1/31/2023
Performances and Artists
With these vastly different pieces, all audiences will find something to like, promises Artistic Director Roy Kaiser.
“It’s a broad range of musical influences, and a broad range of choreographic styles,” Kaiser says. “I’m really proud of the dancers of NBT, that they can go from one dance to another in the course of an evening, and perform it at a very high quality.”
Showcasing Dancers’ Prowess
NBT dancers will prove their athleticism performing “Blue Until June,” a spirited, contemporary work by leading choreographer Trey McIntyre.
Set to the sultry songs of music legend Etta James, the work features acrobatic movements to express the exploration of love and heartache.
“It’s very contemporary in its style, and it’s very physical,” says Kaiser, adding that NBT has worked with the globally acclaimed McIntyre before, in premiering his new works. “No two works (by McIntyre) are alike. He brings something fresh to everything he does.”
Whatever physical wizardry such contemporary works require, Kaiser feels confident NBT dancers can master it.
“I’m starting to call the dancers in the company athletic artists, because they need to have a dynamic physicality to do what they do,” he says.
A Work Never Seen Before
Southern Nevadans will also become the first to see the world premiere of an expressive, new piece by highly sought-after choreographer Sidra Bell.
Kaiser relishes performing all-new works, which he considers “important to keep the artform relevant,” he says.
“This is a young choreographer working in 2023, with a very rich background, and what’s happening today in the world is informing her work,” he explains.
With the new piece set to the robust tunes of jazz saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins, Bell says the dance aims to help viewers reconnect with the tenderness and imperfection of human relationships.
“The dance is the negotiation of bodies moving together in moments of sensuality, support and risk,” she says.
Honoring the Balanchine Legacy
NBT will also reach back in time to perform the vigorous “Allegro Brillante” by one of history’s most celebrated choreographers, George Balanchine, who remains famous for reinvigorating ballet in America.
Even though this fast-paced dance hails from the 1950s, “it’s still alive and vibrant and relevant today,” Kaiser assures.
Joyful and romantic, “Allegro Brillante” stands as a defining work because Balanchine strived to concentrate a wide range of choreographic movement in a restricted time. Fitting to the heritage of his native Russia, Balanchine set the piece to Russian composer Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 3.
“(The dance) is just interesting, highly athletic movement,” Kaiser says of the piece. “And you don’t need to know anything about ballet to enjoy it.”