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Bouder as Aurora


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OK, we'll get the obvious out of the way first: Bouder went off pointe near the end of the Rose Adagio. Ballerinas do sometimes fall off pointe and it is always unfortunate, but this is probably the one place in the entire ballerina repertoire where it looks really bad, because everyone is totally focussed on Aurora at that

moment. The applause after this crucial number was perfunctory.In the solo that follows shortly after, Bouder seemed to be somewhat in a daze...her dancing not up to her usual level and her jumps lacking height and stretch. She was much better in the Vision Scene and in the Wedding pas de deux and solo, though I do find her dancing doesn't always flow...sometimes it seems like a series of freeze-frames were she is in beautiful poses. I find her facially unpleasant, she sometimes looked like she was chewing gum which I'm sure she was not. Damian danced with his usual flair though there was a slight sense that things aren't quite so easy for him as they used to be. There was no chemistry between he & Bouder though he was of course an efficient partner.

Kowroski was again a wonderful Lilac Fairy, so serene in her dancing. Kyra Nichols revelled in Carabosse's glamourous evil...her mime was clear & expressive and her eyes illuminated every gesture. Amanda Edge was a bright & fluid Florine, but Tom Gold seemed tired as Bluebird...he didn't even try to sustain the balance that concludes their duet. At least he didn't wear blue lipstick, as de Luz did. Other standouts were Rutherford, van Kipnis, Mandradjieff, Lowery, Beskow and Riggins while Carla Korbes looked especially fetching as the Countess.

When Bouder & Woetzel came onstage for their bow, I thought I heard some booing. And when they came before the curtain I heard it again. Aside from "baddies" like Rothbart & Carabosse getting booed for their dastardly deeds, I have never heard anyone get booed at NYCB. I asked my partner if I could be mistaken but he agreed that he heard it too. Then we ran into a friend downstairs who also said he heard people booing. The response overall was muted.

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Well, for a 20-year-old in a benchmark role, I thought Ashley Bouder made a superb debut. As Oberon mentioned, there was one dip (with a quick seamless recovery) in the Rose Adagio, but aside from that, it was a beautifully danced and well-thought-out interpretation. I for one -- who have been going to the ballet for more than 36 years -- cannot take my eyes off her when she's dancing. She has that dancing-on-the-edge quality of Suzanne which takes my breathe away. Everything for me is right: the articulation of her feet; the way she slowly (or quickly) arcs her leg in a developpe in an exquisite motion suitable to the musical phrase; sensitive musical phrasing and with that rare quality of rubato; and all with her neck and shoulders beautifully and elegantly presented. I'm looking forward to Thursday just to see her dance her second Aurora. It can only get better. I just totally enjoy watching this young lady dance, and I will try to see her in everything. That's the way I felt about all the major dancers of the past.

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Bouder was absolutely thrilling and I felt privileged to be there. The fall off-pointe was of very little consequence. That was not booing Oberon heard. Who would have booed and why? Unlike him, I have heard booing at NYCB, for Edward Villella in "Watermill". The sound of booing is unmistakable. The sounds he heard last night (I heard them too) were like those baseball fans make when they signify approval for players named Lou or Moose. In this case they were for a dancer named BOUder. :)

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I think it was a great debut for Bouder.

Yes, she did have that unfortunate bobble in the Rose Adagio (she's not the first City Ballet dancer to have trouble there, nor will she be the last, I'm sure), but so what? Although it looked like she had a few butterflies to deal with in places in the first act, she also looked sparkling and strong. Her Vision scene was lovely, and her pas de deux magnificent. Bouder's great technical strength has been often remarked upon, but she's also one of the most sensitive and subtle dancers in the company, musically. In her first act solo, where she does the ever-faster backward steps, plieing and tenduing on alternate feet while arching her arms through a bit overhead port de bras, she clearly showed how thise steps should progress, starting slowly then ever-so-subtly faster, as yet another one of Petipa's "growing and blossoming" images. Bouder left a clear impression of this enchainement's shape, as well as its purpose. She played with the timing of each step, not blindly following Quinn's baton, nor blithely ignoring it, but with just enough variance to give this often-awkward combination breath and life.

I thought her facial expressions were lovely, and her teen-age flirtations with the Princes both charming and appropriate.

As for the rest, Woetzel partnered Bouder well, but phoned in his own solos, looking sloppy and cavalier even for him. Kowroski delivered the Lilac Fairy's mime clearly enough, but when she's not displaying her gorgeous line, she's often weak and sketchy. I've seen her Lilac three times so far, and she's never been able to cleanly hit that pirouette-into-tendu-plie pose without some unfortunate wobbles. I loved Nichols' subtle and graceful Carabosse, who looked to me like a snake just waiting for the right moments to strike, and strike hard.

