14
Oct
2013
Domingo Rubio left no doubt that his Count Dracula was in charge during Friday's performance of Ballet Quad Cities' Dracula at Moline's Scottish Rite Cathedral. (The production ended its two-night run on Saturday.) From his bat-like entrance - with the dancer slowly flapping his black cape from front to back as he made his way through the darkened auditorium - to his death, Rubio's Dracula never seemed controlled by anyone, and that included choreographer Deanna Carter. Rubio gave the impression that his Dracula wasn't moving because Carter gave him predetermined choreography, but because it was the way he wanted to move.
There were two particular elements that made Ballet Quad Cities' Cinderella (which ran for two Adler Theatre performances on April 20) especially watchable beyond Courtney Lyon's exquisite choreography: clear storytelling, and humor. Not at one moment during Saturday evening's performance did I find it hard to figure out which part of the fairytale was being depicted in dance, even down to the details of what specific characters were doing and feeling at all times.
