Last fall, Dance TRaC saw a number of spectacular performances, including the Houston Ballet at the Joyce Theater. Check out Treasure’s review and visit the TRaC website for more information about applying this spring!

The Houston Ballet at the Joyce Theater was a great performance with a nice sense of diversity within the choices of style and music, ranging from classical & slow to fast & upbeat, while still sticking to the form of ballet.

Out of the three pieces performed, my personal favorite was Ben Stevenson’s Twilight, a romantic duet. Although this piece may have several different interpretations, I found that it depicted the story of a conflicted man deciding whether or not he should leave his wife. The piece begins with a man and woman dressed appropriately at the front of the stage. The man stands strong with the woman attached to him with her arm around his neck. This pose alone resembles a strong tree with a small monkey attached to it, dangling from it its arms. The woman appears to be sleeping on him while the man stares out into the audience with despair. The movement begins with several peaceful spins usually led by the man. The woman puts herself on to the floor while the man holds her feet and spins her. All of the woman’s movements are very dependent on the man. The couple never loses contact up until the middle of the piece.

As the man runs off and the couple separates, the woman runs right back into him and jumps onto his back resembling a child excited to see someone. At one point, the man is on the floor and the girl tries to leap on to him however he stops her with his feet. The couple is eventually in contact again and there are many lifts. Every time the man lifts up the woman, she is very joyful and happy while he does not smile very much. The woman’s joy as he lifts her displays her happiness when she is with him as if she is on cloud nine, meanwhile the man’s look of melancholy reveals his belief that she is too dependent on him as if being with her is a job rather than a pleasure. The piece ends in the same position in which it began, with the sleeping woman attached to him as he stares into the audience with despair.

Because the piece began and ended in the same position, I feel like this man’s thought process was going on while his wife was sleeping beside him. I really enjoyed this piece, not only because of the great dancing but the heartbreaking storyline, as well.