Lacrimis
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“Lacrimis, is a dance of a different color. Black. […] There’s a macabre quality to it.”
-Jerry Hochman, Critical Dance
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New Loom
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“It’s simply a striking-looking dance, both in choreography, execution, and costuming, that is so unusual, and so well-done, it could take your breath away.”
-Jerry Hochman, Critical Dance
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“What Cook-Beatty and her dancers have created matches the music in intensity, and is exacerbated by the costumes. […] The dancers’ movement visualizes that “electric current”.”
-Jerry Hochman, Critical Dance
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“[New Loom] is also unashamedly angular and driven – and unlike anything I’ve previously seen from Cook-Beatty.”
-Jerry Hochman, Critical Dance
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Joyful Offering
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“The evening began, as it did last November, with Joyful Offering, one of Cook-Beatty’s finest and most accessible pieces. The subject is pure and simple joy – not necessarily of something, but of being. The dance could have been one-dimensional, but, again, Cook-Beatty’s choreography (here to J.S. Bach’s Oboe d’amore in D Major Allegro I and III) takes full advantage of the baroque complexity and warmth of the composition to create an equally complex, choreographically varied, and thoroughly engaging dance celebration.”
—Jerry Hochman, Critical Dance
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Hope Ashore
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“While both dancers move independently and never make contact, they each perform with an awareness of the other. The effect is one of universality, drawing parallels between the experiences of two individuals seemingly disconnected”
—Sabrina Karlin, Audience Review Dance Enthusiast
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One More Day
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“The cast delivers the choreography, and the emotions behind it, brilliantly”
—Jerry Hochman, Critical Dance
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“…it’s a gem that maintains its power no matter how frequently it’s seen and may well become one that audiences demand to see in future programs.”
—Jerry Hochman, Critical Dance
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Absurd Heroes
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“Cook-Beatty and her dancers visualize not only a persistent struggle and one that can never be overcome, but also gives these struggles a sense of meaning (as the Cincinnati Orchestra does with its album). The dance isn’t just about the perpetual challenges of everyday life (though it can be viewed that way), but those overwhelming forces that eternally seek to destroy life because the lessons of history are never learned.”
—Jerry Hochman, Critical Dance
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“…an intriguing and curiously entertaining dance, emphasizing the futility, and nobility, of what, like the legend of Sisyphus, is a struggle for something that cannot be achieved; struggle for its own sake.”
—Jerry Hochman, Critical Dance
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DANCE LIKE NO ONE IS WATCHING
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“Without hesitation “Dance Like No One Is Watching” is one of the finest such films (small scale, not Hollywood) that I’ve seen. To me, it should win some award – it’s that good.”
—Jerry Hochman Of CriticalDance
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Central Park Field #4
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“One of my favorite stories during COVID coverage. A dance company creating magic in Central Park.”
– Lauren Glassberg, ABC News Channel 7
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Like Restaurants, New York Theater Is Going Al Fresco This Spring
“Choreographer Alison Cook-Beatty and her dance company took to the great outdoors this past summer. Sick of Zoom rehearsals, she’s created seven new works during the Covid lockdown, and the group has rehearsed and performed them—with masks and social distancing—in Manhattan’s Central Park and Carl Schurz Park.” (Full Link)
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Alison Cook Beatty Dance Steps Up to the Plate
“An outstretched leg collides with home base, igniting a burst of dust. As the haze settles, the athlete stands to meet her masked fans. Gracefully tucking one ankle behind the other, she bows. From there, Cook-Beatty created a model of the field, marking it up into 6 foot segments. She brought in dancers one by one for rehearsals, relaying the movement to dancers who had left the city via Zoom. These safety precautions, along with the expanse and dirt of the diamond, pushed her to embrace new choreographic modalities.” (Full Link)
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Manhattan Dancers Perform on a Diamond
‘You may have seen them on fields in Central Park… Members of the Alison Cook Beatty Dance Company have been rehearsing on baseball diamonds. “I feel like we were able to connect with a lot of the community, people who walk by and clap for them. And people need the arts,” said Cook Beatty.’ (Full Link)
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“Central Park Field #4” is one of the best pieces produced during the pandemic, and I’ve seen many. It is a transcendent view of New York and the human spirit.”
