For all you dance enthusiasts (and, especially balletomanes) the recent performance dates of the San Diego Ballet Company’s production of ROMEO & JULIET were all-toobrief …and, if you were absent on the Valentine weekend, you missed-out on one of the classiest full-length ballets, co-directors Javier Velasco and Robin Morgan have mounted to date! The cleared-stage of the Lyceum Theatre, was a perfect space for the sensitive and dramatic lighting of Philippe Bergman and effective costuming by Marcia Averett and Sandra Mangusing. This ROMEO & JULIET, choreographed by Javier Velasco shows his restraint and dignity of movement in the ensemble passages, leaving the ‘passion’ to his ROMEO Pat Udvarhelyi, and technique ‘brilliance’ to his JULIET Chelsy Meiss.

In addition to the aforementioned tastefully staged six Renaissance Figures, ROMEO’s buddy MERCUTIO is strongly danced by Trystan Loucado…who has good jumps-elevation, but could use a bit more control on his recoveries. Rachel Sebastian (as LADY CAPULET) commands the stage with considerable flair, as does Askar Kettebekov (as PARIS) and Julio Catano (as a boyish-looking FRIAR).

There is probably no more20lush and gorgeous score in the ballet repertoire than Sergei Prokofiev’s ROMEO & JULIET music…the arrow of romance cuts deeply to the heart….however, in the final analysis, it is all about Romeo & Juliet. On loan and courtesy of the National Ballet of Canada, Chelsy Meiss brings a ‘maturity’ to JULIET, not often seen, and Velasco has given her a wide birth of space, that allows us all to appreciate her long and beautiful extensions, and seamless grace from movement-to-movement. Together, with the finest-looking ROMEO (in white tights) Pal Udarhelyi is the solid backbone to their love story, and supports the lovely adagio choreography and lifts, with his own grace and style….not to ignore Pal’s own shirtless duet with JULIET ….stunning!

Director Velasco’s touch of dressing the stage with several statuesque and motionless dancers (holding the draped curtains of time), gave the lost lovers a sense of being with others … sans, a stage full of distractions. The audience was enraptured with these two dancers…Pal Udvarhelyi and Chelsy Meiss! Accolades-aplenty must go to both Robin and Javier, as well as the San Diego Ballet Company members for a true balletic touch of class! For further information on future San Diego Ballet adventures, call (619) 294-7374, or go online at www.sandiegoballet.org, or visit the San Diego Ballet at their new home at DANCE PLACE San Diego at the NTC Promenade in Point Loma.