15 replies to this topic

[danciegirlmaria]

Did anyone else see the mixed bill on friday night, when carlos halted Rhapsody only 3 mins in after going over on his ankle?

[Old Fashioned]

Yikes!  I hope he's all right.  Please keep us updated.  Sigh...I miss his dancing.

[ami1436]

I didn't see the performance in which Acosta became injured, but from what friends tell me it all happened within the first minute or so, and he basically fell to his knees, stood up, and indicated to the conductor to stop.  Ivan Putrove (who is also cast this run) was watching in the audience, and Monica Mason came on stage and asked everyone to stay in their seats - and announced that Putrov would be dancing the solos and Acosta the pdd!  An interesting mix, for sure.

I saw opening night of this bill - I love Rhapsody and this performance is very different from what we saw K Ballet do last summer in New York - the design makes a huge difference.  Acosta was technically fabulous, but didn't seem fully comfortable at the beginning.  I love his dancing, but sometimes I feel like he needs to decide what to do with his expression if he's not giving us a huge grin!  Leanne Benjamin was a total delight - fast, accurate, light, and musical.  And Yuhui Choe always catches my eyes - fabulous arms!

[danciegirlmaria]

ami1436, on Mar 21 2005, 11:05 AM, said:

I love his dancing, but sometimes I feel like he needs to decide what to do with his expression if he's not giving us a huge grin!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I totally agree with you - technically he is amazing but i find him difficult to watch where acting and depth of character is required because he usually just ends up grinning!  

I was some what dramatic when he went over on his foot - the audience gasped - which i don't think helped things! But i have to be honest i did find it some what unprofessional of him to just stand there and halt the whole thing centre stage - as if he was in class. When other dancers have injured themselves in the past during a performance they have kept going with a simplified version and got off stage as soon as possible!

[Mel Johnson]

I don't think that's terribly unprofessional.  When an actor gets into a trouble he can't get out of onstage in a play, he just turns upstage and stops.  Usually, there's someone there to run to the Stage Manager to tell him to ring in the curtain.  It's happened more than a few times.

[ami1436]

I've gotta agree with Mr. Johnson here.  Who knows what the exact nature of his injury was, on what foot, etc...  And if the ankle had been bothering him before.  Considering the nature of the choreography of Rhapsody, continuing on could have hurt Acosta much more in the long run.

[Jane Simpson]

ami1436, on Mar 21 2005, 03:57 PM, said:

I've gotta agree with Mr. Johnson here.  Who knows what the exact nature of his injury was, on what foot, etc...  And if the ankle had been bothering him before.  Considering the nature of the choreography of Rhapsody, continuing on could have hurt Acosta much more in the long run.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I wonder how many of the young men in the corps de ballet were just getting ready to step forward and take over, with 'star is born' headlines flashing before their eyes?

[sylvia]

Jane Simpson, on Mar 21 2005, 04:16 PM, said:

I wonder how many of the young men in the corps de ballet were just getting ready to step forward and take over, with 'star is born' headlines flashing before their eyes?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It did make me wonder if Ivan Putrov was not available who might step up. There aren't many others in the company I could fathom dancing this ballet. I thought he was tentative to begin with - he started a bit too early and had to quickly resume his position with a huge "oops!" smile on his face. But as the ballet went on, I was very impressed, better than his debut a few nights before, and he appeared to enjoy and relish every moment. The roar that greeted him in his first curtain call was huge.

I didn't think Carlos was being unprofessional - the way he was looking at his leg, carefully testing it, I wouldn't have wanted him to try to walk off stage (he was right in the centre) and I don't know what more he could have done. I'm amazed Carlos risked coming back on for the pdd - his right ankle was strapped up but if there was any sign of discomfort he didn't show it. I did think he was absolutely brilliant in Rhapsody on first night and I came back to an especially bad seat just to see him and the Royal Ballet dance it again.

Re designs, I haven't seen the red swirling backdrop from my vantage point yet. I don't care for the dresses I have to admit - I agree with one critic or poster I read who said they were too Jiri Kylian. But the pastel shaded boys costumes are interesting, and the dancing is clear enough against the floor of the stage.

[ami1436]

Sylvia,  I'm so jealous that you got to see Putrov dance this - I don't think I'll be able to unfortunately.

I think you're right - if Putrov wasn't there, then what?  He could have been there in order to watch to improve his own performance, for pure enjoyment, or, if Acosta's ankle was already twitchy, then 'just in case'....  But it must have been a quandry, especially as Putrov himself has been out with injury so recently.

The designs - I don't mind the backdrop but the women's dresses seem to wash them out - the colour is too muted somehow.  This is the third design for Rhapsody, the second one is with bold and bright royal blues and the like - more linear, and somehow more stark.  I liked the shapes and colours better this time around, I just wish that the women looked less like ghosts!

And Jane, gosh... if they really were in a pickle, *I* would have run on stage to finish the performance for them!  ;)  Kidding, of course!!!  (but oh how one may dream... )  

[Mel Johnson]

Quite awhile ago now, the Joffrey Ballet was performing Gerald Arpino's "Trinity", and the crowd-pleasing Gary Chryst was dancing when his Achilles' tendon snapped.  He hit the stage hard, and had to crawl off, but Mark Goldweber, who was second cast for that part bounded out of backstage (he had been in the corps in first cast) and finished the ballet.  This is a best-case scenario when something dreadful happens, but most usually, such a save is not possible.  Still, it takes nothing away from the company discipline or a dancer's quick thinking and initiative to have it happen, and besides, it's the stuff of legend.  

[Jane Simpson]

One of the men in the ensemble, Yohei Sasaki,  is dancing the Rhapsody pas de deux with Yoshida at a gala on Sunday, so I wondered if he might have learned the whole role as cover. Or I'd love to see Ricardo Cervera have a go at it.

Incidentally the first night was Acosta's ROH debut in the role but he's danced it before, when the company was at Sadler's Wells whilst the ROH was closed.

[ami1436]

Yes Jane, I thought the same of Yasaki - and wouldn't he be fabulous as well?  However, then I guess there would have been the issue of who would replace him (in the group of men)?

I will be there on Sunday to see him though!

And, according the the latest RB statement on ballet.co, Jose Martin will be replacing Acosta on 1 April - his debut in the ballet and I dare say a 'big break' of sorts!  I unfortunately will be in my own rehearsal.... someone please report back!

[zerbinetta]

Would someone kindly keep us New Yorkers up to date on the state of Acosta's ankle? He is slated to dance quite a lot with Ballet Theatre this summer.

Thanks in advance.

[Old Fashioned]

ami1436, on Mar 21 2005, 05:05 AM, said:

I love his dancing, but sometimes I feel like he needs to decide what to do with his expression if he's not giving us a huge grin!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's one of the things I loved most about him when he was still dancing with Houston Ballet.  He may not be a dramatic dancer, but he expresses a true joy of what he's doing, and he never failed to bring a smile to my face.

[sylvia]

zerbinetta, on Mar 22 2005, 02:50 PM, said:

Would someone kindly keep us New Yorkers up to date on the state of Acosta's ankle? He is slated to dance quite a lot with Ballet Theatre this summer.

Thanks in advance.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Monica Mason coached Zenaida Yanowsky in a Rite of Spring masterclass this evening - someone asked about Carlos and she said he was ok but he twisted his ankle, it's a real sprain and yes he's out of his last Rhapsody. He's supposed to be dancing a new Christopher Bruce ballet in mid-May too.

I saw on his website that Carlos is dancing Rothbart in some SL performances at ABT! Is it quite a dancey role?