To me, a professional dance performance is one of those life-affirming experiences that makes me sigh with pleasure and bubble up with joy. Dance is the amalgamation of so many art forms – music composition, musical performance, choreography, dance, lighting, costuming, staging – all finely melded together to elicit emotion, tell a story, and make a point better than with words.
Daniel and I were lucky enough to see a performance of the Dance Theatre of Harlem in New York City last weekend. Oh, my word! Just awe-inspiring. In their 55th season, the company showcased some of the finest ballet pieces I’ve seen. I grew to appreciate the ballet when Maryellen and I held season tickets for the Pennsylvania Ballet in the years before the pandemic. The dancing from the Pennsylvania Ballet also takes your breath away – but Sunday’s performance of the Dance Theatre of Harlem resonated in a different place.
The Dance Theatre of Harlem was formed by acclaimed dancer Arthur Mitchell in the early 1970s to provide an outlet for black children to come in off the streets and learn dance. Mitchell was the first African American to attain soloist status in a US ballet company. According to biographer Zita Allen, “Few are blessed with the drive required to transform dreams into reality and by doing so cause a paradigm shift in the way others view the world, but Mitchell is made of sterner stuff than most.” The Dance Theatre of Harlem has been his lasting legacy, and it has grown to a powerhouse organization that – as ballet master Karel Shook wrote – has served as a “testament to the expansive richness of the art and the tenacity of artists who happen to be black.”
The company did four pieces, each very different from the others. The first piece, New Bach, was set to Bach’s Violin Concerto in A minor, BWV 1041, and I immediately noticed (regardless of the classical music) how traditional ballet was augmented with what I’ll call dance-floor moves – popping shoulders and hips, huge sweeps of hand movements, funky steps that injected a playful flavor. The men really shone in this dance; I was thinking they must be a lot of fun on a dance floor, especially when people break out into solo competitions. (See a small piece of it here.)
The second piece, Take Me With You, changed the mood and involved just two dancers costumed in black shorts and white oxford shirts. The movements were quite intimate and graceful, set unexpectedly to Reckoner by Radiohead.
Next up was Balanchine’s Pas de Dix piece set to music by Alexander Glazunov. This one was meant to thrill the traditional ballet buffs – stiff tutus in gold and white with sparkling embellishment, including dazzling bands in the women’s hair. The principal dancer was all in white with a full-on tiara crowning her head. Lots of on-pointe work and beautiful contributions by the men.
All fantastic, but the last piece just pulled you out of your seat. Set to an electronic sound (lots of discordant electric-sounding strings) and staged in an industrial setting (exposed back wall and wings so you could see rigging and equipment), Nyman String Quartet No. 2 was incredibly propulsive and unique. The men wore form-fitting costumes of long bike shorts and tight T’s, and the women wore flirty and short A-line dresses – all in matte primary colors. The whole effect was heart-stopping, and I couldn’t look away. The final abrupt downbeat blackout brought tears. Like a little child, I wanted to say – do it again!
Encore! Encore!
I realize those last paragraphs don’t begin to capture it. I couldn’t take video, and you can’t hear the music or see the surprising, evocative choreography and exceptional, breathtaking dancing. And anyway, a live performance is a singular event only shared by those lucky enough to have been there. Daniel and I loved it and vowed to see the Dance Theatre of Harlem again when we can. Highly recommended!
Our attendance at the ballet was the highlight of my “one short day in the Emerald City” where I went to spend time with Daniel. I took the train to New York Saturday night after I finished co-teaching an online session for my doctoral students (ending at 5 pm). I then jumped in the car, drove to Wilmington, hopped on the train, stepped out into Times Square craziness, and bedded down in a relatively quiet hotel room to rest up.
Sunday, we had a yummy brunch, walked around Bryant Park, then went up to Central Park to join others in enjoying a lovely spring day (until it started to rain), then the performance, and finally a delicious Italian dinner before reversing the trip. It was a bit of a whirlwind, but I would do it more often if it weren’t so dang expensive. (Our mid-afternoon repast in a classy spot just off Central Park – consisting of a glass of wine, two glasses of soda, and a small bowl of berries – wound up costing over $50!)
As it was for the Wicked witches Elphaba and Glinda, “one short day” is not enough, except to confirm that it’s a lovely place to visit (for me), a lively place to live (for Daniel), and a great place for two friends to meet up, catch up, discuss life, and see the sights.
One short day in the Emerald City
One short day, full of so much to do
Every way that you look in the city
There’s something exquisite, you’ll want to visit
Before the day’s through~ from Wicked
I’ll be back. Love ya, Daniel! Thanks for hosting.
Quotations are from Arthur Mitchell: The Early Years, by Zina Allen, in EnFace Magazine (program book).
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