‘Grand Slam’ Is Home Run for Boston Ballet

While the Boston Ballet’s “Grand Slam” provides a night of dynamic, contemporary dance, perhaps “Home Run” would have been a more appropriate name for this talented, but not flawless, ensemble. Running until March 26, the program is made up of four independent works, including two world premieres, “Etesian” and “Up and Down,” one Boston premiere, “Lambarena,” and the return of last season’ favorite, “Plan to B.”

Helen Pickett’s “Etesian” introduces the evening of dance. Though perhaps the most innovative of the four, with its random interludes of silence and truly modern movements, it is also the most technically lacking performance, often danced without basic unison. The muted mood often tries to substitute dramatic lighting and set design for technical dance.

Despite a false start and some occasionally shaky ensemble work at their March 17 performance, the company looked the most stylistically comfortable and vehemently committed in Jorma Elo’s “Plan to B.”

Lit by a large side panel of bright white and set to rather restrained 17th-century violin music by Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber, the movement is rigorously athletic and ultra-contemporary, with flamboyant leaps that corkscrew in the air and hyperextended limbs thrown in all directions. Jazzy inflections color brilliant shifts in dynamic and direction, imbuing the whole piece with a kind of exuberant nervous energy.

In particular, the male pas de deux towards the end of the performance provides the most dramatic and skillful interpretation.

Mark Morris’s “Up and Down,” the best executed of the two world premieres, provides an impressive display of dynamic dancing and emotional tension through its skillful performers and innovative choreography. While modern and creative, it also remains firmly grounded in its classical ballet origins—making it the most technically difficult work of the night.

Although the use of nonchalant exits—different groupings of 12 dancers simply walk offstage—is often more distracting than refreshing, it is offset by the growing intricacy of the groupings themselves. The final ones are particularly impressive—the principal couple’s final pose is beautifully framed by a technically stunning routine by the other 10 dancers.

The evening concludes with the Boston premiere of “Lambarena,” a work that was first staged by the San Francisco Ballet in 1995. Both the choreography and score skillfully blend the classicism of Bach and ballet with the sound and movement of West Africa. In contrast to the other minimalist pieces, it provides the most defined storyline, possibly commenting on European involvement in Africa.

With appropriate backdrop and costumes, this combination of classical ballet infused with authentic African dance results in a bright, engaging conclusion to an evening of ups and downs.

“Grand Slam” provides an eclectic combination of modern dance that even the most ardent lover of classical ballet can appreciate.

—Staff writer Giselle Barcia can be reached at gbarcia@fas.harvard.edu.