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pherank

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  • Connection to/interest in ballet** (Please describe. Examples: fan, teacher, dancer, writer, avid balletgoer)
    fan, balletgoer
  • City**
    San Francisco/San Diego
  • State (US only)**, Country (Outside US only)**
    CA

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  1. Wei Wang has really developed his lifts over the last 3 or 4 years. He looks good with a small partner like Wona. He had numerous scary moments in the early days trying to lift dancers like Sofiane Sylve. And Angelo Greco lifting Jen Stahl was terrifying. 😱 That said, all the best dancers develop their bodies over time, and learn about all the nuances of their jobs. They get better. Or they don't stay in the company.
  2. I didn't mean to suggest that Kuranaga had never done contemporary works, but rather that they were not her forte, nor her interest. And when was the last time she did something contemporary at SFB that was memorable (in a good way). Anything from the recent new choreography festivals? Anyway, my point is that she was being allowed to stick with classical roles and dance with pretty much the same partner, Angelo Greco, throughout - which is something Tomasson never would have allowed in the 'old days'. 'Tall girl' issues is it's own can of worms. It always seems laughable to me because they're not really that tall. 😉 It's more about the guys that they are dancing with. SFB had a number of 'tall' men over the last 5, 6 years. But most have retired or left the company. Esteban Hernández and Wei Wang are never going to be able to heft the women in overhead lifts like Tiit Helimets, Ulrik Birkkjaer, Davit Karapetyan (who was just STRONG), or Aaron Robison, for example. Losing the up-and-coming stars like Ben Freemantle and Max Cauthorn hurt, a lot.
  3. All true, I believe. I remember reading something 'official' over the last year, stating that Froustey had been brought on as a soloist, and that wasn't my memory of events at all. And Froustey's original posting said: 'It is time to announce that from the first of July I will become "Principal Dancer" at the San Francisco Ballet for the 2013/2014 season!' Someone was trying to rewrite history, but why? Messmer no doubt needed to prove herself, in Tomasson's eyes. But she's someone that has struggled to find a place that was a good fit. SFB definitely demands that the dancers be 'team players', mutually supportive, and well-rounded in their dancing skills. That last requirement didn't really change under Tomasson until he hired Misa Kuranaga, who was not all that versed in contemporary dance. But she was the exception that proved the rule. It's hard to say if Rojo is going to be working with "specialists" more than Tomasson did.
  4. Christian Lacroix's designs arrive from Paris | A Midsummer Night's Dream at San Francisco Ballet https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Op_SVlfZX8
  5. A.D.'s are not unapproachable - they're just ex-dancers who have gone into management. 😉 And that said, an A.D. is going to be able to spot dancers having physical issues immediately. Dancers in the past attempted to hide and 'dance through' injuries, but thankfully the culture is changing, and dealing better with reality - at least at the big North American and European companies. SFB has been proactive in dealing with the difficult reality of professional dancing - that dancers get hurt, a lot, and need proper physical therapy and conditioning to deal with it. I suppose it wasn't that long ago when big companies only had a single doctor to refer dancers to. SFB is better set up these days: Company Physicians Richard Gibbs, MD & Rowan Paul, MD, Supervising Physicians Michael Leslie, PT, Director, Dancer Wellness Center Kristin Wingfield, MD, Primary Care Sports Medicine Frederic Bost, MD, On-site Orthopedist Peter Callander, MD & Keith Donatto, MD, Orthopedic Advisors to the Company Active Care, Lisa Giannone, Off-site Physical Therapy & Conditioning Classes Leonard Stein, DC, Chiropractic Care Kurt Gorrell, Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach Audrey Tseng, Wellness Center Manager and Certified Athletic Trainer Lisa Giannone in particular is quite well-known in the athletic community for her injury prevention and rehab work with dancers and professional athletes. Mathilde Froustey used to make videos of her training and rehab sessions. There's a Pointe