OBT takes NYC

They like us—they actually like us! Every September, New York temporarily suspends its disbelief that culture exists elsewhere and invites more than two dozen guest artists to perform at City Center's Fall for Dance Festival. And this year, for the first time, Oregon Ballet Theatre will be represented.

Principal dancers Alison Roper and Artur Sultanov will perform the central pas de deux from Christopher Wheeldon's Rush, the ballet that OBT brought to its Kennedy Center debut this summer (and unveiled this spring in Portland at White Bird's 4 x 4: The Ballet Project.)

This is a first-time invitation for OBT, who'll be keeping company with big names including American Ballet Theatre, Houston Ballet, San Francisco Ballet and the companies of Merce Cunningham and Paul Taylor. Fall For Dance runs Sept. 17-27, OBT opens its 2008-2009 season two weeks later in Portland (Sept. 20-21), which should allow just enough time for the head-swelling to subside.

NYC information at www.nycitycenter.org; OBT information at www.obt.org.

Image: OBT's Artur Sultanov and Gavin Larsen in rehearsal courtesy of Blaine Truitt Covert.