The Washington Ballet's 'Sleepy Hollow': A Review

Last night my husband and I braved the snow and ice (thanks to a very kind Uber driver) and made it to The Kennedy Center for The Washington Ballet's World Premiere of 'Sleepy Hollow'.

What is it about Washington Irving's classic tale that always draws us in? I fondly remember watching the Disney cartoon version every fall, as narrated by Bing Crosby. Later on I was completely frightened by the Tim Burton film starring Johnny Depp. The present day TV series is, well, awful; but somehow it keeps getting renewed for another season. Let's just say the love triangle of Katrina, Brom, and Ichabod and the terrifying Headless Horseman who haunts them, will always keep us coming back for more.

Let's begin with a review of the most important part of this production, the dancers. For me, the real star of this show was Brooklyn Mack who dances the part of the Hessian turned Headless Horseman. Mack's performance was flawless. He showed such power and force on stage, his pure talent made the most technically difficult parts of the choreography look completely effortless. Mack's speed and precision in his fouette turn series coupled with the shear weightlessness of his grand jetes simply left the audience in awe. I would have loved to have seen Mack take the final bow in this production, he certainly earned it.

Brooklyn Mack plays the Headless Horseman in Washington Ballet’s “Sleepy Hollow.”
(Design Army and Dean Alexander)

The second star in my opinion was Miguel Anaya, who danced the part of the the town lunatic. His wide eyed, dynamic facial expressions brought this unfamiliar character to life. When he later performs his solo amongst the haunted forest, Anaya's talent for grace and technical perfection truly shines.

As for the overall production, I would say it was fantastic. I loved the use of large scale digital images projected on the scrim which helped set the scene and move the story line along. One of the most impactful projections, which occurs throughout the production, is the movement along a spooky tree line. This image gives the audience a sense of riding in a carriage, rolling their way along a bumpy country road down into the village of Sleepy Hollow.

Matthew Pierce's original score gave the production a balance of mystery, fear, and quirk. The costumes for the three witches and ghosts of the revolutionary war were particularly haunting and beautiful. Lastly, I loved the horses ridden in the chase scenes by both Icahbod and the Headless Horseman. The way the shell was designed and how the dancers moved beneath it, rearing the horses's heads and tails, was spectacularly cool.

There were a few parts of the production I found odd or boring. One was the telling of 'Rip Van Winkle' (a secondary story within the Sleepy Hollow tale). It just felt like a way to fill time and that it did not actually contribute to the overall story. Also, the choreography that occurred on the benches in the school house and church scenes left me feeling quite underwhelmed. This odd choreography was more second-rate off-broadway than innovative and engaging, which is what I have come to expect from The Washington Ballet.

With those few criticisms said, overall, I am so glad we braved the weather to make it for this production. The Washington Ballet continually delights it's audiences with creative, fresh takes on familiar, classic stories. Bravo!