34 replies to this topic

[drb]

Yes Bart, you've found two OT (since they could apply to any dancers, not just the PNB stars) threads here which perhaps you or some clever moderator might be able to start up as individual topics:
A. Dancers who grow roles by 1. refining and polishing (I'd site McKerrow and Kirkland as examples), 2. reinventing (Bouder), and 3. onion-peeling (revealing new layers of depth --as you say, Farrell).  Perhaps these last two are facets of some more encompassing way of describing what they do.
B. Two ways of handling mixed rep programs, that also may relate to how dancers perform (concentration of focus vs. dialectic of variety) : 1. replicated programming (variety via casting changes, typical of PNB, ABT and many more) vs. 2. heterogeneous programming, in which the ballets are presented in varying combinations (NYCB paradigm).

[Helene]

bart, on Apr 7 2006, 04:29 AM, said:

This appears to be the pattern at other regional companies.  Miami, certainly.  Do any other regionals do it differently?

When working on the calendar, carbro and I went through dozens of company calendars.  I can't think of a single company in the US [Edited to Add:  besides NYCB] other than ABT in its fall season that does a rep season.  SFB, and Ballet Arizona (for the Balanchine programs) have a tiny bit of hybrid, in which two fixed programs are given over the same period.

Most of the major companies in Europe are on a rep schedule, alternating with opera performances.  When they perform triple bill programs, they tend to be fixed programs more than not.  While rep still has its challenges for rehearsal and focus, the opera does give many of the dancers little performance breathers, although they might have rehearsals scheduled for that time.

[SandyMcKean]

drb, on Apr 6 2006, 06:35 PM, said:

Great dancers seem to fall into two camps: those who polish and refine a role, and those who reinvent it each time.  How would the various PNB stars place in this dichotomy?

I'm afraid such a question is well beyond my modest powers of distinction.  I feel lucky to be able to "see" the differences btwn various dancers in the same role at all, much less be in a position to tell you why I respond differently.

Years ago I used to live in San Francisco (where I saw my first ballet on a whim while in college -- I was changed forever   ).   ABT, Joffery, and other companies used to come regularly, and I saw them all, sometimes every nite of the week.  Then perhaps I could distinguish the "styles" of a company, or the quality of a company.  But now I pretty much only see PNB, so I have little to compare to.  Perhaps PNB is a ho-hum company to true experts, I have no idea......all I know is that I love them, and believe I've seen the company get better and better over the years.  I suspect I am just spoiled by PNB and don't know any better.

[sky blue]

Hello there. I am new to this site but not new to the ballet world. I have lived on the East Coast as well as the West coast and in Europe for a few years also. I must say that I absolutely LOVE this company...PNB ! They are all excellent dancers ! There is so much talent!! One most outstanding is Jonathan Porretta ! He just never ceases to amaze me! I think this company is one of the best if not the greatest ballet company worldwide.

[Helene]

Welcome to Ballet Talk, sky blue.  I'm very happy to have another transplant to Seattle on the board to discuss PNB!

Please introduce yourself on the Welcome Forum when you have a chance by clicking "New Topic" from the top right of the forum, and we're looking forward hearing what you think of Sleeping Beauty.

[sandik]

From Moira Macdonald's essay on Louise Nadeau coaching Sleeping Beauty (rather than dancing Aurora again)  A viewpoint on the shifting casting we were discussing above.

"It was a difficult choice to make," she says. "But I thought, you know, I've done it, I enjoyed it when I did it. I didn't really feel that I had to prove anything to anyone. And I thought, do I really want to take up the space, and not allow someone else the opportunity?"

(can see whole article through links for Tuesday 4/11)

[sandik]

and forgot to say that all of second week casting is up on the website now.

[Helene]

A couple of more corps women are cast as fairies:  Zimmerman and Brunson.  Apprentice Leanne Larsen is dancing Little Red Riding Hood in week 2.

[Helene]

Leigh Witchel, on Apr 5 2006, 08:13 AM, said:

Request from New York for detailed reporting on Körbes' Lilac Fairy performances, please.

We miss her.

Just to set expectations, Lilac Fairy is a very small dancing role -- a single solo -- and a lot of mime and casting spells with what looks like a purple feather duster.  Especially since in this production (Hynd) Desire is not the brightest bulb in the chandelier, and Lilac Fairy has to lead him by the nose.  

It's too late for me to do a full write-up tonight, but just a few highlights, not meant to be all-inclusive:  Kaori Nakamura was a brilliant Aurora, Körbes was superb as the Fairy of Beauty and as Silver in the Gold and Silver pas de trois in the Wedding Act, and Maria Chapman had a great evening in three very different roles:  Fairy of Purity in the Prologue, the Countess in Act II, and the White Cat in Act III.

[sandik]

Helene, on Apr 14 2006, 06:30 AM, said:

Maria Chapman had a great evening in three very different roles:  Fairy of Purity in the Prologue, the Countess in Act II, and the White Cat in Act III.

Didn't she just -- she's been slowly and carefully developing for quite some time, and we are getting to see some very lovely work from her lately.

[SandyMcKean]

I agree about Chapman. Until Boal got here, she seemed to be perennially "stuck" in the corps.  Peter brought not only himself, but his eye to Seattle.

[Helene]

But Francia Russell did cast Chapman in the Second Movement of Symphony in C the last time the ballet was performed.    I'm glad Boal is casting her prominently, too.

[doug]

Just a note that Chapman was promoted by Stowell and Russell, albeit at the end of their tenure.  She had danced many prominent roles by that point, in both the Balanchine and Stowell repertoire.

[SandyMcKean]

Quote

......albeit at the end of their tenure.

Exactly my point.

[Helene]

During the last couple of years of their tenure, Russell and Stowell mentioned quite often in the Q&A's that the only reason that well-deserved promotions were not forthcoming was that there wasn't the money.  (The ballet had taken huge hits during the season and a half in Mercer Arena.)  I think it's a better indication to look at how they cast dancers during that time.