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Balanchine Birthday events Jan. 22


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I haven't seen this posted yet - sorry if I'm wrong.

NYCB is having a Jan. 22 celebration of Balanchine's birth. Some events are free others not. I've gotten tickets to the 10:30 showing of the Balanchine documentary (free but you need a ticket), a matinee performance (tickets are on sale) and an onstage class of SAB students taught by Peter Martins (free but you need a ticket). I didn't purchase tickets to the evening performance.

http://www.nycballet.com/ticketing/2011/balanchine.html

If you are interested.

Moderators feel free to totally remove if this is old news.

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I'm looking forward to the SAB demonstration and the following performance, but am wondering how to find fast dinner for two 12-year-olds between 7:00 & 8:00... Dinner afterwards would delay a 3 hour drive home... If we took advantage of the box lunch available at the Koch theater, the old state theater... are there any suggestions for where to grab something to eat for the ride home? I'd have thought Vinny's pizza would do the trick but I see it is no more...

My apologies if this isn't serious conversation about the ballet... but I promise to deliver a review when we get back.

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I'm looking forward to the SAB demonstration and the following performance, but am wondering how to find fast dinner for two 12-year-olds between 7:00 & 8:00... Dinner afterwards would delay a 3 hour drive home... If we took advantage of the box lunch available at the Koch theater, the old state theater... are there any suggestions for where to grab something to eat for the ride home? I'd have thought Vinny's pizza would do the trick but I see it is no more...

My apologies if this isn't serious conversation about the ballet... but I promise to deliver a review when we get back.

Melissa's deli on Bway between 62 and 63 on the W. side of the street. on the E. side of Bway is "Breadsoul" that has decent sandwiches despite the weird name. The Flame diner on 9th Ave and 58th St as well. Also on on the E. side of Columb at about 65th St, AND the E side of 10th at 58th is a "Europan" or something where they have everything. Can't say any of those have the greatest stuff, but they'll get you all home!

Have a great time! Any way for Ballet Alert! people to identify themselves at the performance?

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Thank you! No idea about identifying ourselves. Always fun to meet for a drink, but this might be easier for others... I have an alt.arts.ballet T shirt somewhere in hiding but was planning to dress more to the occasion.

I was explaining to someone how long I'd been talking about dance online, and wound up saying that I'd been around for the birth of alt.arts.ballet. They looked at me like I was a dinosaur!

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I'm looking forward to the SAB demonstration and the following performance, but am wondering how to find fast dinner for two 12-year-olds between 7:00 & 8:00... Dinner afterwards would delay a 3 hour drive home... If we took advantage of the box lunch available at the Koch theater, the old state theater... are there any suggestions for where to grab something to eat for the ride home? I'd have thought Vinny's pizza would do the trick but I see it is no more...

My apologies if this isn't serious conversation about the ballet... but I promise to deliver a review when we get back.

If you have a Juilliard or SAB ID or Juilliard or SAB Association card you can go to the Juilliard cafeteria in the Rose Building. Otherwise, there's a pizza place on Columbus Avenue and 67th Street on the West side of the street. Don't know the name. There's sandwiches at Starbucks but the line and the crowd!

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I'm looking forward to the SAB demonstration and the following performance, but am wondering how to find fast dinner for two 12-year-olds between 7:00 & 8:00... Dinner afterwards would delay a 3 hour drive home... If we took advantage of the box lunch available at the Koch theater, the old state theater... are there any suggestions for where to grab something to eat for the ride home? I'd have thought Vinny's pizza would do the trick but I see it is no more...

My apologies if this isn't serious conversation about the ballet... but I promise to deliver a review when we get back.

There's always the new 'Wichcraft in the Rubenstein Atrium on Broadway between 62nd & 63rd (just across the street from the plaza theaters). You can buy sandwiches, soups and salads there to either eat at the tables in the Atrium or take back to the theater.

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I'm looking forward to the SAB demonstration and the following performance, but am wondering how to find fast dinner for two 12-year-olds between 7:00 & 8:00... Dinner afterwards would delay a 3 hour drive home... If we took advantage of the box lunch available at the Koch theater, the old state theater... are there any suggestions for where to grab something to eat for the ride home? I'd have thought Vinny's pizza would do the trick but I see it is no more...

My apologies if this isn't serious conversation about the ballet... but I promise to deliver a review when we get back.

There's always the new 'Wichcraft in the Rubenstein Atrium on Broadway between 62nd & 63rd (just across the street from the plaza theaters). You can buy sandwiches, soups and salads there to either eat at the tables in the Atrium or take back to the theater.

Great place!!