Edge's and Gold's Bluebird pas was not one for the ages, or even the moment. I loved Carla Körbes' Countess, finally giving up on Woetzel's sulking Prince with a "well, whatever" shrug of her shoulders.

I don't recall hearing any boos at all.

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I actually thought I heard boos, as well, but I couldn't tell whether it was a sort of a loud "OOO!" I preferred to think the latter! But I heard them after the Bluebirds, and I'm afraid they might has been a slight expression of exasperation. With Carmena and Ulbricht in the company, not to mention De Luz, it was an odd decision to cast Gold. But nobody booed the orchestra, except me, but that was silently.

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I'm with Bobbi and Manhattnik here, especially as M'nik experienced Bouder's very special, very subtle musicality. (But I do think her facial expressions need attention.) As for the heartbreaking fall off pointe toward the end of the Rose Adagio, it looked to me as though the third suitor in that sequence did not allow AB to get her balance -- even pulled her off -- so her ability to stay up as long as she did was something of a feat.

I would have liked to see more conviction in Damian's dancing, but for this performance, I was satisfied that he gave solid support -- morally and physically -- to Ashley.

Maria's Lilac was much better than last Wednesday's. Her presence was more commanding, her technique more reliable. It was good to see the corps falling into some kind of unison. The Garland Waltz is almost beginning to regain the vitality it had when Mr. B first mounted it -- before many of the dancers now in it were born. :)

As for the Bluebird, well, you could turn Dunning's remark (regarding Fairchild) around and say that the choreography was wasted on Edge and Gold. If he couldn't do the steps, at least he had an idea of what it was supposed to be. Edge presented a strong but uninflected sequence of steps very capably, but without any feeling of . . . anything.

Aside from Bouder's wonderful, go-for-broke dancing throughout, I thought the mime was remarkably clear. The vision dialogue between Lilac and the Prince was unusually conversational, and I read Korbes' exiting shrug :shrug:(complete with rolling eyes :rolleyes:) as, "Well, what do you expect from that moody guy?"

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Actually, Veyette pulled her off point at the end of the Rose Adagio. It wasn 't her at all. If this were an ice skating competition one would deduct points. This is not an ice skating competition.

Her Vision Scene was magnificent. Amazing how she abstracted herself, how vulnerable and ethereal she seemed at once, a long elegant line, beautiful long creamy extensions in adagio, otherwordly in presence. This was the more unexpected part of the evening, as we haven't had much chance to see her in romantic pas's -- She has a great Diamonds, Giselle, Bayadere, Swan Lake, or Don Q Act II in her. Rich camber in her upper body when supported, not thin and almost double jointed a la Taylor, but controlled, elegant, occupying space and covering a fully 45 degrees from waist to shoulder in arabesque. Nice proportions. A long neck, nicely shaped and proportioned head. Body slightly longer to the waist than above it. Feet not beautifully arched but long, and beautifully used, strong and pointed. On point she sits way up above her toes, very verticle, rests right on the box of the shoe, not the sides. Viva Bouder.

Dena Abergel put the crown on her in the Apotheosis in ridiculous fashion, dropping it over her eyes. I won't complain if I don't see another Abergel Queen this week. My thought was the Lyon must have married her for dynastic purposes.

The opportunity to dance full evening length roles is just what Bouder needs to develop. It was a performance of very good current realization, an amazing debut really, and of immense future promise. One has to believe that this is the first three act ballet she has ever danced professionally. In most of what she's been given, she's been asked to "Do More," "Dance Bigger" in short variations. Aurora is a fully fleshed out dramatic role which runs the gamut and which requires much in the opposite direction (finesse and grace in smaller passages, building an intepretation and dynamics into a full evening, phrasing in chains of enchainements if you will which go far beyond the soloist fare she's had up to now.)

The casting was terrible elsewhere in Act II. Not only Tom Gold as the Bluebird. But Amanda Edge, Pascale Van Kipnis and Rachel Rutherford also laboring through roles inappropriate for their particular strengths and weaknesses while each one of them would have been much better cast in the other roles available in the same Act (Edge is a fine emerald, Van Kipnis a wonderful Ruby, Rutherford [who danced beautifully in Act I] has definite strength and technical limitations and was unfortunately exposed in Diamond.

I don't know why but I suffer, in this production, almost the opposite of the proverbial willing suspension of disbelief. An unwilling inability to see anything but artifice is my trouble here.

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Those were definitely not boos. From what I gathered everyone was enthralled by Bouder's performance, myself included.

