http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/11/arts/pacific-northwest-ballet-presents-debonair.html 2014-10-11 01:01:56 Pacific Northwest Ballet Presents ‘Debonair’ Pacific Northwest Ballet gave a preview performance of “Debonair,” a new work by Justin Peck, at the Joyce Theater. === Out-of-town companies don’t usually preview ballets in New York, but Peter Boal, the artistic director of Pacific Northwest Ballet, probably couldn’t resist the temptation of showing off his latest commission in whatever form it took: a preview performance of a new work by Justin Peck at the Joyce Theater. “Debonair” will receive its official premiere in Seattle, where the company is based, next month. So far it’s an urbane affair: Six couples wearing Reid Bartelme and Harriet Jung’s shimmering dresses or black pants and tops glide across the stage with youthful insouciance. The cast exudes carefree exuberance from the start: The men, standing or kneeling along the stage’s perimeter, snap to attention the moment a woman dashes to the center. In this opening section, the stage flashes with translucent skirts as dancers etch the stage with quicksilver turns. They converge in the center, grab their partners and splinter off, leaving behind Carla Körbes and Jerome Tisserand. The focal point of Mr. Peck’s ballet, set to The couple break apart and dance for each other; at one point, Ms. Körbes playfully snatches her hand from Mr. Tisserand’s. But when the music turns more ominous, the gaiety shifts, provoking a question: Are they just friends hitting musical marks — or more? It could go either way, and that’s the downside of “Debonair”; glossy on the surface, it lacks texture. The program, which opened on Wednesday, also showcases “ But the chewy directional changes make the choreography, which needs a larger stage, labored. “Tide Harmonic,” more choppy than lush, is jammed with awkward details — random head rolls and arm swoops — that force the dancers to grip their muscles, resulting in more shaky discord than harmony. The program also includes “