—Charles Adelman (NYC)
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“Sometimes, in very atypical circumstances, Art rises above its original intent and becomes a snapshot of history, a place holder of the human experience during an epic period. Central Park Field #4, performed by the Alison Cook Beatty Dance company, deserves its place among the dance literature as transcendent. I bow my head in humility to Alison Cook-Beatty, to Ellen Maynard, the videographer, Philip Glass, Ali Taghavi for his brilliant costume design, and to the ACBD company members for this beautiful piece of dance Art, premiered last night on Youtube, to a large and grateful art starved audience.”
—Gerald Appelstein, Board President of Alison Cook Beatty Dance (NJ)
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“Central Park Field #4” was absolutely amazing. Getting to the field and then managing to organize the filming and the dancers while integrating the music was a feat in itself. What a magnificent tribute for all New Yorkers that supported each other while suffering through the worst of the pandemic. What we could not fully appreciate was the heat you withstood, the dusty and hard ground you soared from, and the logistical challenges you overcame to document your dance piece. I think it will become a historic work, not only for the artistry but for the period of time New York was facing while you danced for their souls.”
—Sheila Hickey Garvey, (CT)
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“Wow! Bravo! I could watch it again and again.”
—Robert Carlson (CA)
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“… it’s hard to adequately describe the thrill it gave me (goosebumps and all) to watch your ballet. I was mesmerized. It was beautiful beyond words! “
—Pam Hasegawa
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“Central Park Field #4 combines wistfulness with a sense of joy, and includes considerable – and given the subject matter, surprising –choreographic variety. So not only is it a pandemic memento, but it’s also a highly entertaining dance.”
—Jerry Hochman of Critical Dance
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Quotes on the 2020 Virtual Performance & Gala
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“Astoundingly creative! Phenomenal!”
—Betsy Ratner, (CT)
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“The virtual performance was even better than a live stage performance! So good! Beyond impressed with your amazing talent”
—Matthew Naimi
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“Alison Cook-Beatty’s dances are works of Art!!”
—Liz Perez
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“All the pieces were so beautiful, unique, and dynamic and every aspect, from the dancing to the film work to what you and the dancers had to say, was perfect!!!”
—Melinda Krasting (MA)
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“Marvelous,” “outstanding,” “magical,” “beautiful” performances on “fabulous,” “magnificent” stages!! “We loved it all!”
—Ruth Harper (SC)
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“Spectacular performance, really inspiring! Congratulations on making the best of such a challenging situation.”
—Katie Collum
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“I’m so glad you followed your gift to be a choreographer; I think you were born for it!”
—Pam Hasegawa
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“Wonderful team, wonderful coach, wonderful performance!”
—Rinaldo Orsolani (Italy)
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“Bravo! Brilliant and inspiring. Beautiful.”
—Steve Yamaguchi (Tokyo, Japan)
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“Thank you for realizing the importance of culture! During the Khmer Rouge’s genocidal rule of Cambodia between 1975 and 1979, classical dancers were singled out for murder. 90 percent of the dancers were killed, only 10 percent survived. The two dozen survivors refused to allow a centuries-old tradition to die. This pandemic will kill the ability of so many artists to survive. Culture is dying at a rapid rate. Thank you for saving what you can!”
— Kristin Newton
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“Breathtaking, inspiring & enthralling!!”
— Amy Meisner-Threet
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“Thanks for the chance to see dance in a year so many other dance companies have been idled. Keep up the creative and great artistic work!”
—Jeff Stonehill
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“The show was great! So nice to see great work come out of quarantine. Hats off to you Alison and all of the dancers for working in the heat and in less than ‘standard’ environments to keep dance and the arts happening.”
