Dance review: Bolshoi 'Reflections' at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts

Like the first “Kings of Dance”  program in 2006, “Reflections” offers an evening of premieres at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, created by choreographers from Europe and the U.S. for stellar, adventurous classical dancers -- in this case, seven Russian ballerinas trained at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy.

On Thursday, the evening began promisingly with glimpses of the magical, long-limbed lyricism of Polina Semionova, now with the Staatsballett Berlin. But, nearly three hours later, we'd been shown nothing more in her art, nothing deeper than that display of her obvious spectacular virtues---and three choreographers had tried.

Similarly, the extraordinary dynamism of the Bolshoi Ballet's Natalia Osipova was demonstrated repeatedly but superficially, and the showpieces for the other women proved no more satisfying. Worse, most of these tailor-made choreographies resembled workshop etudes, far too small in scale for this hall and far from the cutting edge of contemporary work anywhere these women currently dance.

 The Bolshoi Ballet visitors seemed especially underserved. Aszure Barton's “Dumka” (to Tchaikovsky) assigned willowy, intense Yekaterina Shipulina an indecipherable action-plan. Lucinda Childs' “From the Book of Harmony” failed to harness the powerful engine of John Adams' music and left Anastasia Stashkevich looking ill at ease. Karole Armitage's “Fractus” (music by Rhys Chatham) used blackouts to splinter an assaultive duet for Yekaterina Krysanova and Denis Savin, but this bold structural experiment ended inconclusively.

  Maria Kochetkova (San Francisco Ballet) fared better with Jorma Elo's “One Overture” (to music by Biber and Mozart) in which classical steps kept disintegrating into modernistic spasms and body-squiggles without disturbing the remarkable sense of flow that is a hallmark of Russian classical training. And Olga Malinovskaya (Estonia National Ballet) made the most of surely the strangest repertory selection: George Balanchine's sweet, neoclassical Glinka Pas de Trois (with Stashkevich and Vyacheslav Lopatin). Whatever its stylistic incongruity Thursday,  this formal 1955 divertissement filled the stage with dancing: a blessed relief after so many constricted premieres.

Not exactly new, Nacho Duato's “Remansos” (to Granados) took a familiar male trio and added a prologue for three couples that lacked the combination of whimsy and mystery of the original work but provided a showcase for the technical refinement of Semionova, Savin, Osipova, Lopatin, Shipulina and Alexander Volchkov.

Finally, at the end of the evening, Mauro Bigonzetti's “Cinque” (to Vivaldi) enlisted Kochetkova, Osipova, Krysanova, Semionova and Shipulina in a series of gambits involving chairs, wigs, hanging tutus and overlapping solos that might have seemed delightful if only the feeling of been-there, done-that had not tainted the performance by that time.

This partnership between the Bolshoi Ballet and the Segerstrom Center may be big news institutionally, but Diana Vishneva's "Beauty in Motion" program on this same stage in 2008 showed how choreographers can create showpieces for a ballerina that take her and themselves into new creative territory -- exactly what was missing in “Reflections.” And San Francisco Ballet's multi-program New Works Festival the same year made the act of creation the biggest news of all.

The renewal of the classical repertory ought to be a priority for every company, but an ill-assorted, overlong patchwork of novelties serves neither the art nor the artists.

Three pieces used recorded accompaniment, but otherwise two pianists, a singer and members of the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra lent their artistry to “Reflections.” Besides those ballets previously listed, Renato Zanella's “Strauss Incontra Verdi” (for Semionova) and Bigonzetti's “Serenata” (for Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev) completed the program. The production moves to Moscow, running Jan. 27-30.

RELATED

Karole Armitage shows her dance moves from ballet to Broadway

'Reflections': A showcase for Russian ballerinas

Lucinda Childs among choreographers for OCPAC-Bolshoi partnership

Bolshoi-trained beauties bolster ballet in Orange County

-- Lewis Segal

“Reflections,” Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. 7:30 p.m. Friday,  Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. 3 hours. Casting may vary.  $20-$126. (714) 556-2787.

(Formerly The Times' staff dance critic, Segal is a freelance arts writer based in Hollywood and Barcelona.)

Photos: Yekaterina Shipulina in "Dumka" and the ballerinas in "Cinque" (from left, Maria Kochetkova, Natalia Osipova, Polina Semionova, Yekaterina Krysanova and  Yekaterina Shipulina) during "Reflections" Thursday night at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Credit: Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times.

Comments

[JM]

It is too bad Mr. Segal did not enjoy the program. The Friday night audience certainly did have a good time.

[Bill Brand]

Thoroughly enjoyed this show last night. Highly recommend it to anyone. It was a beautiful display of artistry and athleticism. I'm not an expert and have no knowledge, history or context of the dancers, music or choreographers, but was awed by it all.
The above review feels jaded and overly negative. I want to go again before it leaves.

[E_rex]

I watched the Friday night performance and was very impressed. I agree that some of the short experimental works in Act Two lacked a sense of direction and failed to live up to the dancers' incredible talents. But "Remansos" in Act One was beautiful and fresh and fit the dancers, and I loved "Cinque" (Act Three), Bigonzetti's piece. It really showcased the incredible talents and artistry of these five amazing women, in a fresh and surprising way that drew from classical ballet but with a modern take. This piece was delightful.

[Wanda Turner]

I felt sad reading the review by Lewis Segal. He clearly did not want to be there. Maybe the monster truck shows are where he needs to go. I was at Opening night of "Reflections" staring the breath taking Bolshoi Dancers and I truly LOVED it. I would love to go again if I get the time. I highly recommend this performance. I loved the simplicity of the piano in the first act. I was mesmerized by the beauty and strength of the dancers. The creativity of each of the dances were fresh and totally cool. To the Dancers, I thank you all, for all the hours you train, For all the years of classes you took, and for your drive and determination to be the finely tuned instrument of dance. Thank YOU... I Loved your Performance! Sincerely Wanda Turner Riverside, Ca

[Larissa]

Very little about the dancer...? They are the cream of the crop. I am sure they deserve some positive commentary.

[Sadie Weinberg]

Unfortunately I agree with Segal's review. The performance highlighted a glaring blindspot in training at the Bolshoi. The ballerinas were lovely, but lack a sense of contact with the floor, subtlety, and directing movement from their center body. Classical ballet training is about virtuosity and precision.... contemporary dance training is something very different. In defense of the choreographers they had very little time to work with these ballerinas. They were expected to teach the dancers an entirely new movement vocabulary in 3 weeks....umm, not possible. (I was actually relieved to see Balanchine's piece...that was 'home' for the dancers.)
I'm glad that a new chapter has been opened at the Bolshoi with Nacho Duato's new appointment there. The Bolshoi dancers were not quite prepared to take on his Remanasos, struggling to grasp the eccentricities off the work, but hopefully with Duato's help they will get there....
Hats off to OPAC/Segerstrom Hall and the projects underwriters for beginning this new conversation

[Jane Oketon]

In reply to the post by Ms. Weinberg, Nacho Duato has no appointment at the Bolshoi. He has been appointed artistic director of the Mikhailovsky Ballet in St. Petersburg. I agree with Segal--the choreography did not showcase the dancers. I found it quite repetitive- unmusical-and ultimately boring. With the exception of the Balanchine pas de trois and the 'gymnastic duet" between Osipova and Vasiliev (which would have been ridiculous if performed by dancers who lack their dramatic intensity), I was most disappointed in the program. There are some good choreographers working today--like Yuri Possokhov with SFB--too bad they were not invited to participate.