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Hübbe's La Sylphide / Balanchine's Theme & Variations


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Esbjerg. 29.01.2016.

As this is the second time I watched this performance, I will save my lengthy comments on La Sylphide for last and instead begin with my happy revisit to Balanchine.

Whereas Theme and Variations itself simply didn’t translate to me when I first saw it in Aarhus, the performance of it yesterday in Esbjerg was a completely different affair. It felt like the fresh, cool dessert at the end of a hearty meal that I’d heard it described as. Like a taste of lemon sorbet, a visual zing to the palette. I left the theatre afterwards feeling exulted and refreshed at the same time.

I want to say that the main change was casting and on a purely surface level, this is true. J’aime Crandall and newly promoted Jon Axel Fransson (a soloist finally) danced the two solo roles and only two of the demi-soloist roles were the same as in Aarhus, so casting was different. However much of a difference that made, though, the entire feel of the choreography became clearer and brighter yesterday when the corps didn’t struggle (and fail) to uphold their formations. Every movement of every individual dancer was crisp and sharp and accentuated. I noticed no major mistakes in execution either and nothing whatsoever that took away from the picture as a whole. At the end as the entire ensemble paraded diagonally across the stage, all air was knocked out of me and I felt emotionally cleansed. Purified. Transported.

J’aime and Fransson made for a lovely leading couple, too. Especially J’aime was a presence on stage that I couldn’t ignore and felt almost physically drawn to. She was vibrant, she shone. All smiles and elegance. Strong and confident in her solos, especially her dance with the other female dancers, holding her balances and swaying slightly in response to their chain-dances as if they were all part of one single body, breathing in and out. In their interaction, Fransson was attentive towards her at all times and the connection between them was unmistakable. Their PDD brought tears to my eyes with the fluidity of their lifts, their perfect alignment. In Fransson’s solos, I found myself missing some of Chmelensky’s gentle musicality from Friday, but his jumps were unrivalled and he was the sheer embodiment of energy and strength. Comparing the two dancers’ execution of the role would be as pointless as comparing apples with pears. Both are perfect fruits on their own, sometimes you’re in the mood for one over the other and once in a while, you might just find yourself wishing someone would create a hybrid combining the crispness of the apple and the sweetness of the pear into a third kind of fruit, because choosing one over the other seems impossible and somewhat stupid.

All in all, Theme and Variations as it was danced yesterday really proved that two such different styles can be successfully merged into one evening without either style coming out the winner, but rather as contrasts that enhance the beauty of what they themselves are not. When the company performing is talented and capable enough and no doubt, the RDB is exactly that.

Much like with Theme and Variations, La Sylphide stood in stark contrast to the performance of it that I saw in Aarhus, though not only positively so. Aside from Kizzy Matiakis who once more took on the role of Effy, the cast was different. First cast Sylph, James and Madge in Amy Watson, Gregory Dean and Sebastian Haynes’ portrayals. These three were the cast I saw dance La Sylphide last spring and had then been mostly impressed with Dean’s soft, confused James and Sebastian’s intense, demonic Madge. Throughout the first act yesterday, I was afraid that I might once more leave the performance feeling Watson to be the weak link, but she redeemed herself completely by act two which I’ll touch upon later. All in all, the first act didn’t deliver the same clearness of storytelling as I saw in Aarhus and felt much more compact and heavy than with J’aime as the Sylph and Birkkjær’s James opposite Kloborg’s Madge.

Dean’s portrayal of James was full of wonderful subtleties, expressions that added many nuances to the characters and a very boy-like innocence and charm, contrasted first by a stern and severe Eva Kloborg as Anna and later by Sebastian’s Madge who was all allure and predatory intensity. Madge and James in these two incarnations shared a very palpable attraction and it was one aspect that perhaps made Watson’s Sylph fade in this act. I also felt that the grey walls weighed down on her and made her look heavier in her movements than she is, not something I never noticed with either Susanne Grinder or J’aime. The link between the Sylph and James didn’t become clear either until second act, but once in that mental room all the whites gave Watson flight. She was lovely to watch. People spontaneously started clapping before the divertissement had reached its end. Suddenly it looked and felt as if the Sylph was indeed all James’ dreams and ideals in one tiny body that had brought him there, to freedom.

