I had the pleasure of attending the opening night performance of Pacific Northwest Ballet’s All Lang. The show included 3 pieces by PNB’s in-house choreographer Jessica Lang.
The night started with “Her Door to the Sky” - a number inspired by Georgia O’Keefe’s Patio Door series. Set to Benjamin Britten’s Simple Symphony Opus 4, the work featured a minimalist set - a stark white wall cut with window-like apertures that opened onto an azure blue field. As the curtain rose, a group of dancers emerged draped in watercolor hues, dominated by a terracotta reminiscent of the adobe walls in O’Keefe’s paintings.
The choreography was fluid, seamlessly weaving pas de deux with solos and single-gender ensemble work. As dancers slipped below the stage, reappeared framed in the windows, and climbed through a door-like opening, the set revealed itself as more than a static background - it was a fully integrated element of the choreography.
Principal dancer Elizabeth Murphy shined as the lead, a sort of protagonist embodying the spirit of O’Keefe. Her spins were strong and lines elegant. As the male dancers lifted her from the door and carried her about the stage, she appeared to fly. Murphy is set to retire at the end of the season. While the announcement signals an exciting new chapter in her life, it will certainly be a loss for PNB and the Seattle dance community.
Also notable was the performance of Kuu Sakuragi. With a solo performance of less than two minutes, Kuu Sakuragi stole the show. Though small in stature, he defies gravity with his high-flying jumps. Sakuragi’s rapidfire jump and spin sequence earned him the loudest applause of the night.
Next, the company performed “Ghost Variations.” The piece features the work of pianist Robert Schumann and is based on his descent into madness. While composing the final work of his life, Schumann believed he was visited by spirits of composers who dictated a theme. He was eventually committed to an asylum.
The number was conceptually brilliant - a single piano played an austere melody as principal dancer Lucien Postlewaite stumbled onstage. Behind him, a shadow stretches across a white screen mirroring his movements. Gradually the shadow’s movements begin to deviate. Like Schumann, we are unclear if the shape is merely a projection of the dancer or a spectral presence. Eventually more dancers join on stage and behind the screen, leaving the audience unsure of who or how many people they are watching at any given time.
The highlight of the piece was the pax de deux by Elle Macy and Dylan Wald. Their touch and synchronization conveys a chemistry that you only see in real-life couples (spoiler: they are married).
Regarding the choreography, Ghost Variations is unsettling. And maybe that’s the intended effect. Jerky movements, abrupt pauses, and knee slaps hint at psychological disturbance. It’s hard to know what Schumann would have thought of this homage. End-of-life can be messy and doesn’t speak to the entirety of one’s career and accomplishments. I doubt that Schumann would have wanted to be remembered by this low point.
The show closed with “ZigZag,” a ballet to a medley of recorded songs performed by jazz singer Tony Bennett. The title allegedly came from Bennett’s guiding philosophy: “When they zig, we zag.” The curtain opened to a yellow background with black zigzags running down the center that could easily be mistaken for Charlie Brown’s t-shirt.
The dancers took to the stage in 1950’s-inspired costumes. The men wore fitted white slacks and matching t-shirts, reminiscent of the sailors in On the Town. The women wore dresses with circle skirts, some with bold polka dots and others in bright solids with bandeau tops. Melissa Guilliams stood out as the only woman wearing capri pants (also polka-dot) giving her a greaser aesthetic. All dancers wore soft shoes.
This high-energy piece (performed around 9:30 p.m.) showcased the stamina of the dancers. They skipped, spun, and shimmied with the all energy of a puppy just let out of its cage. I hope they were all able to take long bubble baths post-performance.
PNB is a classical ballet company. We are most reminded of that when the dancers attempt more contemporary pieces like ZigZag. For example, Dylan Wald’s hip thrusts and gyrations came off as unnatural and foreign. Other dancers looked equally strained when trying to shimmy or robot-walk. It caused the kind of tension you’d feel watching middle schoolers bump and grind at their first school dance.
In addition to the stylistic miss, as a love song to New York City (with the exception of “I Left My Heart in San Francisco”), ZigZag felt like a bad fit for the premier ballet ensemble of the Pacific Northwest. The region is rich in history and natural beauty. Surely, PNB’s resident choreographer could create a piece that showcases it.
All Lang offered striking concepts and visual design. But the choreography ultimately felt underwhelming - more forgettable than moving. Given that PNB presents about 6 productions per season, the company would benefit from selecting works that fully engage audiences and more effectively highlight the strengths of its dancers.
Comments