Saint Louis Ballet dancers capture the spirit of Valentine’s Day every February with contemporary ballets that include critically-acclaimed work as well as world premieres. This year, Old Loves | New Loves does just that.

 

We celebrate an old love with the revival of a favorite – Tom Gold’s Oasis.  Gold, a long-time dancer with New York City Ballet, was called “a force for good in the ballet world” by The Wall Street Journal. Gold’s work pushes the boundaries of classical dance, but stays true to classical technique.  His bluesy Oasis has movement quality that is sensual and sultry, “filled with languid gyrations and swivel hips appropriate for a day at a beach during Spring Break…” (Critical Dance). This ballet is fun for the dancers and the audience can sense it.

 

Hallelujah Junction (performed by only a very few companies nationwide) is by former New York City Ballet leader Peter Martins and created for Royal Danish Ballet. Performed with two pianists on stage,   the ballet was described by New York City Ballet as “a living locomotive of propulsive vitality, set to a pulsing John Adams score.”  This is a Saint Louis premiere.

 

Old Loves | New Loves concludes with solos and pas de deux by Gen Horiuchi, set to the melodic French Suites by J.S. Bach. This is the first time the works have been performed for a live audience.

 

Horiuchi, Saint Louis Ballet's artistic and executive director, has staged a considerable number of classical story ballets for the company and has created crowd-pleasing contemporary pieces as well. His ballets have been performed by Saint Louis Ballet as well as his ballet company in his native Japan.