Back to the first act… The dynamics between Matiakis’ Effy and Dean’s James were completely different to her relationship with Birkkjær’s James. It wasn’t as such more superficial, but it seemed hurried and desperate and they both seemed more focused on gaining Anna’s approval than on each other as such. As if they were both failing to fulfill their roles in this small community. Matiakis’ solo as Effy was a stark contrast to the demure and very subdued household – a contast I didn’t notice in Aarhus to the same degree. She looked so happy and carefree in comparison, when dancing. As they danced the reel, the more agitated James grew, the more Effy also looked removed from the crowd. It added an interesting foundation for their union, I thought. Eva Kloborg took up the entire stage as Anna, a matriarch who ran this small community with coldness and determination. My initial thought was that I preferred Bødtcher’s much more human Anna, but Kloborg created a very solid frame around the unspoken motivations.

Seeing Andreas Kaas as Gurn was a great joy. Not only did he dance with gusto, but he created quite the unique character out of him. Whereas Matiakis’ Effy yesterday was as apart from the community as her runaway fiancé, Gurn saw and loved her as such. Someone unique and colourful in a grey society. At the end when they were married, it made sense that Matiakis’ Effy really seemed to fight a brave battle to appreciate his affection for her. Hopefully Kaas will soon get the chance to dance James himself. I have no doubt that he would be superb in the role and manage to make him into a likable character, whatever version of the ballet he was made to dance.

The fragments that the first act had felt like came together perfectly in the second act. First Sebastian set a very eerie tone in the caldron scene, intensely erotic and dark. Afterwards everything was lit up when Stephanie Chen entered as 1. Sylph. Not only was she tall and lean and beautiful, but her dancing was flawless and it was wonderful to see her also command such a light, light-hearted role when she is usually cast in more sensual, seductive parts. Seeing how well she did with both technique and acting, I do hope that she will one day be able to dance the title part…

The connection that Watson and Dean had tried and not fully managed to establish in act one was allowed to flourish in act two. There was a freedom to Dean’s James in that mental space that made it feel natural how he would now (be able to) chase her and want her with such abandon. Watson had a whole array of wonderfully playful expressions that complimented the role very well. At the same time, there was still a certain volume to her dancing, so it always felt like something lay underneath, waiting. The divertissement was absolutely lovely and the same coherency that the corps managed in Theme and Variations also shone through here. The La Sylphide yesterday was most of all Dean’s and Haynes’ night, but Watson’s moment to shine was the death scene. There was a directness and honesty about it that abandoned all pretenses. When she kisses James’ ring and dropped it into his hands, she smiled wistfully or hopefully before being carried away… It was another death scene entirely from J’aime’s and just as full of punch. Whereas J’aime’s Sylph knew what awaited James beyond her and seemed to perhaps have known from the beginning, Watson’s Sylph seemed more to hope that James would be able to return to the conventions she had made him flee in the first place. For his sake. My best friend who had come with me to the performance was crying like a baby and I was crying, too. By stripping the second act of all its layers, to its very core, it’s as if the death scene has gained a universal pain that you can’t escape. Something universally human that all the Sylphs I’ve seen so far have been able to capture with almost equal success. Because it isn’t just a story about a tragic love anymore, although there is certainly love and it is tragic. It is about choices and consequences and loss. It’s amazingly close to home.

In Kaas’ and Matiakis’ shapes, I found myself rooting for Gurn and Effy in a way I haven’t done before and I really hoped, as Gurn led her off stage, that perhaps he was leading her into a life where she would feel she belonged and would be able to finally grow whole, even without James who maybe as it was would have never been able to nurture such growth anyway. The last scene between Sebastian’s Madge and Dean’s James was loaded with impact, it was strong and felt undeniably masculine. As Dean ran towards Sebastian to curse Madge, they stand before each other for a never-ending second, Madge’s arms raised as if holding James up and Dean balancing on his toes without a stagger, then Madge releases him and he falls to the ground. Once more the predatory expression takes over Sebastian’s features and he looks him over until the witches carry the Sylph across the stage. Almost gently, he lifts James up, touches him, caresses his chest – and then spins him around and throws him towards the passing dead Sylph. There was so much motion and strength and power play in these few seconds that it took my breath away. Dean’s James once more charges against Madge, but Madge grabs his head and kisses him. Dean held up by his chin, balancing on his toes once more for the long moment the kiss lasts, then Sebastian almost unceremoniously drops him and he crumbles. Stepping over his lifeless body, Sebastian’s Madge fixes his gaze on the audience and walks slowly forward, towards the edge of the stage. As if coming for us. This is the last visual you see before the curtain comes down.

In conclusion, not all elements came together as perfectly as in the La Sylphide I saw in Aarhus, but there were strong performances by the men especially and all the dancers had moments of true glory. The emotional intensity of the story of James and Madge in this version was electric and as my best friend described it; you felt emotionally full afterwards, as if you had just ravished a large steak dinner.

