Monica Bill Barnes and Anna Bass
A warm welcome was given to the Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT) on their return to the US after nearly a decade! The Joyce Theater’s Gala on April 10 featured NDT but also some locals: Monica Bill Barnes & Company, Wendy Whelan and Desmond Richardson, and some other out-of-towners, the Lyon Opera Ballet. Barnes’ humor comes to life as the opener with an excerpt of Luster (2012) a hilarious duet danced by Barnes and Anna Bass that shows the travel from The Joyce Theater downtown (a filmed footage of the subway ride transporting a huge replica of the stage at The Joyce), uptown to the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center. Ahhh the laughs that these ladies garnered as they finally lugged their necessary prop to the stage, and Tina Turner’s funky signature “Rolling on the River” fills the air. The duo, in sparkly dresses matches Turner’s intensity with jabbing, playful and sure-footed
movements. Whelan and Richardson followed with Dwight Rhoden’s Charter (2012), a lovely work that shows Richardson ease and Whelan questioning Rhoden’s style. Kudos to the Nicholas Payton Quartet for their jazz sharing which accompanied Charter! The Lyon Opera Ballet followed with more live music (Johann Sebastian
Bach this time) and Sarabande (2009) a playful quartet for men in seven distinctly different sections. NDT’s hilarious Sh-Boom! (2000) choreographed by Sol Leon (resident choreographer) and Paul Lightfoot (artistic directors) with section after section of standout performances by a cast of talented folks, closed the evening. Confetti with the words “Life Could Be A Dream” (words from the title of the song used for Sh-Boom!)
fell from the ceiling as the dancing finished. A warm welcome in deed.
movements. Whelan and Richardson followed with Dwight Rhoden’s Charter (2012), a lovely work that shows Richardson ease and Whelan questioning Rhoden’s style. Kudos to the Nicholas Payton Quartet for their jazz sharing which accompanied Charter! The Lyon Opera Ballet followed with more live music (Johann Sebastian
Bach this time) and Sarabande (2009) a playful quartet for men in seven distinctly different sections. NDT’s hilarious Sh-Boom! (2000) choreographed by Sol Leon (resident choreographer) and Paul Lightfoot (artistic directors) with section after section of standout performances by a cast of talented folks, closed the evening. Confetti with the words “Life Could Be A Dream” (words from the title of the song used for Sh-Boom!)
fell from the ceiling as the dancing finished. A warm welcome in deed.
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