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November 02, 2004
Dancing tall
The too-seldom seen Joan Acocella writes in the New Yorker about American Ballet Theatre's Herman Cornejo:
"Now, presumably inspired by Baryshnikov and Bocca, there is another short man at A.B.T. who dances tall: Herman Cornejo. He is five feet six and not unusually handsome. (He looks like a regular person, but with an overbite.) To my knowledge, he is the most technically accomplished male ballet dancer in the United States . . .
. . . But what is most remarkable about him is his clarity. Many young male dancers, particularly since Nureyev and Baryshnikov started the craze for male bravura, push the “show” steps as far as they possibly can; that is, until they are practically falling on the floor. Cornejo does not do this. He must certainly be pushing—he gets so far—but he never, ever sacrifices form. As a result, he gives you more steps, more ballet for the buck. This is true even when he is in the air, the hardest place to hold a shape, because gravity is working against you. You, but not him."
Posted by Rachel at November 2, 2004 01:16 PM
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