—Neville Dance Theater
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“Watch this—as many times as you can—this week! Let your friends know THEY may watch it too! From kids to geezers (of which I am one, and I use the word in its tenderest sense) it is a taste of PURE JOY! And if you EVER played or even watched) baseball with an ounce of interest, you will find yourself saying, “How did Alison ever THINK of turning baseball into a ballet?!” Send it to your friends, your neighbors (even if you don’t support their candidate!), your mom and dad, grandparents /children, cousins, etc. etc. etc. across the country, whatever lakes, rivers or ocean/s you need to to reach as many of your contacts as possible, and if you know anyone settled on a planet or star or living on an island in the middle of an ocean (with wi-fi). This ballet ROCKS! You will be glad for the rest of your life that you took the time to watch it!”
— Pam Hasegawa
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“…seeing what Alison Cook Beatty Dance could accomplish during a pandemic made me feel like I could do anything.”
— a student from Centennial College (Canada)
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“…even though I know that watching something virtually should take away from the experience, I felt like nothing at all was removed from my experience.”
— a student from Centennial College (Canada)
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On COVID-19 Pandemic period works
- https://www.alisoncookbeattydance.org/alison-cook-beatty-dance-steps-up-to-the-plate/
- https://www.alisoncookbeattydance.org/alison-cook-beatty-on-creating-window-dances-rehearsing-on-baseball-fields/
- https://www.alisoncookbeattydance.org/ballet-dancers-perform-on-empty-ballfields-during-covid-19/
- https://www.alisoncookbeattydance.org/dance-process-gallery-from-my-window-to-yours
- http://www.kristenhedberg.org/performance-reviews/in-spite-of-because-ofthe-wallpaper
- https://www.barrons.com/articles/like-restaurants-new-york-theater-is-going-al-fresco-this-spring-01609271284
In Spite of, Because of...The Wallpaper
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“Wonderful!!! I was particularly moved by “In Spite of, Because of…The Wallpaper” -The moments of insanity that creep up on you during this COVID time.”
—Amanda Kreglow
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“In reflecting on In Spite Of, Because Of…The Wallpaper, Alison stated, “I think people need to hear that it is okay not to be okay sometimes. And to remember that there is always hope. The final reach at the end that Nika does so beautifully signifies that – hope.”
—Kristen Hedberg, The Dance Enthusiast Audience Review (full Review link)
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Pieridae
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“Pieridae” was wonderful!”
—Cathie Gunther (CT)
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MESSAGES IN TIME
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“In Cook-Beatty’s world premiere, Messages in Time, a dancing tale created with violinist Shem Guibbory and dramaturg Anne Catherine de Mare, the stars, etc. do align. The quintet is breathtaking — the company’s tour-de-force.”
– Christine Jowers, Dance Enthusiast
Read More>>
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SONG OF THUNDER
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“Within the eye of moments of turbulent, circular movement, Beatty also manages to find the calm within her thunderous storm. The two women share moments of softness in egalitarian partnering, an exploration of the negotiation between effort, ease, and surrender.”
– Sabrina Karlin, Dance Enthusiast
Read More>>
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February 11, 2023, EYE ON THE ARTS, NY — Mary Seidman
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SEELE
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“Seele is a thrilling piece to watch, and the three dancers were outstanding.”
– Jerry Hochman, Critical Dance
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WHALE
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““Whale” (2018), based on the Academy Award-winning film, “Whale Rider,” pits evolution against tradition, as young villager, Paikea, portrayed emotively by Fiona Oba, struggles against patrilineal forces. Beatty’s accessible, sensitive storytelling finds balance between the delicacy, yearning and power of youth.”
– Sabrina Karlin, The Dance Enthusiast
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TOUCHED BY FIRE
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“The audience was spellbound by the performance.”
