Miami City Ballet in New York: Square Dance, Rubies and Symphony in C

(Miami City Ballet's curtain call at New York City Center, after Symphony in C. My photo.)

Sun, Jan 25 – Miami City Ballet's second program in New York, an all-Balanchine program, still showed just what a wonderful treasure this company is, even if it didn't quite match the excitement of Wednesday's opener.

First things first, though: The company's performance of Square Dance was sensational, just fantastically energetic and fun. Balanchine's choreography is the choreographer's tip-of-the hat to American folk dance, composed entirely of ballet steps and classical mannerisms but arranged in away that is charmingly reminiscent of a Western square dance. There is a swinginess and a clickety-clack to the steps, all very amusing and clever. The music of Vivaldi and Corelli is used, music that sounds surprisingly appropriate for a hoedown even it was written in 17th century Europe. Meanwhile, the ballet retains the sleek, refreshing clarity of classical precision – I'm not sure how Balanchine accomplished this alchemy, but it's amazing.

A lot of the excitement comes from the accelerated speed of the dancing and the effortless, inventive way that the patterns unfold and continue to reveal themselves throughout the ballet. The finale is insanely fast: every time I've seen it I can barely believe my eyes as their feet whiz by. Tricia Albertson and Jeremy Cox led the Sunday performance. Both were fantastic, Albertson in particular whizzed through the steps and yet retained a piercing clarity, making it look insanely easy (even though it's clearly not). I loved the performance.

"Rubies", excerpted from the three-part abstract ballet Jewels, is a jazzy tribute to American dancing. It has the neoclassicsm that Balanchine developed in America, combined with a showy Broadway attitude and a jazziness that partly comes from Stravinsky's music. Oddly, the company seemed a subdued in this performance – I expected them to sail through it with verve. The ensemble was correct in all the steps and motions, but the spark that was there in Square Dance was lacking in "Rubies."

Jennifer Carlynn Kronenberg and Renato Penteado looked careful in the central pas de deux while Allyne Noel, in the "tall girl" role, was a bit to sharp and choppy in her movements. Penteado was able to let it loose in the finale though, with some impressive jumps and a very exciting accelerated spin off stage. The company's production of "Rubies" errs on the cheesy side, with tacky red lighting for the curtain up moment – it normally inspires awe just on its own without the help of red lights – and a silly ruby-palace-in-space backdrop.

Symphony in C was a grand way to send off Miami City Ballet's visit. It's not as flashy and exuberant as the other works that the company brought on its visit, but in some ways Symphony in C shows the essence of Balanchine's classicism. The work is elegantly costumed in white tutus and sparkly tiaras for the women, and black tunics and tights for the men. It is choreographed to the four movements of Bizet's Symphony in C, with a different central ballerina and cavalier for each movement. The ensembles are traditionally classical and formal, but the steps and formations are distinctly Balanchine - they are faster, driven through rather than responding to the music.

(Balanchine's Symphony in C. Photo by Joe Gato)

Miami's performance was matter-of-fact and very straightforward. Mary Carmen Catoya in the first movement and Jeanette Delgado and Alex Wong in the third movement were standouts – Wong has high flying jumps that seem to pause at the highest point in the sky, though at one point he pushed it a bit too far and stumbled slightly. Haiyan Wu in the second movement was a bit too Odette-like for my taste, though it was adequate.

The company looked particularly international here, with Mary Carmen Catoya, from Venezuela, in the First Movement, Haiyan Wu, from China, in the second movement, and Jeanette and Patricia Delgado, both American, in the third and fourth movements. Among the men there were Americans, Cuban dancers, all over the map. It's was impressive that such a group of dancers with such wide ranging backgrounds dances dancing together with such a unified sense of style.

I really enjoyed Miami City Ballet's visit, and hopefully they'll swing by the New York area again soon. This is the work that I think they look great doing (past visits in Southern California, where they did things like Nine Sinatra Songs and ballroom ballets, were not so exciting). There were some fantastic dancers in the company whose performances particularly stood out: Tricia Albertson in Square Dance, Jennifer Carlynn Kronenberg in Symphony in Three Movements, and Jeremy Cox - the superhero of the run - performing in major roles in five of the six ballets the company did in new York. I hope I get to see the company again soon.

Photos: (1) Credited above. (2) Tricia Albertson and Jeremy Cox in Square Dance, choreographed by George Balanchine. Photo by Joe Gato. (3) Miami City Ballet's production of "Rubies," from Jewels, choreographed by George Balanchine. Photo by Joe Gato. (3) The finale of Symphony in C, choreographed by George Balanchine. Photo by Joe Gato.