THE HANGOVER REPORT – At The Joyce, COMPLEXIONS CONTEMPORARY BALLET celebrates 30 years with an all-Rhoden program

Complexions Contemporary Ballet Performas at The Joyce Theater (photo by Taylor Craft).

Over the past few weeks, Complexions Contemporary Ballet returned to The Joyce Theater in Chelsea with a trio of programs to celebrate its landmark 30th anniversary. Led by founding Co-Artistic Directors Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson, the company has over the years found a niche in the dance world with its dance aesthetic — those sweeping movements and gorgeous lines! — and accessible programming. Although I had missed Programs A and C, these characteristics were fully evident in Program B, which I caught on closing weekend of teh company’s The Joyce residency.

The All-Rhoden bill commenced with the 2023 work Blood Calls Blood — an ideal opener set to the the music of Chief Adujah — which was a great primer for the choreographer’s signature sensibility and nicely set the stage for the other works to come. Then came the world premiere solo Deeply. As sensitively danced by Vincenzo Di Primo — pretty much the epitome of male beauty — the piece made for a dreamy vision, blurred edges and all. Closing the program’s first half was another world premiere, Rhoden’s Bolero — certainly among the most athletic choreographic takes on Ravel’s ubiquitous score I’ve seen. Although I would have preferred a tad more whimsy and sensuality, the relatively large-scale piece nevertheless harnessed the music’s escalating excitement and tense thematic repetitions to crowd-pleasing effect. Closing out the program was For Crying Out Loud from 2023, a dance set to an acoustic mash-up of U2 songs. Despite a number of striking stage pictures and a solid sense of composition, a certain stylistic staleness descended as it progressed through its six distinct segments, and in the end, the piece quietly fizzled. Sufficed to say, the work wasn’t quite the rousing closer I had hoped for.

Heading into its fourth decade, I’m happy to report that the company — an appealingly eclectic bunch, as has always been the case for Complexions — looked to be in terrific shape. Stretched and elegant, they brought athleticism and confidence to each of the works. One of my only gripes is that it would have been nice to have featured other dance-makers besides Rhoden, thereby giving the talented, hardworking dancers opportunities to further expand their movement and performance vocabulary. This slight misgiving aside, the company continues to do what it does best — inspire audiences with its exuberance and impressive physicality.

RECOMMENDED

COMPLEXIONS CONTEMPORARY BALLET
Dance
The Joyce Theater
Approximately 2 hours (with one intermission)
Closed

Categories: Dance

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