DANCE REVIEW
Training pays off for San Diego Ballet concert

By Jennifer Poyen
DANCE CRITIC

April 27, 1999

Surprise, novelty and diversity were the hallmarks of San Diego Ballet’s spring repertory concert, presented over the weekend at the Lyceum Theatre. The annual rite, this year titled “Different Drummers,” lived up to its promise by demonstrating the troupe’s ability to dance divergent styles with skill and admirable poise.

The early surprise came from an unlikely source: a 19th-century pantomime-ballet called “Paquita,” of which only the final bravura segment survives. The wonder wasn’t in the staging — a bright, faithful version of Marius Petipa’s choreography, by Sonia Arova and Thor Sutowski — but in the dancers’ strong classical technique.

After a year of training with Arova and Sutowski, the dancers have achieved a level of polish that I, for one, have never seen from this troupe. Most readily apparent was the performers’ newfound ease with the classical idiom; rather than appearing stiff and uncomfortable, they seemed disciplined and confident.

Ame van Benschoten moved with radiance and verve in her principal role, tossing off strings of difficult turns with wonderful aplomb. Her lovely legwork, inherent musical sense and joyful presentation exuded poise, even when her technique faltered slightly.

Ilia Kouznetsov offered an assured, generous performance in the lead male role, matching flashy turns with attentive partnering. Above all, he looked relaxed, which gave more feeling to his dancing.

The variations sequence offered a showcase of up-and-coming talent. Alison Briele was lovely and self-possessed, and Melissa Cabrera brought a note of revery to the slow-paced but dynamic third variation. Jamie Kilgore, though, was a little heavy on her feet, and Misty Lewis, a good technician, would benefit from a more musical approach to her steps.

The program’s centerpiece was “Moku,” a quirky new work based on an inventive score by resident composer David Burge, whose son, Russel, performed live with his Cincinnati Percussion Group. The piece began in semi-darkness, with barely visible islands of percussion dotting the stage and the three musicians engaging in an absorbing dialogue. It was evocative of island sounds — the slow, sensual pulse of waves slapping against shores and winds whistling through trees.

The dancers weaved around the stage like spirits, dipping and swaying to the sultry, insistent melodies. The best segment, “Kaiaulu (Tradewind),” featured Gabriel Medina, a soulful performer, and Khristina Kravas, a lovely, intelligent dancer, in a solemn duet imbued with ritualistic feeling and sensual delight.

Javier Velasco’s choreography was absorbing throughout, but he didn’t make enough of the musicians’ presence; the piece would be improved if the dancers’ moves and the musicians’ highly physical performance style blended more meaningfully.

Friday’s program closed with the crowd-pleasing “Opus . . . Swing,” Velasco’s tribute to the big-band era.

The best segment, the rousing finale to Benny Goodman’s classic “Sing, Sing, Sing,” blended all-out style and neoclassical restraint. The dancers attacked the score’s escalating rhythms with impressive energy and finger-snapping, hip-swirling moves that showcased Velasco’s choreographic talent. And Ricardo Peralta’s radiant acrobatics were a joy to behold.

The three-part dance, though, sagged badly in the middle section, a conventional, confectionary ballet that made Glenn Miller’s band seem old-fashioned. Kimberly Palmer was well-paired with Kouznetsov, but the choreography made their dancing seem dull. The opening section, set to music by Duke Ellington, suffered from poor sound quality, but it had an appealing spirit. Medina, a good character dancer, was again a standout in his duet with Kravas, a lovely, multifaceted performer.

Choreographers: Sonia Arova, Thor Sutowski and Javier Velasco. Composer: David Burge. Lighting: Philippe Bergman. Featured dancers: Elizabeth Apgar, Stephanie Aubuchon, Alison Briele, Melissa Cabrera, Jamie Kilgore, Ilia Kouznetsov, Khristina Kravas, Misty Lewis, Gabriel Medina, Kimberly Palmer, Ricardo Peralta and Ame van Benschoten. Musicians: Russel Burge, James Culley and Allen Otte.

Copyright 1999 Union-Tribune Publishing Co.