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I haven’t come up with anything terribly interesting to say about The Nutcracker or Revelations, despite hinting at forthcoming commentary the last time I wrote. With respect to Revelations (the Alvin Ailey classic), if you’ve never seen it, now’s the time; it closes out almost every program in the company’s winter season, which continues at City Center through Dec. 31. If you’re not in NYC or otherwise can’t make it, check out this free recording of a 2015 performance. (Rewind a bit, and you’ll find what might be my all-time favorite work for the Ailey company, Ronald K. Brown’s Grace.)
In other Ailey news, there are two more chances this season to catch Kyle Abraham’s ultra-feel-good Are You In Your Feelings?, which premiered last year. A journey through relationship highs and lows and in-betweens, it shows off Abraham’s skill — not to be underestimated — at assembling an irresistible playlist that gives rise to deeply felt dancing. This one includes Erykah Badu, Jazmine Sullivan, Kendrick Lamar, and more.
Over at Lincoln Center, India Bradley made history last week as the first Black woman in New York City Ballet’s long lineage to dance the role of Dewdrop in George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker. She’ll dance it again at the Dec. 23 and 26 matinees.
Looking ahead
I’m in denial that it’s almost January, a whirlwind time of year for NYC dance and theater, thanks to the performing arts presenters conference known as APAP and the swirl of events surrounding it. In place of the next biweekly Danceletter Picks, I’ll be sending out my second annual “Top 10 Shows I Didn’t See This Year” (possibly accompanied by some highlights I did see). So, I thought I’d take this relatively mellow moment to look ahead to the January rush — and start getting my own calendar in order. I’m still sifting through schedules, but here’s what has piqued my interest so far:
American Dance Platform at the Joyce Theater. Jan. 9-14. Jazz scholar extraordinaire Melanie George, a Jacob’s Pillow associate curator, has dreamed up the 8th edition of this Joyce showcase, taking a percussion-forward approach that puts Black American dance traditions in the spotlight. There are three programs: “Jazz at the Joyce” (Dormeshia Tap Collective, Michelle N. Gibson, and Josette Wiggan Presents); the tap-flamenco-kathak trio Soles of Duende (Amanda Castro, Arielle Rosales, and Brinda Guha); and, in a rare NYC appearance, Dallas Black Dance Theatre. The ideal scenario here is to see all three, and experience George’s thoughtful curatorial vision in full.
Live Artery at New York Live Arts (some performances off-site). Jan. 9-20. While once-bustling experimental festivals like American Realness and Coil have vanished, Live Artery has expanded as a champion of outside-the-box work. This year’s lineup includes 18 events over 12 days featuring 26 lead artists. So, where to begin? I would start with the return of Faye Driscoll’s apocalyptic Weathering (Jan. 9-13), a totally bracing experience that will most likely sell out, so get your tickets now. Also, though I know little about it, a trusted source has pointed me toward Deepe Darknesse by Lisa Fagan and Lena Engelstein (Jan. 12-15 at the Collapsable Hole). I hope to be there, and at the Jan. 14 studio showing of the ever-inspiring Jasmine Hearn, and at Molly Lieber and Eleanor Smith’s Zero Station on Jan. 13. May the scheduling gods be with me.
Out-FRONT! Festival at the LGBT Community Center and Abrons Arts Center. Jan. 10-20. This festival of LGBTQ and feminist voices, organized by the Pioneers Go East Collective, returns for a second year with an embarrassment of riches, now shared between venues in Greenwich Village and the Lower East Side. (I covered the inaugural edition in this critic’s notebook.) The offerings include vogue artist Jason Anthony Rodriguez’s introspective exploration of queerness; a series of nude solo dance works from Bronx-based Arthur Aviles and Collaborators; Paz Tanjuaquio’s Silweta, based on silhouette images of traditional dance forms of the Philippines; and so much more. Click on the individual venue links above for the full schedule at each.
Watch from anywhere
Dancing at Dusk, streaming through Jan. 5 via Sadler’s Wells. I had the thrill of seeing Pina Bausch’s The Rite of Spring at the Park Avenue Armory recently, performed by a special cast of 36 dancers from 14 African countries. If you didn’t see it (or even if you did), this film version from 2020, set on the beach in Toubab Dialaw, Senegal, is the best alternative you could ask for. I shared it with a family member across the country, who responded with this glowing endorsement: “That film version was absolutely fantastic. I am so blown away… It completely transported me back to seeing it at BAM so many years ago and I’m so glad you shared this with me. It’s totally gorgeous.”
The gift of Danceletter :)
Looking for a non-material gift for a dance-lover in your life? Consider a Danceletter subscription! To give a gift subscription, go to danceletter.substack.com/gift. Through Jan. 1, I’m giving 18% of all subscription income to Doctors Without Borders, so now is a great time to share this newsletter with anyone you think might enjoy it.