14 replies to this topic

[Ambonnay]

Hallberg will perform at Jacobs Pillow:

http://www.jacobspil...nk-and-dancers/

He only finished dancing at the Met Saturday, and today he was already working with Stallings on her new work, tweeting:

"In Pillow rehearsal w/ stallings and jacoby. Finding new ways from the old ones. http://yfrog.com/9hemzcj"

[onxmyxtoes]

I really respect his commitment to the art AND how he is using his twitter more and more.  We can only hope that he will update his blog on The Winger soon

ETA:  Where is Jacob's Pillow?  Is it in Massachusetts?

[Ambonnay]

Jacob's Pillow is in Western Mass., about 2.5 hours from Boston and 3.5 hours from NYC by car. This is per their website, since I have never visited.  I don't think I can go to see Hallberg this year, as much as I want to.

[Barbara]

I'll be there! This will be my first long-awaited visit to the Pillow. Looking forward to this has helped a little with my post-Met season malaise  

[Ambonnay]

Barbara: If you have the time, please provide a report after your viewing of the piece     

A Club Pointe newsletter contains discussion about this upcoming Stallings piece:

http://campaign.cons...2Fd0iY2JGUuRfw=

[4mrdncr]

Yes, Jacob's Pillow is in western Mass., it's in Lee/Becket, off of Rte.20 (Exit 2 on Mass Pike). I live only 40 minutes away and have been there several times either for a performance, or also as a student at workshops.  I saw Nina Ananiashvili & State Ballet of Georgia there a few weeks ago.  It is a beautiful site, and it was great to be there and be surrounded by dancers and audiences and scholars who appreciate dance in all its forms.  The Pillow is not hard to get to, but after you leave the highways, Rte.20 is only two lanes with no divider, so I guess traffic maybe could back up a little, but I had no problem the last time I drove there. Gotta check my work sched, but I very much want to go to this too.  Maybe if other BT people go we could meet?

[Barbara]

4mrdncer,I would love to meet up if you happen to go on Sat the 24th. My tickets are for the evening performance but I plan to arrive earlier in the day to enjoy the surroundings, see the museum, shop etc. I understand you can bring a picnic to the grounds but might stick with the cafe. What do you think of the dining facilities at the Pillow?

Ambonnay, I will post impressions of my visit (hoping for nice weather) and the performance but I'm sheepish since my dance vocabulary is dicey and I never seem to take in all the details that other BT posters do  

[Ambonnay]

Barbara, on 15 July 2010 - 04:15 AM, said:

I'm sheepish since my dance vocabulary is dicey and I never seem to take in all the details that other BT posters do  

I felt that way with respect to my vocabulary when I first started posting   , and I'm definitely towards the beginning of the learning curve when it comes to ballet. But I just started describing ballet like I would describe other experiences. I might not know all the technical terms (although I am trying to learn them), but I can see the steps.

[DeCoster]

So is ABT not doing the Bard residency this summer?  I suppose because there is no real fall season.  Tis a pity.  I enjoyed the ride up and the performance last year.  I also remember them announcing it would be an "annual" residency.  Hmmm . . .

I don't know if it has been mentioned here, but tickets for the NJPAC November 20th performance have gone on sale.  I got my NJPAC season brochure and there are individual pictures of soloists Misty Copeland, Danil Simkin, and a group shop from EDHAO.  For those who haven't been to the PAC, it is walking distance from the PATH station.  PATH trains leave from 33rd st., 14th st., other downtown stops, and World Train Center.  There are also some tasty restaurants in the area, particularly in the IronBound section of Newark.  The theater is very well suited to dance, in my opinion.

Sorry, this was totally OT.  Didn't feel like starting a new thread.

[Ambonnay]

DeCoster:

Thank-you! I just bought a ticket because of your info. Seven Sonatas is included.
Could you include some restaurant suggestions, when you have a chance? I prefer classical or modern French and very close proximity to NJ PAC please.

[Dale]

DeCoster, on 15 July 2010 - 07:07 AM, said:

So is ABT not doing the Bard residency this summer?  I suppose because there is no real fall season.  Tis a pity.  I enjoyed the ride up and the performance last year.  I also remember them announcing it would be an "annual" residency.  Hmmm . . .

I don't know if it has been mentioned here, but tickets for the NJPAC November 20th performance have gone on sale.  I got my NJPAC season brochure and there are individual pictures of soloists Misty Copeland, Danil Simkin, and a group shop from EDHAO.  For those who haven't been to the PAC, it is walking distance from the PATH station.  PATH trains leave from 33rd st., 14th st., other downtown stops, and World Train Center.  There are also some tasty restaurants in the area, particularly in the IronBound section of Newark.  The theater is very well suited to dance, in my opinion.

Sorry, this was totally OT.  Didn't feel like starting a new thread.

Yes, we have a thread on the NJPAC appearance here:

http://ballettalk.in...244#entry267244

I'll answer the restaurant question there.

