“Choreographers like William Forsythe, Helen Pickett and Jirí Kylián are fluent in the poetry of movement and give all the breathing room one could wish for.”
Susan Blood, bachtrack.com
PART III, choreographed for Boston Ballet, premiered in 2011.
Choreographer – Helen Picket
Composer – Arvo Part.
Layli o Majnun, Part I
Pure movement, pure beauty
“The second segment, choreographed by Helen Pickett, was undoubtedly my favorite. Pickett, inspired by “love, vulnerability and passion,” seemed to breathe into the choreography of the ballet a touch of femininity and tenderness that can reach the audience in a way that I never thought possible. Part I, “Layli o Majnun,” was based on a poignant tale about two young Persians who fell madly in love with each other but were prevented from getting married.” The Tech- MIT Newspaper, By Linh Vuong,
“Pickett’s work rewards close attention. Three settings by religious minimalist composer Arvo Part — two duets and a striking ensemble piece — were tasteful and brave. “Layli o Majnun,” a romantic pas-de-deux gorgeously explored by company veterans Larissa Ponomarenko and Yury Yanowsky (with a cameo by a demonic Lorin Mathis), uses a score with nary a beat and uncertain rhythm to create a cerebral, controlled and gentle masterpiece.” Boston Herald, By Keith Powers
Tabula Rasa, Part III
“Pickett did forceful work in the buoyant “Tabula Rasa.” Pickett’s main prop – a giant mothership/chandelier borrowed from Close Encounters – was gorgeous, and she scribbled all over her “Tabula” with spirit, indeed, as in the lovely, leaping romp for the company’s young men – she even tapped into a sense of competitive joy that I’ve never seen her mentor match.” The Hub Review, By Thomas Garvey