I was extremely happy to see her as Aurora after her overwhelming performance in Double Feature. I think she represents the new generation of dancers, clean, dramatic, technical yet accessible to the younger generation that aren't dreaming of Suzanne's bygone era.

She had clean lines, and yes, she was off point at during the Rose Adagio, but she made a clean recovery and was excellent the rest of the evening. Her timing was interpretive and expressive, not chained to the orchestra as other Auroras.

Her grace and strength unfortunately highlight Woetzel's slow decline. He was better than Hubbe's Prince last week, but he's losing the presence seen in past seasons. Nichol's Carabosse was elegant and evil, without resorting to camp - a strong performance from one of NYCB's greatest assets.

I feel extremely lucky to see this wonderful new dancer's Aurora debut and I'm excited to see her again on Thursday. I will watch any ballet Bouder performs in.

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And your mother dresses you funny, Oberon :)

I've been watching Bouder since she was 11 and I'm not even going to pretend to be unbiased. I thought it was a lovely debut and she has a ton to be proud of.

I liked Nichols' Carabosse as well. Was anyone else reminded (certainly not in looks, but in stance) of Margaret Hamilton? I felt like Nichols reached to a familiar touchstone to give us a Carabosse we'd recognize quickly. She just needs to work on blocking a little, there are times she can't come too close to the Lilac Fairy (especially in the prologue) or she diminshes her.

Michael - did you mean van Kipnis in Diamond? It wasn't as good as Friday, but I think that wasn't her fault. On Tuesday, Quinn took it at a near impossible tempo for the choreography. I'll give her points for just getting through it at that speed.

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Leigh you're right -- Rutherford's problems were in Emerald. Edge's in Florine. Van Kipnis did get through Diamond, Quinn's pace was terrifying. Last Wednesday (week ago), Van Kipnis was superb in Ruby, Edge very good in Emerald, Fairchild very fine in Florine ... etc. Generally more appropriate casting in all of these roles and for all of these dancers than last night.

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I really didn't see any problems with Rutherford's Emeralds--I thought she was really lovely. Of course the music is far too fast, but I thought the jewel pas de quatre was one of the strongest ensembles I have seen in a long time. Really graceful upper bodies, and classical shapes. I kept thinking that van Kipnis or Rutherford should really have had a shot of Lilac!

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Cargill, I echo your comments on the Jewels pas de quatre and the idea of casting van Kipnis or Rachel R as Lilac.

In the Rose Adagio, Bouder appeared to fall away slightly from the approaching cavalier (same thing happened to Dvorovenko with each cavalier when I saw her do it). She righted herself when his hand was offered then did a quick down-and-up to re-establish her pointe. Probably the majority of the audience didn't even notice. But the French couple sitting in front of me groaned. I later heard them complaining that they were seeing principals as Lilac & Carabosse but a mere soloist as Aurora...I didn't want to tell them she'd only been a soloist for one week!

Quelle scandale!

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Oberon, I would have been tempted to remind your neighbors that ballerinas do not, in this (or their) country spring full-blown, and that this likely was an important milestone that in coming years they would look back on as a major step in the emergence of an important artist. Yes, they could tell their yet-to-be born great grandchildren that they saw La Bouder before she became a legend.

Sorry. I got carried away.

Michael, your description of AB's dancing (posted at 1:15) hit the bull's eye. Beautiful.

Leigh, yes! Margaret Hamilton!

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As some others here, I have been watching Ashley for years and what impressed me most last night was her development. Yes, she's wonderfully strong technically, she owns the stage when she inhabits it, she is becoming more comfortable in herself. The self-assurance is immediately apparent and because she is young, I assume that her art will develop as she matures as a woman and an artist. This sounds high falutin' but I really look forward to watching her because she is *interesting.*

She danced and acted a wonderful birthday scene--the shivers of excitement, the flirty exchanges with her suitors, the preening for them, the way she was so clean iin her steps but did everything with the barely suppressed excitement that we all feel at that age. She smelled the roses, she showed them off to her mother, she was exuberant without being giddy and proud of herself without slipping into vanity.

The vision scene showed me a side of her which I'd not seen before--when she first slowly descended the stairs and emerged from behind the scrim, she was remote, dreamy, and not corporeal. This is a dancer who can whoop it up in Western Symphony, dance a Liberty Belle which is still being talked about years later, and for her to act and dance this very, very different scene so well was remarkable. She's evidently studied the role extensively, and is finding a way to already make it her own. I was struck by her beckoning (frequently it looks like the dancer is using the hand-dryer in a public restroom) and she was so exquisitely remote, yet with the promise of beauty, should he find his way to her.....

