Reviews

Nikolais’s greatest legacy is the work his students continue to produce.
Please send us your reviews!  (Links marked with * open new windows.)

See also Book and Film Reviews

Performance Reviews

• Anna Halprin, Morton Subotnick, Anne Collod, and Guests: parades & changes, reenactment, Dance Theater Workshop, New York City, November 18–21, 2009; review by Ruth Grauert
  
  
• New Edge Mix, Meeting House Theater, 3500 Lancaster Ave., Philadelphia; review by Ruth Grauert
  
  
• “The Modern Dance”—A Conversation with Mary Anthony, New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, New York City; review by Ruth Grauert
  
  
• Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes, 1909–2009, an exhibition and symposium at The Harvard Theatre Collection; review by Claudia Gitelman
  
  
• Barbara Mahler and Gerald Otte in an Evening of New Dance Works, Thomas Hunter Hall Studio Theater, Hunter College, New York City; review by Ruth Grauert
  
  
• Marymount Manhattan Dance Department Fall Repertoire Program, Theresa Lang Theatre, Marymount Manhattan College, New York City; review by Ruth Grauert
  
  
• Mary Anthony’s Christmas Concert, Anthony Studio, New York City; review by Ruth Grauert
  
  
• Bebe Miller Company: Necessary Beauty, Dance Theater Workshop, New York City; review by Ruth Grauert
  
  
• Henning Rübsam’s SENSEDANCE, Ailey Citigroup Theater, New York City; review by Ruth Grauert
  
  
• The Ririe-Woodbury's September 25–27 performances of works by Alwin Nikolais included Crucible, Liturgies, Tensile Involvement, and Tower.
  See reviews by:
  • Deseret News
  
  See photo slide show of Liturgies and Tower.
  
  
• American Dance Guild Performance Festival 2008, Dance New Amsterdam, New York, NY; review by Ruth Grauert
  
  
• Bearnstow Presents: A Dance Concert with Motion, Light, and Things, review by Pat Onion, Prof. Emer., Colby College
  
  
• Bates Dance Festival, final seasonal concert: “Different Voices”; review by Ruth Grauert
  
  
• Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company, Ailey Citigroup Theater, New York City, May 23 and 24, 2008; review by Ruth Grauert
  
  
• Kim Gibilisco Dances Relationships, Merce Cunningham Studio, New York City, May 17, 18, 2008; review by Ruth Grauert
  
  
• Art of Motion Performance, Ramsey College, Mahwah, New Jersey, May 10, 2008; report by Ruth Grauert
  
  
• Kun-Yang Lin Dancers, The Chi Movement Center, Philadelphia, PA, April 26, 2008; review by Ruth Grauert
  
  
• al Wunder Workshop, 115 Wooster St, New York City, April 19-20, 2008; review by Ruth Grauert
  
  
• Arts Electronica, Bergen Community College, Paramus, New Jersey, April 11, 2008; review by Ruth Grauert
  
  
• Pearson Widrig Dance Theater, Thalia Dance, Symphony Space, New York City, April 10–12, 2008; review by Ruth Grauert
  
  
• Stage Magician: The World of Choreographer Alwin Nikolais, Bruno Walter Auditorium, Lincoln Center, New York City, March 27, 2008; review by Ruth Grauert
  
  
• Jody Oberfelder Dance Projects, Orchestra of St. Luke's, and the LaGuardia HS Senior Chorus presents Dido and Aeneas, LaGuardia Performing Arts High School, New York City, March 19, 2008; two reviews:
  • Claudia Gitelman
  • Roslyn Sulcas, New York Times *
  
  
• Nikolais Dance Theater performed by the Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company, Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia, Pensylvania, March 6, 7, and 8, 2008; review by Ruth Grauert
  
  
• Gerald Otte’s Awakening to Anger Exhausted, work in progress preview, Hunter College Dance Department, March 4, 2006Joyce Theater, New York City, March 4–9, 2008; review by Emma DeMorra
  
  
• Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana, Joyce Theater, New York City, March 4–9, 2008; review by Ruth Grauert
  
  
• Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company presentation of Alwin Nikolais’s The Crystal and the Sphere, Capital Theater, Salt Lake City, January 30, 31, and February 2, 2008
  
       The Crystal and the Sphere (1990) was commissioned by The Kennedy Center to be presented at the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater in Washington, D.C., as a performance for children. The crystal and the sphere in themselves served two purposes—a screen for décor and an onstage exit and entering space—both devices that Nikolais had often used. There wasn’t a great deal of time between the granting of the commission and the performance date so Nik dug into the archives and reconstructed properties, gadgets, and dances that he was fond of. A strip of cloth across the stage to simulate water (what work does that hark back to?), the girls’ trio from Galaxy, the monkey trio from Totem. One could extrapolate that the fish he used goes back to The Lobster Quadrille albeit properly prone and not upright. The excitement of battle is reminiscent of St. George and the Dragon. Disappearing behind the crystal and reappearing with a change of persona—a device he used since Kaleidoscope and the magic of blacklight he used in several works. I am sure he had as much fun putting all that “stuff” together as the audience has in seeing it, for in a way it is a tour of his life’s opus.  —Ruth Grauert
  
