How many contemporary ballets really put across a love story? Benjamin Millepied’s new Two Hearts for NYCB is not exactly a love story. But there is romance in it, both happy and sad aspects, and it pulls at your heart. That’s partly because of Nico Muhly’s magical music and partly because the two main dancers […]
Gorgeously dark and ominous, Quasi Una Fantasia moves along like some viscous liquid. It’s both a relief and a triumph to see a piece by New York City Ballet that is not sunny or courteous or ingratiating in any way. The mood is as consistent as a dream. The partnering is complex but not […]
Benjamin Millepied Danses Concertantes The Joyce, NYC December 9–14, 2008 Reviewed by Susan Yung Photo by Yaniv Schulman. Isabella Boylston and Cory Stearns in Millepied’s Without. Benjamin Millepied’s choreography has made interesting strides since his company was last at The Joyce in 2006. His ensemble, called Danses Concertantes, consists of excellent dancers mostly from ABT, […]
In the end, the revolution Benjamin Millepied sought to bring to the Paris Opéra Ballet didn’t last long. In February, less than a year and a half after he took over as artistic director, the Frenchman announced that he was resigning to devote his time to choreography. This summer, he will be replaced by former […]
Some major moves are being made over in Europe this week. First, we’ve learned that Belgian choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui will be taking over Royal Ballet of Flanders. He’s one of contemporary dance’s “It” choreographers right now, collaborating with everyone from Akram Khan to Shaolin monks. Some think his appointment might be something of […]
It’s official: Benjamin Millepied is the new designated director of the Paris Opéra Ballet. Millepied will begin his post in fall 2014, when current director Brigitte Lefèvre retires. It’s a puzzling appointment. He’s clearly a celebrity, bolstered by his marriage to Natalie Portman. He has organized various pick-up troupes in the past—Danses Concertantes, Benjamin Millepied and […]
Whatever is said about Benjamin Millepied’s new L.A. Dance Project, his talent as impresario has been the main surprise. In addition to his own latest collaboration with Nico Muhly, his program at Peak Performances in Montclair, NJ, included William Forsythe’s fabulous Quintett (1993) and the startling Winterbranch (1964) by Merce Cunningham. It’s this last that […]
New York City Ballet // Benjamin Millepied’s Plainspoken // David H. Koch Theater, NYC // February 19, 2011 // Reviewed by Joseph Carman Amar Ramasar, Sterling Hyltin, and Tyler Angle in Plainspoken. Photo by Paul Kolnik. Courtesy NYCB. Benjamin Millepied seems to approach choreographing new ballets as if he were solving math problems. How […]
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