– Louisa Wah, The Dance Enthusiast
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“Touched By Fire, passionately danced by the company’s Artistic Director, Alison Cook- Beatty. Originally choreographed two decades ago, the first section was created when she was an undergrad at the Boston Conservatory of Music at Berklee, set to the music of Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1 in G, by YoYo Ma; while the second section was newly choreographed and set to Bach’s Cello Suite No. 4 in E flat Major, by Julius Berger. Like twin flames that never meet, Cook- Beatty takes us on an incendiary journey of her past and present selves, each burning brightly in their respective realms. Expansive choreography repeatedly launched Cook- Beatty’s limbs and torso into multiple planes of space, while an unsettled ground roiled beneath her. Quite dramatically, after a series of frantic head spins and overwrought contractions, she collapsed to the floor, breathless and writhing in between worlds.”
– Heather Zises of (READ)art
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BECOMING ANOTHER
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“Truly magical to watch.”
– The Dance Enthusiast
Read more>>
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“This is one of my most favorite dances[…]the dance in and of itself is beautiful as is the story and you can certainly understand everything the performers impart.”
– The Dance Enthusiast
Read more>>
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“Such a wonderful, spell binding, fascinating story [of Adam and Eve] and it being translated into a dance is truly magical to watch. If ever you, the reader, have the chance to watch this dance please do, it offers such an amazing interpretation of this story, of these characters, I just love it. Again, one of my most favorite dances.”
– The Dance Enthusiast
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INISCHLACKEN
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“In a trend-fest, dizzy New york dance scene, it is refreshing to see a choreographer who takes seriously the art of composition and less the fads of the time. Alison Cook-Beatty is one such choreographer.”
– Temple Kemezis, Freelance Writer
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“Often folk spirited pieces are a hard sale against the leg whacks, oozing qualities and sheer too-cool-for-school attitudes which primarily comprise the greater handful of today’s New York contemporary dance scene. Folk theme by default is dated. But, I feel this piece was a smart choice by Ms.Cook-Beatty as it shows her expertise in composition and her integrity as a choreographer. This third movement highlights her choreographies’ sensitivity to the whims, waves, and wearing of the musical score, sometimes appearing the music itself is conducted by her.”
– Temple Kemezis, Freelance Writer
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MURMURATION
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“Simply done, seemed the key phrase for this piece and it is said in compliment”
“Ms. Cook-Beatty’s knack for craftsmanship was the shining element of the piece, yet again.”
– Temple Kemeziz, Freelance Writer
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“MURMURATION (2016) closed the program on a [fluttering] high note. Ottorino Respighi’s cheerful score Gli uccelli (The Birds) carried the dancers through eighteen minutes of joyful flocking and frolicking. The term “murmuration,” which is defined as a flock of starlings, indicates group harmony in itself, and that is exactly what Alison Cook-Beatty’s choreography achieved in this work. Set on the entire company, we see a dove (Vara Paganin), a chicken (Jacob Brown), a nightingale (Carolina Rivera), two cuckoos (Niccolò Orsolani and Fiona Oba) and three starlings (Nika Antuanette, Dorrie Silver and Timothy Ward) coexisting in their shared nest – the dancers literally could position themselves inside of a radiant handmade set design of birds nests by Daniel G. Cook, which sat in the upstage left corner – and world beyond.”
– November 6, 2018
Alison Cook Beatty Dance shines at Peridance in 2018 Fall Season, Kristen Hedberg
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THE EMOTIONS PROJECT
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“Despite the wide range of emotions, this work gave an impression of unity and transcendance. […] The performance literally took the audience’s breath away. ”
– Louisa Wah, The Dance Enthusiast
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“[In The Emotions Project] Cook-Beatty collaborated with members of her company to interpret a series of emotions into movements and phrases. The result was an extraordinary display of mental states that reverberated well beyond the stage. Set to neo-baroque music, the piece played out like a Fellini-esque dream sequence, confronting the viewer with an onslaught of emotional vignettes that endlessly synapsed throughout the night.”