  
• Henning Rübsam’s SENSEDANCE, Amaranthine Road and other works, City Center Studio, New York City, January 16, 18, and 20, 2008; review by Ruth Grauert
  
  
• Janis Brenner and Guests, St. Marks Church Danspace Project, Feb. 1–4, 2007; four reviews:
  • Ruth Grauert
  • Roslyn Sulcas, New York Times *
  • Deborah Jowitt, Village Voice *
  • Eva Yaa Asantewaa, Gay City News *
  
  
• National Conference on Arts and Aging, New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Newark, New Jersey, November 3–4, 2006; review by Ruth Grauert
  
  
• Doug Varone and Dancers — Program B, Joyce Theater, New York City, October 26, 2006; review by Ruth Grauert
  
  
• Henning Rübsam’s company, SENSEDANCE, in Merciless Beauty, Joyce Soho, New York City, October 19–22, 2006; review by Ruth Grauert
  
  
• Robert Moses’ Kin, Schaeffer Theatre, Bates College, Lewiston, Maine, July 21 & 22, 2006; review by Ruth Grauert.
  
  
• Mimi Garrard’s May videodance Synchronicity is worth the download wait (if you still have a dialup connection). It speaks, not only visually but kinetically with satisfying development. The dancer, Clare Holland, is eloquent; the musician, Glen Velez, clean and contributory; the electronics, inventive and interesting with its echoes, providing an ever-changing chorus to accompany the soloist. My only complaint is that it ended too soon and with what seemed a whimper after a really grand statement. But Mimi, thank you! This streaming video can be viewed online on Mimi’s Web site: mimigarrarddance.com.
  
  
• Art of Motion Class Presentation: Hansel and Gretel, Bergen Community College, Paramus, New Jersey, May 25, 2006; review by Ruth Grauert
  
  
• The Dance Connection, Bergen Community College, Paramus, New Jersey, May 13, 2006; review by Ruth Grauert
  
  
• Jeanette Stoner & Dancers, 83 Leonard Street, New York, NY, May 4–7, 2006
       Two reviews:
  • Ruth Grauert
  • Jennifer Dunning, The New York Times *
    (Requires member login, but registration is free.)
  
  
• Tere O’Connor: Baby, Dance Theater Workshop, New York City, March 22–April 1, 2006; review by Ruth Grauert
  
  
• Sweat, Modern Dance Series, DeBaun Auditorium, Stevens Institute, Hoboken, NJ, March 10 and 11, 2006; review by Ruth Grauert
  
  
• Chris Aiken and Ming-shen Ku: Chance Formation, Kaleidoscope Theatre, Ursinus College, Collegeville, Pennsylvania, February 3 and 4, 2006; review by Ruth Grauert
  
  
• Forging a New Career: Creating Dance for Video, a new videodance by Mimi Garrard.
       A review note to Mimi from Ruth Grauert:  Your video is simply stunning. I had thought from the title, Forging a New Career: Creating Dance for Video, that I was in for a dry expostion of mechanics. But the narration ties your theme together so beautifully that the whole presentation makes one grand Art Piece. The “video-motion” seems to work with the dancers to make it “human-propelled” art rather than a display of technology (which we both know it could have been). And you tie together so simply and so graphically the 9/11 event with your art. Even the classical rondo compostion of the piece really fits. For me this is your very best work in this field, and I anxiously await what influence your new environment may have on your next video.
       Forging a New Career can be seen by streaming video on Mimi’s Web site, mimigarrarddance.com.
  
  
• Daniel Shapiro and Joanie Smith, The Joyce Theatre, New York City, January 23–29, 2006
       Two reviews:
  • Ruth Grauert
  • Deborah Jowitt, The Village Voice *
  
  
• SWEAT Modern Dance Series, Debaun Hall, Stevens Institute, Hoboken, New Jersey, January 25–26, 2006; review by Ruth Grauert
  
  
• A Tribute to Murray Louis at the Kaye: Boston Conservatory Dance Theater, The Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College, New York City, December 17–18, 2005; review by Ruth Grauert
  
  
• Bebe Miller, Dance Theater Workshop, New York City, October 13–15, 2005
      Two reviews:
  • Ruth Grauert
  • Deborah Jowitt, The Village Voice *
  
  
• SENSEDANCE, Henning Rübsam, Baruch Performing Arts Center, New York City, October 12–16, 2005; review by Bella Rehnquist
  
  
• Beverly Blossom, Beruch Performing Arts Center, September 15–17, New York City
      Two Reviews:
  • Deborah Jowitt, The Village Voice *
  • Rosalyn Sulcas, The New York Times * 
    
  • Jennifer Dunning, The New York Times *
    (New York Times requires member login, but registration is free.)
  
