All stories by LEIGH WITCHEL on BroadwayStars

Friday, September 23, 2011

McCartney dance adrift by Leigh Witchel

If you moved "West Side Story" even farther west -- all the way into the Hudson River -- would you end up with Paul McCartney's water ballet, "Ocean's Kingdom"? If only. The much-hyped colla…

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 11:43PM
Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Flamenco unplugged is very electric by Leigh Witchel

Spanish dance whiz Israel Galván believes in flamenco reduced to the basics. There's no gold in his "La Edad de Oro" (The Golden Age). There are also no castanets, no scenery and no ruffled…

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 11:57PM
Monday, September 19, 2011

Beatle's ballet buzz by Leigh Witchel

How do you pack the New York City Ballet's the ater to the gills? Ask Paul McCartney to write a ballet about the sea. The result -- a blockbuster -- is "Ocean's Kingdom," the former Beatl…

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Thursday, September 15, 2011

No singular sensation by Leigh Witchel

If "Riverdance" and "A Chorus Line" had a baby, it would be "Noctu." That's Gaelic for "stripped" or "exposed," and this pint-size dance spectacle promises a peek through the keyhole into…

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Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Crack 'Swan' takes flight by Leigh Witchel

Unlike Natalie Portman's tortured bal lerina, Ashley Bouder has no trouble being the Black Swan. The technical brilliance and sensual attack of the role is inside her, waiting to strike. …

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 10:22PM
Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Too much blood, sweat and tears by Leigh Witchel

If you're going to use fake menstrual blood in a dance, your show had better be good. Suzana Stankovic put herself out there, but her downtown version of "Black Swan" -- a last-minute sub at…

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 11:04PM
Wednesday, August 24, 2011

A poignant Berlin waltz by Leigh Witchel

'The wall is still in our heads." That remark, from a collage of inter views played dur ing Nejla Yatkin's "Wallstories," shows how, after the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, its legacy persists. …

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 11:17PM
Friday, August 19, 2011

It's two hits and a miss from Mark Morris by Leigh Witchel

You know the guy who won't stop telling bad jokes because he thinks they're funny? That would be Mark Morris. His troupe opened its run Thursday at the Mostly Mozart Festival with Morris' ve…

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 10:30PM
Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Brazilian troupe offers its own 'swan' take by Leigh Witchel

'Cisne Negro" is Portuguese for "black swan," but Bra zil's contemporary dance company had the name long before Natalie Portman did the movie. The troupe came to The Joyce this week to pe…

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Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Sashays by the rules by Leigh Witchel

'A really elegant woman never wears black in the morning." This and other tidbits of advice from a 1963 book of fashion tips for women inspired San Francisco's ODC/Dance to warn against livi…

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 10:59PM
Sunday, July 24, 2011

Outdoor dance delights by Leigh Witchel

Sure, it's hot out there -- but the dancing's cool at the Lincoln Center Out of Doors Festival. This summer's edition features three headlining outdoor performances that range from avant-gar…

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 11:01PM
Thursday, July 14, 2011

Dancers tie choreography to screen play by Leigh Witchel

Pilobolus and the band OK Go are a per fect match -- they both thrive on gimmicks. For its new season at the Joyce, the inventive physical troupe teamed with the YouTube faves -- they're …

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 10:16PM
Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Dancers a Russian blessing by Leigh Witchel

We're getting Russian lessons this week. From St. Pe tersburg, the famed Mariinsky Ballet -- which in the Soviet era went by the Kirov Ballet, the name it still uses on tour -- is schooling …

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 11:34PM
Wednesday, July 6, 2011

'Sleeping' doesn't rest well by Leigh Witchel

It's not pretty to be stuck with the wrong role in "The Sleeping Beauty." On opening night Tuesday of American Ballet Theatre's season closer, the lead role of Princess Aurora went to the s…

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 11:39PM
Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Lack of chemistry in less than great 'Lake' by Leigh Witchel

'Swan Lake" is one of ballet's great tearjerk ers; bring a hanky -- or two -- for the ending. But at American Ballet Theatre's opening night on Monday, the unemotional performances meant the…

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 12:04AM
Friday, June 24, 2011

Catch them if you can by Leigh Witchel

THE dancing in Pavel Zustiak's "Amidst" isn't that memorable -- but the experience certainly is. Part dance and part installation, the work plunges you into a disorienting world, much lik…

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 10:55PM
Wednesday, June 22, 2011

It's not all gourd-geous by Leigh Witchel

She gets her prince at the end, but Ameri can Ballet Theatre's "Cinderella" isn't very charming. James Kudelka's version, which ABT's danced since 2006, seemed heavy on satire at Tuesday'…

