“Being a part of the festival again this year means so much. It’s such a beautiful opportunity for us dancers in New York to come together on one stage and share our love for dance in a spirit of community,” Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater dancer Yannick Lebrun agreed. “This program brings so much joy and hope to people and that’s why it is important that we continue these collaborations.”
Before long, it was time to cross Lincoln Center Plaza to catch the curtain rise on the night’s programming. Guests dispersed from Tatiana with one final bite in the form of the restaurant’s signature Boozie Jellies: Strawberry Daiquiri and Tequila Mango Jell-O Shots.
At David H. Koch Theater, New York City Ballet’s artistic director, Jonathan Stafford, and associate artistic director, Wendy Whelan, welcomed the audience to opening night. American Ballet Theater ushered in the performances with the world premiere of Zephyr, a romantic pas de deux choreographed by corps de ballet member Claire Davison. In the piece, “there’s an emphasis on human connection and play,” noted dancer Ingrid Thoms. “I hope the audiences experience those themes with us and are inspired by the joy they see on stage.”
Next came Dance Theater of Harlem’s ensemble performance of Jodie Gates’s Passage of Being, whereby a thread of urgency reverberated between the six dancers onstage. Alexandra Rene Jones, a dancer with the company, told Vogue: “It is a profound privilege to be part of a program as collaborative as BAAND—one that reminds us all that the dance world is, at its heart, a true community.”
New York City Ballet followed with Lar Lubovitch’s ethereal and haunting pas de deux, Each In Their Own Time. And Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater seemed to answer with an exploration of the tension between desire and distance in Judith Jameson’s pas de deux, A Case of You. “
Then came the finale performance, Trança (Braid), choreographed for Ballet Hispànico by Cassi Abranches. The percussive, hypnotic expression of community captivated all four rings of the theater until the lights came up—and the curtain down—for the last time that night. “This festival celebrates not only the unique identity of each company, but also what can happen when artists come together to share their work,” reflected Ballet Hispànico dancer Andrea Mish. “Performing alongside dancers from different backgrounds and artistic perspectives gives us the opportunity to learn from one another, grow as dancers, and continue pushing our own artistry forward.”
Of the opening night ésprit, Danchig-Waring remarked: “Twenty-four years into my career, I’ve never felt a house quite like this one. The energy is electrifying. Ballet doesn’t need to defend itself, it needs to open its doors.”