Next Sylphide stop is tomorrow evening in Holstebro with my girlfriend and my parents. I hope the announced casting won't be changed, because it could be interesting to see what it will do to the balance of Dean/Haynes as James and Madge opposite J'aime as the Sylph. If it will bring the storytelling together again, in a different way. I'll keep you posted.

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Thanks so much for the details here -- I don't know that I'll get a chance to see this version of Sylphide, so I'm particularly grateful for the descriptions, but I'm also glad that you've come to enjoy T&V -- as one of my favorite ballets, I want everyone to love it like I do!

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Holstebro. 31.01.2016.

It feels weird, realising that the experience I’ll be reporting on now happened only last night. Twenty-four hours can pass in a blur when you get no sleep and have to travel a fair one hundred kilometres’ distance to Aarhus in the early morning. Or maybe it’s a reflection of how surreal it all was, to see not just any ballet, but my absolute favourite ballet on stage in my hometown. Sunday became truly a day in the name of ballet and ballet alone.

The Jutland tour that the RDB has been on for the past weeks hasn’t only been a long string of performances in various towns throughout the country, but a whole collection of events and opportunities for the audience to connect with the company. Mime classes for school children. Showings of Swan Lake in cinemas with an introduction by one of the contributing choreographers, Oliver Starpov (Russian and Spanish dances – also primarily for schools). And, most excitingly for me, open warmups a few times, one of these times being yesterday in Holstebro. So three and a half hours before the performance was scheduled to start, my girlfriend and I found wonderful seats in the theatre, close to the stage with a perfect view of all my favourites and sat down to enjoy almost two hours ballet practice the professional way. Considering that Holstebro is a provincial town, I was surprised to see the large theatre almost half full just for this event. Holstebro is one of three places in Denmark where the Royal Danish Ballet School has an official branch, so this might have affected the attending numbers somewhat, however not a lot of the guests were children, actually ages varied more than I saw in either Aarhus or Esbjerg for the performance itself.

Warmup exercises were led by Nikolaj Hübbe himself and besides being a great coach for the dancers (not always patient, but took his time to both praise and critique equally), he was amazingly funny both to watch and to listen to. They struggled a bit with space issues, apparently the stage was smaller than they were used to, but otherwise they had no major issues until towards the end. Spirits were high, although work morals (of course) were through the roof. I had seated myself so I ended up having a direct and perfect view of my two favourites, J’aime Crandall and Stephanie Chen doing barre exercises opposite each other and at the other side of the stage, another favourite of mine, Kizzy Matiakis, was also up front during barre. Not only does she have the most expressive face when dancing, she makes a whole array of amusing faces when working out, it was very entertaining to see. Hübbe would demonstrate all combinations himself as he instructed the dancers, in his jeans and sneakers, at one point rhetorically asking if anybody had heard about the new Freed from Nike. Everybody was cracking up.

All in all, it was a very nice experience getting to see the dancers prepare so intimately. Not having any dance experience or training myself, it gave me a rare understanding of the life they lead to be able to perform on such a high level and produce the artistry that they do. On top of that, I loved how this was a free event that didn’t require that you had tickets for the evening’s performance. Hübbe has really figured out how to wake the Danes interest in his art form.

After a quick trip back to my parents for dinner, we returned to the theatre for the performance itself. My parents had bought tickets on the second row, very central. My dad saw La Sylphide with me last season and hadn’t been too impressed with it, but this time around I think he found it more to his tastes, although he still preferred Theme and Variations. The grandiose Russian-inspired style just speaks to him more, I think, but I’ll get to Theme and Variations later… The orchestra pit (which Hübbe dubbed Jurassic Pit during warmup) in Holstebro Musikteater sinks very low into the ground and no one could see when the conductor entered, so the orchestra had to start stomping their feet to get the audience to applaud. Once again, the orchestra delivered an almost unbelievably beautiful rendition of the music for La Sylphide. They will be returning to their hometown tomorrow when the RDB are dancing in Aalborg, so my girlfriend and I have decided to take some good pictures of the orchestra pit there and thank them all for a wonderful, wonderful job well done. The music is too often taken for granted when it comes to these performances and Aalborg Symphonic Orchestra along with Geoffrey Styles have made me realise just how thrilling Løvenskiold’s music really is in a way I’d honestly never noticed before.

