By Kathi E.B. Ellis for WFPL
January 27,2017
At the opening night of this year’s Choreographers’ Showcase, Robert Curran, producing and artistic director of the Louisville Ballet, framed the evening in the context of narrative. In a season in which the Ballet is producing three of the great story ballets of all time (Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker), to invite company choreographers to create a narrative ballet brings even more cohesiveness to this season.
In addition to three company choreographers (Roger Creel, Justin Michael Hogan and Sanjay Saverimuttu) Curran also invited back Ben Needham-Wood, a former company member, who contributed choreography to several showcases during his time with the Ballet.
The heart of the evening belonged to the two pieces on either side of the intermission. Hogan and Saverimuttu have created two powerful, compelling ballets which I hope we get to experience again as they continue to develop them.