BY ALICIA GREEN | Like a fireworks display whose grand finale dazzles with its power and versatility, The Joyce Theater closed its 2013 season with a festival showcasing ballet’s range of expressive styles — everything from neo-classical to contemporary, with a focus on “choreographers and dancers who are working outside the traditional large company milieu.” That formula resulted in sold-out houses and critical acclaim, prompting another Ballet Festival, which begins next week. Six dance companies will hit the stage with world premieres, New York premieres and popular works from their repertoires.
August 4–16. Tues. & Wed. at 7:30 p.m. Thurs.–Sat. at 8 p.m. Sun. at 2 p.m. At The Joyce Theater (175 Eighth Ave. at W. 19th St.). For tickets ($10–$39), visit joyce.org or call 212-242-0800.
Joshua Beamish/MOVE: the company | Canadian choreographer Joshua Beamish’s MOVE: the company will kick off the Ballet Festival’s first two nights, with the US premiere of “burrow” (a duet for Royal Ballet dancers Matthew Ball and Nicol Edmonds) and the world premiere of “Surface Properties,” performed by 10 American Ballet Theatre dancers to the music of Mark Mellits and Michael Gordon. The program also features excerpts from the Beamish creation “Pierced,” an intense excursion into the dark side of love. Tues., Aug. 4 & Wed., Aug. 5 at 7:30 p.m. Visit joshuabeamish.com.
Chamber Dance Project, dancers and musicians | Founded in NYC 15 years ago, before relocating to Washington, DC, the contemporary ballet company returns to its roots (live string quartet in tow) with a program of “sweeping athleticism, artful sensuality, arresting emotional shifts and a power that lingers long after the curtain.” Darrell Grand Moultrie’s “Wild Swans,” Jorge Amarante’s tango ballet “Sur,” Diane Coburn Bruning’s male duet “Exit Wounds” and the improvisational “SI 8 & 9” will have their New York premieres. Thurs., Aug. 6 & Fri., Aug. 7 at 8 p.m. Visit chamberdance.org.
The Ashley Bouder Project
A principal dancer with the New York City Ballet, Ashley Bouder says she founded the Project to “bring high quality ballet to smaller communities” and “empower young artists, choreographers, fashion designers and visual artists to work together and be a part of a collaborative dance project in the same vein as the legendary Ballets Russes company.” This two-day run at the Joyce will include the world premieres of Adriana Pierce’s pas de deux “Unsaid” and Andrea Schermoly’s multimedia work “In Passing,” as well as the New York premiere of Joshua Beamish’s “Rouge et Noir.” Bouder says audiences will “see different sides of me in these performances,” which she assures will be “daring.” Sat., Aug. 8 at 8 p.m. & Sun., Aug. 9 at 2 p.m. Visit ashleybouderproject.com.
BalletX | Founded by award-winners Christine Cox and Matthew Neenan in 2005, BalletX has since amassed a repertoire that includes over 50 world premieres by internationally renowned artists. In summer 2013, the company opened the festival with three works. This time, the troupe returns with its full-length ballet “Sunset, o639 Hours.” With choreography by Neenan and music by New Zealand musician Rosie Langabeer, this evening-length work depicts the story of Captain Edwin Musick—who, in 1938, embarked upon the first airmail service flight between New Zealand and the United States.
Tues., Aug. 11 & Wed., Aug. 12 at 7:30 p.m. Visit balletx.org.
Emery LeCrone | Joining acclaimed choreographer LeCrone for the New York premiere of “Lasciatemi Qui Solo” are Harpist Marion Ravot, Soprano Molly Netter and dancer Kimi Nikaidoh. Izabela Syzlinska and Shane Ohmer will perform together for the New York premiere of “Ritonare.” Sara Mearns and Russell Janzen of the New York City Ballet join American Ballet Theater dancers Stella Abrera and Alex Hammoudi for LeCrone’s 2014 Guggenheim Works & Process ballet “Partita No. 2 in C Minor.” And, for her world premiere, LeCrone will bring a new work for six dancers to life. Thurs., Aug. 13 & Fri., Aug. 14 at 8 p.m. Visit emerylecrone.com.
Amy Seiwert’s Imagery | Hailing all the way from San Francisco to make its Joyce debut, Seiwert’s contemporary ballet company will close out the festival with three New York premieres. Pushing past the boundaries and preconceptions of ballet, Imagery has worked with software artist Frieder Weiss and spoken word artist Marc Bamuthi, among many others, to combine the works of composers like Max Richter, Jeff Buckley and Holcombe Walker with innovative contemporary dance. Sat., Aug. 15 at 8 p.m. and Sun., Aug. 16 at 2 p.m. Visit asimagery.org.