The cast was a mishmash of the two I’d seen so far. Gregory Dean once more danced James with Sebastian Haynes as Madge, but J’aime Crandall delivered her (so far) last performance of the Sylph (we’ll see if she ends up taking either of the two performances at the end of the run in Copenhagen, casts haven’t been announced yet). She and Gregory have never performed the ballet together before, but they played off of each other with absolute ease. It was quite astounding to see the difference another dancer made in the constellation of James-Madge-Sylph. Sebastian’s and Dean’s interpretation of the relationship between Madge and James hadn’t been changed in the slightest, but didn’t feel as overpowering as it did in Esbjerg, because J’aime held her own as the Sylph in a completely different fashion than Watson had. She wasn’t as gentle or lovesick as Watson’s Sylph is, she was alluring and beautiful and sharp, something that was perfectly accentuated by her crisp dancing. There was not one wobble. Not one stumble. Her mimicry was to die for, smiles that projected with no barriers between, eyes as deep as dark lakes and elegant gestures. Yesterday I, for the first time, read the mime that the Sylph does when standing in the window correctly. Without having studied it in detail, I always just assumed that the Sylph was sad for all the romantically obvious reasons – I never fully comprehended that she was sad for James’ sake. J’aime’s delivery translated without anything getting lost.

Dean’s James wasn’t different from his portrayal of him opposite of Watson, but the slight darkness to J’aime’s Sylph rendered his characterisation extra tragic. He’s so boyish, almost childish, so hopeful and innocent and yet, his dream figure is all impossible attraction and danger. I really enjoyed that dynamic, because they managed – by way of contrast – to emphasise the absolute best aspects of their respective roles’ character.

The third key player and perhaps the most central player of the night yesterday, was Sebastian as Madge. I saw him Friday and loved him, but he was in a completely different league yesterday. The intensity had doubled and tripled and a couple of rows closer, his expressive face made my hairs stand on end. First act gave me the chance to study in detail how he interacted with the entire room when telling fortunes. The thing about Sebastian’s Madge which is very different from Kloborg’s Madge was how he had no interest in the (mostly) girls whose fortunes he was telling, aside from Effy who was only a means to an end even then. His focus and attention never left James. He was at that house, at that party for that particular proximity. As such it was striking that the way he informed the others of their fates left me with a feeling that he was basically just making all of it up. One would experience happiness, because Madge didn’t give a damn. Another would fail in life for the very same reason. And the girl who found herself pregnant – well, that was probably just a cruel joke. Sebastian’s Madge was only waiting for Effy to approach, so he could indirectly warn James of the direction in which they were heading. It was a fascinating use of the mime. Then, he would drag poor Gurn into the mess, already weaving the strings together into the web that unfolded in act two. I thought it was masterly. My girlfriend didn’t quite buy him by the end of act one, but after she had seen his portrayal come together in act two, she told me that she fully appreciated the complexity of his acting and loved the relationship he and Dean’s James managed to establish in very few scenes.

Yet again, Kizzy Matiakis danced Effy and yet again, it was a completely different experience, perfectly adjusted to the dynamics change. No less polished in her dancing, her Effy yesterday was by nature happier and especially her solo really added a joy and liveliness to her character that contrasted her with everything around her, Anna and the community, to a certain extend even James. Whereas I was left with a feeling Friday that perhaps James and Effy had banded together, because they shared a common experience as outsiders, Matiakis’ Effy yesterday was an outsider on her own in the same way James was. As little as she could satisfy his needs, as little would he be able to satisfy hers in the long run, although my God, the girl hoped. The reel was heart-breaking. Matiakis’ face fell in stages and by the end, she had lost hope. At the end of the reel as James twirls her before they face the audience, she looked as if she might lose her footing in the figurative sense, because literally Matiakis wasn’t falling anywhere. Even the smile she managed as she goes to get dressed for their wedding seemed resigned. I can honestly say that having seen her so many times in the role and having nailed it every time in new and exciting ways, Matiakis has easily become my favourite Effy, even outshining good old Ann-Kristin Hauge from the DVD that made me fall in love with La Sylphide first. Because nothing can beat the magic moment that took place on stage yesterday… Having thrown herself at the window twice and been stopped from following James, she tears off her bridal wear. Stripped of her crown and her veil, Matiakis stands at the very edge of the stage, facing the audience. She allows the moment to grow. She allows the standstill, the lack of motion so foreign to ballet usually – while, behind her, everybody leaves, only Anna and Gurn remaining behind. There was something so vulnerable about this moment. It seemed private. I wanted to look away. To allow Effy her shame in peace without all these judging eyes weighing down on her. Her face is frozen. Her eyes huge. Then, it all shatters. She turns towards Anna, crumbles at her feet and with Gurn holding her veil and looking on, she breaks. From experience I know how intensely exposed one’s breaking point is and yesterday, it felt like I was given a gift, watching it portrayed so strongly. Thank you, Kizzy Matiakis.

