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Boston Ballet in New York


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I'm having a hard time getting excited about the Boston Ballet visit. The rep is disappointing.

To add to mussel's list with some modern dance entries, Alvin Ailey will be coming to the Koch Theater in June 2014, and Paul Taylor will be there in March 2014.

If you want to see Chroma (Wayne McGregor), it will be performed by the Ailey company during the Koch engagement. I liked Chroma much better than any other McGregor ballets I've seen.

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Well this is shaping up to be a very busy spring/summer on the plaza!

And a very busy fall season too.

Parade of ballet companies in chronological order:

NYCB

ABT

Boston

Bolshoi

National Ballet of Canada

NYCB

ABT

Mikhailovsky

NYCB

Do we have any dates for these, especially Canada and those following?

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Now 25% off to buy both programs. Too bad I can't take advantage of the discount, I can only go the Sunday show, as the program and castings across the plaza is more enticing. That's the peril for ballet companies to tour Lincoln Center during the spring season.

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It looks like these Boston Ballet tickets are selling poorly, based on a few random dates I clicked on to. Going head to head with Swan Lake at ABT is tough, especially given the mostly unappealing rep that BB is bringing.

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Box office usually picks up considerably with approaching performance dates. I hope this doesn't discourage smaller companies from touring Lincoln Center, they just need to be mindful when picking dates and reps. SFB box office was pretty solid last fall when it's the only game in town.

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I enjoyed the program last night especially the Forsythe piece. I'm looking forward to second program which will feature Symphony in Three Movements and Nijinsky's Afternoon of a Faun.

Was the house reasonably sold? The Theatre Development Fund has had $34 tickets for the entire run for weeks and still does.

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I saw program 1 Thursday night (BTW, Wendy Whelan and Amar Ramasar were there). I did love The Second Detail. It seemed like just another Forsythe work but without any interesting costumes. I did love Resonance by former POB etoile Jose Martinez. It was probably the most traditional of the 3 works but IMO showed the dancers off beautifully, especially Lia Cirio. Cacti, by the Swede Alexander Ekman, seemed very gimmicky with it's spoken text and movable set pieces (including dancers bring out individual cacti).

As for the dancers, they were technically very strong. I actually thought their corps looked stronger than ABT's. Many of the female dancers are short but they all have similar body types and proportions. Don't forget Vaganova trained Keenan Kampa, currently of the Mariinsky, came from Boston Ballet. It's nice to see a company where height doesn't matter but proportions do.

I look forward to seeing how the company does Symphony in 3, especially as NYCB performs it frequently. Saturday can't come too soon!

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Just came back from seeing Program 2. I have to say this was a more disappointing night than Thursday probably because of the inevitable comparisons to other companies.

Symph in 3 started the evening off and it was nowhere near the level that NYCB performs it. The corps seemed sloppy and needed more energy. However, as the main female dancer, Lia Cirio was wonderful -much better than anyone else on stage.

Afternoon of a Faun was well performed but I have only seen the Joffrey do it (on TV) before. I am not a Jorma Elo fan and found the choreography of Plan to B dull. It was well performed though and, to my surprise, received a standing ovation at its conclusion.

Kylian's Bella Figura was another piece where Boston Ballet suffered in comparison to another company - here,NDT. NDT dancers always have the most lovely legs and feet. Not so here. Something was just lacking. But, again, I applaud the company for bringing the piece here.

BTW, my husband and I saw Kevin McKenzie outside the Koch tonight. We paused to chat ( we joked he was in front of the wrong theater). He looked exhausted, said he needed some fresh air and was "playing hookey" tonight by seeing BB. No excuse for the SL casting drama that has happened this week but Kevin sure looks like he needs a vacation.

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I was at the opening of that Program 2 (Friday night). From what I heard, Friday was a better show than Saturday night. I thought the casting was a little strange for a Saturday night - in one of the couples in Symphony (usually it's J. Cirio). But that would not account for the sloppiness in the corps. Also in Faun - Erica Cornejo in Faun was pretty spot on in Friday night's performance and was first cast. Why not put her on Saturday night? I also believe Elo's Plan is better danced with the original first cast (actually not the original from 10 years ago, but the cast who has done it the most the past few years), and they danced it on Saturday afternoon instead of the evening show. I think the audience appreciates how fast the dancers are able to move in Plan, hence the standing ovation. It's a bit crazy that they are able to stay with the music. I usually love Kylian work, and I think Bella has some beautiful moments, but call me a prude, I dislike the nudity. I feel that it's just not necessary. But, that's me.

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I was at the opening of that Program 2 (Friday night). From what I heard, Friday was a better show than Saturday night. I thought the casting was a little strange for a Saturday night - in one of the couples in Symphony (usually it's J. Cirio). But that would not account for the sloppiness in the corps. Also in Faun - Erica Cornejo in Faun was pretty spot on in Friday night's performance and was first cast. Why not put her on Saturday night? I also believe Elo's Plan is better danced with the original first cast (actually not the original from 10 years ago, but the cast who has done it the most the past few years), and they danced it on Saturday afternoon instead of the evening show. I think the audience appreciates how fast the dancers are able to move in Plan, hence the standing ovation. It's a bit crazy that they are able to stay with the music. I usually love Kylian work, and I think Bella has some beautiful moments, but call me a prude, I dislike the nudity. I feel that it's just not necessary. But, that's me.

