New York City Ballet: Balanchine/Ratmansky

David H. Koch Theater, New York City
October 10, 2024

Mozartiana was one of the last ballets created by Balanchine before his death in 1983. It’s a pleasant, polite affair, but definitely not one of his more sparkling works. It does brim with steps that play around with the music, though. It was led by Mira Nadon and Peter Walker, with the perky and as sharply effervescent as ever Daniel Ulbricht as the soloist in the lively gigue.

Nadon was delightful. In the opening ‘Prayer,’ she displayed a confident simplicity, accompanied by four excellent children from the School of American Ballet who are young versions of herself. That foursome is later mirrored in a quartet of company dancers in the ‘Minuet.’ On her bourrées backwards, Nadon seemed to float effortless, adding a touch of mystery to the scene.

But it was in the ‘Theme and Variations’ that she really shone, managing to combine delicacy with a sense of fun and lightness. The quick variations, packed with sharp changes of direction was confidently and very neatly done. Walker looks a good partner. Although the role is definitely second fiddle, he had a warm rapport with his partner. But while solid in his leaps and batterie, his footwork wasn’t maybe as crisp and precise as should be.

Monumentum pro Gesualdo and Movements for Piano and Orchestra are two short, black-and-white leotard ballets, both from the early 1960s, both for a couple and small corps, and both to Stravinsky. Each is a little gem in its own way, although they are very different in tone.

Monumentum is a formal, courtly piece. Miriam Miller and Aarón Sanz elegant and cool as the main pairing echoed by six other couples. Between them, they made all the tricky lifts look easy.

If her performance in the more jazzy and spiky Movements is anything to go by, Dominika Afanasenkov is one of those lucky dancers who has that wonderful quality of presence. It’s not so much her gorgeous long lines, nor the way she throws herself fearlessly into the choreography, making some of its more unusual movements look completely natural along the way, but the way she finds time in the music. She makes you want to watch her. Together with her partner, the fluid Davide Riccardo, she made the ballet exciting.

Concerto DSCH, an early Alexei Ratmansky ballet made in 2008 is a perfect closing number. The choreography matches the bright cheerfulness of Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No.2 to which it’s danced. A quite delicious, sensual central pas de deux is bookended by jaunty, fun and upbeat movements. It’s guaranteed to send you home happy. Sixteen years old it maybe, but the ballet looks as fresh as ever.

The opening ‘blue trio’ of Emma von Enck, Harrison Coll and Sebastian Villarini-Vélez got matters off to a fine start radiating energy and joy. The ballet has not story as such, although abstract it definitely is not. Meaning is layered and often opaque, although that there is a relationship between the these three and the later couple, is clearly evident. There are also little gestures, looks, that suggest there is something there. However you read it, Von Enck thrilled, lighting the stage up every time she appeared. Coll and the jaunty Villarini-Vélez also excelled, both giving wonderful performances.

Adrian Danchig-Waring and Unity Phelan floated through the central pas de deux. While the ballet has no story, even allowing for little moments that hint otherwise, this section comes loaded with emotion. The piano notes became visual in their dancing which had a remarkable, haunting beauty.

For all the impressive lifts, some of the best moments are the more delicate, including a lovely scene when he repeatedly goes to take her hand but she bourrées away from him like a will o’ the wisp. When the finally leave each other, it’s to different sides of the stage. Again Ratmansky hints at a relationship. Both pause. There’s a backwards glance. A memory, a dream, a parting, for now, for ever? Take your pick. But it’s certainly divine.

The third movement whizzes along at speed with the excellent corps of seven supporting couples returning in constantly changing combinations. The sometimes architecturally complex choreography is seriously impressive.