Act two opened to an extremely strong caldron scene. Sebastian’s Madge was animalistic, dark and commanded the stage as unapologetically as he commanded his helpers. It was also an interesting breach of the fourth wall how the smoke from the caldron actually travelled over the first rows, too, kind of pulling us into the scene as we breathed it in. The tribal-like dancing and the erotic interaction between all five dancers on stage made the entire scene seem all the more hypnotic – like an ancient ritual, almost. The franticness of it in stark contrast to the slowness with which Sebastian existed the stage, walking so deliberately out that the transition between that scene and the white room was smoothened, leaving us to stare at bare, white walls for a minimal amount of time.

Stephanie Chen was 1. Sylph again and she was once again flawless in her execution of every step. She was as soft and pliant as a feather to look at and beautiful as a picture, like always. I do hope she’ll get the chance to dance Effy tomorrow as the casting says currently. I remember enjoying her tremendously last season. The two other sylphs were Camilla Ruelykke Holst and Ida Praetorius where Praetorius looked very different from her usual energetic self, undoubtedly because she was debuting in the solo lead in Theme and Variations afterwards. Her nervousness was understandable.

The wonderful balance in J’aime’s and Dean’s dynamic became very obvious in the second act. I think I even enjoyed J’aime’s second act even more here than in Aarhus. It was crisp and clean and clear. The corps girls did amazingly well in the divertissement and especially Chen’s solo was a joy. The final coda lacked just a bit of the unity J’aime had with Birkkjær in Aarhus, but instead the entire scene where James has the Sylph chasing after the veil was a wonder. We gain some, we lose some, I suppose. It was all in all a stunning act that came together perfectly.

Dean’s James was set free with J’aime’s Sylph in that white room. There was an unforgettable moment, when she calls her sisters and they surround her where she looks at him with a half-smile that sort of says: “My darling, see here what I have for you, your greatest dream fulfilled.” Which Dean, then, follows up on by having James walking around amongst the sylphs as they dance, staring at them, almost touching them yet not quite, all the while smiling in that same childish wonder. That entire piece of the choreography was raised up in an unequalled manner. Followed afterwards by amazing solos by both J’aime and Dean, though J’aime’s especially stood out yesterday.

As a whole, the second act is somewhat of a blur for me, though. Not because it wasn’t good, but because the ending was so strong and stark that everything that came before seemed to fade into the background in comparison. As if between the point of the caldron scene and the scene where Madge gives James the veil, there was only waiting. Happy waiting, but waiting.

Like I said, I completely buy into the relationship that is/has been between Sebastian’s Madge and Dean’s James. They were lovers once, something undefined happened that caused James to seek marriage and left Madge feeling scorned and vengeful. As Madge saunters on stage with the veil slung around his waist, James sees him and seems to recognise the potential of the veil immediately. It’s difficult to describe the part of this interaction that isn’t elaborated upon, but there was something about Dean’s honest excitement as he approaches Madge that made his James seem as unaware of the consequences of their breakup as Sebastian’s Madge is unwilling to accept them. Something that only added to the magnitude of the tragedy at the end which I’ll get into in a moment… As it is, James is undaunted in his attempts to get Madge to give him the veil. First he tries to seduce it from him, sliding his hands over Madge’s shoulders in a caress that Madge dismisses. Then he tries to buy it, but Madge refuses to sell out. Rather, Madge makes him kneel and wraps the veil around his arms before swinging him around. His expression is frantic, crazed. The way it so perfectly reflects how James will later try to capture the Sylph, it really felt like this was the moment where Madge hoped in vain to capture James for himself once more in a similar manner. This parallel continues into the scene between the Sylph and James. Beautifully, beautifully danced by J’aime and Dean. The Sylph’s caution that becomes desperate want, then a moment of hope as she kneels. James tells her to kneel with all the destructiveness that Madge made him kneel first, the parallel between the two scenes starting there. The death scene wasn’t as gut-punching as the one in Aarhus, but it was very strong nonetheless and indeed, J’aime was all but in tears. Her Sylph died smiling this time, carrying all James’ hopes until her very last breath.

Alone, Dean’s James just stares at his wedding ring. Only to find that right before him, Effy is marrying Gurn. Matiakis’ Effy was much more genuinely happy at this union yesterday and it felt a bit cathartic to finally see this nuanced Effy who seemed destined to suffer under James’ desires actually smile at Andreas Kaas’ Gurn (equally amazing yesterday, wonderful dancing, strong acting, a master of the details) and be led away looking content. If this is the last time I see Matiakis in this role, that scene was a wonderful way to bid her farewell.

