American ballet stars By Keith Macfarlane IF THE sonnet is the purest and most diffi- cult art form in literature, the pas de deux is its counterpart in ballet — and an evening of pas de deux can be a little overpowering. That it wasn't was due largely to the vir- tuosity of the dancers of the American Ballet. Not that they are all American. Of the Stars of ‘the American Ballet who opened their week's run at the Three Arts last night one of the 11 is English, one French and another comes from Iceland, ‘The season has been divided into two programmes and the first last night cons- isted of six ballots of which three were classic pas de deux, two were a little wider ‘and less pre. cise in scope and the sixth was more a partnership rather than a.pas de deux 1n the classic sense, It was also the most’ powerful piece in the programme, ‘VEHICLES As vehicles for the vir tuosity of the dancers the ballets were entirely ade- quate, ‘but I question the desirability of having so many that were similar in context, ‘The dancers each had their own appeal ana in the case of Violette Verdy there was the additional charisma and magnetism. that made her one of the world’s great _ballerinas. She was partnered by Helgi Tommason who was often spectacular and always impeccable The programme opened with the Raymonda Varia- tions by Balanchine where the dancers were ob- viously enjoying them- selves and) where. Yerdy displayed a magnificent line. ‘There was also the youthful appeal of Cynthia Harvey and Linda Kuch era, “one of the most powerful pieces of dance | have | have ever seen." PINK ‘The final two pieces had Verdy and Tommason dancing Balanchine's Tchaikovsky pas de deux and-.Morales and Martin dancing that from Don Quixote, ‘Verdy was better in this than she was in the Varia- tions and it was a mark of her talent that she held the audience spellbound in spite of a nondescript pink costume that did nothing to help the illu sion. But she has the char- isma_and the magnetism that make you forget, her costume. She has the tech- sigue too. Tommason drow sponta. neous applause during and after a spectacular solo with a difficult manege and Some magnificent jumps, cabrioles and ‘turns. Martin and Morales showed in Don Quixote that they are brilliant classical dancers aswell as exponents of the avant garde, Technically they ‘were superb, and together they form an entity that is worth going a long way to The Star, August 26 1975 y STARS OF THE AMERICAN BALLET Even if there had been nothing else on the pro- gramme, it would have been worth going to see After Eden with Keith Martin and Wilda Morales whieh is one of the most powerful pieces of dance T have ever seen. It tells as an_ allegory with primeval emotion of the initial antipathy between man and woman leading to an eventual sympathy which in turn produced an empathy with the audience. Tt was a partnership more than i. pas de deux because it does not follow the classic pattern. It has one of its own that is tense, electri+ fying, It held the audience from’ start to finish as they watched its gyrations and. convolutions. ‘There was accusation, supplica- tion and justification. Tt was magnificent, Adding to the effect was the fact ‘that there was a minimum of props and stage effect, just body tights and de: ceptively simple lighting. CONTROLLED Martin is a magnifi- cently controlled dancer and though Morales does not yet have his experi- ence they made a supremely effective part- nership, La Fille Mal Garde was a light, frothy and pleas ant pas de deux with Teherkassy and Conover where the youth and freshness of the two dan- cers was the most appeal ing facet.