Review: Daniil Simkin's INTENSIO Revealed a Personal Side of the Dancer Who Lives to Dance

Daniil Simkin's INTENSIO

January 5, 2016-7:30pm

Joyce Theater, NYC

Photo Credit: Daniil Simkin, photo by Yi-Chun Wu

In the heart of Chelsea, the audience was buzzing moments before the curtain rose for the opening night of Daniil Simkin's INTENSIO. Even though the performance was more than forty blocks from Mr. Simkin's home-based venue uptown, the audience was as packed as when he is waiting the famous curtains to rise at Lincoln Center. We are were able to have American Ballet Theatre's principal male dancer and his guest dancers in part through the generosity of The Joyce Theater Foundation, in association with Sunny Artist Management Inc., Anh-Tuyet Nguyen, Robert Pollock, The Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, Inc., Stephen and Cathy Weinroth Fund for New Work to name a few of the supporters. I was excited to watch and see if there might be a glimpse into another side of Mr. Simkin-the dancer who is his own artistic director.

Nocturne/Etude/Prelude

We were welcomed by the stance of three of ABT's Principals, Mr. Simkin, Isabella Boylston, and James Whiteside, for our first premiere performance. The youthful crème de la crème were showcased in a new light. The title of this piece was also a reflection of the music, played by pianist David Friend, with grace. He appeared to change tempo in order to follow suit with the trio.

I was dazzled by the classical ballet technique from the waist down, while the contemporary side was reflected in a jazz-like arm and head inflections. The two men were bare-chested, showing their sleek and toned physiques. Ms. Boylston was all in white-a Diana and Actaeon reminiscent design. One thing that struck me as an interesting detail was that in most of the movements of the first interlude, it was choreographed for them to dance on the notes played above middle C.

Loved that detail Mr. Jorma Elo, the Finnish-born choreographer!

When Mr. Friend began playing Chopin's Etude Op. 25, No. 1 in A-Flat Major, I was immediately transcended back to the film The Turning Point-the music to which Leslie Browne danced to during the film's credits. In this case, the new ABT generation was performing it in an updated version with the same fluidness. Ms. Boylston looked devoid of expression in much of this ballet. To me, it appeared that parts of it might have been unnatural, even though her finger and arabesque pirouettes were what made up for her lack of stylistic comfort. During the final interlude of this piece, Mr. Simkin consistently drew my focus. The music was fast and also heavy-noted, yet somehow Mr. Simkin made his steps appear light and spritely. Even with the contrast of the music, his face showed such delight and joy that I began smiling as well.

Welcome A Stranger

A dark piece, choreographed by Gregory Dolbashian, welcomed the strange. It was in the unusual partnering movements which dancers Celine Cassone, Blaine Hoven, Alexandre Hammoudi, Calvin Royal III, and Cassandra Trenary maneuvered. When I say that probably each part of their body was used to balance, shove, turn, scoot, flip, or pull off from, I am not exaggerating. Creative nonetheless. The electronic music was overwhelming with the wanton violent movements. Both male and female dancers were performing moves which resembled street fighting. I'm not sure if that was the intention, but I couldn't find a reason why it had to be so extreme. The talented dancers used their facilities to show off their flexibility within these parameters. Subsequently, I would see them perform the lighter side of the program.

Simkin And The City & Simkin And The Stage

These two pieces, which followed each other, were extremely touching in so many ways. First and foremost, we watched a satirical short film, which I had previously seen on social media a while ago, directed and shot by Alexander Ekman and shot and cut by T.M. Rives. From a musical excerpt of Don Quixote, Mr. Simkin regaled NYC passersby dancing on the subway, sliding down a railing, balancing on metal pedestal-in full costume. Hilarious and only he could pull this off!

Thereafter, a trajectory camera with female narrator gave us a history lesson in the creation of classical ballet. Soon after, we were privy to the six-year old Daniil being coached by his mother in their living room. He wore the traditional Soviet dark-navy briefs, white shirt, and white ballet slippers, which I recalled vividly was the outfit worn by young boys of the Vaganova Choreographic Institute in Russia. The spirit of this little boy is still evident. In between childhood videos, he expressed in mime and in his voice-recorded narration-in-a-nut shell "this is me." He can't help to dance his way to transcendence and how this appears to set him free artistically. I am not overly surprised by the following axiom-dance is an extraordinary experience when it is done right. He has a good grip on this.

Island Of Memories

A chorus line row of mirrors hung upstage while Daniil lay sprawled on the floor, rippled lighting surrounding him. When the rest of the ensemble stepped out of the wings and awoke him, I was able to clearly understand the meaning of the title. Each of the seven dancers, those that were in Nocturne/Etude/Prelude and in Welcome a Stranger, were cast, with the exception of Blaine Hoven (understudy). The ballet featured a constant stream of dreamy pas de deuxs, strong male partnering, and the technical strengths which characterized each dancer. They all performed very well as a principal ensemble. One of my favorite female dancers was Celine Cassone, born in France and principal dancer/artistic coordinator of Les Ballets Jazz de Montreal. Her fiery long red hair, partnering skills, and incredible extension were a fantastic addition to the star cast. This was the final ballet of the evening. Near the end of the piece, sweat was glistening from the male dancer's chests. Their intensity was noted. However, it was a little too long for my taste, yet overall enjoyable.

The premiere of INTENSIO was a good start to Daniil Simkin's path of dancing experimental pieces and his artistic vision. With further vetting of what fits into the layout of a ballet program and the preferences of various audiences, it is worth following his other projects outside of the American Ballet Theatre's seasons.