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MCB tour to Paris, July 2011


bart

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During all of his pre-performance talks at the Kravis Center last week, Edward Villella spoke of an invitation from the Theatre du Chatelet for Miami to dance for 3 weeks in July, 2001.

Villella said that they would bring from 12-15 ballets, including Symphony in Three Movements, Golden Section, Afternoon of a Faun, and La Valse. The point would be to show the range of choreographies and styles in which MCB can dance.

Please keep in mind that contracts have not yet been signed as of this date. So, this is an "official" story without an "official" conclusion -- right now at least.

I thought it might be fun to have a thread on which to publish developments in this story AND to talk about our thoughts as to repertory and other artistic matters.

On the Chatelet website, the only listing so far is a block devoted to the 7th edition of the Etes de la Dance. Here's the link:

http://www.chatelet-...calendrier.php#

Any thoughts? Suggestions? .... Travel plans :wink:?

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Thanks, Jack, I missed that in my excitement.

Each of the 17 performances will offer a different program, including at least one or two ballets of Balanchine and other works from the current repertoire of the company.

For those of us who follow the company regularly, there's nothing new in the choice of ballets --each of which has been performed recently down here in Florida, with a couple in New York City as well. The works may not be "new," but the programming concept is varied and intriguing. It reminds me of those long NYCB European tours of long ago, which Edward Villella would certainly remember vividly.

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I'll be attending 6 of those performances (going to Paris two week-ends in a row to see them), and am eagerly looking forward to seeing it ! :yahoo:

I'm especially glad that they will perform so many Balanchine works (especially as the next POB season will alas not include any Balanchine work...)

I just regret that they will be performing at the Théâtre du Châtelet, because its sight lines often are quite awful (bizarre, unconvenient columns here and there...), even though it's a theater with a glorious ballet past (many Ballets Russes works, including "Pétrouchka", "Les Sylphides", "The Rite of Spring"...)

I'm especially looking forward to seeing "Square dance" again: I saw it for the first time on May 3 in New York by the NYCB, and will see it 3 times by MCB

(July 8, 9 and 16). I'm also impatient to discover several ballets for the first time, especially "La Valse" on July 8 and Ballet Imperial" on July 9... and also to see again "The Four Temperaments" twice (July 9 and 16), as it's one of my very favorite ballets.

Question to MCB regulars: are there some dancers that you'd especially recommend watching ?

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Estelle,

I have watched/read your thoughtful observations over the years and am now looking forward to your response to this wonderful, newer (only 25 years old) American company. Of course I have some favorite dancers in the company, but I am more interested in hearing your impressions of the pieces; how they are danced and the company's energy, as you see it.

So happy to hear you will be seeing so much and just can't wait to hear your "reviews!"

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Estelle - Like JustdoIt, I'm looking forward to your reviews from Paris. I get to see MCB regularly in West Palm Beach, Florida and have been repeatedly dazzled by the dancing of Jeanette Delgado. Enjoy - looking forward to your reports. (While I think MCB has become a fine company, my heart belongs to American Ballet Theatre.)

In an aside, I attended the opening night gala last July at the summer festival at the Theatre du Chatelet (Novosirbirsk Ballet). A man was talking loudly during one of the ballets and 2 large Russian men got up, yelled out something, then picked him up bodily and tossed him through the swinging doors into the outer lobby. The incident filled many of my fantasies of what to do with talkers, hummers, foot tappers, texters and candy wrapper rustlers! My husband's comment was "boy, these Russians really take their ballet seriously!"

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Estelle, I'm also looking forward to your reactions to the MCB performances. I've seen only a few ballet performances at the Chatelet, but I understand your concerns about the theater. I hope they have enough rehearsal time on stage to be able to adjust.

There have been personnel changes in the company dkuring the past two seasons, with more corps members and apprentices coming up through the company's school, and a couple of their most individual and striking dancers either retiring or moving on. A group of young people from Brazil are considered especially promising and have been adapting rather quickly to the demands of MCB's repertoire.

My own choice of a principal to "watch for" is Jeanette Delgado. Delgado, who was out for much of last season due to injury, has star quality and integrity, especially in allegro Balanchine. She has grown in stature every season. When she is on stage, it's not easy to take your eyes from her. I hope you will get to see her in be in Square Dance and Tharp's Upper Room.

