foryourinfo

How many movements are being done in Western. Who did first and third? I have not seen it in a long time and have seen it both with and without 3rd movement. I am excited for Westside next week and will be seeing it with Brahms on Wednesday. Looks like a great night except for thou swell. will get back to you all then

I'm not quite sure what is ment by a school product. The youngest you can be to join is 8 years old. As far as I know there are few who were trained from that young but I think Rachel Rutherford, Pascale van Kipnis, Alexandra Ansanelli, and Carrie Lee, are the only ones currently that are true products of the school, oh and Jennie Somogyi.

Did anyone see it Sat mat? [deleted] I was actually impressed and thought she did a very fine job. It had a very young interpretation ( I loved Saland and Helinka in this role). But appropriate. Benjamin Millepied was a solid Franz. I thought Amanda Edge was beautiful in the Waltz of the Hours, Abi Stafford just doesn't do it for me, great feet though. Dana Hanson is not my favorite in this role. I look forward to seeing Dena Abergelnext week. Pascale Van Kipnis though, nails Spinner in everyway. Aesh Ash had just the right command and feirceness for War and discord with Adam Hendrickson giving everything he had in him.What a strange little section. It is as though, it is just a reminder that even in this sweet story where life is great, there is another side to life always lurking around the corner.

Somogyi's manerisims bother me too. I am glad someone else finally said that because I was begining to think I was the only one. I feel that her "expression" is a manerisim. To me it is always the same regardless of the role. I also find her foot work very sloppy and turned in. She has great facility and ease in turning and dancing in general but to me that is not what I am moved by. I also think Stafford was just executing the steps. There are few that don't just execute the steps. I wish they were cultivating those who are well rounded more. But that is just my opinion.

Did anyone else see Tuesday's performance? I only stayed for Barocco. Ives is long and you have to be in the mood and Peter's new peice does nothing for me. I think the back drop is my favorite. I was a little worried at first that pairing Kowroski and van Kipnis was going to be difficult . They usually like to Pair like dancers which these two are not. But I was pleasantly surprised. van Kipnis dances big enough to make up for the hight and in some ways, the difference brought out that they are dancing to two different violins. Kowroski could loosen up more. She still is very stiff in her neck especialy. van Kipnis danced with abandon and Fayette did a great job in a somewhat thankless role.

[deleted] I also thought Ansanelli and Millipeid were better together. It ws more beleavable that they were in love. She is so young looking so an Ben too. They were fantastic. Who Cares? was great. All of them have personality, and that is the whole point of the ballet. They are all hard variations but the key is to have the who care's attitude through out and I really feel they did. Somogyj has less innate personality than Ringer and van Kipnis but turning is so easy for her so she just looks like she is saying "this is no big deal" and then it's over. It was great. I love how the Who cares? pas de deux is done with that in mind. They may be flirting and romantic in the beginning but then they go back to being individuals, dancing seperately, and just they are just having fun. van Kipnis and Askegard acomplish this very well. Besides, it is his third girl.

I was at the performance last night (Fri) and was very disapointed. Square dance was the most dissapointing of all. I thought the corps was in general not up to the task with the exception of Elizabeth Walker, Pauline Golbin and especially Amanda Edge. I actually thought at times that she should be doing the lead. Yvonne Boree and Peter Boal were the principals. I think this is a perfect ballet for Boal because it shows off his perfect placement and technical ability, but also his soul. What a wonderful solo and he does it perfectly. Yvonne on the other had does not have solid technique at all and this ballet reqires that and much much more. She worries me the whole time and that is not what I pay to see. I can go to a horror flick for that. She shakes and if that is not destracting enough she then has her shoulders in her ears, her head down and she can't pull off a clean double turn. I know she can have soul and there are some ballets where her expression comes out and it is beautiful, but not here when I think she is a little overwhelmed by her nerves. Square Dance needs a dancer that is so secure in her technique that she can play with it like Krya and Merril did. Miranda Weese should be doing this role. Then there was Slaughter on 10th Ave. This is not a ballet that is just about leg extention, yet that is all that Maria Kowroski does with this ballet. There is no sexiness. She barely even flirts with Damian. I just think the company thinks that Maria is sexy looking and tall so she should do this part, when some one with less natural sex apeal could be a lot more sexy in it. I am sorry to say that with the exception of a few moments with the more seasoned ballerinas in Davidsbundlertanze, I walked out annoyed and uninspired.

Has anyone seen any Nutcrackers? I say Miranda's and although she was not yet back to her usual self I was so happy to see her again and could see her confidence grow as she kept dancing. Her maturity and experience made it so clear to me that there is such a lack of that right now in the company. I don't like it when the Sugar Plumb Fairy looks the same age as the angels she is leading. I wan't to see a woman taking control and casting a wonderful spell over the land of sweets.

Did anyone see any of the other performances of Midsummer? I will try and catch Kyra on Sat mat. I heard she was great on Wednesday night. She is truley amazing.

Julliette- Could you expand on your comment about the dancing? I thought the review was fair, although I thought it was clear when van Kipnis decided to break from her group and take a chance to be with Millepied. In fact I thought there was an interesting modern twist in general, with the women taking more of the initiative.