Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Tiler Peck curates The Joyce Theater’s BALLET FESTIVAL with a focus squarely on Jerome Robbins (and City Ballet)

• By drediman
• August 17, 2025
• No Comments

This past week, I had the great opportunity to catch one of the programs of the 2025 iteration of The Joyce Theater’s annual Ballet Festival. Curated by New York City Ballet star principal Tiler Peck, this summer’s sold out festival was focused squarely on a collection of handpicked works by beloved American choreographer Jerome Robbins. Although the dancers were assembled from various companies, the festival was largely performed by Peck’s City Ballet colleagues (the other companies represented in the festival included American Ballet Theatre the illustrious Royal Ballet).

One of the chief pleasures of the festival was the chance to re-examine Robbins’ output on the relatively intimate stage of The Joyce (at least in comparison with the massive Koch Theater stage). As if to emphasize this, Peck’s selections emphasized live music and the choreographer’s more human, smaller-scaled works. This was certainly the case in Program A, which commenced with the rarely-performed pas de deux Four Bagatelles. Set to a piano score by Beethoven — played with ample spirit by City Ballet pianist Elaine Chelton — the piece was danced with sprightly precision by the ideally-paired Emma von Enck and David Gabriel, two of City Ballet’s most dependable technicians. The evening continued with A Suite of Dances, which was performed with charismatic bravado and ample personality by City Ballet star Roman Mejia (in a fascinating decision, Peck also danced the work at certain performances). It’s a varied and tricky solo to the music of Bach, and Mejia met its considerable physical demands effortlessly, all the while maintaining playful rapport with cellist Hannah Holman.

The bill concluded with a performance of excerpts from Dances at a Gathering. As accompanied by Evangelos Spanos — who elegantly phrased the Chopin piano score — the much loved piece came alive with a deep sense of humanity and an appreciation for the moment. Although the City Ballet dancers invariably impressed — namely principal Mira Nadon, who astonished in a sparkling and character-driven rendition of the Green Girl solo — it was finally a pleasure to see two dancers from The Royal Ballet take the spotlight (unfortunately, Ballet Theatre’s Aran Bell was indisposed and was replaced by City Ballet’s great Chun Wai Chan). Indeed, both William Bracewell and Marcelino Sambé danced with impeccable technique, superb musicality, and exquisite line. Suffice to say, they brought welcome dimension and refinement to the mix.

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BALLET FESTIVAL: JEROME ROBBINS
Dance
The Joyce Theater
1 hour, 30 minutes (with one intermission)
Closed