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vipa

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  • Connection to/interest in ballet** (Please describe. Examples: fan, teacher, dancer, writer, avid balletgoer)
    Former professional ballet dancer, former ballet teacher, ballet fan, married to a former professional ballet dancer.
  • City**
    New York
  • State (US only)**, Country (Outside US only)**
    NY

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  1. I went to see the musical Illinoise at the Armory. Directed and Choreographed by Justin Peck. Music Sufjan Stevens (Illinois). I'll start by saying I'm not a fan of the Peck ballets to Sufjan Stevens music, and in general I'm lukewarm to his choreography. I hear the word, "community" a lot when his works or approach are described but I never saw or felt it in what I was viewing. I always found the choreography too busy and almost willfully inorganic. This is different. I loved it. It is a musical, but there is no spoken word, all music, songs and dance. The musicians and singers are visible, above and to the sides of the stage. The main conceit is a gathering around a campfire, in which individuals step out eagerly, or reluctantly to tell their story. The dancers are wonderful. The movement musical, organic, and revealing of character. It is a heart-on-your-sleeve work that is ultimately joyful. I could quibble about this or that, but the piece makes me not want to do that.
  2. I was just thinking about the NYCB roster and possible promotions. Did Megan LeCrone dance at all during the winter season? I know from social media Britany Pollack is out with a pregnancy. I know Ashley Bouder didn't perform. Did Daniel Applebaum or Troy Schumacher? I know NYCB typically does not force dancers out (well there was that one time soon after Martins took over the company, but that's another story). I'm just wondering if there is going to be any movement in the ranks, anytime soon. Alexa Maxwell, Emma VonEnck and David Gabriel all got some nice opportunities this season, and delivered. There were others too. The talent within the company is amazing.
  3. Thank you for this review @cobweb, I can't make it to this program, unfortunately so am eager to hear about it. I am a bit surprised that Phelan has been cast in Tchai Pas. Perhaps I shouldn't be, because management seems to cast her in everything. I feel that roles done for Violette Verdy fair best with dancers who have notable musicality and imagination - perfume, as they say. To me Phelan's dancing has seemed kind of bland of late.
  4. Thanks so much for doing this. It is quite an interesting overview. David Gabriel would be my prediction for the next promotion.
  5. Just got in from tonight's show. Can't say much about Opus 19/Dreamer. I don't hate it, but always found it a weak piece. I agree with the prevailing opinion that Ratmansky's Solitude is a masterful work. The Mahler music is deeply emotional and filled with tension, and Ratmansky's choreography matches its power. I didn't see the first cast, so I can't compare but I loved everyone in this cast. Danching-Waring gave a mature, dramatically true and beautifully danced performance. The whole cast seemed fully committed to the work. Ratmansky's use of groupings, lighting and choreographic themes come together to make a moving and beautiful work. I. hope to see it many more times. Symphony in Three is alway a joy. I could quibble that things could be a bit sharper here or bigger there, but over all it was well danced by Laracey/Stanley (pas), Emma Von Enck/KJ Takahashi, Gerrity/Villarini-Velez. It's nice to see Emma VE getting so much stage time.
  6. Agree that this is an awful program. What are they thinking?
  7. I agree that Maxwell wouldn't be a surprising promotion, particuarly because, among other things, Justin Peck had her as a 2nd cast lead in his full length Copeland Ballet. She's even gone in with Tiler Peck recently as 1st cast. It's a good sign when the resident choreographer uses you. I just wonder if there will be any promotions so soon after the last batch. I agree the those who stated that the soloist ranks have to be cleaned up a bit. There are dancers who rarely perform. Bouder is also an open question.
