Even those with two left feet might ‘fall’ for this eighth annual festival of dance

Fluidity, precision, abandon, energy—all these and more were seen in the second program of the yearly Fall for Dance Festival. It was presented on Sat., Oct. 29, at New York City Center (131 W. 55th St., between Sixth and Seventh avenues).

The festival, which began on Oct. 27 and continues through Nov. 6, was created in 2004 with the goal of making world-class dance accessible to everyone. This is evident in the cost—tickets for each show are just $10. The Fall for Dance Festival also showcases performers from around the world, not just from the United States. This year’s lineup features dance companies from Australia, Israel, France, and Cuba, to name a few. The festival consists of five programs, each of which is performed twice. Every program is designed to present a variety of dance styles.

The second program of the festival offered just enough range and variety to be enthralling, but not so much as to feel disjointed or confusing.

The first piece and highlight of the evening was “Mana,” choreographed by Noa Wertheim and presented by the Israeli troupe Vertigo Dance Company. “Mana” was spellbinding from the first moment, with just one dancer moving onstage, lit as a very dim silhouette. The costumes were voluminous but also ragged, with fabric of various layers and lengths draped over the dancers’ bodies. Silhouetted, the costume had so much movement of its own that there almost seemed to be two dancers onstage. “Mana” also featured a set piece that looked like a large, two-dimensional house. There was a square in the middle that moved forward and backward, often used as an entry or exit by the 12 dancers. They moved with incredible fluidity, punctuated by sharp dynamic changes.

Next was “Bloom,” a world premiere created for dancer Drew Jacoby by Andrea Miller. The performance lasted only a few minutes, yet was full of impact in such a long program. But “Bloom” was an incomplete thought—a collection of random elements that failed to interact with one another.

Following “Bloom” was “Among the Stars,” a contemporary ballet duet choreographed by Jessica Lang. Based on the Japanese star festival Tanabata, the piece was romantic and dreamy. Ballerina Yuan Yuan Tan, a guest from the San Francisco Ballet, danced with remarkable precision and articulation.

The British Richard Alston Dance Company performed the concluding piece, “Roughcut,” which was choreographed by artistic director Richard Alston. “Roughcut” was an energetic, vivacious dance that also featured live music. It was the perfect note on which to end the evening, and the dancers appeared to genuinely enjoy themselves.

The popularity of the Fall for Dance Festival means that tickets sell out quickly. But several are often returned to the box office, so students willing to wait in line the day of the performance may earn the treat of a coveted ticket.