Ballet is back!
‘Jubilee of Dance’ marks a return to stage and a knockout world premiere
It’s been 568 days since Houston Ballet last stepped foot on Wortham Theater Center’s stage. This year’s Margaret Alkek Williams “Jubilee of Dance” functions as the professional dance company’s opening night, to kick off the upcoming season.
Thursday evening’s return to live, in-person performances for 2021-22 felt more like a homecoming.
“It’s extraordinary to be back in our temple, which is such a sacred space for us,” said artistic director Stanton Welch. “I am nervous, I have to say. This is the first time since COVID that we’ve danced as a group. As old as I am, when I sit down in those front row seats and the group starts moving, it’s like, ‘Wow, I’ve missed this,’ the unity.”
One of his dancers, soloist Bridget Kuhns, compared the experience to being a new apprentice again. “And she’s been here for 10 years,” Welch noted. “They’re excited. They’ve grown up and are now two years older. So there’s an energy to that.”
Thursday’s program, with its three acts and 13 micro-performances, showcased what Houston Ballet has been up to these past 18 months and reminded patrons why they’re so often described as world-class.
For the first time, “Jubilee of Dance” — traditionally, a onenight-only event — stretched to five performances, from Sept. 30 through Oct. 3. No two evening lineups were the same, which was both a precautionary measure, in case of COVIDrelated sickness, and a chance to show off as many dancers and onstage characters as possible.
“This is a reminder that it’s a one-off thing, that no show is ever repeated identically,” Welch said. “Dancers don’t repeat things; every time is a little different. I can’t wait for Houston to access that again — there’s a unique thing to live performing.”
Onstage magic
It’s a privilege Bayou City residents have earned, according to Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo. She graced the stage moments before the red curtain lifted and poked fun at the idea that Houstonians always associate her with bad news.
On Thursday, at least, that was not the case. A fully masked, sold-out crowd complied with strict protocols in order to gather safely inside Brown Theater. Some audience members were admittedly out of practice; cellphone beeps and chimes rang out several times throughout the roughly 90minute program, which includ