Your countryman Yann Trividic excelled in Western Symphony this season. I'd love to see him in 4 Ts as well -- anything which calls for a tall striking dancer and a soupcon of wit. He was developing a strong partnership with Patricia Delgado, Jeanette's sister, before Delgado had her own injury late in the season. I hope you'll get the chance to see them together, possibly in Western.

MCB's Symphony in Three Movements in 2007 was one of the most thrilling ballet experiences I've had. A number of those dancers have departed, but I hope Paris gets performances on July 8th and 9th that lives up to that 2007 cast.

One of the qualities I like is that this IS a company. There's not so much a company "style" as a company "feeling" ... an "esprit." They dance well together and always look like they are thrilled to be on stage.

For some insights into the rehearsal process for Paris, corps dancer Rebecca King's blog reports are worth reading.

.

http://tendusunderap...ntil-paris.html

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Justdoit, Kristen, bart, many thanks for your replies !

Kristen, I wish I could have seen the Novosibirsk ballet in Paris last summer (but I was 8 months pregnant back then, and travelling was not very easy...)

bart, I think I saw Yann Trividic on stage once... but it was about a decade ago, when he danced "Romeo and Juliet" with the Ballet de Marseille, so I guess he must have changed quite a lot since then. :-)

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In an aside, I attended the opening night gala last July at the summer festival at the Theatre du Chatelet (Novosirbirsk Ballet). A man was talking loudly during one of the ballets and 2 large Russian men got up, yelled out something, then picked him up bodily and tossed him through the swinging doors into the outer lobby. The incident filled many of my fantasies of what to do with talkers, hummers, foot tappers, texters and candy wrapper rustlers! My husband's comment was "boy, these Russians really take their ballet seriously!"

:clapping::thumbsup::flowers:

Estellle -- I hope your own experience will be more serene than this.:wink:

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Wonderful to so Catoya back and looking so lovely, after her long absence due to injury last season.

Rebecca King's excellent blog has a video clips of rehearsals of Theme and Variations and Concerto Barocco (very brief), plus a longer clip of Upper Room. There's a blond dancer in the last of these who looks quite a bit like Daniel Baker from a distance, though he doesn't move like him. Any ideas as to who this is?

http://tendusunderap...ntil-paris.html

King will be reporting from Paris on the blog but also on Twitter and Tumblr.

http://tendusunderap...ntil-paris.html

I have to admit that I don't tweet and that I have never even heard of Tumblr. But I will be checking in regularly with the blog to see how things are going. (Still kicking myself for not having made arrangements to be there.)

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Liebling, I think you are right. On MCB's Facebook site, there's a group photo of everyone attending. Swadosh is in the second row at far right. It sure looks like Daniel Baker sitting on the floor in front of him. (I saw this photo on my phone, but of course it was too tiny to identify anyone. On my pc screen, it does seem to be Baker, a bit more bulked up than I remember.)

of course it's possible that he is there as a guest artist. But, could he possibly be coming back full time?. I'll borrow a favorite icon of Christian's :beg: Please, MCB, bring Daniel Baker back to the regular company. (Gadzooks, in my old age I am becoming a groupie !!!)

http://www.facebook....&type=1

Puppytreats, info on Jennifer Kronenberg's book is here:

http://www.miamicity....php?NewsID=197

I hope it is discussed in detail on our sister site, Ballet Talk for Dancers. But anyone who can share his or her thoughts about the book with us HERE as well, we'd love to hear from you.

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bart,

You missed Jeremy Cox to Daniel Baker's right in that Upper Room Video. Both are with the company in Paris to do Upper Room.

I think that's Marc Spielberger next to Baker, isn't it? Spielberger, a soloist, is one of several dancers going to Paris who are not on the roster for next year.

Does anyone have an official company list for the tour? It would be wonderful if Cox, indeed, is joining them. (I wish it could be permanent.)

P.S. In addition to Catoya, back and apparently in fine form, One of the videos on the company website mention that Jeanette Delgado is dancing Tarantella partnered by Kleber Rebello. So it sounds as though she is back in fine form, too. According to the schedule, Tarantella seems to be performed only on opening night, Wed., July 6.

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