  8. Thank you @Drew your thorough and interesting review. I've long been interested in the very idea of narrative ballets in general, as well as the specific execution. Should a ballet need lengthy program notes so the audience. can understand what's going on? How much of a ballet experience should be spent decoding what we we are seeing, figuring out who is who etc. Coco Chanel, sounds intelligently conceived, ambitious and well constructed. The use of a "shadow" Chanel is intriguing. I'm not sure it would overcome my personal reservations about complex narrative ballets. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. If you see it again, or. have other thoughts, please share.
  9. I just saw the Twyla Tharp show at the Joyce. Anyone else see it? Tharp always has fine dancers, even though at this point she uses pick up companies, and today was no exception. The dancers were wonderful individually and collectively. The first piece from 1975, was Ocean's Motions, to Chuck Berry songs. I found it to be an enjoyable but undistinguished romp. Well put together, of course, but not particularly inventive in any way. There was a sameness through-out that made me think the piece could have ended after any song. Next a new solo, Brel (music by Jacques Brel). Shows alternate between Cornejo and Ulbricht. I saw Ulbricht and he was great. He was tremendously musical, and easily moved from drama to humor and back, in a piece that mixes virtuoso ballet steps with the Twyla-isms of sudden bursts of turned-in footwork, looses joints, swinging arms and casual theatricality. I thoroughly enjoyed the final piece, The Ballet Master. John Selya was the ballet master/Don Quixote. Ulbricht his assistant/Sancho Panza, Cassandra Trenary inspiration/Dulcinea, along with other dancer/characters. Don Q searching for his impossible dream. The dancers looked great in the showy choreography. The piece was funny and worked really well theatrically. I was reminded of what a wonderful dancer Cassandra Trenary is. She combines clarity with a full and fluid movement quality. She looks so fabulous in Tharp's choreography, that it makes me wonder what she'll do post ABT. A fun afternoon!
  10. Thank you for this interesting analysis Helene. Leta Biasucci is one of those dancers I'm sorry I'll probably never see perform life. I felt that way about Carrie Imler! I wish I had seen her perform.
  11. I was also there this afternoon. A last minute decision so I could see Tiler Peck do Ballo. Agree with @bellawood that it was a wonderful performance of that ballet. As soon as it was over I could have watched it again. No only were Peck and Gordon scintillating, the soloist woman were delightful (Bradley, Dutton-O'Hara, Jones and MT MacKinnon) and the corps was sharp, precise and joyful. Yes, the Gordon blooper was pretty funny. Ran on from the upstage right wing, turned around and ran off without the slightest pause. I hope he had a good laugh about it! I have to admit that my mind wandered a bit in, In a Landscape, the Albert Evans piece to John Cage music. However Dominkia Afanasenkov was sculpturally beautiful, and ably partnered by Alex Knight. As has been stated before Martins ballets tend to be over stuffed with steps. Hallelujah Junction is no exception. However, the dancers looked good, doing the difficult, some what gnarly choreography and David Gabriel looked terrific tossing off jumps and turns. I'm not very familiar with his dancing so it was a nice introduction. The Concert still makes me laugh. Meagan Dutton-O'Hara, Veyette and Mira Nadon were the hilarious leads. The piece is a masterwork in terms of construction, timing and details. It reminds me of that old saying "Dying is easy, comedy is hard" Lastly, I feel fortunate to be watching these early years of Mira Nadon's career. It's amazing to see such a young dancer carry off Liebeslieder and The Concert in the same week. She is a major talent. All in all, a fine afternoon at the ballet. What a great company
  12. I agree @abatt it's hard for me to believe that Unity Phelan is a big ticket seller. I can't imagine what dancer in NYCB would make a big difference in terms of ticket sales. Maybe Tiler Peck because she has something of a cross media presence, and is so active on social media. Even so, I'm not sure it translates into ticket sales. In the fall season, every show I went to was packed. The winter season we're in right now, not so much. I think Unity Phelan is cast a lot because management likes her, and can envision her in many roles. I'd love to hear other opinions on the idea of which dancers might make for increased ticket sales.
