Christine Shevchenko: A Night at the Ballet

Above photo: Aran Bell and Christine Shevchenko, screenshot from video Check out the Live Arts Global production of A Night at the Ballet, available on YouTube until Sunday (Update: video no longer available). The production is put on by Live Arts Global, a company formed by American Ballet Theatre Principal Dancer Christine Shevchenko, former ABT dancer Melanie Hamrick, and choreographer and contemporary artist Joanna DeFelice. It features great dancing from Christine in Romeo and Juliet with Aron Bell; Don Quixote with Julian MacKay; and The Dying Swan. Also on the bill are Crystal Serrano and Aran Bell in the Nutcracker Pas de Deux; Unity Phelan and Calvin Royal III in Christoper Wheeldon’s After the Rain; Sarah Lane and Daniel Ulbricht in Bournonville’s Flower Festival; and Antonio and Kirven Douthit-Boyd in On the Subject of Grace. A highly entertaining 60 minutes of dance worth checking out. According to the Live Arts Global website, “…these women are creating a new platform to view dance at no cost. The goal is to bring classical ballet to our beloved audiences while bringing in new fans.” The organization is taking donations and proceeds will go directly to the artists performing and producing the show. For more background on the challenges of producing this work in the COVID-19 era, see Erica Gonzalez’ interview with Melanie in Bazaar and Marissa DeSantis’ interview with Christine in Pointe Magazine.

It is sad to think about all of the performances that have been cancelled. With vaccines on the horizon, I can’t wait to see live performances; hopefully, performances in the fall will be a reality. In the meantime, Christine is showing off the classics that ABT is unable/unwilling to provide. ABT’s November ABT Today: The Future Starts Now failed to provide a compelling evening of dance to those that fill the Metropolitan Opera House each spring as the company preferred to demonstrate its newfound woke sensibilities. Check out my review.