When Robert Garland was chosen to take over because the inventive director of the Harlem Dance Theater in 2023, it was the very best home lease. After he launched himself with the corporate for 13 years, he spent greater than 20 as a resident choreographer and director of his faculty. The selection appeared to vow continuity and for now continuity is what Garland has delivered.
Nevertheless, a brand new director inevitably transforms the corporate’s identification. As a result of Garland – in contrast to its predecessor Virginia Johnson – is a choreographer, it is sensible to observe his choreography for indicators of change. The packages of the corporate in downtown New York this week embody the primary job he did after the conquest: Cooking.
Garland’s choreographic signature is a mix of traditional ballet, influenced by its major mannequin, George Balanchin and the Black Folks Dance, which he referred to as Harlem Swag. Cookout is on this mode, making use of the ballet dictionary on Funk, Neo-Soul songs and disco, whereas mixing within the type of social gathering steps that can normally comply with such music.
At finest, this gambit can reveal hidden steady, primarily rhythm, in addition to the pliability of the dancers codes. However comparability additionally dangers the dilution of cross dilution, since classical ballet and African-diaspora kinds maintain the physique in reverse methods, particularly across the pelvis. Ballet dancers can have issues with descent – the rise of the swing steps, the pull of them – and the ballet made careless can simply turn out to be a slop.
It is a restriction on “Hooks”, though ultimately the piece is just innocent. Garland divides it into 4 sections, three for sorts of dignity (work, tradition, grief), adopted by one for pleasure. The work is poorly represented by a brush; tradition, from a number of of the complicated handshake generally known as DAP; Pleasure, from pink solo cups. The moments of magic, as a result of when girls within the grief part are all of the sudden raised on the finish, they’re scarce.
Garland has been extra profitable in selecting the repertoire of its firm. Elevating one in all Johnson’s final strikes – in operation of a bit by William Forsyte – he added one other: “The navy thrill of accuracy.” This 1996 work, which is a part of Schubert’s symphony, is a difficult nineteenth -century deviation train. Right here and there, by the floppy-frizbi Tutus of Stephen Galoway or a roll of the physique, the work winks, reminding you that it isn’t so previous.
The much less correct the dances, the less it’s thrilling. And whereas Harlem’s dancers begin firmly, they quickly loosen below stress, particularly the ladies who’re fighting the calls for of the quick boy. Alexandra Hatchinson holds his place, and David Wright offers and provides pleasure. However the firm, which appeared nice in a a lot much less traditional Blake Works IV by Forsythe, nonetheless would not have the one below its belt.
Jody Gates, a former Forsyte dancer who organizes a “trooper”, additionally choreograms a world premiere, “Passing of Being.” Typeed to the dream indie-electronics by Ryan Lot and his group, blue luxurious, Gates’ work is a very fog, silk stream, circle and spiral and placing lengthy stitches in stitches. Harlem’s six dancers do very properly, capturing not solely possession, but in addition small embroidery and breath breaks that revive choreography.
These are a sensible choice, they provide the dancers one thing they will deal with and one thing to succeed in. Extra importantly, nevertheless, he handles the corporate’s relationship with Balanchin: Garland’s mentor and firm co-founder Arthur Mitchell. And right here he’s on a roll. After Balanchine’s Allegro Brilliante final season, Johnson got here “Pas de Dix” within the first Garland. He now added “Donizetti variations” and that is one other winner.
Donizetti, like “vertiginous”, is in a nineteenth -century deviation mode. However whereas utilizing comparable formulation, it’s rather more formal playful and creative. It is a fast, enjoyable sport of threes and dancers, the coach of the previous New York Ballet Star Kira Nichols, discover the suitable calibration of vitality to bounce it and get away. They ship the numerous intertwined garlands and shut canons of the work with candy accuracy, which consists thrilling. Because the central couple, Hatcinson and Wright shine: she is robust sufficient to be comfortable, he provides further torque and bends to rotations which can be actually dizziness.
That is Donizetti, dancing with dignity that doesn’t rule out a celebration environment. Historically, she opens a program, however Garland positioned it on the finish on Thursday. There he did what “cooking” tried to do: shut with pleasure.
Harlem Dance Theater
On Sunday in downtown New York, Manhattan; nycitycenter.org.