– Heather Zises of (READ)art
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“The dancers leapt into each world with intensity and abandon, showing each emotion at its highest possible volume.”
– Nadia Khayrallah
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“…Virtuosic lifts, sharp diagonals, and mass groupings in organic clumps were prevalent. Employing familiar modern dance techniques, the dancers exploded in cascades of rolls, falls, recoveries runs, and jetés. The dance opened with a contrast of brisk walks and slow, somber walks. Half of the group walked quickly while the other half did the latter. The women wore thin, white and tan slips. Their hair was loose, and their feet were bare. The men wore long, tan pants and were bare-chested and barefooted. The thin materials they wore had an elegance, as small lace details were visible. But the lack of materials on the dancers certainly indicated vulnerability and a lack of protection. A scene of appearing unprotected revealed itself when company dancer Carolina Rivera became separated from the sweeping seven other dancers. The seven circled her, holding their hands in a tense circular gesture as if they were holding a ball of fire. While Carolina Rivera’s character appears depleted and desolate, her solo continues and she communicated raw desperation with technical proficiency and complete openness. The Emotions Project did not blatantly state what the most vulnerable emotion out there is. For me, it indicated that one is not mutually exclusive.”
– Kristen Hedberg
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TINTINNABULI
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“No step overshadows another and the result is a pure lullaby.”
– Leah O’Donnell, Dance Pulp
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“[TINTINNABULI] is full of stylistic diversity, and all ingredients are top grade– high caliber classical talent and contemporary, dark and off-beat creations.”
– Leah O’Donnell, Dance Pulp
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“As a choreographer, Alison has things well-in-hand, drawing o the music for inspiration at every turn. And the dancers did her proud with their committed and passionate dancing…Alison started off on the right foot by choosing excellent music (Arvo part) and then went on to create a very pleasing contemporary-style ballet…Alison’s TINTINNABULI has a spiritual quality stemming from the celestial music which was played live by an ensemble of violinists, with piano and cello.”
–Philip Gardner, Oberon’s Grove
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“Though Ms. Cook-Beatty and Ms. Rivera flawlessly executed a series of classical movements, the duet was powerful and confrontational; which goes to show that arabesques, attitude turns, and spirals are not always sweet and dainty.”
– Kristen Hedberg
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MANIFESTATIONS
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“The dancers that portrayed these three characters did so with so much passion, with such conviction of their personal part in the story that I held my breath in anticipation of what will happen next.”
– The Dance Enthusiast
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GRACE
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“GRACE (Excerpt) [2014] appeared fourth on the program, which was a sprightly trio that provided a lighthearted contrast to HOUSTON STREET HOOTENANNY’s intensity. Danced by Ms. Rivera, Ms. Paganin and Ms. Silver, I was swept into their world of springtime, joy and love. The trio was inspired by the music – Un poco Allegretto; No.2 in G Major, Op. 111 by Johannes Brahms – which brought forth visions of cherry blossoms and “all things good.” The trio flowed with classical lines, both in the “V” shapes they made with their arms, and in the diagonals, they made with the space. One memorable movement was by Ms. Silver, who executed a smooth descent to the floor (almost reminiscent of the split fall in the Graham Technique), and recovered just as swiftly.”
– RAW An Evening with Alison Cook Beatty Dance Aug. 21, 2018 at Milford Arts Council (MAC) in Milford, CT Kristen Hedberg
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HOUSTON STREET HOOTENANNY
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“I felt transported by her choreography and awed by her story of how she came to put this marvelous piece together. Her unique ability is to explain those years in ways words never could.”
– Maureen Gorman
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“I watched with fascination as her dancers reconstructed images of the Baltimore Riots of the 196o’s and the Vietnam War, when they took the space.”
– Kristen Hedberg, kristenhedberg.weebly.com
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“The high-energy performance, which involved a lot of jumps, turns, rolling on the floor along with sassy and seductive moves, exuded a great sense of optimism that the 60’s song embodies. The audience couldn’t help but start to sing along with the music.”
