Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – TWYLA NOW is a starry and cleverly constructed program celebrating one of modern dance’s iconic choreographers

• By drediman
• November 19, 2021
• No Comments

To celebrate her 80th birthday, iconic modern dance choreographer Twyla Tharp has assembled an evening of dance entitled Twyla Now at New York City Center. Over the course of her decades-spanning career, Ms. Tharp has pretty much done it all, including creating dances for legendary performers (Mikhail Baryshnikov became one of our own when he performed her steps), helming Broadway “dancicals” (the trilogy of Movin’ Out, The Times They Are a-Changin’, and Come Fly Away), and, of course, choreographing numerous ballets for major dance companies. Her aesthetic is purely her own – and quintessentially American. From the flirtatious looks and playful gestures, to the casually free-flowing (almost improvisational) looseness of her movements, Ms. Tharp’s dances – at their best – thrill with their instinctual and sensual qualities.

In addition to being celebratory, Twyla Now – which plays at City Center through Sunday – is a cleverly constructed program featuring two world premieres and (thankfully) live music. The evening’s first act is comprised of a trio of distinctly contrasting pas de deux. Commencing the bill are New York City Ballet’s Tiler Peck and Roman Mejia, who dance up a storm in the 2014 bluegrass-inspired Cornbread. Throughout, they exude the pure joy and exhilaration of dance, even if Ms. Tharp’s sensibility isn’t quite a perfect match for Ms. Peck’s pristine brand of dancing (Mr. Mejia, however, acquitted himself nicely). Nonetheless, it’s fascinating to see the beloved ballerina outside of her comfort zone attempting to navigate Ms. Tharp’s less prescriptive choreography. Then Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s Jacquelin Harris and James Gilmer – both gorgeous dancers who throw themselves into the choreography – take center stage to dance Second Duet (a world premiere), a thematically more ambitious if slightly muddled piece that explores the exquisite layers of romantic love.

To close out the act, City Ballet principal Sara Mearns and former City Ballet star Robbie Fairchild give the audience a treat by way of Pergolesi, which was originally created in 1992 for Mr. Baryshnikov and Ms. Tharp herself. The primary coup of this rendition of the pas de deux is that Ms. Mearns dances the Baryshnikov role, while Mr. Fairchild performs Tharp’s part. This recent trend in dance of gender fluid casting – which was also evidenced when Mr. Mejia was cast in the Ratmansky solo Fandango at Fall for Dance – has been refreshing and proves that dance is eager to evolve with the times. Both dancers have long been fan favorites for their considerable onstage charisma and personality, and thankfully, they’re on full display here. In particular, the ever-busy and boundary-breaking Ms. Mearns dances her part with irresistible swagger and a strong point of view.

Then after an intermission, the evening concludes with All In, an ensemble piece that brings together the dancers from the first act, in addition to American Ballet Theatre’s Aran Bell and Cassandra Trenary (both are in fantastic shape, by the way). The world premiere also features a crew of young up-and-coming dancers, whose inclusion in the piece – particularly as juxtaposed with their starry and established counterparts – suggests a sort of passing of the torch to the next generation of dancers. Even in its blander stretches, All In is never less than genial and an overall a fitting way to conclude the program. To see dancers convene so willingly in Twyla Now is indicative of Ms. Tharp’s wide-reaching influence and revered place in dance lore.

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TWYLA NOW
Dance
New York City Center
2 hours (including an intermission)
Through November 21