Enter Sebastian’s Madge. This final scene was powerful. It was executed flawlessly with only a minor hiccup in offstage timing when the helper’s carried J’aime across stage and the emotions ran high like waves undisturbed by it. The transformation in Madge struck me. Sebastian’s Madge was so bitter and angry and vengeful all throughout act one and in the caldron scene. Now, standing before James, he is angry, yes. Angry, but desperate more than anything. In his precise, harsh mime, he tells James of the unjustness of him being discarded. It was a lover’s quarrel. You only talk like that to someone in whom you have invested your everything, that was the feeling I had, watching it. And like in Esbjerg, when James launched at him, Madge had him dangling from his hands and they were staring into each other’s eyes. It was incredibly intense. Very powerful. Especially as James watches the Sylph disappearing, all his dreams and hopes lost. The same attack is repeated, he runs towards Madge and the kiss happens again. As forceful as James’ embrace of the Sylph. And deadly in the same way. James falls to the floor. Standing over him, Sebastian’s Madge stares right out at us and steps over his body. He doesn’t look victorious. He looks like a man who’s just lost everything. James killed his Sylph and lost everything. Madge killed James and lost everything in much the same way. The parallel was carried through to curtain fall and never did I see it as successfully as in the performance yesterday.

I can also happily report that for the first time when I’ve attended Hübbe’s version of La Sylphide, the ballet got an overwhelming, standing ovation. I saw it twice last season, one of those times being on opening night and not even then did it get quite this enthusiastic a response from the audience who mostly seemed to applaud Hübbe’s personal work on the production. Not in Aarhus did it receive such applause. And certainly not in Esbjerg. During curtain call yesterday, I am ready to swear that Sebastian Haynes received the greatest applause of them all with lots of cheering and it made him light up in the most wonderful smile. He looked so very happy and relieved which I can understand. I forgot to mention it further up, but in Esbjerg there were actually two men behind me who had the nerve to boo when he came forward. They didn’t boo any of the other dancers or the production as a whole, only him. I was so happy to see such a lousy experience get redeemed for him as he so fully deserves. He remains my favourite Madge of the three I’ve seen.

I’m proud that Holstebro embraced this version of La Sylphide and I’m grateful that it should be in my hometown that I got to experience such a star-aligned performance of it. This one is definitely one for the memory banks.

Which is good, because in its wake followed a Theme and Variations that was an ambivalent watch at best for me. It became apparent throughout the day that a major casting change had occurred. Quite a lot of dancers began posting Instagram greetings to Ida Praetorius, wishing her a good debut in the lead role of T&V. I still don’t know what happened to Caroline Baldwin who was originally scheduled to dance, whether she’s injured or something else made the change necessary, but either way, Praetorius hasn’t had longer than four days to polish her take on the part. To my understanding, she has been understudy from the get-go, also with Holly Dorger injured, but seems to then have changed her focus to her preparations for the upcoming Romeo and Juliet where she’s dancing Juliet. Now came this sudden change and the panic was evident, not only in her, but all around. Everybody wished her the best. Everybody were rooting for her. At open warmup, she looked very pale and tired with none of the sunshine energy I’ve come to associate with her. As one of the sylphs in La Sylphide, she was really just going through the motions. No mistakes, no mishaps, but no life either. It was very clear that she was nervous.

Thus, when the curtain went up to T&V, my heart was in my throat. However, when she struck her first positions, she really held on to her charming smile and just… soldiered onwards. She made it all the way through the ballet without any incidents, only one close call and overall, one must commend her for her admirable efforts to make it work. Nevertheless, it would be a lie to say that it was anywhere near the revelation that J’aime and Fransson delivered with corps de ballet Friday. Technically, Praetorius was rough and sweetness can only take a shaky performance so far. It’s forgivable, of course, considering the circumstances, but I once more found myself more confused than enthralled by the choreography, even if the corps was quite good in their formations.

Chmelensky wasn’t nearly as strong in his performance yesterday as he had been Friday either, but it was obvious how he was simply focusing on supporting Praetorius and helping her get through in one piece. They had no real connection, but neither did they hurt themselves which was really the important part. The PDD felt endless for all the wrong reasons and neither of the solo dancers’ solos were very engaging to look at. I was rooting for them, because I could see they were struggling, but they didn’t do anything for the ballet to make it more easy to swallow.

Even so, at the crescendo – with the diagonal and the forward-moving corps, men and women in different combinations, especially the men’s strong jumps – I did feel some of the inspiration that I’d all but drowned in Friday. Those last moments of the ballet did come together very, very nicely and fortunately, the audience was on their feet once more, applauding wildly, especially for Praetorius. She looked noticeably relieved and many, many kilos lighter in spirit. For all its flaws, I think it was a performance she could definitely be proud of and it shows that if she continues to work, she is going places. Many places. As we started to leave, behind the closed curtain, we could also hear the other dancers cheering for her.

