Ballet Hispanico

Last night I saw Ballet Hispanico at The Joyce. They were marvelous. The first dance, "Umbral" was dark and moody, very intense and mesmerizing. It started out a little too slow and stark for me, but I was gradually fully drawn into it. The program says it is about the Day of the Dead, and the piece began with spoken words, in Spanish, which I couldn't understand. Perhaps comprehending those words would have helped through the piece. It also featured a central dancer in face makeup and a red costume when all the other dancers were in black. I was unsure of this dancer's role. There was an incredible duet towards the end, although my favorite sections were when all the dancers were on stage together.

The second piece "Somrerisimo" was a complete shift in tone. This dance featured only men, dressed in button down shirts and hats. They used the hats as props throughout the uptempo, fun, and snazzy number.

Finally, "El Beso", about kissing. There was kissing in this dance. It was sort of a cross between the first two in terms of mood.There was something architectural and brooding about parts, although humorous and fun in other parts. Again, my favorite sections were the long stretches toward the end where the whole company danced in unison.

All the dancing throughout the evening was fabulous and a delight to watch. I'm glad I finally saw this company and I will look out for them again.