[4mrdncr]

Barbara, on 15 July 2010 - 04:15 AM, said:

4mrdncer,I would love to meet up if you happen to go on Sat the 24th. My tickets are for the evening performance but I plan to arrive earlier in the day to enjoy the surroundings, see the museum, shop etc. I understand you can bring a picnic to the grounds but might stick with the cafe. What do you think of the dining facilities at the Pillow?

Ambonnay, I will post impressions of my visit (hoping for nice weather) and the performance but I'm sheepish since my dance vocabulary is dicey and I never seem to take in all the details that other BT posters do  

Hello Barbara:
I have to work every night that week until 6pm, but am only 2min away from Mass Pike so can probably arrive at JP by 6:45/7pm no problems if traffic isn't bad.  I, too, want to arrive earlier and have time to peruse the museum/archive, shop, and exhibits etc. if I can.

After discovering that two people at work are also dance enthusiasts or former dancers too (though not ballet) I managed to convince one to attend with me.  The only day she could go too was Sat. 7/24 so that's when I'm trying to get tickets.  (I've also thought about just going myself alone on Thursday.)  But anyways..Yes, it would be great to meet you too!  (All the times I've been to the Met or elsewhere to see various performances I've never met anyone from BT--though of course I know we have all been there together somewhere--so this would be a 'first' for me.)  

RE: Dining--Last time I attended I was alone so just brought fresh fruit, some healthy munchies, and had a coffee to stay awake--(I had an early morning at work that day, and not much sleep the night before), so cannot comment on the actual food at the major dining facilities but there is a restaurant and coffee shop and small concession stand on the grounds. Whatever works for you and my work colleague is fine with me.

[Barbara]

4mrdncer,
It would be great fun to meet you! I've sent you a pm to discuss further.
Barbara

[Ambonnay]

There is now a NYT review by Alistair M on Jacoby/Pronk (not sure if this belongs in this thread:

Though the two "are tremendously chic and wholly efficient, their dance style strikes me as more superficial than substantial; and, more importantly, their taste in choreography objectionable".

Alistair M talks about the quartet, entitled "Change Me" that includes Hallberg. "Here Ms. Jacoby endures faintly molesting attention from Mr. Hallberg, as does Mr. Pronk from Mr. Mujic, before Mr. Hallberg has a lie-down while Mr. Pronk and Mr. Mujic competitively pursue Ms. Jacoby.  It is hard to like anyone here, since whoever's playing the objective of desire is always plainfly manipulating the situation."

I think part of the reason Alistair M may have seen this performance is because Hallberg was dancing.  It's nice for a dancer if the NYT dance critic is your fan. Alistair calls Hallberg "a celebrity", although I am not sure if that has positive or negative connotations in my own eyes.  Alistair M does not succumb to the temptation of including a Hallberg photo in this review.

[Barbara]

My first visit to Jacob's Pillow was well worth it! I drove out from Orange County, NY and in 2.5 hrs was in the beautiful Berkshires. Although it rained hard during my drive, once there the rain abated. I was there in enough time to take in the Pillow Talk, which was a film called "40 Years of One Night Stands" a fascinating look at the beginnings of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. Next was the Inside/Out performance on the outside stage with the mountains as a backdrop. On Saturdays they feature the students from the School at Jacob's Pillow and this weeks performance was choreographed by Netherlands-based Didy Veldman who explained that she wanted to explore the idea of communication - give and take, what happens when you want to say something but can't,etc. The students were energetic and engaging. It must be wonderful for these young people from around the world to immerse themselves in dance each bringing their own experience from their home studios/schools. I also had a little time to browse in the archives but the heat and humidity drew me to one of the outside tables for a cool drink. A light bite to eat at the Cafe and on to the evening performance of Jacoby & Pronk and Dancers. I first saw this pair perform with Morphoses a few years ago and was drawn to their presence and wonderful physicality. But I must admit that the main attraction for me was to see David Hallberg out of his white tights and doing something completely different. The evening consisted of six short pieces by a variety of choreographers interspersed with several short films of Jacoby & Pronk. There were no intermissions and the house lights did not come up during the pauses. This made is impossible for me, who is not familiar with contemporary ballet, to refer to the program notes. It was hard to differentiate between the pieces and although they each were danced beautifully and athletically, they left me wanting to be more emotionally involved. Still, it was wonderful fun to see David Hallberg using his body in ways that certainly didn't have him looking "princely". It must be fun for him too after a long season of classical ballet rep. And what a surprise to see that he had buzzed his hair short around the sides, which contributed to a more natural look that fit with the style of dance. There were two pieces that stood out for me. One of the films showed extreme close-ups of Jacoby & Pronk's amazing faces as they alternately and humorously "hogged" the camera while pushing the other out of camera range. It was the one light note of the evening. The other stand-out was Annabelle Lopez Ochoa's solo piece "L'Effleure this night danced by Rubinald Pronk. The piece showcased the amazing control he has of his body and I found him completely mesmerizing. Unfortunately the poor guy had to do the entire dance holding a rose in his mouth and I felt bad for him having to be so extremely physical while breathing through his nose The end of a wonderful visit left me wanting to make it a summer ritual.