Hannah Fischer and the dancers of Miami City Ballet (MCB), with Cameron Catazaro in the center, and musician Emily Estefan in Patricia Delgado's "Push the Buttons of the Civilized." (Photo by REN Media, courtesy of MCB).
What was so energizing about Miami City Ballet's season opener, "American Rhythms," was its ability to present such a varied evening of repertoire, moving between three distinctly different choreographic worlds. It demonstrated MCB's ability to shift from the refined traditions of classical ballet to contemporary jazz and, finally, to the world premiere of a new modern work deeply connected to Miami's Latin heritage.
The program opened with George Balanchine's "Allegro Brillante," a beautiful expression of classical ballet at its most elegant and technically demanding. Set to Tchaikovsky's music, the 1956 work showcases the speed, precision and musicality that define Balanchine's neoclassical style. With eight dancers forming the corps de ballet and two soloists, the piece offered the chance to see a stellar ensemble and be entranced by individual artistry.
The choice of the ballet was a nod to nostalgia but also to the newest artistic director, Gonzalo Garcia, only the third artistic director in the company's history. This is the first fully programmed season by Garcia. Allegro Brillante" was part of Miami City Ballet's very first performance program when the company debuted on Oct. 17, 1986.
Stanislav Olshanskyi and the corps in George Balanchine's "Allegro Brillante." (Photo by REN Media, courtesy of MCB).
Dawn Atkins was exquisite in the lead role with her seemingly effortless command of en pointe. Her partner, Stanislav Olshanskyi, tall and powerfully built, provided a striking presence, combining strength with the elegance and control the choreography demands. Together, they anchored the work while the corps de ballet moved with remarkable precision around them. It was a flawless opening and a reminder of the Balanchine legacy that is so central to Miami City Ballet.
A dramatic mood change came with the energetic large ensemble piece, Jerome Robbins' "N.Y. Export: Opus Jazz." Often called "ballet in sneakers" and created in 1958, it has a streetwise attitude that is accentuated with rhythmic movement. The work has many of the hallmarks Robbins would capture in "West Side Story." This was a company premiere for MCB and the contrast with Balanchine's opening work was effective. Allegro Brillante" celebrated the beauty and rigor of classical technique, while Robbins' work is more of a grounded, contemporary movement.
Zac Posen, designing for GapStudio, took the "ballet in sneakers" idea a step further. Posen created costumes using Gap clothing that gave each dancer an individual identity in long jeans, jean shorts, T-shirts, casual silhouettes and sneakers. Rather than presenting the dancers as a uniform group, the individual looks helped establish distinct personalities, adding another dimension to Robbins' vision.
Dancer Cameron Catazaro and musician Emily Estefan, shown in background, in “Push the Buttons of the Civilized” by Patricia Delgado. (Photo by REN Media, courtesy of MCB).
The footwear also made a difference as the dancers used the whole foot and made steps that pressed into the floor, which is a shift from the lightness expected from ballet.
The evening's final work, Patricia Delgado's world premiere, "Push the Buttons of the Civilized," introduced yet another energy and story, one rooted in family, heritage and cultural identity. Delgado, a former Miami City Ballet principal dancer, collaborated with fellow Miami native Emily Estefan, who composed and performed the music live. Both artists have spoken about the collaboration and about drawing inspiration from their Latina roots.
The pair were brought together as they were working on Emily and Gloria Estefan's new Broadway bound musical "Basura."
The ballet begins with the voice of Estefan's grandmother singing, a particularly touching introduction that immediately establishes the importance of family and generations. The title itself comes from a phrase in the chorus of Estefan's song "Whatever You Want," from her 2017 debut album, "Take Whatever You Want."
Delgado's choreography, like her Tony Award winning work in "Buena Vista Social Club," has the dancers using expressive physicality. And the sense of movement makes them move in a way that responds to the rhythms in ways that feel connected to Latin musical traditions.
Zac Posen designed the costumes for Miami City Ballet dancers in Jerome Robbins' "NY Export; Opus Jazz." (Photo by REN Media, courtesy of MCB).
The opening sequence suggests a family relationship, with a man and woman together before another female figure enters and appears to draw the man away. The relationships and shifting dynamics are not always immediately clear, but the choreography suggests the complexities of family connections and the tensions between generations.
Cameron Catazaro and Hannah Fischer, dancing the leading roles, were the perfect pair bringing the right bit of emotion to their performances. Their expressive movement and ability to convey feeling through gesture and physical connection gave the work a human dimension.
Estefan's live presence added another layer to the production. At different moments she moved between singing and playing electric guitar and taking up a pair of large drums. Her versatility was impressive, and watching her play percussion inevitably brought to mind the musical background of her father, Emilio Estefan, whose early career included playing drums and percussion with the Miami Latin Boys and Miami Sound Machine. This was another tip of the hat to the Latin musical heritage that was conveyed in the music and the dance. The dancers seemed to symbolize older and younger generations with everything flowing from one generation to the other.
Dawn Atkins and Stanislav Olshanskyi in Miami City Ballet's George Balanchine's "Allegro Brillante." (Photo by REN Media, courtesy of MCB).
The live music created an interesting relationship with the orchestra, under the direction of guest conductor Laura Joella, as the musicians, led by Joella, responded with gusto to the contemporary score.
Some of the staging choices were not as successful. The lighting on the dancers was low, and Estefan, positioned upstage in a muted spotlight, sometimes competed visually with the dancers.
Her movement between singing and playing instruments was interesting to watch, but her presence occasionally drew attention away from the choreography. The music was integral to the work, but a better balance between the musical performance and the dancers might have allowed Delgado's choreography to command more of the audience's attention.
Still, the ambition of the collaboration was an amazing feat, and this will, no doubt, be the only time this is performed.
What made "American Rhythms" such a satisfying evening was the way these three works spoke to one another without resembling one another. Balanchine offered the timeless elegance and discipline of classical ballet; Robbins brought an energy of American jazz and urban culture; and Delgado and Estefan introduced a contemporary collaboration infused with the rhythms and experiences of a shared heritage.
Garcia showed already that he can honor MCB's classical foundations while taking the company in a direction that embraces new voices, new influences and the creative spirit of Miami.
UP NEXT
- What: Miami City Ballet’s “George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker”
- When: Dec. 11-27
- Where: Ziff Ballet Opera House, Adrienne Arsht Center, 1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami
- Tickets: $40.95-$345.15, including fees
- Running time: Two hours, including one 20-minute intermission. Recommended for ages 4 and older.
