My Top 5 Performances at Fall for Dance 2014

October 24, 2014


Fall for Dance
—one of the best offerings during NYC’s packed fall season—has ended until next year. The whirlwind festival presents some of the world’s best companies, first during two free evenings at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park, and then through a series of $15 performances at New York City Center. It’s no surprise that tickets disappear like whoa. (And it makes us super happy to know that New Yorkers anxiously wait for their chance to go see some seriously good dancing.)

Black Grace (photo by Duncan Cole)

Here at DS, we love Fall for Dance because it gives us a chance to see some of our favorite American companies, along with international groups that don’t come through very often. There are also always a few gems that we didn’t already know about, but that completely blow us away. Read on for my top five pieces from Fall for Dance, 2014.

Black Grace
is New Zealand’s leading contemporary dance company. Their work pulls from traditional Samoan dance and storytelling, as well as contemporary movement. The two pieces they performed—Minoi and Pati Pati—showcased the company’s powerful athleticism, perfect unison and mesmerizing cannon, along with some beautiful singing and chanting.

 

Sébastien Ramirez and Honji Wang (photo by Nika Kramer)

 

After I picked my jaw up off the floor, I was left wondering who the heck Sébastien Ramirez and Honji Wang are. It turns out they’re a collaborative duo from Europe, under the name Wang Ramirez. Wang is a contemporary dancer with strong ballet and hip- hop training, while Ramirez is an award-winning b-boy. Their piece, AP15, was AMAZING, and pretty much defined fluidity and precision.

 

 

Cleo Person and Dean Biosca in Torrent (photo by Rosalie O’Connor)

 

The Brian Brooks Moving Company performed Torrent—commissioned by Julliard in 2013—with members of Julliard Dance. The performers poured on and off of the stage, assembling and reassembling to form groups and lines. Given the title, I was expecting something dark. Instead the piece was non-stop, joyous dancing. The best part? I couldn’t tell the difference between the company members and the Julliard students.

 

 

Catarina Carvalho and Alexander Whitley (photo by Ravi Deepres)

 

 

I’m not going to lie, I was very excited to see Wayne McGregor | Random Dance live—and McGregor’s ferocious choreography and brilliant lighting for Far did not disappoint. I was especially impressed with the men. Besides having bodies cut from stone, they were also super flexible and expressive.

 

 

 

Aakash Odedra (photo by Jeff Camden)

 

Lastly, Aakash Odedra performed Nritta, a classical Kathak variation. Odedra also choreographs contemporary work, and often draws on his training in classical Indian dance. His performance was so fast and precise he seemed slightly otherworldly—but completely amazing.