’The Urban Nutcracker’: where Ellington meets Tchaikovsky
Within the first few minutes after the curtains are drawn at the Boch Center Shubert Theatre, hip-hop, tap dancing, and ballet are showcased by the variety of dancers on stage. One thing becomes apparent right away: Anthony Williams’s 'Urban Nutcracker' is not your typical Nutcracker ballet.
Contemporary comparisons with the Boston Ballet
The triple bill showcases three of today’s most prominent choreographers — Jorma Elo, Justin Peck and William Forsythe — each faced with the challenge of bringing shape to sound through a non-narrative work. This grants us the rare opportunity to compare and contrast their unique takes on George Balanchine’s classic charge, to “see the music, hear the dance”.
A beautiful chaos
A hush settles gently over the audience. I glance up, confused: the house lights are still on. A woman painted head to toe in pale grey is walking slowly, purposefully across the stage.
Misa Kuranaga takes flight in spring premiere of Swan Lake
Kuranaga is wonderful at capturing the frail, tormented, hauntingly beautiful White Swan in the second act, yet is able to quickly switch to the energetic, coquettish Black Swan for Act III.