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Sarasota News Leader November 1, 2013 Page 96 — was a delight to watch. Both eased into the showy lifts that Gonzales handled very well. However, most of his roles have been in the 19th century ballets — Giselle, Swan Lake, etc. — and he has to learn to release and move with ease, which will undoubtedly happen during the current season with its emphasis on 20th century ballets. lover, ricocheted between Ricki Bertoni and Juan Gil in this tragic romantic triangle. Bertoni, in the role of the one deceived, knotted himself into a ball of anguish. In contrast, Gil, as the indifferent lover, remained impassive, even when Tchekmedyian wrapped herself around him. Though Bertoni's tortured performance was melodramatic, Tlaiye's But it was the ever charismatic, happy danc- inventive and expressive choreography easing of Logan Learned — who skimmed the ily blended natural emotional gestures with floor as if flying on a silent breath — which fleeting references to classical ballet. brought the familiar Strauss melodies to life. Both The Blue Hour and Ne Me Quitte Pas In direct contrast to the charming vision of an 18th century ballroom, Xibalba, (place of fear) — a short, dark, contemporary work of love and betrayal choreographed by David Tlaiye — explored the intensity of emotional despair. Sareen Tchekmedyian, as the fickle (don't leave me now) played with the traditional form of the pas de deux, in which two dancers — a man and a woman — perform together. In The Blue Hour, (set to Chopin's Nocturne No. 27 Opus 2), Danielle Brown and Ricardo Graziano wrestled with the sweeping Alex Harrison (center) directs Sarasota ballet dancers in a scene from The Blue Hour. Photo courtesy of Sarasota Ballet