  13. Just got back from tonights show of "New Combinations." Tiler Peck came on stage before the performance to speak briefly. I think it was the official opening of the art installation, but I don't know why she was the one to speak. It was fine, and mercifully short, it just seemed kind of random. The 1st piece was Justin Peck's Rotunda. The piece is packed with a lot of busy steps and flailing arms. The way the dancers walked on and off stage in a pedestrian manner felt gimmicky. The dancing felt generic. Daniel Ulbricht fared best. He was able bring some musicality and dynamic variation to his solo. I don't find the Nico Muhly score particularly compelling, which didn't help. NYCB has a large and rich repertory. I think they should drop this work. I enjoyed Tiler Pecks, Concerto for Two Pianos. She moved the corps around very well, and gave them a lot of nice dancing. Roman Mejia's role showed off his virtuoso technique in a light-hearted, musical way. Mira Nadon and Chun Wai Chan looked great together. Some of their lifts were stunning, and Nadon's port de bras, looked particularly full and beautiful. Emma Von Enck and India Bradley were a dynamic duo making lots of entrances. I have to admit my eye always went to Von Enck. Her technique is dazzling, and secure, and she rides above it all as if it's the most fun thing in the world. I wouldn't go to see this ballet if it was on a weak program, but as a middle ballet on an otherwise good program, I'd like to see it again. The program closed with Ratmansky's. Odessa. Some imagery is stunning, and I love the way Ratmansky uses the corp to add drama to a moment. At the same time, I felt like there was a narrative I wasn't clued into, or catching on to. Daniel Ulbricht looked fabulous in Rotunda and Odessa. I've always felt he was under utilized so I'm happy for every opportunity to see him onstage. On the other hand Unity Phelan was in both those ballets and I found her bland. What is going on? When she joined the company I picked her out of the corps because it seemed she had some special qualities. As a principal, it seems, she hasn't found herself. Lastly, I thought tonight was an example of bad programing. It would have been a big improvement to ditch Rotunda, put Odessa as an opener, Concerto for Two Pianos in the middle, and take your pick of. ballets that leave you smiling, third!
  14. I'm laughing a little, @chicagoballetomane. I also just came from tonights performance, and have the opposite reaction to the, See the Music, sessions. I want to see the dance and go home! I wish they'd find a way to do these sessions at intermission, or before the show so they are optional. I enjoyed 4 T's particularly Kitka's Choleric and Adrian D-W's Phlegmatic. I'm still not taken with LaFreniere. She is a beautiful woman, with a gorgeous body, and a strong (not totally dependable) technique. I always feel like she is holding back, playing it safe and dancing smaller than she could. I'd love to see her dance bigger and much bolder. I fell in love with Liebeslieder again, as I always do. I know there. were complaints about the singers last night. I agree the vocal sound was not the greatest. My husband, who is more analytical about this than I, said a problem was all the singers had a lot of vibrato, so they didn't blend as well as they would with purer tones. Regardless, the music always touches my heart and the ballet is a masterpiece of musicality and invention. Tyler Angle is such an extraordinary partner that his duets with Tiler Peck were particularly mesmerizing. Mira Nadon dancing with Peter Walker continues to amaze me with her sense of drama. I enjoyed the other couples too (Phelan/Mejia and Fairchild/Adrian D-W) but they didn't create as great as impact. As always, with this ballet, every time I see it I notice new things - motifs established by a couple in the first section, embellished on in the second. An amazing work. A fine night at the NYCB.
  15. Glad you decided to join the conversation. Casting is up to management, and they have to do what they think best for the ballets and development of dancers. I don't always agree with NYCB casting, but recognize there is a lot to juggle in making those decisions. Casting Bouder in Liebeslieder would mean denying another dancer the opportunity. It is a zero sum game. I don't know what kind of shape Bouder is in these days, and the "pointe shoe" section is technically difficult. I wish Bouder the best, and hope to see her back on stage, but I don't think she'll be cast until management is sure she's ready. That's my guess.
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