New York City Ballet: Founding Choreographers I January 31, 2009

Coupled in performance since the late 1960s for their structural similarities, the opening two Stravinsky/Balanchine collaborations are especially rewarding for their stylistic juxtaposition. 'Monumentum pro Gesualdo' arrests with its formal beauty and simplicity, whereas 'Movements for Piano and Orchestra's' dissonance and electric currents sweep on a wave of exacting precision. Robbins' 'Dances at a Gathering,' one of his most popular masterpieces, distills human relations into the most natural of movements, endless in their innovation and spontaneity. 'Stars and Stripes,' which has been said to contain more dancing than some full-length ballets, finishes the program with a bang.