1/13/2015

Robert J. Priores Ascendance | CriticalDance

Search
Follow @CriticalDance

An Inclusive Site for Dancers and Dance Audiences

Home

About

Reviews and Features

Policies and Guidelines

San Francisco Ballet in Paris 2014

Forum

Archives

Links

Contact

MODERN/CONTEMPORARY DANCE (USA & CANADA), REVIEWS

Robert J. Priores Ascendance

CityDance Studio Theater at Strathmore, North Bethesda, MA; January 10, 2015
Carmel Morgan

FOLLOW US ON
FACEBOOK

criticaldance forum and

ballet-dance magazine
Like 1,572

In
a

REVIEWS AND
FEATURES: BY
CATEGORY
Select Cate
gory

REVIEWS AND
FEATURES: BY
MONTH
Select Mon
th

POPULAR
COMPANIES

Top (l-r): Dana Pajarillaga, Diana Amalfitano; Bottom (l-r): Robert J. Priore, Matthew
McLaughlin.
Photo EnMotion Photography

program titled Ascendance, a handful of professional dancers joined students

and alumni of the CityDance School & Conservatory, where Robert J. Priore is the
Choreographer-in-Residence and OnStage Ignite artist (recipient of support in the
creation and performance of new work), to present an evening of Priores original
choreography. Priore, a 2009 BFA graduate of Point Park University and current
dancer with Company E, a DC-based contemporary dance company, is a rising
choreographic talent. He definitely displays a knack for challenging students and
http://www.criticaldance.org/2015/01/13/robert-j-priores-ascendance/

!FLACC! Aakash Odedra

Company Akram Khan
Alberta Ballet
Alexander Whitley
Alonzo King LINES
Ballet American

Ballet Theatre

AMRITA Performing
Arts Arthur Pita Ballet
Inc. Ballet San Jose
Ballett Zrich Batsheva
Dance Company
Beijing Dance Theater
Birmingham Royal
Ballet Bolshoi Ballet

Boston Ballet

Chickenshed Chowk
1/4

1/13/2015

Robert J. Priores Ascendance | CriticalDance

showing off their skills, while also making the more seasoned dancers look great.
My favorite work on the program was Forgetting the Ones that Didnt, a duet
between Priore and Kyoko Ruch, a former apprentice with the Richmond Ballet who
dances professionally in the DC-area with Company E and Company Danzante.
Ruch clung to Priore at first. She wrapped her body around him in a tight embrace
and curled atop him on the floor. Priores arm often was placed around her neck,
elbow beneath her chin, and he frequently carried her lifted above him, while she
dangled vertically. When he approached her from her behind and aggressively
bumped her, I understood that the menacing tinge would turn even darker. Their
tumultuous relationship was alarming, and I found myself cheering for Ruch to
find her independence. In the end, she did finally escape, but it was haunting how
her own hands grabbed at her neck, recalling the recently severed relationship.
Another favorite was the final work on the program, Abandon, a quartet
performed by two Company E dancers, Vanessa Owen and Gavin Stewart, and
sibling pair Dana and Kevin Pajarillaga (Dana is a 2013 graduate of the CityDance
Conservatory and a student of the Juilliard School, Class of 2017; Kevin is also a
CityDance alumni and a member of the class of 2016 at Point Park University). Both
Pajarillagas are beautiful dancers with a powerful stage presence. Although I
certainly hope they return to the DC area after they graduate, their dance career
options ought to be abundant. The dancers wore all black tank tops, long skirts
with thigh-high slits, knee pads, and socks. To a pounding bass beat, they bounced
buoyantly like boxers on their toes ready to fight, the movement resembling
elegant sparring. The dancers flew up from the floor as well as tore through the air
above them, popping around like kernals of popcorn. The rock-solid dancers and
the dynamic choreography equaled pure dance-watching joy.
Divided We
Stand, a striking
piece with nine
dancers that
opened the
program, also

English National Ballet

English National Ballet

School Estonian
National Ballet Fact/SF
Flamenco Sin Fronteras
Fredrik Rydman Gelsey
Kirkland Ballet Gin
Dance Company Grand
Rapids Ballet Hong
Kong Academy for
Performing Arts
Hubbard Street Dance
Inclined Dance Project
Israel Galvn Jasmin
Vardimon Company Jo
Goode Performance
Group Junior Ballett
Karole Armitage Kate
Weare Company
Kenneth Kvarnstrm
Company LASALLE
College of the Arts Les
Ballets Trockadero de
Monte-Carlo
LevyDance Little
Dancer M1
Contemporary Dance
Festival Manhattan
Youth Ballet Mark
Bruce Company Martha
Graham Dance
Company Matthew
Bourne's New
Adventures Men in
Dance Mikhailovsky
Ballet Moscow Ballet
La Classique
MurleyDance Nanyang
Academy of Fine Arts
National Dance Awards
Nederlands Dans
Theater New
Movement Collective

