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Ballet

Jamar Roberts's "Foreseeable Future" Premieres at New York City Ballet

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

A new work of uncanny beauty, choreographed by Jamar Roberts, premieres at New York City Ballet, inspired by the intersection of nature and technology. The ballet, featuring costumes by Iris van Herpen, explores the themes of climate change and the fragility of our planet. The performance is a poignant reflection of our times, as the dancers convey the distress and disintegration caused by our planet's peril.

Key Takeaways:

  • Jamar Roberts's "Foreseeable Future" premiered at New York City Ballet's fall fashion gala on Wednesday night, featuring costumes by Iris van Herpen and music by Arca.
  • The ballet explores the themes of climate change and the fragility of our planet, with a focus on the intersection of nature and technology.
  • The performance features two groups of dancers, one with wings that waft and float, and the other with short dresses and unitards in shades of silver.
  • The choreography is beautifully tragic, with a pristine sense of control as the bodies work together to create a greater whole.
  • The lighting, designed by Brandon Stirling Baker, is exquisite and feeds into the ballet like atmospheric pressure.
  • The performance ends with two dancers, Mearns and Stanley, on the floor as the others form a semicircle around their bodies, stretching their arms in a V and lowering them simply and somberly.
  • The ballet highlights the importance of collaboration, with the costumes and lighting serving a purpose in the overall narrative.
  • The art spoke for itself, without the need for speeches or sentimental interruptions.

Statistics:

  • The ballet has a point of view and feels like it comes from Jamar Roberts's choreographic voice.
  • The performance features 8 dancers in total, with 4 in the winged group and 4 in the group with short dresses and unitards.
  • The lighting in the performance is designed by Brandon Stirling Baker and features a glow that moves from one section to the next.
  • The music for the ballet is composed by Arca, a celebrated Venezuelan-born experimental electronic musician and producer.

Sources:

  • "Foreseeable Future" premiered at New York City Ballet's fall fashion gala on Wednesday night.
  • The ballet features costumes by Iris van Herpen and music by Arca.
  • The performance ends with two dancers, Mearns and Stanley, on the floor as the others form a semicircle around their bodies, stretching their arms in a V and lowering them simply and somberly.
  • Jamar Roberts's choreography never becomes hectic, and gives off a pristine sense of control as bodies work together to create a greater whole.
  • The lighting, designed by Brandon Stirling Baker, is exquisite and feeds into the ballet like atmospheric pressure.
  • The art spoke for itself, without the need for speeches or sentimental interruptions.
  • New York City Ballet (nycballet.com)
  • Arca (Arca, the musician and producer)
  • Iris van Herpen (Iris van Herpen, the costume designer)
  • Brandon Stirling Baker (Brandon Stirling Baker, the lighting designer)

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