Critical review of Dance piece 1

In today’s blog I will be analysing Justin Peck’s work named Year of the Rabbit. Year of the Rabbit debuted on the 5^th of October 2012. It was performed by New York City ballet at the David H. Koch Theatre, Lincoln Centre in New York. The piece was inspired by the music which was composed by Sufjan Stevens. The name of the music used is called Enjoy your Rabbit which is where Justin Peck took inspiration for the name of the piece. I found the performance engaging and I found the movement unpredictable.

Initially when I watched the piece, I noticed how the movement really correlates with the music. For example, the softer and quieter parts of the music are reflected through the through the use of a slower and fluid movement. This also takes place in the quicker and sharper sections of the music as the dancing becomes faster and more powerful. It seems to me that every note made in the music is filled with correlating movement. This is due to the music being the stimulus of the piece.

I like how the piece starts immediately with a rise from the floor as it correlates to the music making it seem as if it shouldn’t be any other movement. The use of contact is almost never broken throughout the duet performed which shows a connection between the dancers. This connection is also shown through using reaches. For example, in the beginning the man reaches for the girl as she travels away from him. In this initial section the dancers perform movement which is slow and controlled as they assist each other through using contact. I like this as the movement reflects the dynamic of the movement. I like how in this piece of work the man and the woman come across as equals rather than the woman seeming like an object needed to be carried by the man. However, these movements are still within the piece they are not the primary movements which creates a sense of equality in the piece. Some movements and movement phrases are repeated within the short duet. I like this as the movement still seems spontaneous despite the fact that repetition is used. The dancers mirror each other at one point in the duet which further emphasises this connection which we established.

 The costumes in the piece are different from those in a general classical ballet. For example, the woman wears a royal blue vest with a tennis skirt. This seems odd for a balletic piece however the use of pointe shoes then adds a hint of classical into the costume. The man wears tights trousers and a long-sleeved vest which are also blue with ballet flats. The costumes are tight-fitting which shows off the dancer’s movements well. I like that in the piece that the steps are all classical, such as arabesques and the frequent use of passé, however the consistent use of parallel throughout the dance and the active arms show hints of contemporary. This really interests me as an all classical ballet can seem quite repetitive, but Justin adapts the classical style to make the movement unpredictable and capturing. The dancer’s stay in one spot for most of the duet. This could seem quite boring however the unpredictable movement and the direct correlation to the music creates a captivating feel for the audience.

Overall, I really enjoyed the piece Year of the Rabbit as it has inspired me for my final piece. For example, the correlation between the movement and the music and the adaptation of the classical style interests me. These make the audience captivated on the movement which is my aim for my final piece.

The information I used are from the places below:

-          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P64E2QLlU58

-          The website named Pacific Northwest Ballet.