– Louisa Wah, The Dance Enthusiast
Read More >>
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“HOUSTON STREET HOOTENANNY (Excerpt) [2014] came next, which was another Alison Cook Beatty Dance repertory I viewed in 2017. HOUSTON STREET HOOTENANNY was inspired by a peculiar gift that Ms. Cook-Beatty received. She received the gift from a friend when she worked at the Joffrey Ballet School in Greenwich Village: her gift was a large, tattered American flag that was found on train tracks. This shredded flag reminded Ms. Cook-Beatty of the bohemian culture of the 1960’s Greenwich Village neighborhood. HOUSTON STREET HOOTENANNY pays homage to the “resilience, strength, and creativity of the neighborhood and artistic community,” as Ms. Cook-Beatty stated. It also calls the audience to recognize that Americans are “singing the same songs” of war and struggle today that were sung forty years ago.”
– RAW An Evening with Alison Cook Beatty Dance Aug. 21, 2018 at Milford Arts Council (MAC) in Milford, CT Kristen Hedberg
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LIFELINE
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“Alison Cook-Beatty’s piece, LIFELINE, was the most balletic work of the night, featuring lovely technique from dancers Lara Vilches and Edgar Peterson Both wearing white, under red lights, the piece was romantic, yet disquieting. Supported by emotional string music y composer Karl Jenkins, the dancers come together, separate and came together again. This pattern repeats in various form throughout the work. One gets the sense they are (or were) a couple in love, but there is something wrong – something at stake. They seem driven together by desire but pulled apart by outside forces. The dancers moved well together, winding and unwinding on the floor and on their feet. They also travel throughout the space with swift leaps, swinging arms, and cascading lifts. There is a sense that they yearn to be together as their arms envelop one another, but this is not a joyful dance, and their struggle are clear as they lean away from one another and break free from each others grasp. Free, but full of yearning.”
– Nellie Rainwater, fitengine.com
http://www.fitengine.com/class/performacne-reiview-nyc10-ocotober-24-2012/
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.”..2001 piece Lifeline, is a far better pas de deux than one had any right to expect from a choreographer who, at the time, was still a student at The Boston Conservatory.”
-Jerry Hochman of Critical Dance
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BANSHEE’S LAMENTATION
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“This is hands down a masterpiece and one of the best ballets that I have ever seen. I would love to see the Graham or Taylor companies add it to their repertoire or even American Ballet Theater or Ailey. There’s a thought- having Ms. Cook-Beatty set a ballet on one of the more prominent companies of America. Someone should set that up.”
– The Dance Enthusiast
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ACCUSED (VARIATION B)
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“Alison Cook-Beatty whips up a savory feast for the eyes in ACCUSED (VARIATION B). Wildly mercurial and yet tender and pensive, the train of women that coil in a serpentine like manner via bouree is reminiscent of Nacho Duato’s style and intricacies of corps de ballet in a very” visceral and modern way. However, her experience with Paul Taylor is also present with signature Taylor leaps and bounds. But most surprising is her Balanchinian way of avoiding sentimentality and creating a work that unlike most choreographers may stand the test of time, Truly a feast for the eyes and not to be missed by any love of dance.”
– Matthew Cole, Director, Sculpt New York LLC
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“ACCUSED (VARIATION B) honors the children of Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut. The dance also explores whether or not society encourages acts of violence and hatred. Ironically, this latter question brings to mind the heavy political week America experienced just one week prior to Alison Cook-Beatty’s Fall Season. America saw the deadliest attack on the Jewish community in history. A wave of mail bombs was sent to critics of President Donald Trump. Halloween brought the one year anniversary of the deadly terrorist truck driver attack which killed eight and injured dozens in Lower Manhattan. The dance brought these events, and countless others, to mind – though they were fresh in my mind regardless. ACCUSED (VARIATION B) further drove my speculation as to where this hate stems from.”
