Mearns was dramatic and exciting as always.
The fourth ring seat offered a holistic experience
and allowed me to enjoy the corp de ballet more than the orchestra seat did. In
Emeralds, I could see the organic shapes that the corp dancers formed, and in
Diamonds, I could see more uniform formations. Though I could not as
easily view the principal dancers in this performance, I would like to point
out Lauren Lovette and Gonzalo Garcia for a fun, jazzy, and jovial performance.
From this performance, I had a thought. Perhaps these intricate formations that
Balanchine and many other choreographers from NYCB serve those who cannot
afford seats in the orchestra. The ballets are choreographed so that every
single person in the audience can have at least one moment where they have the
best view. For example, the pas de deux and solos that the principal roles are
best enjoyed up-close; the audience can see the nuances dancers include and can
see the presence of the dancer. However, when the corp de ballet perform, it’s
like when one sees a mosaic art. Up-close, one sees pieces that do not connect
necessarily, but once one walks farther back, the seemly-unconnected pieces
come to fruition and can be fully appreciated. That is why the fourth ring
exists.
I hope you enjoyed my commentary! Please leave comments about your thoughts on the ballets!
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