By Skye Stouber
Company Artist, Oregon Ballet Theatre

Presto takes hold of you and doesn’t let you go until the climactic finish — only then allowing you to reflect on it, like an appetizer that’s so good you eat it too quickly. It’s satisfyingly short and pulsating, with a sustained visual reward. Both the neoclassical score and choreography form a snapshot of artists completely dialed into their form. The composer and choreographer use their trained classical style, tools and instruments to create something just barely beyond the bounds of classicism. The dance and music work in tandem like wine paired with cuisine from same region — “if it grows together, it goes together.” It’s the highlights of an evening-length work distilled into 10 minutes.

Presto is one of five ballets performed as part of Director’s Choice, running April 11-14, 2019 at the Newmark Theatre.