This week, Dean Meg Paul megpaul_dance guided Fabrice Calmels fabricecalmels, Emily Speedy emilyspeedy, and Kebra-Seyoun Charles kontrabasskeb through a powerful rehearsal of Gerald Arpino’s Valentine. Meg is the répétiteur for Valentine, a work described as “a comic ballet of the sexes,” set to Pulitzer Prize–winning composer Jacob Druckman’s score for a contrabassist who also serves as the on-stage referee. Or, as The New York Times critic Anna Kisselgoff put it best: “just see it.” Bassist Kebra-Seyoun Charles performed Jacob Druckman’s score live in rehearsal and will do so again on stage, serving as the on-stage “referee” and making Valentine the only work in the program with live music. These rehearsals are part of the lead-up to the Arpino Dance Festival, presented this fall by The Gerald Arpino Foundation (arpinofoundation) and The Joyce Theater (thejoycetheater) — a two-week celebration of Gerald Arpino’s visionary choreography and enduring artistic legacy. Audiences will e...