When New York based Yigal Azrouël was tapped by acclaimed choreographer Emery LeCrone to create a collection of ballet costumes, the chemistry was instant. “I immediately recognized our similar appreciation for modernism, minimalism and the details,” Azrouël explains to DuJour. Set to premiere at the Guggenheim this month, principal dancers from the American Ballet Theatre and New York City Ballet will bring Azrouël’s aesthetic to life for Bach Interpreted, LeCrone’s latest commission for performing arts series Works & Process.
Transforming classic silhouettes into ultra-modern pieces comes naturally to the Israel-born designer, who drew inspiration from his most recent collection for this commission. “We used a lot of fabrications and elements similar to those seen on my runway for spring,” he says, “but reinterpreted them using materials suitable for the dancers’ movement.”
Graphic patchworks made from silk organza, black leather and mesh were Azrouël’s answer for a modern take on alternative dancewear. “The significance of the [Frank Lloyd Wright-designed] Guggenheim museum itself also inspired the collaboration as there is always such an architectural element to my work.”
The highly-anticipated show, which has already sold out in both evening time slots, recently added an additional performance at 3 p.m. on Sunday March 23. For tickets visit worksandprocess.org.
All photographs taken by Erez Sabag
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