All stories by Leigh Witchel on BroadwayStars

Monday, May 25, 2015

Lots of steps, but they don't go anywhere by Leigh Witchel

It was old hands on deck Tuesday night when Elisa Monte Dance opened its 30th anniversary season with retired guest dancers performing some of Monte's greatest hits. But even these distingu…

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A decadent night out, with Broadway pizazz by Leigh Witchel

Downtown and Broadway aren�t the most comfortable mix, but Larry Keigwin is a club kid who�s a chorus boy at heart. His new �EXIT,� which opened Tuesday, takes downtownï…

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Saturday, December 20, 2014

Meet the 2 young ballerinas taking over the 'Nutcracker' stage by Leigh Witchel

New York City Ballet's "The Nutcracker" has been a cherished part of the holidays since 1954. But even a tradition can feel brand-new when a group of promising young dancers...

SOURCE: The New York Post at 12:29AM[SHARE]
Monday, December 2, 2013

'The Nutcracker' still a joy by Leigh Witchel

Once upon a time, before there was Black Friday, the holiday season began with "The Nutcracker." Like an old friend, it still visits every year. And though there are versions...

SOURCE: The New York Post at 08:41AM[SHARE]
Saturday, November 30, 2013

At Alvin Ailey, a pas de deux became a heart-to-heart by Leigh Witchel

The dance world's never been short on husband-and-wife partnerships " think New York City Ballet's Patricia McBride and Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux, or Linda Celeste Sims and Glenn Allen Sims, who…

SOURCE: The New York Post at 08:59PM[SHARE]
Friday, November 1, 2013

NYC Ballet's Tiler Peck pirouettes into a new Web series by Leigh Witchel

Tiler Peck wants you to know there's more to being a ballerina than standing on your toes. Which is why you'll find her " discussing dance, romance and more "...

SOURCE: The New York Post at 03:36PM[SHARE]
Friday, October 25, 2013

San Francisco's magical 'Cinderella' comes to Lincoln Center by Leigh Witchel

The belles of the ball in San Francisco Ballet's "Cinderella" are the brilliant designs dreamed up by Julian Crouch (who gave us Broadway's "Big Fish" and "Addams Family") and master...

SOURCE: The New York Post at 10:34PM[SHARE]
Sunday, September 29, 2013

Principals outshine New York City ballet's missteps by Leigh Witchel

The real fun in New York City Ballet's "Just for Fun" Friday night was a Battle of the Ballerinas. The opening two works on the triple bill were shaky, but the final piece on the program …

SOURCE: The New York Post at 06:26PM[SHARE]
Thursday, September 26, 2013

Tango and ballet sparkle at Fall for Dance by Leigh Witchel

Kicking off the 10th anniversary of Fall for Dance, two singular stars shone the brightest. Gabriel Misse and Sara Mearns come from different worlds " tango and ballet " but on Wednesday nig…

SOURCE: The New York Post at 07:52PM[SHARE]
Friday, September 20, 2013

NYC Ballet gala offers a starry extravaganza by Leigh Witchel

New York City Ballet's fall gala Thursday night had a passion for fashion, both on the stage and the red carpet. Three international designers clothed new ballets, while glittery guests " Na…

SOURCE: The New York Post at 07:28PM[SHARE]
Sunday, July 14, 2013

It takes two to 'Tango' by Leigh Witchel

Having Karina Smirnoff and Maksim Chmerkovskiy star in "Forever Tango" is like having Lady Gaga headline a polka party: One doesn't have much to do with the other, but it's guaranteed to sel…

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Friday, June 28, 2013

Dreamy spectacle by Leigh Witchel

Stravinsky meets Cirque du Soleil in "A Dancer's Dream," an intriguing but confusing grab bag of a show, in which the New York Philharmonic, puppeteers, opera singers, dancers and even camer…

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Thursday, June 13, 2013

A familiar twirl and thrill by Leigh Witchel

Was it a spiritual quest or just a fabulous workout? The Ailey company celebrated its first Lincoln Center season in more than a decade Wednesday with "Four Corners," a new work by Ronald K.…

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Thursday, May 30, 2013

Dancing a fine line by Leigh Witchel

Ballet's search for the Next Big Thing can get as frantic as a speed-dating princess. Happily, New York City Ballet's Justin Peck is no frog. The 25-year-old choreographer has done three pie…

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Thursday, May 9, 2013

Gala has queen for ballet by Leigh Witchel

Song and dance aren't always perfect partners. Queen Latifah was the guest of honor at New York City Ballet's spring gala Wednesday, where her singing overshadowed the dancing. The gala not …

