Lar Lubovitch Dance

I went to a performance by the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company on Saturday afternoon (January 10). My subscription is for Saturday evening performances, but snowy, sleety weather was forecast for Saturday evening, and a friend asked if I was free on Saturday evening. So, I changed my tickets to the matinee performance. (Alas, the weather never got bad, and my friend reneged on his evening invitation.) Nevertheless, going in the afternoon felt like a special treat, so I didn't regret my decision to change my plans.

Lar Lubovitch had never previously performed as part of this dance series, so I had no idea what to expect. I was very pleasantly surprised. While I wouldn't want a steady diet of his work, Lubovitch's superb dancers performed three works--including his classic Concerto Six Twenty-Two set to Mozat's Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra (K. #622). This dance includes a justifiably famous male duet during the second movement written in response to the AIDS crisis in 1986.

The other two dances were Little Rhapsodies set to Schumann's Symphonic Etudes, and Dvorak Serenade set to Serenade in E Major.

After the performance, Lubovitch came onstage for a question and answer period. Usually, I dislike such sessions, but after a few ringers, the audience asked thoguhtful questions, and Lubovitch gave thoughtful answers. He said that he usually sets his dances to classical music, and that his dances are "lyrical." I agree with him. He also said that it's difficult to talk about dance--a medium that conveys expression in terms other than words--and, again, I agree with him.

Lubovitch's male dancers were all attractive. Unlike some companies that expose a lot of flesh, Lubovitch's dancers stayed dressed. But, the guys' pants were tight, so there was still plenty of eye candy to enjoy in addition to the wonderful dances.

After the performance, on my way bck to my car, I ran across a new store called Naked Chocolate that sells high-end chocolates, coffee, and hot chocolate drinks. I picked up a pyramidal chocolate dessert and a truffle called Orinoco filled with chocolate ganache and swirled with color on the outside. Both were great--a real treat to end a good day!