{"id":506627,"date":"2026-10-24T14:42:11","date_gmt":"2026-10-24T14:42:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/506627\/"},"modified":"2026-10-24T14:42:11","modified_gmt":"2026-10-24T14:42:11","slug":"stanton-welch-transcends-with-houston-ballets-sons-de-lame","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/506627\/","title":{"rendered":"Stanton Welch Transcends With Houston Ballet\u2019s \u201cSons de L\u2019\u00e2me\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the quiet elegance of the Segerstrom Center for the Arts<\/a>, the opening of the 2026-2027 Dance Season welcomed the Houston Ballet<\/a> after a 19-year absence.<\/p>\n

A pre-performance talk introduced the inimitable Stanton Welch, AM<\/a>, Artistic Director and choreographer for Houston Ballet.\u00a0 A former dancer with the outstanding Australian Ballet Company, Welch has a true pedigree as son of \u201cBallet Royalty\u201d Marilyn Jones and Garth Welch.\u00a0 His move to Houston Ballet in 2003, following the great Ben Stevenson\u2019s<\/a> retirement, was a natural bridge to his full brilliance, energetic and masterful tenure at Houston Ballet.\u00a0 \u00a0Then in 2023, Welch, after 20 years, decided to take on a Co-Artistic Director, the famed ballerina of ABT, Julie Kent<\/a>, and former AD of Washington Ballet.\u00a0 Both appeared to be thrilled with the challenge and growth possibilities for each, the company, and the future of Houston Ballet.<\/p>\n

Southern California, was excited by the possibility of seeing not only this world class company but Welch\u2019s new work, Sons de L\u2019\u00e2me originally premiered at the Th\u00e9\u00e2tre des Champs-\u00c9lys\u00e9es in Paris, with illustrious pianist Lang Lang, and now with famed concert pianist George Li.<\/p>\n

\"Houston<\/a><\/p>\n

Houston Ballet in \u201cSons de L\u2019\u00e2me\u201d Choreography by Stanton Welch \u2013 Photo by Sebastien MATHE.<\/p>\n

Armed with more insight after the pre-performance lecture, nothing could prepare me for what was on the Segerstrom stage that afternoon.\u00a0 As the curtain silently rose with the gifted, George Li, seated at a large dark mahogany grand piano, the company of dancers\u2026stood, still, bodies facing Li, listening, eyes transfixed, positions angled and lined together. All were in neutral champagne colored practice clothes, Luscious painterly lighting by Lisa Pinkham<\/a> created an atmosphere of quiet, calm, focus.<\/p>\n

Then it began\u2014 Chopin\u2019s Ballade No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 23.\u00a0 The company held their position, listening, then together as one, stepped backward, right, left, and slowly change weight and drew back into position, recapitulating the movement until they, in total, moved off stage leaving only one singular body. So simple, effortless\u2026so beautiful.<\/p>\n

\"Houston<\/a><\/p>\n

Houston Ballet in \u201cSons de L\u2019\u00e2me\u201d Choreography by Stanton Welch \u2013 Photo by Sebastien MATHE.<\/p>\n

And the tears began.\u00a0 How is this possible? No tricks, no big sets, no audience prematurely giving standing ovations\u2026just art in its most compelling form.\u00a0 And then the brilliant Eric Best<\/a> a lone dancer, so in tune to Li\u2019s artful rubato and arpeggios, did a kind of pas de trois with Chopin, Li, and himself that could only be described as love.\u00a0 Stunning!\u00a0 And the afternoon began without fanfare.\u00a0 Yet an afternoon I will never forget.\u00a0 It was truly Sons de L\u2019\u00e2me (Sounds of the Soul).\u00a0 <\/p>\n

The music, dance and design were the stars; it took nothing else to fill the large stage but the intent of the dancers, their flawless technique, brilliant choreography, and the singular art of Li playing Chopin.\u00a0 For one hour and 36 minutes \u2013 nothing existed but the soul and its sounds.\u00a0 And what was thought to be lost to competitions, politics, and folding unfunded companies, was in front of me verifying that I had not outlived an era of art that would never be again.<\/p>\n