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Melissa's deli on Bway between 62 and 63 on the W. side of the street. on the E. side of Bway is "Breadsoul" that has decent sandwiches despite the weird name.
Both are basically take-out places. No seating at Breadsoul, and if there's any at Melissa's, it's just a table or two shoved in a corner.
[T]here's a pizza place on Columbus Avenue and 67th Street on the West side of the street. Don't know the name.
It's Traviata Pizza on 68th St. -- not 67th -- north side of the street between Columbus and Broadway. Again, if there's another party eating in, you may not find seating to be comfortable. It has three tables, all very crowded. Very good pizza, too, as long as you avoid varieties with fresh tomatoes or spinach, which for some reason, they don't always drain enough and the crust tends to be soggy.
There's always the new 'Wichcraft in the Rubenstein Atrium on Broadway between 62nd & 63rd (just across the street from the plaza theaters). You can buy sandwiches, soups and salads there to either eat at the tables in the Atrium or take back to the theater.
You don't have to go to Broadway; you can enter from Columbus -- just directly across from the theater. Excellent sandwiches, salads, etc. Quick, but always, always crowded. I suggest one person grab a menu and hold (or hunt for) a table and chairs while the others get on the line to order.

Also, a bit more expensive (still under $10 or so for sandwich or thin-crust focaccia), but worth it to enjoy the wonderful space, try Cafe 65 in the lobby of Alice Tully Hall. Food is tasty, and you feel like you're part of the street scene, even though you're cozy indoors.

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There's always the new 'Wichcraft in the Rubenstein Atrium on Broadway between 62nd & 63rd (just across the street from the plaza theaters). You can buy sandwiches, soups and salads there to either eat at the tables in the Atrium or take back to the theater.

But the bathrooms in the Rubenstein Atrium are unisex, I found to my dismay.

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It's Traviata Pizza on 68th St. -- not 67th -- north side of the street between Columbus and Broadway. Again, if there's another party eating in, you may not find seating to be comfortable. It has three tables, all very crowded. Very good pizza, too, as long as you avoid varieties with fresh tomatoes or spinach, which for some reason, they don't always drain enough and the crust tends to be soggy.

I meant another pizza place with full seating and a full menu. Darn, I know Traviata and this is another place, west side of Broadway between 67th and 68th.

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"I meant another pizza place with full seating and a full menu. Darn, I know Traviata and this is another place, west side of Broadway between 67th and 68th. "

I am pretty sure that you are thinking of Francesco's. Place is long and narrow, but many tables, and really good pizzas and other take-out food.

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Yes. Warning: There are two seating areas, one with wait service (the normal-height tables) and one self-service (higher tables). If you have an option, I suggest the self-service, as the wait staff is not terribly efficient. Surprising, in a place that serves theater-goers with curtain times.

Enjoy!

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"I meant another pizza place with full seating and a full menu. Darn, I know Traviata and this is another place, west side of Broadway between 67th and 68th. "

I am pretty sure that you are thinking of Francesco's. Place is long and narrow, but many tables, and really good pizzas and other take-out food.

Yes, that's it! Thank you.

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My husband and I are going to the film at 10:30, the matinee & the class taught by Peter Martins. Should be fun. All the talk about restaurants had made me realize that we have to come up with a food plan! Hopefully all restaurants in the Lincoln Center area will benefit.

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I just got back from an entire day of ballet joy, specifically Balanchine joy, at City Ballet - film, studio talk, onstage class, performance. It's late so I have to go and tomorrow out of town, but I hope to write my impressions later and to hear yours if you were there. Do write!

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Synopsis of what I saw.

Film - Wonderful despite some brief technical difficulties - a very appreciative audience.

Lunch in the Atruim, across the street

2 PM Matinee - Walpurgisnacht - Loved Maria Kowroski. There is a wit and style to her performances that I love. I am starting to get Pereira. I thought she did her variations well and (importantly for me) when she did the attitude step that went bad the first time, worse the second time, she fixed and did best the third time. That ability to keep one's head, not panic and just fix during performance is something I admire (Cynthia Gregory was a great example of this). Pazcoguin and Dronovoa were very enjoyable (I particularly enjoy Pazcoguin)

Duo Concertant - Thought Hyltin & Fairchild superb. As an aside in the curtain speeches I was moved by Fairchild's statement that when he stands by the piano and listens, he thinks of all those who stood there before him.

4 T's - Have to admit that seeing Bart Cook in the film made it hard to buy Marcovici's performance. Overall the company looked good. I loved Theresa Reichlen in the Forth Variation - so strong and clean.

Cortege - Just fun. I think Mearns was not totally comfortable with the replacement of Stafford by Askegard, she fudged a little in the partnering. Never the less she is always fun to watch, and gave a fine performance. Ana Sophia Scheller was delightful in her variation. Krohn looked great, Suozzi seemed to be trying so hard to cover space that he got unmusical.

Corps member Lauren King continues to look great in everything, I hope a promotion is in the works.

Didn't attend the panel discussion (hope to hear a report from someone else). We just had to take a walk and get some air.

On stage class - totally enjoyable. A few dancers stood out. I wish I know more of their names, so that I can follow them.

