Fall for Dance’s fourth annual program was an affordable, mixed-bill festival in New York City Center that did more than any other program. New York premiere by up-and-coming choreographer Abby Zubikowski of the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company. And the long-awaited taste of Ukrainian dance in the form of the Kyiv Municipal Ballet.
The Kyiv company, which was in Paris when Russia invaded Ukraine, made headlines after being stationed at the Chatelet Theater. The company, which is still based in Paris, is currently on tour in the US. Fall for Dance offered two of his pieces, an excerpt from Vladyslav Dobshynskyi’s “Thoughts” (which felt long anyway) and Pavlo Virsky’s more hilarious “Men of Kyiv.”
With “Thoughts,” the full piece premiered in September, the theme was vague but hovered around the idea of a racing mind. Leading his couple, the spidery, shirtless Dobsynski, and the more upright, cool Malina, his Apanasenko perform a series of gestural material in unison, or converge into formations divided by spirals and circular runs. and in and out of the ensemble. At first, Dobsinski’s hands fluttered like butterflies around his head, perhaps as he tried to quiet his thoughts, a whisper echoing across the stage.
But as one twisty section led to the next, more questions arose: What was the lead couple’s relationship? Was she a genie? Were the ensembles a reflection of their ideas or were they enemies? Their outfits — khaki tops and bottoms — and their cropped rigidness felt militaristic in light of the war in Ukraine. .
That was in contrast to the enthusiastic young people on stage with the exuberant Men of Kyiv. His two groups of five in blue and yellow shirts smiled, hands on hips, sank to the floor in deep squats, and soared into the air with bounding his jumps. For a moment, the stage became like a bouncy castle. The men were fearless and friendly, as if the West Side Story gang were overjoyed at the mere encounter on the street. It was sweet. But his two other works on the program were jewels of dance art.
Created by Christopher Wheeldon in 2020 as a digital production of Mearns and David Hallberg, ‘The Two of Us’ is now being performed live with Mearns and Fairchild. (They were even better.
Wearing sheer costumes by Harriet Jung and Reid Bartelme, highlighting the subtle mastery of their bodies, Mearns and Fairchild dance together and apart, fusing classic techniques with a light, casual touch. I was. What was breathtaking was Means’ ability to let her emotions permeate her instead of trusting her own presence and acting emotionally, and Fairchild’s maturation of her pomp as she deepened the dance. There was no sophistication.It was adorable.
“Breathe out!” one dancer called out to several dancers who roamed the stage amidst the creaking of sneakers and pounding feet. An explosive array of power in her moves, her Zbikowski, an exciting voice in experimental dance, pushes the body to its limits. It wasn’t just the skill of the dancers that was thrilling here, it was the environment. The stage was bare, with wings exposed. Six lights hanging from above. All of the settings were blissful life, with dancers bravely exploring our relationship with gravity in succinct and fearless spaces, whether they maneuvered through space on one foot or slammed into the floor.
The intermittent music came from experimental hip-hop group Death Grips, but the main soundtrack was heard in their bodies and breathing efforts. “Immortality” is about resilience, finding harmony between body and mind. Finally, they fell forward onto their backs with their arms crossed at their chests. One by one, they quietly stood up and bowed. Their bravery was undeniable and their composure was breathtaking.
fall for dance
through Sunday in New York City Center. nycitycenter.org.