apollosmuse Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 I'd heard about this one through the grapevine, but looks to be official as it's mentioned in this article: http://veritepublished.com/2015/05/words-looks-from-a-modern-romantic-an-editorial/ Doris Andre promoted to principal. Anyone else heard any other official news? Word on if Mathilde Froustey is staying? Her Instagram indicates she's currently in Paris. Link to comment
sandik Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 I think everyone is just finishing up the retirement notices on the official front -- I have a feeling that the rest of it will come along during the summer. Link to comment
Josette Posted May 30, 2015 Share Posted May 30, 2015 Congratulations to Ms. Andre! The past two seasons she took on a lot of new roles, some due to injury of others (Vanessa Zahorian, Sasha de Sola), and seemed to be dancing everything. I look forward to seeing her continued artistic growth as a new principal dancer. Link to comment
Helene Posted May 30, 2015 Share Posted May 30, 2015 Peter Boal announced in last night's Q&A that PNB corps member Jahna Franztiskonis has accepted a contract with San Francisco Ballet. This is a cryfest for us in Seattle, but San Francisco's great fortune. At the live-streamed lec-demo William Forsythe gave in March, while coaching her Forsythe jokingly -- maybe only half-jokingly -- invited her to Frankfurt. (Now returning to my dark place.) Link to comment
apollosmuse Posted June 1, 2015 Author Share Posted June 1, 2015 I'd also heard about Jahna moving to SFB, but nothing official yet, so nice to hear it was mentioned this week. I will say, I find it a bit of an odd move as she's been getting fabulous parts up here in Seattle. SFB's a bigger company and even for rising stars, it can be very very hard to move up and out of that corps. Link to comment
SandyMcKean Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 My guess is that personal reasons may be a big part of the move. PNB's loss is SFB's gain. Jahna Franztiskonis is a superb dancer, and IMHO the joy she finds in dance will propel her, over time, to the very top. My vision of Jayna (pronounced "John-a" BTW) is that her life as a dancer, and as an artist, is paramount -- promotion odds are secondary. Link to comment
pherank Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 Doris Andre promoted to principal. Anyone else heard any other official news? Word on if Mathilde Froustey is staying? Her Instagram indicates she's currently in Paris. Congratulations to Dores André - she has certainly worked for it the past few years. Now comes the hard part: to be an artist (beyond dancer) on the level of Tan, Sylve, Van Patten, etc. This is the vacation period for SFB, so I wouldn't worry about Froustey being in France (naturellement). As long as there is no official announcement to the contrary, Ms. Froustey is a principal at SFB. She may be waiting for Millepied to be as good to her as Tomasson, but that may be a wait - he has a lot on his mind. Link to comment
Quiggin Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 The yearbook-like pictures on the Company page have been mysteriously moving about this morning (Tuesday). Mathilde Froustey is still there but the likeable Thomas Bieszka is missing. Jahna Frantziskonis is now listed. Link to comment
Dreamer Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 Kristina Lind and Dana Genshaft were removed from the roster. I will miss these two dancers whose dancing I always enjoyed but saw so little of. I believe Dana has retired from ballet but hope that Kristina continues dancing somewhere else. I wish both of them success in their plans for the future. And thank you for many great moments. Lauren Strongin from Houston Ballet joins as a soloist. Link to comment
PeggyTulle Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 Kristina announced on her public Instagram account that she's going to Dutch National Ballet. Dana announced awhile back on her public Facebook page that she was retiring. As far as other ladies, Megan Amanda Ehrlich and Emily Kadow are also missing from the roster. Link to comment
Dreamer Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 Kristina announced on her public Instagram account that she's going to Dutch National Ballet. Dana announced awhile back on her public Facebook page that she was retiring. Thank you for the update. Glad to hear that Kristina hasn't quit ballet and is just switching companies. Link to comment
sf_herminator Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 The yearbook-like pictures on the Company page have been mysteriously moving about this morning (Tuesday). Mathilde Froustey is still there but the likeable Thomas Bieszka is missing. Jahna Frantziskonis is now listed. Mathilde (@lapetitefrench_) posted to her Instagram last month about Thomas (@tomfrommichigan): https://instagram.com/p/2h9LTXHraz/. I am sad to see him gone as well.... No word on where he has gone. I have heard good things about Jahna Frantziskonis. I am currently in New York and had the pleasure of meeting posters cubanmiamiboy, seattle_dancer (who is sad about Jahna leaving PNB and coming to SFB), and Natalia. We all saw ABT in either Giselle or Sleeping Beauty. Additionally, I saw La Bayadere last night - with Maria as Nikiya. Link to comment
sf_herminator Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 Kristina announced on her public Instagram account that she's going to Dutch National Ballet. Dana announced awhile back on her public Facebook page that she was retiring. As far as other ladies, Megan Amanda Ehrlich and Emily Kadow are also missing from the roster. I'm sad to hear Kristina is leaving. I thought for sure she would be one of the tall girls for Rubies (in addition to Sofiane & Jennifer Stahl). I had noticed Megan was gone from the roster but not Emily. Another name missing is Benjamin Stewart. Benjamin Freemantle posted to his Instagram around Romeo & Juliet: https://instagram.com/p/2R799VDRFT/?taken-by=benfreemantle. I also noticed Raymond Tilton is gone. If he is still dancing, wonder if he'll join his brothers at Ballet West.... Link to comment
