George Balanchine‘s ’Rubies’ glitters warmly in Grand Rapids Ballet debut

“Rubies,” choreographed to Igor Stravinsky’s Capriccio for Piano and Orchestra, received its Grand Rapids Ballet debut in a sparkly performance of ballet seasoned with jutting pelvises and heels dug solidly into the floor.

Dawnell Dryja, as the “Rubies girl,” was the energetic, inspiration powering the performance with a little sass and a lot of attitude that, when partnered by four men at once, says to the women in the audience, “Wouldn’t you like to be me right now?”

Kyohei Giovanni Yoshida and Monica Pelfrey danced the central pas de deux, and arguably the entire show belonged to them. Yoshida danced in all three works, Pelfrey had leading roles in two.

By Jeffrey Kaczmarczyk
Read the story at MLive | Published: February 15, 2014