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[miliosr]

I just finished reading James Wolcott's memoir of Seventies New York, Lucking Out: My Life Getting Down and Semi-Dirty in Seventies New York.  I read it for the chapter discussing Patti Smith and C.B.G.B. but I thought I would mention that pages 196-220 discuss his impressions of going to see the New York City Ballet in the 70s.  Names mentioned in semi-detail are George Balanchine, Suzanne Farrell, Gelsey Kirkland, Darci Kistler and critic Arlene Croce.

There's not a lot new under the sun here but he does make an interesting observation about how, "New York City Ballet remained a pennant-bannered Monaco moated and aloof from the nagging needlings of the Zeitgeist to be relevant, socially concerned, hip, happening, and in harmony with the vibrating moment."  He also notes how NYCB was once part of the City's intellectual lifesblood . . . but now not so much.  (Or, in other words, its's gone from being Susan Sontag's company to being Sarah Jessica Parker's company.)

[sandik]

miliosr, on 10 March 2012 - 05:14 AM, said:

(Or, in other words, its's gone from being Susan Sontag's company to being Sarah Jessica Parker's company.)

Oh ouch!

I'll look for this, though, for the Patti Smith and CBGB section -- thanks!