Josette Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 I have loved watching the beautiful Kristina Lind this past season in solo roles and will miss seeing her on stage. I hope she continues to dance for many years and that I get the chance to see this special dancer on stage in Amsterdam. Link to comment
Quiggin Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 Here's the full press release posted last week indicating promotions and new dancers to the company - SAN FRANCISCO, CA, Tuesday, June 2, 2015 -- Effective immediately, San Francisco Ballet announces five promotions, four new Company members, and six apprentices for the 2016 Repertory Season. Soloist Dores André has been promoted to principal dancer, and Lauren Strongin joins SF Ballet from Houston Ballet as a soloist. The corps de ballet now includes former SF Ballet Apprentices Samantha Bristow, Benjamin Freemantle, John-Paul Simoens, and Maggie Weirich, in addition to Jahna Frantziskonis from Pacific Northwest Ballet, Alessandra Vassallo from Teatro alla Scala, and Kamryn Baldwin from the SF Ballet School. Grace Choi, Blake Kessler, Anastasia Kubanda, Haruo Niyama, Chisako Oga, and Francisco Sebastião of the SF Ballet School have been promoted to the rank of apprentice. More background here - https://www.sfballet.org/about/media_center/press_releases/promorelease Link to comment
naomikage Posted June 25, 2015 Share Posted June 25, 2015 Mathilde Froustey has tweeted that she is in class at the Garnier. https://twitter.com/lapetitefrench_/status/610892343017783298 I know there are local rules for this forum not to mention about information from other forums so I will just mention this. Link to comment
PeggyTulle Posted June 25, 2015 Share Posted June 25, 2015 @naomikage, your summary isn't quite accurate. her tweet appears to say she's giving herself class with a hastag about getting back into shape. nothing about rehearsal. Link to comment
naomikage Posted June 25, 2015 Share Posted June 25, 2015 Sorry I have mixed up with other info so I will edit that. Anyway things will be clear as POB will be releasing casting info for their opening program soon. Link to comment
ricaineballet Posted June 25, 2015 Share Posted June 25, 2015 POB dancers are usually only allowed to take one sabbatical year. Froustey has an agreement with the POB that allowed her to maintain unpaid leave status with the POB ("congé sans solde") for her second year at SF. Because of the administrative structure at POB, it is impossible to hire someone from another company at any level other than the entry quadrille status, and this status preserves her right to come back as a sujet. My point is that she is still considered a dancer, albeit on leave, with the POB for the 2014-2015 season, and it's not altogether surprising that she would be taking class in Garnier or working out on her own. What her plans are for the future remain to be seen. Link to comment
pherank Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 I too will miss Kristina Lind - good luck to her. I felt she would have a difficult time advancing much further though, so the move may prove a smart one. Seeing another dancer from Teatro La Scala interests me - Di Lanno is a great dancer (and I hope he is staying on). Looking forward to seeing Jahna Frantziskonis too. Raymond Tilton never really distinguished himself, and wasn't moving up the ladder, so that doesn't come as a suprise exactly. Link to comment
Helene Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 After the PNB season ended, Jahna Frantziskonis, Elle Macy, and Leta Biasucci performed a work by PNB dancer Price Suddarth for the Seattle International Dance Festival. Suddarth showcased the stylistic strength of each, and watching Frantziskonis, I finally put my finger on whom she reminds me a little of, which had been driving me crazy all season: Elizabeth Loscavio. Link to comment
Josette Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 For those of us who miss Simone Messmer, I just discovered that she is joining Miami City Ballet as a principal dancer. http://miamicityballet.org/press/mcb-welcomes-simone messmer. I was out of the country on vacation when this was announced in early June, so maybe it's not news to anyone but me. I am so glad to hear that she has a contract as a principal there. Link to comment
Terez Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 Exciting news, all of this. I was searching around earlier in June but am only now coming upon the announcements. Sorry to see Kristina Lind go; she was lovely. Josette, I am so very happy to hear the news about Simone Messmer - I've been Googling her over the past year, wondering where she'd gone. Great to learn she landed in a great place. And of course it's always thrilling to see a dancer promoted from within. André has been going gangbusters all season long; I'm not surprised. Although I do agree that her true challenge has just begun, in making her style stand out from the other extraordinary principals. A tough act, that. Link to comment
pherank Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 This may not effect things at SFB, but Kochetkova announced: "Excited to announce I'm joining @ABTBallet next season! I'll remain a principal with SF Ballet and will perform with both companies." https://twitter.com/balletrusse Link to comment
volcanohunter Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 San Francisco Ballet also sent out a message of reassurance to its audience in its latest e-news bulletin: American Ballet Theatre (ABT) announced this week that SF Ballet Principal Dancer Maria Kochetkova will join them as a as principal dancer this fall. But don’t worry, she will remain a principal dancer with SF Ballet, and will split her time between the two companies. Kochetkova has been serving as a guest artist with ABT since 2013 and joined SF Ballet as a principal dancer in 2007. Link to comment
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