The grand pdd was formal, structured and very, very well danced. By Ashley, if not by Damian who walked through some of his variation, and then recalled that he was on stage. The beginning was strong and secure, the first Desiree variation rather sketch, and then she did her variation and made the familar glow with a new warmth. The pdd was grand, the apotheosis an emotional moment for her, and the evening ended on a quite satisfying note.

There were no boos that I heard. There were several of us cheering Brava!, and I didn't hear any grumblings from those around me. I was in dead center, second ring, and there was no lack of audience response throughout thte ballet.

I must be alone in not objecting to the tempi last night. The orchestra sounded not as bad as usual (piddling praise, I know, but lately they've been miserable.)

I was disappointed when I saw the casting for Florine and Bluebird. Sigh. I thought it was just awful. No plastique, no lightness, no upper body use to speak of in Gold. Amanda Edge is a solid dancer (whom many like a great deal,) but I found the idea of her longing to take flight with her Bluebird impossible to contemplate. I'm sorry, but her arrms were spiky, jerky, and really uncomfortable to watch. She seems not to have read the story. A definitely earthbound couple.

Red Riding Hood was completely charming. She acted big, she projected, big, she was not saccharine and I didn't worry a bit when she was scooped up by the Wolf: I felt certain that she would talk her way out of it. Smart little girl!

I was underwhelmed by the Jewels (Askegard is looking defintely landlocked tthese days) except for Megan Fairchild who was characteristically piquant as Ruby.

I have always loved this production....would that the gods who guided Martins in 1991 had not been looking the other way when he mounted Swan Lake. :) Looking forward to seeing other casts later this week....

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I was sitting in the orchestra level, center, and yes there were some boos. Something I have not heard at City Ballet ever, well except for evil witches and the cop in Slaughter.

Ashley Bouder made a nice debut, especially coming alive in the last act in her solo and finale. However, falling off pointe in the Rose Adagio in the first act was the least of her problems being miscast in such a demanding principal role.

Though Bouder is technically very strong and self-assured, her physic is much lacking for adagio/partnering work. I never noticed until last night how short and limited her leg lines are in a tutu, and how unflattering adagio movements can be to her build. In jumps and other allegro movements, she moves with complete abandon and musical beauty. But in a tutu, with a partner and adagio movement required, Bouder just cannot fill the stage or the music. Chemistry with her partner was also badly lacking.

While I look forward to seeing Bouder's dancing for many years at NYCB, Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake (esp White Swan), or any of the other major ballerina roles requiring adagio simply do not suit her. Bouder could have made the house roar with bravas last night if she had been cast in the Florine part of the Bluebird pas de deux.

The Beauties I'd recommend seeing this season: the gorgeous Jenifer Ringer and the ever-150% exciting and charming Alexandra Ansanelli. Hopefully one day the very talented Megan Fairchild will get her chance too. I was very surprised not to see her cast in the lead of Sleeping Beauty after dancing so well this season in the leads of Coppelia and Sugar Plum in Nutcracker, etc.

It was overall a pleasant enough evening in that the orchestra was good; I absolutely love the score, and Peter's production was so fairy-tale, beautiful -- from the costumes, to sets, to choreography. Two acts instead of three was a brilliant idea too.

Edited by Anna NYC
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What I always love about reading posts here is that I learn so much, not simply about the dance and dancers, but also about the different ways people watch dance. As someone barely schooled in dance and not much for specifics of technique, I tend to focus on the upper body and the presence of the dancer. I didn't notice what Anna said. Unless something is majorly off, I don't really pay attention so much to lines.

So, of course, I was able to able to enjoy Bouder's performance more than Anna did. But, next time around (meaning tonight) I shall probably try to see what Anna was talking about.

As for my perceptions of Bouder's performance, I don't really have much to add to the glowing and articulate praises of the others. As with others, what wowed me this time were the aspects to Bouder's dancing I hadn't had the opportunity to see before-- her delicacy in a romantic role. Her vision scene was breathtaking.

As I have said before about Bouder and Somogyi, they invite you in to notice the choreography and movement in ways that no other dancers do for me. I learn so much watching them-- but not learning in a way that takes away from the emotion of the moment.

I did feel that, at times, she may have over-articulated some of the mime-like dance movements-- cargill said it better, saying that Bouder had seemed a bit too studied at times (I hope i paraphrase you correctly, cargill). Over time, she'll learn that you can convey the same thing a little more subtly. But, at least the feeling was there to go with the movement. I was never so disappointed in Woetzel as I was in this performance. Truly phoned in. Didn't help that the last prince I saw was Boal on Friday night.