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Thursday, May 2, 2013

Lively dance raises the dead by Leigh Witchel

It takes a lot of living to make great art about dying. Stephen Petronio is no longer the hot, young post-modern dancer he was in the late '70s. Now 57, he's something more " a mature artist…

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Sunday, April 28, 2013

Raising the barre by Leigh Witchel

'Ballet is woman," Balanchine famously said, but this spring and summer, the dance world is raining men. One of them is 22-year-old Gentry George, who joined Ailey II last summer. Since then…

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Thursday, April 11, 2013

Harlem troupe is back on its toes by Leigh Witchel

It's been a long voyage home for Dance Theatre of Harlem. The trailblazing company Arthur Mitchell founded in 1969 shut down due to lack of funds nine years ago. Opening Wednesday at Jazz at…

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Friday, April 5, 2013

More Misha, please by Leigh Witchel

Talk about having all the right ingredients: Mark Morris opened his season Wednesday night in his intimate, 150seat theater with live music and a legend" Mikhail Baryshnikov, who joined the …

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Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Starry nights: Two of dance's prima ballerinas take the stage by Leigh Witchel

At American Ballet Theatre, spring means stars. One of the brightest is Muscovite Natalia Osipova, a brash technician overflowing with emotion. Her performance with David Hallberg in "Romeo …

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Friday, March 15, 2013

Reconfigured company has its 'Virtues' by Leigh Witchel

AILEY II " the farm team for the main troupe " is all about the new this year: Artistic director Troy Powell is new, as are seven dancers, and there's enough budding talent here to draw old …

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Thursday, March 7, 2013

Flamenco flashes fiery side at City Center by Leigh Witchel

When you put flamenco in a big theater, you risk turning an intimate art into an Iberian "Riverdance." But maybe that's not always such a bad thing. As part of New York's 12th annual Flamen…

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Thursday, February 21, 2013

'Myth' will Move you by Leigh Witchel

Modern dance legend Martha Graham was upstaged by her imitator Wednesday, when her company's opening program paired two riffs on Greek mythology. There was one by Graham and one by Richard M…

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Thursday, February 14, 2013

From Seattle, with style & sizzle by Leigh Witchel

Is importing an evening of Balanchine's ballets to his home base like bringing beans to Boston? Not when it brings us a dancer who's matured into a full-fledged ballerina. Pacific Northwest …

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Thursday, January 17, 2013

Thrills despite spills by Leigh Witchel

The spills on Tuesday's opening night at New York City Ballet didn't chill the festivities. There was one fall in each of the three pieces that introduced the company's two-week Tschaikovsky…

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Friday, January 11, 2013

Dancers' 'Horse' tales dazzle by Leigh Witchel

As the title suggests, there's more talking than turning in "From the Horse's Mouth." But if you've ever wondered about the lives of male dancers and choreographers, here's your chance to fi…

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Thursday, December 27, 2012

Alvin Ailey brings the funk by Leigh Witchel

Variety is the spice of Ailey. As artistic director Robert Battle winds up his second season, he continues to broaden the repertory " making for programming where the choreography is (almost…

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Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Trock be a lady tonight by Leigh Witchel

Since opening at the Joyce last week, Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo has had a surfeit of swans: white, black and even dying ones. Those birds of a feather were the best of a funny fl…

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Sunday, December 16, 2012

Mumm's the word for fun by Leigh Witchel

How do you keep your act fresh after 40 years? Mummenschanz knows but, as always, nobody's talking. The singular hybrid of mime and puppetry the Swiss-based group created seems awfully low-t…

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Sunday, December 2, 2012

Ailey & company still a revelation by Leigh Witchel

There's more to Alvin Ailey's annual City Center season than "Revelations." Yet there's a reason why it's on so many of the bills: like "The Nutcracker," it's something you should see at lea…

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Wednesday, November 28, 2012

To the 'Untrained' eye, they're all pros by Leigh Witchel

It's a variation on the classic nightmare: finding yourself onstage in a dance recital " but you don't know how to dance. And that's exactly what happens in "Untrained," the cheeky, fun show…

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All that Chat

2025-2026 BROADWAY SEASON
Jun 12, 2025: Call Me Izzy - Studio 54
Sep 16, 2025: Art - Music Box Theatre
Oct 08, 2025: Beetlejuice - Palace Theatre
Nov 13, 2025: Oedipus - Studio 54
Nov 16, 2025: Chess - Imperial Theatre
Mar 23, 2026: Giant - Music Box Theatre
Apr 06, 2026: Becky Shaw - Hayes Theater
Apr 16, 2026: Proof - Booth Theatre
Apr 26, 2026: Drama Desk Cut-Off