41 replies to this topic

[Marga]

I am too stunned to speak.

.......... or maybe, for some ??!!?

[Amy Reusch]

She added that "it was exhausting" for Kudelka to balance his creative responsibilities with the additional administrative challenges of moving into the ballet's new home, while also having to boost the size of the troupe as the company must offer more performances.

"I think it was he wasn't getting enough time in the studio, the time he wanted to have," Garland said.

Kudelka would hardly be the first choreographer artistic director to find administrative concerns dominating their schedule, and wish to be choreographer-in-residence instead of artistic director. I'm not sure which is preferable.

Do choreographers-in-residence have the same oportunity to shape a company into an instrument for their own creativity as artistic directors do? For instance, does a choreographer-in-residence make hiring/firing decisions? Or decide which dancers/repetoire will be in rehearsal at the same time the choreographer's piece is in rehearsal?

Perhaps a choreographer is too close to their own work to make company season repetoire decisions.

Also, I can't explain why, but it seems to me that a choreographer-in-residence is almost more glamorous than artistic director.

I'm in favor of long-term contracts for choreographer-in-residence though, so that artistic/creative dialogue between company and choreorapher can fully develop.

Are "inherited" AD positions more curatorial than would be the case in choreographer-driven companies? Is work done on "one's own company" more significant than guest work? I think of the big name choreographers of the 20th Century, and I think of companies built on the choreographer's vision. Are the institutions now too financially monstrous that they impose so greatly on choreographic creativity that choreographer-in-residence is the preferred path? Is there a trend afoot?

[sandik]

Adding my dropped jaw to the collection here -- this seems very rushed to me.

Does anyone here remember the process when Kudelka was hired? I don't recall an interim director between Reid Anderson and Kudelka, but it was awhile ago. And how much notice did Anderson give?

Curiouser and curiouser...

[Marga]

Here is the list of NBoC's ADs:

Celia Franca, 1951-1973
Celia Franca and David Haber, 1973-1974
David Haber, 1974-1975
Celia Franca, 1975- 1976
Alexander Grant, 1976-1983
Erik Bruhn, 1983-1986
Valerie Wilder and Lynn Wallis, 1986-1989
Reid Anderson, 1989-1996
James Kudelka, 1996-2005

And how much notice did Anderson give?

I remember being surprised when I heard on the news that Reid Anderson was leaving the National. I also remember that there were news reports of an unamicable parting.

[gracey]

The Toronto Star said he told David Banks and Kevin Garland last Novemeber that this would be his last year. I do feel though that he should have held off letting Martine go and let the new AD make that decision.

[Helene]

The Toronto Star said he told David Banks and Kevin Garland last Novemeber that this would be his last year.  I do feel though that he should have held off letting Martine go and let the new AD make that decision.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The upside of being a lame duck, even if no one knows you're about to be, is making -- or voicing -- hard and unpopular decisions so that the incoming person doesn't get tarred with them.

[Leigh Witchel]

Just for the record, I think the decision was hard, unpopular. . .and wrong. He also decided she would leave this year 2 and a half years ago, possibly before he knew he would leave himself.

[sandik]

I don't know Lamy's work well enough to have an opinion about the timing of her retirement, but I imagine that, as the company deals with moving into a larger house and the strains that places on the ensemble, there may be more decisions of that nature for whomever becomes director.

[Paquita]

It looks like the future NBoC is going to be a very youthful company. In addition to forcing Lamy's retirement, Kudelka managed to promoted Heather Ogden and Nehemiah Kish to principal before the end of his term. Both are very promising dancers (Ogden has already proven herself on many occasions), but still very young. The new AD will need to hire several more dancers in the next few years. I wonder if they will expand their apprenticeship program or just hire more dancers from abroad?
The Kimberly Glasco affair left a bitter taste in many people's mouths. I think a lot of Glasco's supporters are glad to see Kudelka step down. (During the whole fiasco Kain stood by Kudelka's decision....).
I don't think Kudelka's influence will completely disappear though. Since it has already been established that he will be the resident choreographer, the new AD's vision will have to be somewhat compatible with Kudelka's style.