As for the rest of the cast... I am waiting until the end of the run to sum up my experience. I shall say, at this point, that I am truly missing having more seasoned and technically adept dancers in many of the roles. And, I wish the tempos were more consistent!

-amanda

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Well Amanda, if you look hard, you might just see that the opposite may be true, and that Ashley has a lovely stretched extension of her legs in penchees, indeed of her entire body -- one of the best you will ever see, it is one of her glories, and also that when she extends out front to the tips of her fingers in penchees, the center of gravity of her poses is so very well out there well in front of her body, the way they draw it up. She was, on the other hand, a little sketchy in some of her pirouettes Tuesday. Expectations were high. I don't think we need expect perfection.

But one thing about watching and assessing dancers which I think Ballet Alert has underscored over the years and which I think this thread may demonstrate. Which is that when you love a dancer you want to see them in just about everything. And when you don't like a dancer you tend not to want to see them in just about anything. Having it reach the level where some hear boos which others do not either may be related to this or not. Quite famously, you cannot prove a negative. I heard nothing but warm applause.

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....when you love a dancer you want to see them in just about everything. And when you don't like a dancer you tend not to want to see them in just about anything.

Not true for me... I absolutely adored Bouder in everything I've ever seen her dance so far (and I go often) except the lead in Sleeping Beauty. I had been counting the days to see her in that role, and expected the best. Much of Bouder's debut as Aurora was truly excellent, e.g., allegro, but in the adagio sections she just has short leg lines...

Guess I've been spoiled by years and years of leggy, tallish dancers at NYCB. That's what I'm expecting to see in principal ballerina adagios.

Edited by Anna NYC
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I'm in the mushy middle on this issue. I don't think Bouder has an "easy leg" - that would be Ansanelli, but like Michael, I thought her lines in a tutu were more than acceptable. They aren't extreme, but I was pleasantly surprised how long her legs looked. Then again, I don't think of Aurora as a role where the biggest virtue should be an "easy leg". I'm looking for speed, aplomb and accuracy.

Anna, did you see Ansanelli? If so, what did you think? And who do you like as Aurora?

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Leigh,

I did see Ansanelli's Aurora debut. She was everything I was hoping for and lots, LOTS more! She was strong, charming, quirky, beautiful, lyrical, lovely and excelled in all the allegro, turns, etc., as well as the slow, lyrical adagios and acting required.

Ansanelli is always such a joy to watch in everything she dances. Sometimes she needs a little editing, cleaning up, but that will come in time, she's so young. Her physical, technical and artistic beauty are all there, 200%!

Aurora is not at all a White Swan role, definitely requiring an "easy leg," but there are plenty of adagios in Sleeping Beauty where I wanted much more from Bouder. Part of what was lacking is her natural size and body shape, but some of it was her approach. I think Swanhilda would have been a much better choice for showing off Bouder's best.

Anna

Edited by Anna NYC
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Vagansmom - It's not a technical term at all. What I meant specifically is that Ansanelli is really limber, especially in the hip joint. There's no resistance when she does an extension, it just goes there. With Bouder, there's a little resistance, and if you're looking, you can see where her stretch ends. On the other hand, a little less stretch means a little more control. Anna, I loved Ansanelli's performance too and completely agree with your thoughts on it - the fun part for me is I loved them both.

I'm with Amanda. It was a grand performance. No slips in the Rose Adagio, lovely musicality in all the variations, charm and warmth. When she first entered she jumped like lightning galvanizing the air.

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I didn't see her earlier performance, but Thursday Bouder was fantastic. She had great balance, incredible speed, a lovely line, just a fantastic bravura performance for such a young dancer. I was very impressed as was every one I knew around me. She seems to have it all. She is obviously not Maria Kowroski as far as leg extensions goes, but who is? Maria did a lovely lilac fairy I thought. And Merrill Ashley returned as Carabossa. I cheered her entrance..... what memories of her dancing - still miss her speed. I thought Woetzel danced very well, did not notice any hesitancy or lack of interest as seems to have been the case earlier. Hendrickson seemed to literally fly in his variations as the Bluebird and Carrie Lee Riggins was a delightful Florine. The rest of the cast seemed fine.

I don't much like story ballets. And when they start the boat ride I want to scream - more dancing less scenery. But the costumes are really unbelievable, the music is Tschaikovsky, and there is plenty of dancing in the second act. And it was exciting to see Bouder take on and conquer this role. So all in all not a bad way to end the winter season. The bad news is that we have 2 months to wait for the spring season to start. And from the spring programs I wish I could afford to go every night!

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