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 11:49PM
Friday, June 17, 2011

Breezy comedy with thighs and doll by Leigh Witchel

THERE'S a mini-Russian spring happen ing at American Ballet Theatre, some of it by accident -- literally. Bolshoi Ballet sensation Ivan Vasiliev wasn't supposed to dance with the company,…

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 09:54PM
Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Troupe treats classics like the Dane of its existence by Leigh Witchel

Like a lady with a big, gorgeous nose, there's no point resenting what makes you special. The Royal Danish Ballet, in New York for the first time in more than 20 years, has that hang-up. …

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 11:33PM
Friday, June 10, 2011

Embracing humans, flaws & all by Leigh Witchel

AMERICAN Ballet Theatre's latest full- length ballet is set on a Soviet collec tive farm in the 1930s, but the subject is straight from yesterday's headlines. Alexei Ratmansky's warm, funny …

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 11:05PM
Thursday, June 9, 2011

Cuban time capsule by Leigh Witchel

Watching the Bal let Nacional de Cuba is a fascinat ing, strange expe rience, like being in rickety time machine that needs a whack to get started. On opening night Wednesday, some things fe…

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 10:48PM
Friday, June 3, 2011

Modern dance more like a workout by Leigh Witchel

TO find out just who's upcoming down town, try the Gotham Dance Festival. Through June 12, four downtown companies are presenting shows in rotation -- with three other emerging choreographer…

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 10:05PM

'Jewels' is a gem by Leigh Witchel

DIAMONDS may be a girl's best friend, but Balanchine makes them compete with emeralds and rubies. Each of the three plotless dances in his scintillating trilogy "Jewels" is costumed and name…

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 10:03PM
Tuesday, May 31, 2011

A tale as eternal as love itself by Leigh Witchel

'GISELLE" is Ameri can Ballet The atre's best, most moving classical production be cause it doesn't fix what's not broken. This tale of betrayal, forgiveness and redemption is more than 150 …

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 12:50AM
Thursday, May 26, 2011

No pointe to B'way ballet by Leigh Witchel

New York City Ballet has a triple threat of musical com edy running through Sunday -- ballets by George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins and Susan Stroman, all of which celebrate the Great White W…

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 11:36PM
Wednesday, May 25, 2011

ABT takes new dances out for a spin by Leigh Witchel

American Ballet Theatre took the plunge with three new ballets Tuesday night by three big names: Christopher Wheeldon, Alexie Ratmansky and Benjamin Millepied. The last drew Millepied’s ve…

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 11:15PM
Monday, May 23, 2011

Promising season has a fresh slate of grace by Leigh Witchel

Fresh casting at New York City Ballet made three classics seem born yesterday. Pale, ghostly Janie Taylor, who made her debut over the weekend in George Balanchine's "La Sonnambula," is such…

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 12:35AM
Wednesday, May 18, 2011

ABT offers twirl-wind preview by Leigh Witchel

American Ballet The atre's glitzy opening- night gala Monday had royalty -- rock-star royalty, that is, with Prince in attendance. Echoing his sequined glamour, the gown crowd was out in for…

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 12:51AM
Thursday, May 12, 2011

'Sins,' absolved of conflict, plays it too safe by Leigh Witchel

A Marxist parable performed at a black- tie event: Bertolt Brecht would ap prove of the irony. New York City Ballet's spring gala Wednesday night featured a new production of "The Seven Dead…

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 10:55PM

From Cuba, modern chaos by Leigh Witchel

It may not be revolutionary, but Cuba's modern dance company is keeping up with the times. More than half a cen tury old, the Danza Contemporanea de Cuba is making its first visit to the US.…

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 12:55AM
Wednesday, May 4, 2011

'B&W' not consistently colorful by Leigh Witchel

The best thing about New York City Ballet's spring opener Tuesday night was that the dancers were onstage at all. Late the night before, they finally wrapped up their contentious labor negot…

SOURCE: The New York Post Subscription at 10:59PM

All that Chat

2024-2025 BROADWAY SEASON
Jun 05, 2024: Home - Todd Haimes Theatre
Jul 30, 2024: Job - Hayes Theater
Sep 12, 2024: The Roommate - Booth Theatre
Nov 14, 2024: Tammy Faye - Palace Theatre
Nov 17, 2024: Elf - Marquis Theatre
Dec 12, 2024: Cult of Love - Hayes Theater
Dec 19, 2024: Gypsy - Majestic Theatre
Mar 17, 2025: Purpose - Hayes Theater
Apr 10, 2025: Smash - Imperial Theatre