Wendy Whalen Dances a Solo "Sophie" Choreographed by Kathy Westwater at 92ndY

The 92ndY offers incredible "Fridays at Noon" dance programs with exceptional int'l artists exploring interdisciplinary dance noms.  The program offers live performances followed by an open discussion.  Today was the premiere presentation of the series which featured the phenomenal Wendy Whelan.  Wendy danced an unprecedented 30 years with the NYC Ballet; 23 as principal dancer.  "Restless Creature" is an intimate doc. of Wendy's life, dance career and her transitioning from performing classical ballet on a world stage to modern dance in various venues.  The doc. was released earlier this year.  After the Wendy's performance she & Kathy Westwater spoke about their friendship that dates back to Louisville, KY as young dancers in the 1970's.   They said this was the first time they have collaborated.  Kathy's dance, "Sophie" - a solo in two parts experimented with choreographing one work to two very different scores.  The first part the music was an operetta song by Maria Callas.  Wendy was barefoot & dressed in a simple white frock.  With her eyes closed & her hair loose, the aesthetic was dreamlike & flowing.  Upon waking, the opening her eyes, Wendy's movement's become more energetic with a playful, childlike energy.  There was a section choreographed against the mirror which gave a duplicate imagery.  It was reminiscent of "Alice Through the Looking Glass".  Part two used the same choreography set to a contemporary score that was harried & electrifying.  Wendy was dressed in black, track pants & an ordinary green t-shirt and shoeless.  The lighting was the same except for a futuristic light module backstage.  Ironically, the more contemporary score affixed itself tighter with the choreography.  After the 1/2 hour dance performance there was a 1/2 hour of discussion & Q&A with Wendy & Kathy.  The women talked about their long friendship & shared some early photos of themselves as young ballerinas.  Kathy said the freedom of modern dance "fit her skin the moment she tried it on."  Wendy said she was driven by the structure of classical ballet (Balanchine's technique) and was motivated to achieve the precision and extensions demanded.  Wendy also said this was her "first" foray into improvising and is exploring that outlets this provides. And, she is still trying on her bare feet.  The next Friday at Noon dance program is Oct 20th:  Merian Soto, Noemi Segarra (both b. Puerto Rico) & Patti Bradshaw known combining dance with puppetry.