BALAM Dance Theatre – 6/5/25

Baroque Dance Fantasies about England, France & Spain 

Dongmyung Ahn, Teresa Salomon ~ violins; Andrea Andros ~ viola; Lisa Terry ~ violoncello; Gabe Shuford ~ harpsichord; Ryan Closs ~ guitar
Yumiko Niimi, Robin Gilbert & Carlos Fittante ~ dancers    

The Olde Batchelor, Z. 607 – Henry Purcell (1659‒1695)
Overture: While the Swans Come Forward ~ “Swan Boat” Hornpipe ~ Slow Air/Sarabande ~      Hornpipe ~ Rondeau ~ Minuet ~ Bourrée ~ March ~ Jig 

Concerts Royaux No. 1 – Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632‒1687)
Prélude ~ Sarabande ~ Gigue ~ Menuet en Trio       

Harlequin Goes Bird Watching –
Chaconne des scaramouches from Trivelins et Arlequins – Lully
Gavotte & Allemande from Concerts Royaux – François Couperin (1668‒1733) 
Tambourins I & II from Les Indes Galantes – Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683‒1764) 

Première Livre de Pièces de Clavecin in D minor (Paris, 1702) – Louis Marchand (1669‒1732)
Prélude ~ Chaconne en rondeau 

La Folia (arr. Lewis Baratz of La Fiocco) – Antonio Vivaldi (1678‒1741)

This was a very balanced program. A mix of orchestral movements and pieces combined with dances accompanied by the onstage instrumentalists.

The Purcell had an instrumental overture that then led into two dancers arriving with swan heads attached at their waists. Very clever, for the “Swan Boat” Hornpipe. The other seven movements included a male dance solo, a female solo (with tambourine), a duet Minuet, and a male solo Bourée. A note on the stylized dancing. For the most part, it was courtly—genteel, small arm movements, small leg movements, only one twirling seated lift (repeated twice). There was minor use of props—a rose, a fan, a notebook, a frond of leaves, a garland of flowers, etc. Simple, yet effective.

The second work was an instrumental interlude, ostensibly allowing for costume changes for the dancers. But the music (by Lully) stood well on its own. The Prélude, Sarabande, and Gigue were scored for solo violin, guitar, harpsichord, and cello. The Sarabande (in keeping with the dance theme) was gentle, while the Gigue was livelier. The Menuet added an additional violin and was gentle, but with verve.

The next three works were pretty much taken as one group. First, a solo male masked Harlequin entertained us. The second was a masked female solo dancing as a bird. The third featured the masked Harlequin watching the masked bird through a telescope. Fanciful, it included props of flowers and a butterfly. Flights of fancy, indeed.

The Marchand composition was for harpsichord solo, allowing for additional costume changes. But the two-movement work also stood on its own very well. Calm, then livelier, then livelier still.

After retuning, and with the string players standing (except, of course, the cello), the finale was all you'd expect it to be. The guitarist seemed to disappear, but I suspect he provided drum beats and castanet sounds, while the female of the dance duet provided finger-cymbal percussion that accompanied the stylized dance movements, again including hops, arm movements, leg movements, and gentle spins.

This was an interesting change from the usual (and very good) instrumental/vocal concerts. Kudos, Gotham Early Music Scene.

ConcertMeister