It always makes me happy to experience their communal support and friendship.

Last stop of the tour for me will be tomorrow in Aalborg, though a couple of Sylphides await me in Copenhagen as well. February isn’t over yet.

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I saw the premiere of La Sylphide back in October 2014 in Copenhagen, and last month I went to see the two first performances of RDB's tour in the Danish provinces (the first one, in Aarhus, being the same one as you have reported on, Syrene). I'm afraid neither a second nor a third viewing made me warm up to this version. Apart from some fine details, the set up as a whole leaves me sadly indifferent. I cannot see how this way of telling the story adds anything to it, on the contrary, it deprives it of its multi-layered ambiguity, which is the very source of its fascination. But, as I have already written an extensive review of the staging after having seen the premiere in 2014 I will not go into details about that, and instead concentrate on the dancers and their individual interpretations. Fortunately the instruction still leaves room for individuality.

Ulrik Birkkjær's James was fine though not as perfect techniqally as he was at the premiere in 2014, where his leaps and turns almost took my breath away. His James is an interesting one. Already at the beginning he is not really there, his mind clearly floating somewhere else, and Effy is only able to catch his attention for very short moments. This James has already experienced something mind-unsettling before the curtain raises, and the sight of the Sylph might just be a materialisation of something he has unconsciously known or sensed for long. His Sylph was the technically strong J'aime Crandall – the dreaded pirouettes en dedans near the end of her first solo in act one and again at the end of the divertissements in the second act she performed spot-on and without a trace of a wobble. Her way of dancing Bournonville is in general very natural, and her movements have the right feather light quality without being contour less (she had, however, a very odd way of performing the steps, when the Sylph hesitatingly follows James into his room: She walks on pointe, but instead of just putting one foot in front of the other, she swung her legs like pendulums, which had an unintended comical effect). Her Sylph is a very determined and straight forward one. It is too strong to say that her perfomance has no nuances, because that is not true, but like her performance of Odette/Odile it lacks the lyriscism necessary for us to believe in her as an otherwordly creature.

Amy Watsons Sylph had a more romantic approach, less innocent, slightly calculating and with a "rounder", more traditional way of dancing. She has the sweetness of an overripe cherrie. Gregory Dean's youthful James didn't stand a chance against this creature, who manipulates him effortlessly. Dean portrays James as a very young man with a gentle and caring nature and a dreamy diposition. He hasn't yet experienced much of the world and is therefore an easy target for strong, manipulating forces like Madge and the Sylph. They simply root him up, and he hardly knows what has hit him before it is too late. He has a very loving attitude towards Effy, whom he is visibly fond of, and it is as if he tries to protect her against himself and against this chaos that has suddenly entered his world and made him loose his focus completely. He has a good grip on the Bournonville style, it flows the right way, but somehow it doesn't look right all the time – maybe it is something about being too vertical, too erect. When he jumps, he almost towers over the other dancers. He has a tall, lean built - maybe we have just grown accostumed to a series of shorter, lighter James'es during the last decade.

A small detail: When I saw the premiere back in 2014, there was a deeply moving gesture towards the end: When James sees his mother together with the newly wed pair of Effy and Gurn, he rests his haid against the shoulder of his mother in mourning of his lost life. Of course the mother doesn't notice, as they now belong in two different worlds (or maybe he is even dead). I was so sorry to hear that they had deleted this in the next performances. But here it was again, but only in Birkkjærs version, Dean didn't do it, he just looked on from a distance – maybe it is Birkkjær's invention. I hope he'll keep it.

Kizzy Mattiakis was Effy both nights, and her strong performance makes her a very central part of the tragedy. Maybe Effy is the one who loses most in the end. As a woman she has even less freedom to chose her own way than James has – James might have been her way out of a suffocating society. Mattiakis' Effy was so heartbroken it was nearly unbearable: despairing in the first act and totally numbed by shock and resignation in the second.

Gurn was perfomed by Alexander Bozinoff on the first night and by Andreas Kaas on the second. I prefer Kaas, as his rendering of the character is less silly, less boyish. And what a smashing solo he did - wow!

Sebastian Kloborg was Madge on both nights. And really, I don't know what to say about his performance. I'd rather focus on the incongruities that have been imposed on his role, which makes it impossible for the dancer to be anything but a stiff parody: A perfectly dressed fin de siècle dandy doing palm reading, refusing drink, and concocting poisonous silken scarfs in steaming cauldrons assisted by a group of "dishy" young men dressed in footlong black skirts, bare from the waist upwards, writhing and twisting themselves in something that looked like happy agony. The scene at the cauldron is actually very short but it felt like it would never end, as it was so terribly embarrasing and kitschy to watch.