Just to add my 2 cents, having seen many of Lamy's recent performances, I believe she should have been able to stay in the company, at least until they moved into the opera house. She is still in very fine form and it is a shame she will not be given the opportunity to be able to perform on the new stage that the company has been waiting for for so long.

[Amy Reusch]

Pardon my need to discuss the obvious, but...

I don't think Kudelka's influence will completely disappear though. Since it has already been established that he will be the resident choreographer, the new AD's vision will have to be somewhat compatible with Kudelka's style.

Is there any precedent of an artistic director stepping down to become resident choreographer? I assume this would mean the National will not be taking on a choreographer as it's next artistic director... it seems like it would be asking a choreographer to take a back seat to the resident choreographer, doesn't it? (well, poor choice of metaphor, I guess, as the AD would presuambly be driving... but...)

[Estelle]

Is there any precedent of an artistic director stepping down to become resident choreographer?

It was the case for Jiri Kylian at the Nederlands Dans Theater, stepping down a few years ago (around 1999, I think) from artistic director to resident choreographer and "artistic advisor" after more than 20 years of artistic direction. The present artistic director, Anders Hellstrom, isn't a choreographer as far as I know.

[gracey]

No doubt Heather was due for the promotion. Not only has she proven herself, but it would seem that she appeals to a young audience who love her expression and style. This is a huge asset to any company trying to reach that elusive younger crowd.

I do hope to see her paired with Guillaume more often now, as I have watched him dance with several wonderful accomplished dancers ( Chan, Sonia, even Burnise), and though they were very nice to watch, there just isn't that tingly stage magic as there is when he dances with Heather.

James work is wonderful and magical. He is concentrating on what he does best and I can't wait to see more now that he is free of the stress of running the company. I have always loved his Nutcracker, Cinderella and Straw hat had me on the floor, Desir was beautiful especially the purple ( or was it the purple?) pdd ( incidently Heather again), his staging of swan lake and the list goes on.

I don't agree with the retirement of Martine, and feel he should have cancelled hers, and announced his own intentions first as an explaination for cancelling hers. She must be reeling.

I understand the company has to increase to 70 dancers to fit the new opera house, so there is alot of work to do and the approach will be very interesting to watch.

[Paquita]

Yes, it would be nice to see Ogden and Cote paired more often. Hopefully that will happen in the future. One thing about Kudelka is that he really discouraged the whole "star system". He didn't want people attending the ballet to see a particular dancer or a certain star couple. His choreography was supposed to be the main attraction. As a result, he seems to discourage long-term partnerships. Once the media started writing about Ogden and Cote as a rising ballet patnership, they were paired with other dancers.
Kudelka is a prolific choreographer, but I find his work uneven. I enjoyed his Cinderella very much, but did not like what he did with Swan Lake. However, I think that most people would agree that he is stronger and more comfortable with choreography than he is with administrative duties.

[gracey]

I do feel that NOT being paired with Guillaume gave Heather an opportunity to show she shines on her own, therefore worthy of the principal status. This is important and I can see validity in this especially with soloists, BUT

when there is that magical addictive spark that goes all the way to the hearts of the audience (and it does not happen with most couples), and now that they are both principals, it is time to give us our fix!

Edited by gracey, 20 May 2005 - 11:42 AM.

[Herman Stevens]

Is there any precedent of an artistic director stepping down to become resident choreographer?  I assume this would mean the National will not be taking on a choreographer as it's next artistic director... it seems like it would be asking a choreographer to take a back seat to the resident choreographer, doesn't it? 

A company can easily have more than one choreographer, as long as they don't openly hate each other.

Plurality of input would only be good. Think Balanchine and Robbins, for instance.