Twyla Tharp at American Ballet Theatre

For the past two decades or so, Twyla Tharp has tended, in her new dances, to recycle features of her earlier successes, but in “Rabbit and Rogue,” which just had its première at American Ballet Theatre, she seems to repeat every single thing that has worked for her before. It’s as if she had made a list and then checked off each strategy as she reused it. Tharp’s last two projects have been failures. Her Bob Dylan musical, “The Times They Are A-Changin’ ” (2006), closed after just a few weeks on Broadway. Then, earlier this year, she made a piece for Miami City Ballet—“Nightspot,” about Miami club life—that, while it was warmly applauded by the Florida audience I saw it with (it had an Elvis Costello score and lots of red costumes), was actually a desperate-looking mess: a fact that she was probably aware of. In both pieces, Tharp explored a territory relatively new to her—dream, hallucination. It is therefore no surprise that, having had so little luck there, she chose, in her next ballet, to do nothing new to her.

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Back in Ballet, Bending all the rules

Ms. Tharp, who had been discussing her new work for American Ballet Theater, “Rabbit and Rogue,” was quite sincere. A good part of the interview had consisted of her deftly sidestepping a discussion of personal motivation. Instead she concentrated on more abstract issues about the ballet, which will have its premiere on Tuesday night at the Metropolitan Opera House, with a score by the film composer Danny Elfman and costumes by her longtime collaborator Norma Kamali.

But any new work by Ms. Tharp is a big deal, and to avoid talking about the choreographer herself would be to ignore the singular place she occupies in the dance world. An innovator and a headline maker who has both rolled with the critical punches and occasionally been felled by them, Ms. Tharp, at 66, is in the curious position of being consistently identified as both a modern dance revolutionary and one of ballet’s few great living choreographers — certainly its only female one.

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Ballet to Blush

Ballet insiders often complain that their art form is misunderstood as prissy and old-fashioned when, really, it is all about sexy, young things and sensual feats. Three of the works Configuration Dance presented at the Ailey Citigroup Theater on Monday night seemed intended to underline this fact. All were choreographed by Michael Shannon, who cultivates the naughty side of his female dancers. Feminist critics have long rolled their eyes at the tutu-clad, pedestal-enshrined ballerina. But there’s more than one way to objectify a woman in toe shoes, as Mr. Shannon’s “What’s the Pointe?” handily proved.

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VOICES AND VISIONS: THE ALTRIA - ABT WOMEN’S CHOREOGRAPHY PROJECT

VOICES AND VISIONS: THE ALTRIA - ABT WOMEN’S CHOREOGRAPHY PROJECT

Choreographic Initiative to Support New Commissions for ABT II and

Mentoring Workshops for ABT Dancers





In an effort to identify and nurture female choreographers, American Ballet Theatre and Altria Group, Inc. have launched Voices and Visions: The Altria/ABT Women’s Choreography Project. This multi-year project, generously funded by Altria Group, Inc., will include annual commissions by emerging female choreographers, as well as a series of training and mentoring workshops open to female members of ABT and ABT II. The Altria/ABT Women’s Choreography Project was announced today by ABT Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie.

Altria/ABT Choreography Fellows: An emerging female choreographer will be chosen annually as the Altria/ABT Choreography Fellow to create a new work for ABT II. Under the Altria/ABT Choreography Fellows program, these newly commissioned works, one each year for three years (2008-2010), will be performed in New York City and at ABT II’s tour venues. Under the leadership of Wes Chapman, ABT II, an ensemble of 13 pre-professional dancers, ages 16-20, maintains an extensive touring schedule, performing in smaller venues worldwide and throughout the United States. In addition, ABT II participates in residencies and outreach programs at schools and universities nationwide. To date, nearly 50 members of ABT’s current roster, including some Principals and Soloists, began their careers with ABT II.

Choreographer Aszure Barton is the inaugural Altria/ABT Choreography Fellow for 2008. Barton’s Barbara, the first work produced for the Altria/ABT Women’s
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Choreography Project, was created at the White Oak Plantation in Yulee, Florida. Barbara will be given its World Premiere by ABT II on April 17 at the American Dance Institute in Rockville, Maryland and will receive its New York Premiere at The Joyce Theater’s 1.2.3. Festival on May 9.

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