Jalen Campbell 
On Friday, March 27, the Orlando Ballet presented Balanchine, Godden, Gill at the Dr. Phillips Center in Steinmetz Hall.
The 96-minute performance consisted of three works with 15-minute breaks between each. The first dance, Allegro Brilliante, was choreographed by George Balanchine and premiered in 1956.
This performance had ten dancers who were coupled up, including the two leads Hitomi Nakamura and Jaysan Stinnet. An upbeat, classical instrumental played in the background as the dancers coupled up to display some traditional ballet. The men dressed in light blue leotards and the women wore baby blue dresses that match the blue aesthetic of the stage. Each couple moved gracefully around the stage, omitting a calm, loving energy.
Heath Gill, Orlando Ballet Rehearsal Director, choreographed the second performance, Confronting Genius. The dance hinted at a more modern ballet style; led by Hazuki Kishida and Cameron Bailey who wore black tank tops and black bottoms. The performance highlighted the battles one may go through trying to channel their inner genius. A narrator spoke after each song about the human perspective about how challenging it can be to be a creator.
“I find that ballet has this one-of-a-kind way of reaching out and plucking someone’s heart strings,” Gill said.
Gill said that exposure of ballet to the Orlando community can be positive in sharing new experiences with others.
“Our performances become a place to share those experiences with others,” Gill said. “A place where you can get caught up in the momentum of Olympic level athleticism and artistry that speaks to the soul.”
After every song they danced to, dialogue played in the background that explained the constructs of creativity through eras of time. The performers acted out the words of the dialogue through dancing, which kept the audience hooked. During the performance, the dancers would spring through large, white frames that stood on the stage during some of their playful acts. Light bulbs descended from the ceiling and lit up throughout the act, hinting to the cliche of a lightbulb lighting up over one’s head when they get an idea. The performance ended with a standing ovation.
The third performance, Angels In The Architecture, originally choreographed by Mark Godden brought back a more traditional style of ballet. The work pays homage to the dreams of Shaker communities, who were Christians that believed in simplicity and equality. The set included brooms and chairs hanging from the ceiling, which the dancers used as props. The performance featured five male dancers and five female dancers whose outfits contributed to the lifestyle of Shakers with its simplicity. The women wore white dresses and the men wore cream-colored shirts and brown newsboy hats that match their pants and overalls.
Jorden Morris, Orlando Ballet Artistic Director, said that it is an honor to be able to have these shows performed in the community.
“It feels wonderful to have a state of the art theatre to perform in. As a flagship arts organization in the community, it is important that our quality of shows is world class,” Morris said. “Bringing the art and love of dance to our community, public schools, outreach centers as well as the DPC is a great honor.”
Balanchine, Godden, Gill at the Dr. Phillips Center in Steinmetz Hall also has performances on Saturday, March 28 at 2 p.m. and 7.p.m and on Sunday, March 29 at 2 p.m.
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