Fogpocalypse: ABT at City Center (Friday, November 11, 2011)

American Ballet Theatre's Friday night offering at City Center was the most uneven of the three performances I attended, and the most confusing.  But one thing became clear, even in the surreal moments when technical difficulties resulted in the stage (and much of the audience) completely obscured by fog for at least one movement of Twyla Tharp's In The Upper Room.  The unformed rumblings in my mind from Wednesday turned up the volume and took form:  soloists Simone Messmer, Sarah Lane and Misty Copeland are READY to lead. 

Victory to the Home Team: ABT at City Center (Wednesday, November 9, 2011)

Say what you will about Kevin McKenzie’s increasingly lackluster programming choices, there was something exciting about November 9th's repertory program by American Ballet Theatre. I left with such a jolt of electricity that I couldn’t fall asleep until well after 4 am. Notwithstanding some turnover in the ranks since ABT did longer fall seasons in 2006 and 2007, Wednesday night was a return to the well-rehearsed, passionate, joyful and exceptionally strong group of dancers I remembered from City Center seasons past. This night showed some rumblings of something I couldn't quite yet put into words - something that would become a loud and clear statement by some of the dancers later in the week.