New York City Ballet

packed a strong

New York Theatre

Ballet Norrdans

punch. The
Pajarillagas joined

Nutcracker

other CityDance
alumni, including
the stunning
Alexandra
Grayson and
Colleen Hoerle.
The entire group

Company Chameleon
Crystal Pite Cullberg
Ballet Dances Patrelle
Dutch National Ballet

Dana Pajarillaga.
Photo EnMotion Photography

brought
tremendous spark
to the stage. The music (Modern Persian Speech Sounds by Omid Walizadeh) was
http://www.criticaldance.org/2015/01/13/robert-j-priores-ascendance/

Oakland Ballet Oily Cart

Theatre Oregon Ballet
Theatre Pacific
Northwest Ballet
Pennsylvania Ballet
Phoenix Dance
Theatre Polish National
Ballet Pontus Lidberg
Dance Post:Ballet
Rambert Dance
Company Robert J.
Priore Royal Danish
Ballet Royal Swedish
Ballet San Francisco
2/4

1/13/2015

Robert J. Priores Ascendance | CriticalDance

loud and hip-hop inspired. The costumes consisted of shorts and tops in grayish
tones, and the womens tops were cropped. The work demanded a hefty dose of
attitude, which the dancers perfectly delivered. I felt a sort of rousing primal
energy emerge. Dancers sometimes covered their faces or foreheads with a hand,
or used a hand to grasp at their heart. There was plenty of musculature in action
as they executed demanding physical sequences, and some fun quirky head tilts.
Priore seems particularly adept at manipulating large numbers of dancers, and
other pieces on the program that used large groups also proved entertaining. For
example, the uplifting and colorful Baiana, to a catchy Brazilian tune of the same
name by the body percussion ensemble Barbatuques, had an addictive rhythm.
The dancers even playfully participated in the jubilant vocalizations. In La Fete des
Chats, a cheerful work in which dancers in lively prints likely nabbed from a thrift
store kicked up their heels to Klezmer music and other rollicking folksy songs,
Priore added charm and humor. Although some of the group formations began to

Ballet Sarasota Ballet

Sasha Waltz & Guests
SFDanceworks Sharp &
Fine Sigge Modigh
Singapore da:ns festival
Singapore Dance
Theatre Sknes
Dansteater Smuin
Ballet Stranger Lover
Dreamer Stuttgart
Ballet T.H.E. Dance
Company The
Australian Ballet The
Washington Ballet
Thomas/Ortiz Dance
Trainor Dance
UnderExposed Wayne

McGregorRandom
Dance zero visibility
corp

look similar (a pyramid-style clump of dancers with one dancer at the front and the

SUBSCRIBE TO
CRITICALDANCE

rest staggered behind kept appearing), the impact of such tight-knit unison
sections performed in a heap was such that I didnt mind repeated viewings.

Your email:

In sum, it was a true treat to see an emerging choreographer shine along with

Enter email address...

outstanding students and soon-to-be dance graduates preparing to launch

professional careers. Priores choreography demonstrated real craft, and I

Unsubscribe

remained engaged throughout the lengthy production. I appreciated a lot of his

choices. The music he selected, like the movement he created, was eclectic and
appealing. Most impressive, maybe, was his obvious passion for boldness and his
ability to stretch his dancers. The student dancers grabbed ones attention, and
the more mature dancers certainly did, too. In the case of the more experienced
dancers, Priore gave them more subtle movement and expression, of course, but
there were moments in every piece, no matter what level the dancer, in which one
could simply indulge in the glorious intoxication of dance. If thats not the mark of
a good choreographer, I dont know what is.
Like

Tags: Robert J. Priore

English National Ballet: Swan

Lake

Dutch National Ballet: Cinderella

Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.

Dutch

Robert J.

English

http://www.criticaldance.org/2015/01/13/robert-j-priores-ascendance/

Royal

Boston

Grand
3/4

1/13/2015

Robert J. Priores Ascendance | CriticalDance

National

Priores

National

Danish

Ballet: The

Rapids

Ballet:

Ascendance

Ballet: Swan

Ballet:

Nutcracker

Ballet: The

Lake

Prinicpals

Cinderella

Nutcracker

and Soloists

Copyright 2013 CriticalDance. All Rights Reserved.

http://www.criticaldance.org/2015/01/13/robert-j-priores-ascendance/

Magazine Premium created by c.bavota.

4/4