"Balanchine GOLD" by Los Angeles Ballet

(Royce Hall, 23 March 2013)

Balanchine's is a peculiar language, that of social isolation, decreed aspiration to excellence, and the fear of slowing down for fear of disappointing the machine. His language constructs aesthetics, but neglects meaning. Balanchine is the Manhattan people commute to.

Bach is the Manhattan people reverse commute from. Engineered to dance to, Bach's music tricks thought into wakefulness. In "Concerto Barocco," Bach's music attributes the ballet's kinetic detachment to the congruence of individual goals, not to the sacrifice of self-denial.