I guess I saw something else on stage last night (Saturday). I thought it was one of the most exciting, thrilling and provocative evenings of dance I've seen in a long while. The Balanchine had a clean energy and drive that caught all the jazziness and fun of the choreography. In contrast, while more subdued, "Afternoon of a Faun" mesmerized for different reasons. I hadn't seen this since the Joffrey many years ago, but found it moving and well danced. The Elo work took my breath away with it's speed and punch. The dancers maybe broke the sound barrier here! The standing ovation was well deserved. As for the Kylian, one word. Stunning! What a joy to see these dancers! Everyone looked well trained, coached, committed to the works at hand, joyful to be on stage. Unlike some of the dancers recently at ABT who seem to be joyless and phoning in performances. What a refreshing evening of dance! Theater was packed! I was in the Second Ring where the buzz of energy was very much in evidence. Yes, saw Kevin, talking with Mikko, looking almost relieved to be on this side of the Plaza. Also caught a glimpse of Wendy Whelen: guess she's been there a bit also. All in all, last night was like a fresh glass of champagne after six weeks of a fair to middling glass of red! Bravo to Boston. (the Red Sox also managed to whip Tanaka of the Yankees last night!)

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mimisyb - I am glad to hear you enjoyed it! I thought Friday night was danced beautifully also, but I know the dancers are tired - it has been a long season with relatively little time off since London last summer. I believe one of the hashtags they are all using on twitter, instagram and facebook is "#longestseasonever." In reference to Bella, it's one of those ballets that I think either you love or you don't. I prefer some of Kylian's other works - probably Wings of Wax, Symphony of Psalms, Falling Angels and Sarabande among my favorites.

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mimisyb - I am glad to hear you enjoyed it! I thought Friday night was danced beautifully also, but I know the dancers are tired - it has been a long season with relatively little time off since London last summer. I believe one of the hashtags they are all using on twitter, instagram and facebook is "#longestseasonever." In reference to Bella, it's one of those ballets that I think either you love or you don't. I prefer some of Kylian's other works - probably Wings of Wax, Symphony of Psalms, Falling Angels and Sarabande among my favorites.

If that's what their "tired" looks like, I want some of what they're drinking! I thought the company looked energized and happy. Thrilled to be dancing! Yeah! I'm seeing the other program at today's matinee. While I don't think the ballets themselves will be as interesting, still I look forward to seeing more of the dancers.

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While Symphony in Three Movements wasn't on the same level of NYCB I enjoyed the rest of the program last night. The Kylian piece was particularly striking. The nudity, like the complete absence of music in the prologue and epilogue, challenged my own expectations of ballet. It suited the choreography which was primal and also poetic in many segments. I hope that Boston Ballet schedules more trips to NYC. Their point of view is refreshingly progressive and courageous.

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Although not a Balanchine expert, i thought the S in 3 movements was well danced particularly by Lia and Lasha in the PDD and by the high-jumping pair of Jeffrey Cirio and Misa Kurunaga.I loved Bella Figura inspite of the strange ending. We were seated in the back of the orchestra that one can't really see the nudity( unless one has better vision than me).

The BB dancers are very impressive.They should come back to NY again with ,at least, one classical ballet. Nikko better be careful, KMc might be shopping for dancers.FIREdevil.gif

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I saw Program 2 on Sat Mat and was glad to hear that McKenzie saw the program...hopefully it will give him the courage to improve his programming from a week of this and a week of that.....Sym in 3 MM is such a marvelous work that I am happy to see it whoever performs it and always enjoy it immensely...what a master class in how to choreograph! I liked Altan Dugaraa's "Faune"---the sweetest Faune I have ever seen---a charming adolescent. The nymphs did not appear to view him as a threat, but seemed to 'lead him on'. It was good to see Erica Cornejo again. There were a few gimmicks in the décor for the last two works...the large lighted square off to the side in the Elo piece and the 2001 floating dreamers in Bella Filgura...although I could understand why they were there. As to nudity in ballet---some wag has said before me....

"as long as the moving parts don't move too much"

I was intrigued by the 'moving curtain' in Bella Figura---what a great way to blot out something you do not like----just move the curtain ever so slowly to eradicate it.

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My husband and I attended Friday evening. I'll preface this by saying I'm a classicist at heart so you can imagine this wouldn't be my cup of tea. Turned out it was an it wasn't. I'd never seen Symphony in Three Movements before and while not a fan of this Stravinsky I appreciated the constant drive and energy. Maybe one day I can compare it to NYCB's. My husband noted similarities to West Side Story choreo in the high jump with legs together and off to one side. I loved Plan to B! Fair-haired Dusty Button and Whitney Jensen were whirlwinds! I was very much looking forward to Afternoon of a Faun. I love the music and was happy to see it again after so many years. I saw it danced many years ago with George de la Pena as the faun. I'm not sure if this would have been ABT or the Joffrey. While I liked it, Altan Dugaraa didn't compete with my memory of de la Pena. And lastly, Bella Figura. I agree, beautifully danced but afterwards, my husband and I looked at each other and shrugged, "we're so confused". This is an example of why I don't care for most modern ballet/dance. To me it seems pretentious. Kind of a "let's throw in the kitchen sink" kind of work. Dancers moving to silence, bodies hanging from the ceiling, odd grappling with the curtain, male and female upper body nudity, fire on stage. My husband quoted the Three Stooges, "I keep trying to think, but nothing happens!" Well, we were baffled, I'm not a prude but I thought the nudity added nothing. I did like the way the dark red skirts moved but that was about all. It's my first Kylian so maybe one day I'll have the chance to see one of his other works that were mentioned by other posters on this forum. I thought the applause for this piece was appreciative but not ecstatic as it was for Plan to B. I applauded enthusiastically for the efforts of the dancers who were marvelous. It might sound as if I didn't enjoy the evening but I really did. I knew it would be out of my comfort zone but I appreciated that in itself. I also noted that the house was very well sold and that makes me happy for the BB dancers. And a cherry on top, I saw Gillian and Ethan in the audience. She appeared to be walking just fine so I'm hoping that will translate into seeing her in the Dream on Wed!

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