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Cojocaru World Ballet Stars Gala @ Lincoln Center


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My two cents-the message of this gala is not clear-IS it for the benefit of Romanian ballet? or a mere gala organized by Alina? The poster itself doesn't mention any aspect of fund-raising or benefiting

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I only found out the gala from a friend who found out from another friend. I haven't come across any ads, publicity, or anything on social medias. Whoever is doing the marketing should be fired.

I only learned of this from Ballet Alert! Surprisingly, I don't see any mention of it on any of Simkin's social media feeds, and he usually advertises all of his gigs.

I wouldn't say the seats are any more expensive than other shows at Lincoln Center. It does have to compete w/ NYCB's Nutcracker though which is probably part of the problem w/ selling tickets.

I will say that for me, stating you need to raise funds for "a pension plan for older dancers, who have no resources" is not going to motivate me to buy a ticket (although they also state they need funds for equipment and training, etc.). I was a dancer so I realize how little they make, but unless their dancers retire at 65+ (I honestly don't know at what age they do), they should be young enough to still work, go back to school, switch fields, etc. By saying they "have no resources", do they mean the dancers have no other retirement plan at the company than their pension? (It's an honest question.) But shouldn't other "resources" be working after retirement, assuming their dancers retire in their 40's? I realize I'm looking at this through American eyes, and life in Romania may be very different.

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Whew. Alina outdid herself last night. Cojocaru, along with Ms. Rojo and Ms. Lopatkina, are too seldom seen in New York City. It was a rare opportunity to see these superstars.

Alina's Lady of the Camellias pdd was scorching with passion. I don't have my program but I believe her partner was Vogel? I normally don't like Liam Scarlett much, but the No Man's Land pdd with Cojocaru and Kobborg was also pretty wonderful. Rojo and her parnter (Hernandez?) were thrilling in Black Swan pdd. Only 3 minutes of Lopatkina (Dying Swan) is not nearly enough, but oh what a glorious 3 minutes they were. Simkin was thrilling in Bourgeois. The Ashton tidbit was pleasurable, but too short. Alina held a very long unsupported balance in the Rose Adagio. Somehow the Rose Adagio isn't terribly fulfilling as an excerpt, but Alina's did impressive work.

The down side was an awful little dance called Tango. Lots of over emoting, but not much dancing. Also the Le Corsaire pdd was substituted for the Diana and Acteon, and the ballerina was clearly in way above her head - coming off pointe multiple times and traveling all over the place in the fouettes. Please retire Radio and Juliet from the gala circuit already.

There was a little speech given in which it was mentioned that they intend to make this an annual gala in New York City. I'm sold. Sign me up.

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abatt, I agree 100%, it was fabulous!

That was Friedman Vogel with Cojocaru in Lady of the Camelias, a dancer I love and wish we saw more of here in NY. The Ashton was Marguerite & Armand which she danced with Dawid Trzensimiech of the Bucharest Ballet.

Issac Hernadez partnered Rojo in Black Swan and also stepped in for Osiel Gouneo with Sena Hidaka (Bucharest), which is why they switched from Diana & Acteon to Corsaire.I agree that she was not memorable, but she probably had very little time to prepare the pdd.

I really loved Rojo's Black Swan. She was spot on technically but I also loved how seductive she was. I'm so tired of the pure evil interpretation everyone seems to go for these days.

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Thanks for the reports! I'm wondering if Lopatkina was already in the NY vicinity when she got the "last minute" invitation to perform at this gala? It's incredibly expensive (generous of her) to grab her swan tutu, jump on a plane in St Petersburg & arrive at JFK in time to make this gala!

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Ms. Lopatkina appeared in Swan Lake in Tokyo with the Mariinsky on 5 December and took a detour through New York on her way back to St Petersburg. The evening, as Alina said in her post performance comments, was truly friends supporting friends.

Terribly sad however for both those who, if they only knew about the Gala, would have loved to have seen it, and for the consequential loss of financial support for the ONB that the lack of publicity led to a less than full house.

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I was truly surprised when I read the NY Times review. I disagree that Cojocaru is unsuitable for courtesan roles. Even though her demeanor and body type is more in the soubrette category, her acting and her passion overcame any issues relating to the fact that she is not a glamour girl like Vishneva or Zakharova. I did agree, however, that Scarlett's No Man's Land did look a lot like Scarlett's Funerialles (at NYCB). However, since Fuerialles was one of the few Scarlett works I have really enjoyed, the fact that he mostly repeated himself in No Man's Land was a plus as far as I was concerned.

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There was a little speech given in which it was mentioned that they intend to make this an annual gala in New York City. I'm sold. Sign me up.

I don't think it's going to happen this year or ever. I was looking forward to a repeat, too bad.

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