Juilliard Spring Dances 2019 In Memoriam Lawrence Rhodes at Peter Jay Sharp

The joyous Spring Dances 2019 paid homage to Lawrence Rhodes (b Amer 1939-2019) renown dancer, teacher and former head of Juilliard's Dance Dept.  Rhodes passed away this past Wednesday at age 80.  The program had 3 works Martha Graham's "The Rite of Spring,"(1984)  Bill T. Jones' D-Man in the Waters (Part 1) (1989) and Alejando Cerrudo's "Little mortal jump" (2012).  Cerrudo's piece was the first on the program and the most contemporary work (2012).  This work best highlighted the talented dancers' youthful exuberance and innovative techniques.  The program began with a young dancer running from the entrance of the auditorium down to the stage yelling "Wait, wait for me I'm coming" and swiftly climbing on stage.  The soundtrack included music by Philip Glass, Max Richter Alexandre Desplat and the rock group Beirut.  The score was a mixture of post minimalist compositions, contemporary classical and alternative popular style.  The set design was by its choreographer Cerrudo.  "Little mortal jump" made superlative use of staging, lighting, costuming and special effects that enhanced the mystical and contemporary dance aesthetic.  The dancers were electrifying.  The Juilliard Orchestra performed with the dancers for "D-Man in the Waters (Part 1) playing Mendelssohn and Stravinsky for "The Rite of Spring."  Graham ushered in a new language of movement and powerful expressionism that help popularize modern dance.  The solemn stylistic and pounding work appears as an exaggerated parody of modern dance.  Graham is quoted in the program "I've always felt that if you become an artist you are the Chosen One. It's a force that possess you, it's an exciting and wonderful life, but it's filled with terror, and there's no way, once you accept it, you can escape its sacrificial demands."  The Spring Dances gave the dancers the opportunity to demonstrate the historical lineage of dance, contemporary techniques on a professional level that was very exciting to embrace.  
The Juilliard community remembers Larry Rhodes-dancer, teacher and leader and Artist Director, Juilliard Dance (2002-17).