Critics Praise NJB Dancers for Jazz and Americana Ballets

February and March showed that New Jersey Ballet dancers are as talented at performing jazz and Americana ballets as they are doing classical works.

Robert Johnson, dance critic for The Star-Ledger, attended the company’s “All American  Evening” on March 3 at Raritan Valley Community College.  Here are excerpts from his review. 

“The show opened confidently with Edward Villella's sleek, neo-classical ‘Prelude, Fugue and Riffs.’ Set on three couples, to a score by Leonard Bernstein, it recalls a time when the choreographer's late mentor, George Balanchine, created a new language out of the fusion of European classicism and American jazz. Danced elegantly and with aplomb, ‘Prelude, Fugue and Riffs’ appeals to the public yet commands respect with its cool, formal designs often arranged on a diagonal, its surprising, acrobatic splits and its subtle interplay between music and dancing.

“New Jersey Ballet has a history with ‘Rodeo,’ arguably the most successful of the Americana ballets created in the last century. De Mille herself oversaw New Jersey Ballet's original production of the work, in 1987; and the troupe scored an unforgettable triumph, when it presented ‘Rodeo’ on tour in Moscow.

“The company has a cast well suited to revive the ballet. Gabriella Noa-Pierson is a musical, dynamic and expressive performer, a terrific comedienne ironically adept as the Cowgirl who wants to ride with the menfolk but can't control her mount, stymieing her romantic hopes in the process. Andrei Jouravlev acts rugged yet suave as the Head Wrangler; while David Tamaki has more tap-dance chops than most of those who play the endearing and imaginative Champion Roper...”

The previous week, Karyn D. Collins, dance writer for the Asbury Park Press, reviewed the company’s “Jazz on Pointe” evening on February 24 at the Community Theatre.    Here are highlights from her review.

“There were two gems.  Ginger Thatcher’s wonderfully bluesy ‘Saturday Night’ smoldered in just the right way, thanks to scintillating performances by Andres Neira and Michele de Fremery. 

“And Timour Bourtasenkov’s ‘Rag House’ was a perfect blend of cheeky charm, humor and style, especially in the hands of the droll comedian Violeta Angelova.”

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