Fall for Dance Festival showcases diverse genres of performance

Students may relieve their pre-midterm anxieties this autumn by watching a dynamic group of dance performances.

Tuesday marked the opening night of the much-anticipated 2010 Fall for Dance Festival. The annual festival, which takes place at New York City Center, features 10 days of performances by 20 dance companies from around the world, ranging in genre from classical ballet and modern to downtown contemporary and hip-hop to Indian and flamenco. Students may want to go simply because of the cheap ticket price for a world-class dance performance—$10.

Each night, the festival offers a program of four pieces, each of which features a different dance company. The program changes every two nights. Because the performances are so varied, viewers are guaranteed to see different styles of dance regardless of when they choose to go.

Before going to the festival, however, viewers should remember that companies often present work not typically associated with their repertoire—for instance, the Miami City Ballet presented a work by post-modern choreographer Twyla Tharp that resembled an aerobics routine more than the classical Balanchine ballet for which the company is most known.

The goal of the festival seems to be to provide people with as much exposure to dance as possible, since each evening is packed with companies and does not allow the audience to get a true feel for any single one of them. But even if viewers decide they don’t like the company they’re watching, the comfort of a completely new performance coming up will keep them energized.

One highlight of this year’s festival was a performance by the Merce Cunningham Dance Company, which opened the festival Tuesday and Wednesday night with the piece “Xover.” This performance marked the New York premiere of “Xover,” and following the death of its artistic director, the Cunningham Company will disband late next year following a final tour. Audiences were fortunate enough to see the last of the dancers trained by Cunningham himself, and the company’s performance in front of such large audiences will hopefully keep Cunningham’s work and legacy alive.

Another highlight will take place in the fourth program of the festival, in which Jason Samuels Smith & Friends will debut a new piece titled “Peace of Mind: The Remix.” This is the product of a collaboration of tap and hip-hop styles—an innovative combination.

In the coming days, audiences will see performances by well known American companies such as New York City Ballet, the Paul Taylor Dance Company, the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company, and the American Ballet Theatre. Along with these American favorites, the programs offer viewers a true taste of the international scope of dance, both new and traditional. International companies from India, Spain, Taiwan, and Finland will have their debuts at the festival. Fortunately, the diversity of the programming assures viewers a combination of favorites and newcomers—audience members can’t see one without seeing the other.

Because the festival typically sells out, the large audience adds another high-energy dimension to each show. Each night is exciting, but not just because of the performances. Fall for Dance becomes an experience, as the enthusiasm of the packed house is reflected in the crisp energy of the dancers.

Whether students are newcomers or a veterans of the New York dance scene, Fall for Dance will provide an enjoyable evening. The overall atmosphere is lighthearted, and the pieces are both technical and conceptual. The festival is a highlight of the fall artistic season, and Columbians who attend may indeed find themselves falling for dance.