20 replies to this topic

[cargill]

Drew, I agree with you.  I think he was so perfect in that role, so noble, with such a passive, for lack of a better word, yet powerful elegance.  I can still see him standing by the temple, mourning Sylvia, looking like a Greek statue.  Mary

[Plisskin]

Wow. No announcement or anything... However, I personally see his retirement as a positive. Up and coming Corp/ Soloist members can be given more chances to move up in the ranks. I wouldn't be sad to see Irina follow suit to be honest. At most, she dances 2-3 times a year. So far for this year, ABT has posted the upcoming schedule for the upcoming 7 months, and she has 1 performance.

[ABT Fan]

 Plisskin, on 14 January 2013 - 07:42 AM, said:

Wow. No announcement or anything... However, I personally see his retirement as a positive. Up and coming Corp/ Soloist members can be given more chances to move up in the ranks. I wouldn't be sad to see Irina follow suit to be honest. At most, she dances 2-3 times a year. So far for this year, ABT has posted the upcoming schedule for the upcoming 7 months, and she has 1 performance.

I agree completely with you Plisskin.

[Natalia]

The suddeness of this is odd. I hope that he is OK (healthwise). I fondly remember his Desire opposite Irina in Sleeping Beauty.

[canbelto]

Irina when I first started going to the ballet was one of my favorite dancers. She was technically excellent, and fun in a kind of old-fashioned, over-the-top way. She took some time off to have a baby and when she returned I started to notice that her performances became more brittle and generic. The technique was still there but it was all very careful and expressionless, and not really the Irina I remembered. Eventually I started to avoid her performances.

[ksk04]

I think her performances with Max were more mechanical than not, I guess, since they've been dancing together (and almost exclusively together) for so long. But her Romeo & Juliet with Bolle that I saw was incredible. The last time I saw Max was in Giselle w. Irina 2-3 yrs ago...he was serviceable and a good partner to Irina. I confess (not that I am ashamed of it or anything!) I do like Irina a lot and I hope she will take her time following Max out.

He did perform in Nutcrackers here over the holidays (at least as far as I know he wasn't replaced), so I'm sure he's fine. I guess the reason for the disappearance in the manner it occurred will be a mystery unless someone does an interview with him.