Columbia Repertory Ballet’s Spring Gala was a night of beautiful, intense dancing which showcased the stamina and artistry of its cast.

Columbia Repertory Ballet’s (CRB) spring performance featured a program of five pieces, which ranged from the contemporary to the rigidly classical but all showcased the club’s signature balletic virtuosity. CRB’s semesterly galas feature students in both dancing and leadership roles—pre-existing choreography is staged and rehearsed by student répetiteurs, many of whom are also dancing in other pieces. This system highlights the passionate dedication of everyone involved in CRB; every piece is brought to life by the effort of the dancers.

The Spring Gala began on a bright note with Durante Verzola’s “Spirited Syncopations.” The neoclassical piece lived up to its name, with dancers prancing, leaping, and posing en pointe in bright red costumes which matched the vibrant energy of the music. Rhythm was essential in this piece, and it was extraordinarily satisfactory to see the dancers’ movements line up perfectly with the beats and melodies of the music. Verzola’s choreography was reminiscent of some of Balanchine’s more exuberant ballets (Who Cares?, for example), with its jazz-inspired flare, parallel attitudes, and beveled feet. Michael Shavelle’s (CC ‘27) performance was especially noteworthy—his sweeping jumps paired with controlled, precise positions provided exactly the contrast needed to bring the piece to life—as was Elizabeth Hasapis’ (CC ’25) solo “The Typewriter.” Hasapis embodied the flirty character of the solo, pairing dramatic facials with sharp pas de bourrées and long swivels. Dancers flitted in and out in trios, solos, and duets until the piece’s big finale, “The Waltzing Cat,” which provided a beautiful moment of closure. After so many fast entrances and exits, it was a treat to see all the dancers move in unison. 

Next was an excerpt from Marius Petipa’s 19th-century ballet La Bayadère, featuring a quartet and a pas de deux between Hortense Pelletan (CC ‘25) and Andrew Fleischner (CC ‘26). The quartet was costumed in classic pink tutus and tiaras, and moved across the stage in carefully executed jumps and réléves. Fiona Witty-Daugherty (CC ‘28) had especially stunning technique and floaty Bournonville jétés (a hallmark of Petipa’s choreography), and Katherine Kuckhoff’s (GS ‘25) artistry shone through in her graceful port de bras and energetic smile. The pas was filled with intense lifts, and Pelletan’s solo variation was an impressive tour de force, featuring quick turns and grand allegro jumps. Though the excerpt felt somewhat disconnected from La Bayadère’s story—I couldn’t really tell you the relationships between the characters—it was still a well-executed demonstration of technique and classical dancing.

After a fifteen-minute intermission, the second half of the program began. Continuing with classical repertory, Carolina Rivera (CC ‘26) and Jonah Schwartz (CC ‘27) entered as Swanhilda and Franz from the ballet Coppélia. Their opening duet was full of character; as Rivera delicately waved a prop bouquet of wheat by her ear, Schwartz shrugged and shook his head in confusion. Even as an excerpt, with a cast of six and no set or backdrop, the story of the ballet—crucial in classical works such as these—came to life beautifully in the faces and artistry of the dancers. The quartet of Swanhilda’s friends excelled in both their corps work and their individual passes across the floor, combining precise synchronicity with daring leaps and turns. Rivera’s extensions and dramatic port de bras retained control and grace, while Schwartz seemed to levitate in every jump. Though the piece must have required incredible stamina, with its long run time and seemingly never-ending allegros, not one dancer let their performance drop; the entire piece looked effortless, the natural outburst of friends enjoying each other’s company. 

Kendall Bottjer’s (BC ‘23) “Friday’s Lemon” was an abrupt shift from the last two pieces, announcing itself firmly as a contemporary work with moody lighting, modern costumes of black stirrup tights and colored cutoff tops, and heavy bass music. Elements of classical ballet still shone through—Jules Kramer (BC ‘27) and Danielle Zuccaro’s (CC ‘27) opening 180-degree penchés, for example—but the piece experimented more with boundaries of form and mood. The serenity of the movement (somehow not at odds with, but complementary to, the music) and the total focus of the dancers slowly thawed into more expressive, communicative moments. Dancers smiled at each other, hugged, and interacted in pedestrian ways as a sweet melody slowly gained traction in the score. The entire piece had a constant, dreamy flow very much embodied by the dancers and the choreography.

Closing out the evening was a series of excerpts from Italian Suite, a ballet choreographed by Gerald Arpino (the co-founder and eventual artistic director and resident choreographer of the Joffrey Ballet). The black backdrop gave the stage a new depth, against which the dancers’ lines looked elegant and graceful as they melted from pose to pose. Inhabiting a space somewhere between classical and neoclassical, Italian Suite featured complex partnering in a pas de trois with Pelletan, Koa Chun (CC ‘27), and Emily Choi (CC ‘28)—at one point Chun impressively partnered both ballerinas in arabesque at the same time—as well as corps work in a “Women’s Movement.” Dancers fractured constantly into new formations, expressively leaning and turning in a flow of constant motion. The artistic flourishes and swelling music of Italian Suite provided the perfect capstone to the gala’s program, leaving audiences engaged, content, and thoroughly impressed.

Image via CRB Instagram