  
• Dance Connection 2005,  May 15, 2005; review by Ruth Grauert
  
  
• Mason Gross School of the Arts 2005 Spring Dance Concert,  April 21, 2005; review by Ruth Grauert
  
  
• Pearson Widrig Dance Theater: Melt  March 16–20, 2005; review by Ruth Grauert
  
  
• Three DVDs by Mimi Garrard, Videodances performed by the Mimi Garrard Dance Company; review by Ruth Grauert
  
  
• Marymount Manhattan Dance Department Fall Repertoire  December 9–11, 2004; review by Pamela Levy-Arauz
  
  
• Jeanette Stoner & Dancers  December 9–12, 2004; review by Ruth Grauert
  
  
• DANCE CONNECTIONS  December 4, 2004; review by Ruth Grauert
  
  
• SENSEDANCE: Django, choreographed by Henning Rubsam, October 13–17, 2004; review by Bella Rehnquist
  
  
• SENSEDANCE: To the Pointe, choreographed by Henning Rubsam, May 23, 2004; review by Bella Rehnquist
  
  
• Lyon Opera Ballet: Tricodex, choreographed by Philippe Decoufle, April 20–24, 2004; review by Elizabeth Higgins
  
  
• Francesca Pedroni (dance critic, Il Manifesto) writes (1 March 2003):
       In Italy everything was a success: the workshop (twenty-eight people enchanted by Nik’s pedagogy and by Tito’s, Joan’s, and Simona’s lessons), performances of the Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company (such a good programm!), and a lecture demonstration for all of us and with the very interesting videos Tito brought (Limbo, Relay, Nik: an experience in light and sound).
       Also, Paris was a success. I was at Théatre de la Ville for the conference dansée organized by Marc [Lawton]: so moving and well done.  See workshop announcement: The World of Nikolaïs (PDF file) — February 16–March 6, 2004, at the Carolyn Carlson studio in Paris.
  
  
• “Alwin Nikolais. The humanist of the abstract” (PDF) Francesca Pedroni, Italian dance critic and coordinator of the Nikolais Workshop in Turin, Italy, has written an insightful article on Nikolais.
  
  
• Bebe Miller Company at St. Mark’s Church, January 22–25, 2004; review by Ruth Grauert
  
  
• An Evening of Four Choreographers, Jeanette Stoner, Beverly Blossom, Amos Pinhasi, and Satoshi Haga (November 13–16, 2003)
  
  
• The Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company, of Salt Lake City, Utah, performed works of Alwin Nikolais at the Joyce Theater in New York October 28–November 2, 2003.
       See reviews:
  
  • By Ruth Grauert et al. in Chatterbox 3
  • A Choreographic Wizard’s Book of Spells,* by Jack Anderson at the New York Times
    (requires member login, but registration is free).
  
       Also, visit the Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company Web site.*
  
  
• SENSEDANCE at City Center, May 30–June 3, 2003
  
  
• Sally Gross and Company at the Construction Company, May 18, 2003
  
  
• Movement Research at Judson Church, Judith Sanchez Ruiz and Shelley Senter, May 5, 2003
  
  
• Jeanette Stoner & Dancers, April 30, 2003
  
  
• Dancing With Principle: Hanya Holm in Colorado, 1941–1983, by Claudia Gitelman (reviews and how to purchase this book)
  
  
• The Return of Lot’s Wife, Sara Pearson, Patrik Widrig and Company at the Joyce, January 2003
  
  
• Family Night, Jan Schwartz’s and Lynn Needle, January 2003
  

Book and Film Reviews

• Martha Hill and the Making of American Dance, by Janet Mansfield Soares; review by Ruth Grauert
  
  
• Sally Gross: The Pleasures of Stillness, a film by Albert Maysles and Kristen Nutile; review by Ruth Grauert
  
  
• The Contributions of Martha Hill to American Dance and Dance Education, 1900–1995, by Elizabeth McPherson; review by Ruth Grauert
  
  
• The Life of the Neighborhood Playhouse on Grand Street, by John P. Harrington; review by Ruth Grauert
  
  
• A Game For Dancers: Performing Modernism in the Postwar Years, 1945–1960, by Gay Morris; review by Ruth Grauert
  
  
• Traces of Light: Absence and Presence in the Work of Loïe Fuller, by Ann Cooper Albright; review by Ruth Grauert
  
  
• The Returns of Alwin Nikolais: Bodies, Boundaries and the Dance Canon, edited by Claudia Gitelman and Randy Martin, photos by Tom Caravaglia; review by Ruth Grauert
  
  
• The Nikolais/Louis Dance Technique: A Philosophy and Method of Modern Dance, by Alwin Nikolais and Murray Louis; review by Ruth Grauert
  
  
• Liebe Hanya, Mary Wigman’s Letters to Hanya Holm, by Claudia Gitelman; review by Ruth Grauert