– November 6, 2018
Alison Cook Beatty Dance shines at Peridance in 2018 Fall Season, Kristen Hedberg
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PATIENCE IMPATIENCE
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“Ms. Cook-Beatty fills the stage with a weights and ropes to create what resembles a giant game of cat’s cradle, and as the dancers are alternately tethered and released from this spider web, there’s an important subtext of frustrated womanhood. Aided by composer Avner Finberg’s abstract score, the work often evokes the spirit of the mid-century American modern masters.”
– Katherine Bergstrom, dance scholar & writer at Point of Contact
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MAGNETIC TEMPTATIONS
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“MAGNETIC TEMPTATIONS (World Premiere) was a twenty-four-minute whirlwind. Though fast-paced and ripe with intricate gestures and phrase work, Alison Cook-Beatty incorporated clear recurring motifs which brought a subtle sense of calm.”
– November 6, 2018
Alison Cook Beatty Dance shines at Peridance in 2018 Fall Season, Kristen Hedberg
Read More>>
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“The piece is 24 minutes long and features the beautiful and haunting Grá agus Bás (Love and Death) by Irish composer Donnacha Dennehy. Ms. Cook-Beatty describes the theme of her choreography for this work as “the ideals of love and death, on seductions and temptations which most are aware have likely negative outcomes.” This idea is explored through striking unison group movement, interesting and poignant partnering, and powerful individual interactions with the group. I wholeheartedly recommend seeing this incredible work the next time it is performed. I promise I will not fail to move you.”
– January 23, 2019
Dance Review: “Magnetic Temptations” by Alison Cook Beatty Dance, Larissa King
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“I saw Magnetic Temptations as a mystical dance that explores the ability to overcome destructive emotional forces, like tempting sirens, through the power of prayer.”
– March 28, 2019
Dance Review: Ariel Rivka Dance & Guests: Childs Play, Adult Turmoil
Jerry Hochman
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UNINVITED GUEST
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“Uninvited Guest,” a short, simple, and uncomfortable piece adapted from a group composition class project in Beatty’s student years. […] The dancers performed simple repetitive movements–flopping, jerking, sliding, spinning–that slowly grew and developed over the course of the piece. […] Not as complex as Beatty’s more recent works, but effective in its own right, “The Uninvited Guest,” suggested that the seeds of Beatty’s developing personal voice might be found in her pre-Taylor experiments.”
– Nadia Khayrallah
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HUMANITAS
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“Humanitas,” a display of modern dance classicism based on two Botticelli paintings of Greek mythology. Beatty’s background as a dancer in Paul Taylor’s company was clear. The strongly-executed movement showcased the signature lines, sweeping S-curves of the arms and back, hip turns, and powerful jumps, characteristic of Taylor’s technique. The musicality was direct and precisely planned–with nearly every musical gesture matched by a dancer’s step.”
– Nadia Khayrallah
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“The nine ACBD dancers energize and enlighten the mythical representation, [Bonicelli’s paintings Primaver and The birth of Venus] injecting a balance of joy and sensuality to what were frozen in time at the outset, including nicely-executed lifts.”
-Jerry Hochman, Critical Dance
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“This act of Humanitas alone set an appropriate mood of somewhat earthy otherworldliness.”
-Jerry Hochman, Critical Dance
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In Spite of, Because of...The Wallpaper
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“Wonderful!!! I was particularly moved by “In Spite of, Because of…The Wallpaper” -The moments of insanity that creep up on you during this COVID time.”
—Amanda Kreglow
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“In reflecting on In Spite Of, Because Of…The Wallpaper, Alison stated, “I think people need to hear that it is okay not to be okay sometimes. And to remember that there is always hope. The final reach at the end that Nika does so beautifully signifies that – hope.”
—Kristen Hedberg, The Dance Enthusiast Audience Review (full Review link)
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