New Jersey Ballet Begins 2005 With Acclaimed Performance

"New Jersey Ballet paid tribute to Taglioni, the light-footed sylphide who embodied the ideals of the Romantic era, in a sensational program at the Community Theatre in Morristown on Saturday", (Jan. 15) wrote Robert Johnson, Dance Critic for the Newark Star-Ledger.

"The evening featured the previously announced company debut of 'LAir d'Esprit,' a glamorous evocation of Romanticism created in modern times. New Jersey Ballet then threw in a bombshell by presenting the local premiere of 'Papillon,' which Taglioni choreographed at the Paris Opéra in 1860.

"As if this weren't enough, New Jersey Ballet also unveiled the company debut of 'The Fairy Doll,' adding a touch of spice to the perfume of its 'Raymonda Suite.' The company's dancers performed with superb refinement throughout the evening.

"The typically ambitious program also included the first-act pas de trois from 'Swan Lake,' danced with effortless joy and clarity by Violeta Angelova, Katie Pivarnik and David Tamaki; a go-for-broke rendition of the 'Le Corsaire' pas de deux, with debuts by Mari Sugawa and Albert Davydov, and the sultry 'Tango' of Ali Pourfarrokh.

"'L'Air d'Esprit' is a gem. Created by Gerald Arpino for the Joffrey Ballet in 1978, it pays tribute to a descendent of the sylphide: Russian ballerina Olga Spessivtseva, a famous Giselle of the 20th century. Arpino employs the trappings of Romanticism, dressing his ballerina in the familiar long, tulle skirt, and he sprinkles his choreography with references to 'Giselle.' But for its impact, his ballet depends less on the ballerina's speed and pointe work than on the spectacular lifts, in which her partner carries her overhead or pulls her into a 'flying' pose on his back. 'L'Air d'Esprit' offers a lustrous and athletic showcase for Saule Rachmedova and her partner, Andrei Jouravlev.

"'Papillon,' with an authentic, 19th-century vocabulary, makes a fascinating comparison. Here, too, the ballerina depends on her partner to help her create flying effects. In an assisted jump, she draws up her legs beneath her skirt, and she rests upon her partner's thigh in a diving pose -- modest devices by 20th-century standards. Taglioni was among the first to rise en pointes, and in 'Papillon' the ballerina's contact with her partner is far briefer than the more sustained balances that later generations would require. But how swiftly and lightly New Jersey Ballet's Era Korotaeva skims the stage in a brilliant solo featuring brisés and a fantastic combination of entrechats and sissonnes. The ballerina's partner, sweet-faced Vladimir Roje, suggests an adornment rather than an essential support."

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