For the solo competitors, Trey McIntyre provided one each for women and men, junior and senior, and Michael Noonan, one each for juniors and two alternate choices for seniors. Where a junior competitor was involved, almost always a junior, the junior choice was selected. My understanding was that both choreographers worked with the dancers, and gave them background relating to the excerpts. McIntyre could be seen in the audience throughout Round II, and expressed pleasure at what he had seen. A companion mentioned that his explanations of the work had been limited to an hour; whether that was true of any coaching I am not certain.
The selections for Round II were:
Trey Mcintyre:
Junior Women: Excerpt from Bad Winter: Music: “Pennies from Heaven”
Senior Women: Excerpt from Robust American Love: Music: Tiger Mountain Song
Junior Men: Excerpt from Leatherwing Bat: Music: Leatherwing Bat
Senior Men: Excerpt from (serious) Music: Excerpt from Book Trio
Michael Neenan:
Junior Couple: Excerpt from The Last Glass: Music: Un Dernier Verre
Senior Couple: Excerpt from Penumbra: Music: Danza De La Moza Donosa
Senior Alternate Choice: Excerpt from Switch Phase: Music: Le Muerte Chiquita
Session I>
Rieko Hatato,#2, Jr., Japan, Ilya Artamonov, #89, Sr., Russia, Excerpt from The Last Glass.
Lyrical pas de deux where the woman spent much of her time with back to the audience, once in a broad a la seconde on pointe. At the end, back to the audience, the girl’s right leg was in a low passe, foot and toe shoe beating on supporting calf of left leg.
Hitami Nakamura, #52, Sr., Japan, Excerpt from Robust American Love. Danced demi-pointe with long open-front covering with arms, dark against a white Milliskin tunic; seemed a choreographed soliloquy on unrealized romance, a haunted solo.
Katherine Barkman, #4, Jr., U.S.A., Excerpt from Bad Winter. Danced to a vintage sounding delivery of Pennies From Heaven, striped torso band, black trunks and white coat with lengthy front tabs, contradictory with touches of Chaplin or vaudeville, ending up on the back downstage right with legs in table fashion and coat pulled up.
Arianna Martin, #54, Sr., Cuba, Nayon Rangel Iovino, #70, Sr., Brazil, Excerpt from Switch Phase.Pas de deux of angst, push, pull, a moment when the woman is held head down, frequent lifts as if man is showing he’s in charge; magical moment when pair touch one of the other’s fingers;rare equity. Showed appropriate intensity.
Paula Alves, #6, Jr., Brazil, NCP Fellipe Camarotto, Excerpt from The Last Glass. Alves’ long legs assisted emotion and phrasing.
Gantsooj Otgonbyamba, #55, Sr., NCP Ganchimeg Choijil Suren, Mongolia, Excerpt from Switch Phase. Otgonbyamba performed like a different dancer; rendition very intelligent.
Blake Kessler, #9, Jr., U.S.A., Excerpt from Leatherwing Bat; dance followed the lyrics, wonderful tune. Dressed in tunic made to resemble multi-hued bird’s wings; folksy phrasing and quality of movement.
Intermission
Yui Sugawara, #58, Sr., Japan, Excerpt from Robust American Love. Good job, nicely phrased, catching plaintive quality, shi kata ga nai
Taiyu He, #10, Jr., PRC, Excerpt from Leatherwing Bat, very classical rendition, well phrased, probably did not pick up on the vernacular nature of lyrics.
Andile Ndlovu, #60, Sr., South Africa, Excerpt from (serious); one word note: superb.
Sa Jung Lee, #11, Jr., Korea, Excerpt from Bad Winter; another one word: superb.
Steven Loch, #61, Sr. U.S.A., Excerpt from (serious); good interpretation less emotional.
Olivia Gusti, #18, Jr., U.S.A., Excerpt from Bad Winter. Note: she got the message.
Ye Lim Choi, #62, Sr., Kae Han Na, #85, Sr., Korea, Excerpt from Penumbra; couple happy in style of Rogers-Astaire, girl in long dress with flowing skirt.
Session II
Irina Sapozhnikova, #63, Sr., Russia, NCP Joseph Phillips, Excerpt from Penumbra. Clear relationship, choreography had hobbled moments, very together.
Mizuho Nagata, #19, Jr., Japan, NCP Okulcan Borova, Excerpt from The Last Glass. Cheery rendition – should it be based on the lyrics?
Shiori Kase, #64, Sr. Japan, Excerpt from Robust American Love. One word; understands.
Daniel A. McCormick, #20, Jr., Mexico, Excerpt from Leatherwing Bat. Got the lyrics, control in phrasing gave extra touch.
Ga-yeon Jung,#68, Sr., Ji-Seok Ha, #83, Sr. Korea, Excerpt from Switch Phase. Quite perfect technically, some emotion in spots, but overall cool.
Yue Shi, #21, Jr., PRC, Excerpt from Leatherwing Bat. Technically lovely, minus sense of lyrics, probably too regional America
Aaron Smyth #69, Sr., Australia, NCP Cara Marie Gary, Excerpt from Switch Phase.danced with dramatic tension; finger touching a climax.
Yasmin Lomondo, #24, Jr., Gustavo Carvalho, #39, Brazil, Excerpt from The Last Glass.
As tender, correct as Round I dancing, but adapted to musical quality.
Intermission
Mengjun Chen, #71, Sr., PRC, Excerpt from (serious) beautiful movement without emotional thread.
Yoshiko Kamikusa, #25, Jr., Japan, Excerpt from Bad Winter. Almost gets lyrics; nicely phrased; touches of Chaplin
Mozart Mizuyama, #75, Brazil, Excerpt from (serious) got the tension; warm audience response.
Paulina Guraieb Abella, #26, Jr., Mexico, Excerpt from Bad Winter; nice, Cantinflas touch.
Olga Marchenkova, #77, Sr., Excerpt from Robust American Love; lyrical, expressive, not dramatic.
Victoria Wong, #27, Jr., U.S.A., Excerpt from Bad Winter; quite good
Ivan Duarte, #82, Sr., Brazil, Excerpt from (serious). Amazing portrait; tension, anxiety
strong audience response.
mywesterneye/woollywesterneye 