The Arthropologist
Houston dances its way to the big time: Four local companies take New York thisweek
NobleMotion Dance performs as part of The Dance Gallery Festival at AileyTheater in New York City.Photo by Lynn Lane
Artists of the Houston Ballet in Falling Angels, choreographed by Jiri KylianPhoto by Amitava Sarkar
Spencer Gavin Hering's 4ward & 4Gotten will be part of The Dance GalleryFestival at the Ailey Theatre in New York City. Shown are artists CristianLaverde Koenig, Lindsey McGill, Mikhail Plain and Andrea Dawn Shelley.Photo by Mike Mesikep
Paola Georgudis' work is part of the The Dance Gallery Festival at the AileyTheatre in New York City.Photo by Lynn Lane
Artists Kelly Myernick and Nicholas Leschke in Hush, choreographed byChristopher BrucePhoto by Amitava Sarkar
I'm in my home state this week, New York. But I'm not alone. Houston Ballet and three Houston dance companies are here, too.
There's no getting it around it, New York City is the center of the danceiverse. It just is. And it's best just to believe it and go from there. Just chatting with all the Houston dance people about being in New York reminds me that I'm not alone in that thought. You can have played every other city in the world, but if you haven't played New York, you haven't really made the national dance map.
Other than a brief appearance at Fall for Dance a few years back, Houston Ballet has not appeared in New York since 1985. So, their first gig at The Joyce, Oct. 11 through 16, is huge news. They have packed a smashing program, including Finnish choreographer Jorma Elo's speedy ONE/end/ONE, Jiří Kylián's minimalist Falling Angels, and Christopher Bruce’s Hush, a comic celebration of life set to the eclectic music of Bobby McFerrin and Yo-Yo Ma. Houston Ballet makes another appearance in N.Y. at the Career Transition for Dancers' 26th Anniversary Jubilee on Oct. 31.
"I love New York. It's been my dream destination since I was a child," says Stanton Welch, Houston Ballet's artistic director. "It's great to be presented by The Joyce. Their audiences are so open and appreciative. Someday, I'd like to bring the full company and have a season in New York to show off the full scope of what we do."
The company sailed through the relentless pace of the all-women tribal culture of Falling Angels. Although each took turns with a solo, Nozomi Iijima's performance stood out. Elo's ONE/end/ONE seemed funnier than I remembered, more nuanced too. Karina Gonzalez put the audience under a spell in her pas de deux with Connor Walsh. Hush contained strong performances by the entire cast. James Gotesky proved especially memorable in the role of the father. How wonderful to see these works up close in the Joyce's intimate theater.
Further uptown, another crew of Houston choreographers are in a tech rehearsal for The Dance Gallery Festival, Oct 13 and 14 at the Ailey Citigroup Theater. NobleMotion Dance will perform their signature work, Photo Box D, a collaboration with Jeremy Choate. Co-artistic director Andy Noble is no stranger to the city. "This is our fourth time in New York City, and every time I get the chills," says Noble. "You never know who is going to be in the audience or how they will respond."
Noble is not naive, either. Many a troupe has returned with a tale of money spent, bad reviews and small audiences. "In many ways, New York is a tough nut because the community is saturated with so much art and the patrons can afford to be picky," he says.
Noble finds it imperative that Houston transports work outside of Texas, but the choice doesn't come cheap. "Traveling to NYC is expensive as all get out, especially considering we like big toys (set pieces and light installations) and large casts," he says. "In the end, you have to do it if you want the exposure."
Performing in NYC is on many a dancer's bucket list. "While they are happy to be dancing in Texas, dancers long for that New York performance opportunity," Noble adds. "It's what so many dancers dream of; it signals the arrival of an artist."
NobeMotion is joined by iMEE, another rising Houston troupe directed by Spencer Gavin Hering and Andrea Dawn Shelley. They will be showing 4ward & 4Gotten, which Hering describes as "the experience of making mistakes." Like Noble, Hering wants to be seen in a larger pool. "The experience, exposure and connections created through this festival are going to be priceless," she says. "To experience New York as a choreographer and artistic director of iMEE is a dream come true."
Independent choreographer Paola Georgudis is showing her solo, Otro Portal, created especially for the Las Condes Dance Festival in Chile. Georgudis performed the solo at the Festival's first stop at Sam Houston State University, while Lindsey McGill will be performing it in New York. "I am looking forward to be working with Lindsey one more time. We have been working together for many years, and this chance is another step, another layer to do together," says Georgudis. "I created the piece with the intention of exploring space and how this person feels, changes, when different and new situations are presented on her way." Although the Chilean choreographer has performed in New York before, it's still a big deal. "I'm truly excited to have that time and that space here and experience how the piece is received," says Georgudis.
