The SunBreak » Jonathan Porretta

‘Totally, Imaginatively Original': the Forsythe Showcase at PNB

Philippa Kiraly — Sat, 14 Mar 2015 21:46:27 +0000

The first impression left by Pacific Northwest Ballet’s opening performance of an all-Forsythe repertory (through March 22 at McCaw Hall) was that this choreographer’s work suits the company through and through. The choice of pieces gave an opportunity to show off large numbers of the company from principals to corps members in solo or semi-solo roles, … Continue reading →

Jewels at PNB

Philippa Kiraly — Mon, 29 Sep 2014 15:18:06 +0000

Pacific Northwest Ballet began the season with a bang Friday, presenting one of Balanchine’s most iconic works, the three-part, evening-length ballet named Jewels. What makes this a particularly memorable revival is that PNB, with the help of a generous patron, invited to coach PNB dancers five of the legendary ballet dancers who premiered this work … Continue reading →

PNB Has Creative Imagination in Spades

Philippa Kiraly — Thu, 14 Nov 2013 23:17:31 +0000

Friday night saw the opening of Pacific Northwest Ballet’s latest repertory program, works by two unusually creative choreographers, Jiri Kylian and Crystal Pite. The former is from Prague, well known for decades of work at Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT): the latter, from Victoria, B.C., is a generation younger, an associate choreographer for NDT who danced … Continue reading →

Twyla in the Air

Philippa Kiraly — Wed, 02 Oct 2013 18:02:27 +0000

It’s called AIR TWYLA because she’s been Artist-In-Residence at Pacific Northwest Ballet for the past year, but the title of this week’s opening ballet presentation of the season is appropriate as, in it, Twyla Tharp truly soars. PNB dances three of her ballets in Air Twyla. One, Nine Sinatra Dances, is already in its repertoire; … Continue reading →

PNB’s Modern Masterpieces Lives Up to the Hype

Michael van Baker — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 23:24:09 +0000

The only question about Pacific Northwest Ballet's Modern Masterpieces program (at McCaw Hall through March 24) is at which point your soul may incandesce. My instinct is that this is likely to occur in the second half, during Ulysses Dove's Dancing on the Front Porch of Heaven or Twyla Tharp's In the Upper Room, with its spectacular use of the "fog of minimalism."

Still Nuts About PNB’s Nutcracker

Philippa Kiraly — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 23:38:36 +0000

223 children participate each year, in several casts, so no one is on for all thirty performances. The care and training they receive is phenomenal. This is not a school performance. These kids are performing like professionals. When they are on stage they are totally on, acting their roles with seeming naturalness.