One more thing that I thought was lovely. At the first intermission of the matinee (and probably the evening) one could pick up a shot of vodka to toast George. What a great thing to be able to walk around seeing different groups and couples toasting to George. My husband & I also did so.

A great event - Congrats for NYCB and Peter Martins for doing it.

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I just got home too. What a great day! The last time I spent 12 hours with Mr B was the Wall to Wall event

at Symphony Space --- 6 years ago.

Kowroski is dancing so much - she was wonderful tonight as the Siren and her Mozartiana Thursday was superb.

The icing on the birthday cake was Stars & Stripes. Ulbricht, Bouder & Veyette pulled out all the stops.

In the pre curtain speech, Bouder said it was a special night for her as it is her 6th anniversary as a principal, and

that she and Veyette had performed Liberty Bell at their final SAB workshop.

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I just arrived back on LI with the evening's performance repeating in my head. As I exited the State Koch Theater, Stars and Stripes was running a loop through my mind. Entering the subway, I heard it being played, very skillfully, on the platform, this time emanating from the busker's flute. What a clever fellow!

Usually I'm snapped back to the real world as I descend to the trains, but today the illusion continued, thanks to a subway player who does his research and knows how to play Sousa. Of course, I slipped some money into his bag before I got on my train.

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I really enjoyed the Studio Talk that NYC Ballet held on Saturday as part of the Balanchine birthday celebration. The panel wad moderated by Sean Lavery and featured Sterling Hyltin, Jennifer Ringer and Chase Finlay. Wonderful panel full of interesting insights.

It was so good to see Sean again and I loved his various anecdotes of working under Mr B during his career. I had the privilege to observe Sean's Advanced Men's Variation class at the School of American Ballet this past Thursday. He is a brilliant teacher who creates such a positive environment.

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I went to the night performance, and thought that Stars and Stripes was the most successful of the three ballets. Ashley Bouder, James Veyette, and Daniel Ulbricht tore up the stage.

I however felt something really wrong during Prodigal Son. The audience chuckled nonstop during the performance. Was this ballet meant to be played for laughs, in such a broad manner? I don't think so, it seemed as if the dancers totally failed to convey the spiritual/mythical aspects of this ballet.

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Marga, the two twelve year olds accompanying me enjoyed the subway concert too! Very charming.

From up in the top ring where we sat, Prodigal Son had everyone riveted, even though I do not think is one of those Balanchine choreographies that has particular charm seen from above... Looking down tends to deflate the leaps.

However, it seemed sometimes that there were some moments in the Siren's movement that seemed quirky when in the past they have read as seductive/femme fatale... could be something was lost by the transmission to the top ring.

I was looking forward to seeing Bouder, who is famous for playing to the seats we were in and for the most part she delivered. Sometimes the extra energy to the arms came across overworked rather than reaching out as it were, but what a treat that manege was! Both Bouder & Veyette made me feel like Stars & Stripes is an American answer to the famous Corsaire pas de deux.

Stars and Stripes... there are some ballets that just seem to have certain dancers' names written all over them, even decades after those dancers have retired. I felt watching ABT's mounting of Sylvia that Fonteyn's spirit hung all through the choreography. Perhaps Farrells dancing shadows everyone else in Mozartiana, (though I remember being enchanted by Ananiashvili in the same piece last year... I think that perhaps the ballerina's grace is too subtle for the top ring, though the young dancers and the structure sings through just fine.) But Stars and Stripes... I just see Jacques d'Amboise written all over this ballet. Anyone here remember seeing him in the role?

I was disappointed by the vodka toast... I had thought someone was gong to lead it. Did perhaps Peter Martins lead some such thing in a more private patron setting...

Also, some kind angel ought to underwrite a better sound system for the historical talks given in the forth ring... the little speaker was so bassy it was a drain on what was being said, taking some dedication on the part of the listeners.

Mozartiana... I must find some time to read the notes... it seemed like Balanchine commenting on ballet's Italian renaissance roots as Tchaikovsky was commenting on Mozart? Though a beautiful work, not something I would have brought my young guests to normally. They were fascinated by Peter Martin's class. Do we have a thread on Balanchine style here? (Apologies... short of time tonight... will return for a deeper look)

(By the way, should I delete my dining questions from this thread? Or are they helpful for other patrons?)

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And regarding the onstage class... who was the beautiful african-american (? maybe african-asian-american?) dancer... hers was one name we missed.

Silas, the tall male dancer...beautiful partnering by Joe... the boys had so much personality... looking forward to their dancing as professionals. There was also a charming girl in the front (house right/stage left) during barre who held herself with such boyant energy... anyone catch the name? She volunteered to show the hands. How many times a year does Peter Martins typically teach these kids? He seemed to know many of their names. How does that work, does he teach often? Did Balanchine teach this level often in the 60s & 70s?

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