\"Pianist<\/a><\/p>\n

Pianist George Li \u2013 Photo courtesy of Houston Ballet.<\/p>\n

All the pieces became so distinctly individual with Li\u2019s breathtaking movements through Chopin\u2019s musical forms, from Nocturnes to Waltzes, from Ballades to Etudes.\u00a0 The quality and brilliance of each dancer gave such individual dynamism to the pieces, it was totally consuming\u2026 hoping this dream would never end.<\/p>\n

Welch\u2019s reservoir of musicality and source of ideas allowed the breadth of dance to move from percussive to lyrical.\u00a0 It featured the individual talents and ability of the dancers, propelling them from the highly physical kinetic to the effortless adagios. \u00a0The movement covered floor to air with sculpted designs and ease lifting through their living in the music.<\/p>\n

\"Houston<\/a><\/p>\n

Houston Ballet in \u201cSons de L\u2019\u00e2me\u201d Choreography by Stanton Welch \u2013 Photo by Sebastien MATHE.<\/p>\n

The dancers tireless joy beginning with Eric Best, First Soloist, took on the full impact of Ballade No. 1 in G Minor Op.23, giving way to the stunning pas de deux of Yuriko Kajiya and Saul Newport who cut through the air with lyrical arrow-like lifts that floated in breathless synchronicity.<\/p>\n

Movement Three began by the handsome lyricism of Julian Amir Lacey to the Ballade No. 2 in F Major when the sudden encounter with the stormy Tyler Donatelli with such freedom and force in her uninhibited leaps and turns soon melded into a poignant dance for two and then without reason she retreated into the night, with Amir Lacey left ending the piece with a slow subtle lowering of his head.<\/p>\n

It then crossfades into the lilting energy and change in the Ballade No 4 in F Minor, Op 52 with Danbi Kim, Ryan Williams, Alejandro Molina Le\u00f3n with Sayako Taku, Eric Best defying gravity accompanied by the artists of Houston Ballet and their breathtaking configurations.<\/p>\n

\"Houston<\/a><\/p>\n

Houston Ballet in \u201cSons de L\u2019\u00e2me\u201d Choreography by Stanton Welch \u2013 Photo by Sebastien MATHE.<\/p>\n

Masanori Takiguchi and Simone Acri\u2019s, \u201cGrande Valse Billiante\u201d\u00a0 exploded into guileless \u00a0footwork \u2026snapping us out of our reverie with breathless beats, leaps and turns.<\/p>\n

We were finally led to the stunning Jessica Collado with her gentle sure handed partner, Harper Watters fully committed to the structured asymmetry of the moment and movement with their flawless partnering to the Nocturne in F. Major, op.15 No 1.<\/p>\n

And with the final strains, the curtain signaled time to break the spell, take a breath and reflect on what was just gifted.<\/p>\n

After the First act\u2026the intermission left me able to recover from a stunned euphoria.\u00a0 The second act brought transcendent movements 7 through the 12\u00a0 and allowed spectacular work, waltz number 19 in A minor, opus posth, bringing back Eric Best, truly impressive in his sensitive athleticism and power and on his way, if not already, to becoming a principal dancer.<\/p>\n

\"Stanton<\/a><\/p>\n

Stanton Welch. Photo courtesy of the artist.<\/p>\n

Then to follow was the Andante Spianato Op 22 with the miraculously lyrical \u00a0\u00a0Sayako Toku and her brilliant partner, Connor Walsh, as they fold into a sublime pas de deux, flying weightlessly across the space and lifting the spirit through the Second act and a spectacular last Five Movements of the evening to alight back to the opening, where they gather to again to listen and feel.<\/p>\n

This exquisite work with artistic directors, Stanton Welch and Julie Kent who are truly part of the immeasurable brilliance of the Dance family, need to be attended to and honored.\u00a0 They know, as artists, the feeling that is missing in today\u2019s world and in our society. Houston Ballet is a special gift unsurpassed to those who love dance, music and the arts.\u00a0 hopefully it will not take another 19 years to get back to the Segerstrom and Southern California.\u00a0 Until that time, we will remember this feeling of love and will know the reason we must support dance and music in our lives.<\/p>\n

To learn more about the Houston Ballet, please visit their website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

To see the full season at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, please visit their website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Written by Joanne DiVito for LA Dance Chronicle.<\/p>\n

Featured image: Houston Ballet, Jessica Collado and Ian Casady \u2013 photo by S\u00e9bastien Math\u00e9<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t