Magazine article about Lisa Giannone's facility (but you have to be a member to read the whole story): https://pointemagazine.com/peak-performance-through-personal-training/ Completely off-topic, but Sasha Mukhamedov decided to dress up like Lisa Giannone for Halloween last year: https://www.instagram.com/p/CzFELyPPNOf/?img_index=1 Lisa Giannone's facility, "The Garage", just happened to have posted a photo with three of the SFB dancers currently going through rehab pictured: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cz69zOoSFMu/ Former ballet dancer Jaime Diaz (life partner to Sasha De Sola) is also involved in training SFB dancers and helping with rehab. Here's WanTing Zhao working out at Diaz's gym: https://www.instagram.com/p/C4GZS1YRYaa/ And Sasha Mukhamedov too: https://www.instagram.com/p/C14qfglxADX/
  6. MIsa Kuranaga and Angelo Greco are apparently going to be dancing the pas de deux (at least as of 4 days ago): https://www.instagram.com/p/C4O77YfPIIs/
  7. It's actually not that uncommon, when transferring to another big company, for dancers to have to go through a trial period of at least one season before being announced as a new principal. I think everyone expected Mukhamedov to be promoted right away, but unfortunately there were hangups. She's been struggling with injuries for some time. It's entirely possible that Mukhamedov told Tomasson straight up that she wanted to be in the company but was shaving physical issues, and couldn't be dancing leads each program. SFB is renowned for its rehab program, so that would be one reason to come to SFB, besides the versatile repertoire.
  8. Yes, it's interesting they are holding back on that information. Hopefully this isn't due to unexpected injury.
  9. The one bright spot was that they made the excellent digital recording of the 2nd night's cast for streaming, which included the Frances Chung / Ulrik Birkkjaer duet - that was truly one for the ages. I'd pay good money to see that again.
  10. Looks like Angelo Greco is planning to be back for Midsummer Night's Dream: https://www.instagram.com/p/C33SHo1SKd0/ Update from WanTing Zhao on February 7th: Ten months post-knee injury and I’m happy with where I’m at! 🎉Still not perfect, but almost there. Keep pushing forward; the end is in sight. 💫 https://www.instagram.com/p/C3DZXVKxHLO/?hl=en&img_index=1 She also posted a photo of her and Lonnie Weeks attending a Nutcracker performance - both dressed to the nines - and Lonnie was wearing a boot, so that's what has been going on with him: https://www.instagram.com/p/C1P59EVvL3L/?hl=en&img_index=1
  11. YY's leaving has been an ongoing process for some time, so I think literally everyone got a chance to talk with her before the official end. I like your idea about showing her in iconic roles, and that pandemic era solo performance that Possokhov choreographed was really great wasn't it? She was extraordinary in The Little Mermaid and RAkU. When I was looking through the various Pointe Magazine photos, there was the early one of YY and Muriel Maffre on stage that really made me realize just how much time had passed, and how many dance eras YY has experienced. And SFB has finally reached an era in which, I believe, there are no French-trained dancers at the company. Which I would like to see rectified, now that the ranks are rather thin on top.
  12. With $60 Million Gift, San Francisco Ballet Plans Focus on New Works The transformative contribution, from an anonymous donor, is the largest in the company’s 91-year history and one of the biggest ever to an American dance group. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/15/arts/dance/san-francisco-ballet-60-million-dollar-gift.html "...San Francisco Ballet has received a groundbreaking gift: It announced on Thursday that it had secured a $60 million contribution from an anonymous donor, the largest in the company’s 91-year history and one of the biggest ever to an American dance company."
  13. We are pleased to have you join us on the forum. Welcome!
  14. Ozawa was one of my favorite conductors of the last 50 years or so. His Nutcracker recording with the Boston Symphony is excellent, btw. Seiji Ozawa: 8 Essential Recordings Ozawa, who died this week at 88 years old, left behind a catalog made with orchestras in Boston, Chicago and elsewhere. Listen to highlights. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/09/arts/music/seiji-ozawa-recordings.html
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