ABT World Premier Ballet AFTEREFFECT and A Few Dances of Yesteryear

Marcelo Gomes (b. Brazil 1979) is a principal dancer wtih ABT and the brilliant choreographer of AFTEREFFECT which premiered at Linc Ctr last night.  The piece called to mind Justin Peck's (NYC Ballet) ballet NEW BLOOD which premiered this season.  There was a similiar connect with their  vitality and resurrection theme.  The androgynous leotards could be interchangeable.   Both ballets are exciting and ingenious.  Gomes' ballet ventures into an after life whereas Peck's maintained a continuous surge of energy & life; albeit brief moments of recessitation.  Gomes' ballet contained sombre, adaggio movements.  I would have liked these ephemeral, transitions if not for the clumps of dancers causing a blockage of movement. The lighting at times was distracing, either too dark or too glaring.  Misty Copeland was lovely in her role although under utilized.  She was more fetching dancing than merely being lifted.  Most impressive was the allegretto footwork danced with animato particularly by the male pairings.  The daring leaps & catches were exhilarating.  AFTEREFFECT is an innovative effective work worth viewing repeatedly.  Paul Taylor's COMPANY B which 1st premiered in 1991 felt tame & dated in comparison. The last piece, THE GREEN TABLE which premiered in 1932 was also a curious selection on the program.  Both COMPANY B & THE GREEN TABLE are performed without pointe shoes; a modern foray into major ballet companies.  THE GREEN TABLE by Kurt Joos was first performed in 1932.  This is a very dark, macabre, militaristic ballet.  It is a powerful theatrical work that is chilling and commanding.  The opening & ending scenes felt like a Marx brothers parody of negotiating military officials.  Other scenes convey combat readiness and the carnages of war.  Interestingly, this work feels contemporary and compelling.  A bizarre & beguiling evening of dance.  The highlight was Gomes' new ballet, AFTEREFFECT.