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Seeing Anne's review, I realised that I hadn't posted my thoughts on the performance in Aalborg. I had written a review, but never got around to share it here, so here goes the final tour review.

Aalborg.

I fear this review might end up shorter than the ones that came before it. Attending La Sylphide in Aalborg was a pleasant experience for many reasons, most of them not related to the performance itself. Sylphide/T&V that Tuesday just wasn’t the RDB’s brightest moment, although there were highlights.

Therefore I will begin with T&V. Once more the cast was J’aime Crandall and Jon Axel Fransson and I was so happy that my girlfriend got the chance to see these two in the lead. She absolutely loved the ballet, a gradual development for her, having hated it just as much as me in Aarhus and mostly liked it in Holstebro out of genuine respect for Ida Praetorius’ ability to step in on such short notice and still perform with charm and passion. J’aime Crandall blew her away that night just as much as she had blown me away in Esbjerg (and blew me away again here) and once more the ballet felt like a breath of fresh air after a very claustrophobic and clustered tragedy. Fransson was amazingly charming in Aalborg, even more so than in Esbjerg and had some amazing moments of combined physical brilliance and winning expressions. Nevertheless, it cannot be said enough, I think… This ballet is J’aime’s ballet. She excelled in it and the entire last half is hers. Even when the entire corps was on stage, even when she danced amidst a crowd of corps girls, I saw no one but her. She possessed such poise, such elegance and such mind-blowing technique that she became one with the music. She simply was its very expression. I commend Hübbe for having recognized the remarkable talent that this dancer has. It may have taken a while, but she has grown on me and is now a definite favourite. Capable of great dramatic performances (Manon in Dame Aux Camellias, Sylphide, Odette/Odile in Swan Lake) as well as technical bravura parts (Etudes, Theme and Variations). I truly believe J’aime can do anything you let her try her hands on it.

Other than that, the corps wasn’t quite as sharp as in Esbjerg and Holstebro, obviously tired at this stage of the tour. My favourite part of the ballet was the various solos for Fransson and J’aime as well as the beautiful crescendo at the end where everything came together very, very nicely. The pas de deux was striking in places, but also suffered a few stumbles (not literally) that added to the impression of the entire night that things didn’t run as smoothly as they had until now.

But overall, Theme and Variations was rather amazing and probably the winner of the night, if the two ballets were contesting. Which they aren’t.

La Sylphide featured the same cast that I’d seen in Esbjerg and I was very sad to see Watson having a rather bad night. The entire first act simply wasn’t hers, she struggled to keep up with the music and lost some of her interpretative strengths in the process of trying to keep up. My girlfriend noted that the costume didn’t compliment her at all and I actually think that was the problem I noticed in Esbjerg, too – and that the grey walls of the first act only emphasized this. Once more, it improved in act two, but only barely. Dancing, Watson had none of the lightness that the part, in my opinion, requires. Dramatically, she also seems to emphasise the romantic relationship between the Sylph and James which would perhaps have worked for her in a traditional production, but didn’t fit very well with Hübbe’s reinterpretation. Especially seeing as Dean’s James was very obviously not romantically invested in her, the relationship between him and Madge (once more played by the absolutely superb Sebastian Haynes) holding much more weight in his portrayal.

All in all, the first act held a general feeling of crowdedness, even as the reel had reduced its amount of children from seven to three, with only one dancing couple in front. The corps’ dancing lacked the sharpness I’d seen the other nights and in the privacy of my mind, I was very happy on their behalf that they only had one more show to go, before they could return to Copenhagen and familiar venues.

Kizzy Matiakis, once more, delivered a perfect and heartfelt portrayal of Effy and has definitely become my go-to in the role. Opposite Alexander Bozinoff’s Gurn who is much gentler than Kaas’, it made perfect sense that she’d actually look happy as they paraded off stage after their wedding ceremony. It occurred to me while watching this that Kaas’ Gurn lives up to the comment Hübbe makes in his interview about the production in the programme – that the Sylph is the embodiment of the temptation that all men experience, that Gurn too someday might wake up and find a Sylph by his side. However, Bozinoff’s Gurn doesn’t strike me as a character that would ever stray from Effy and it really brought a warmth to that storyline which was difficult to find fully in Kaas’ interpretation, although I did love it.

It also really added something to Matiakis’ Effy to have Bødtcher’s Anna to play up against, rather than Kloborg’s stern matriarch. Bødtcher’s Anna was warmer and as moved by the events that unfolded as Effy herself. They mirrored each other much more clearly than with Kloborg’s Anna where it became more a matter of contrasts. I love both portrayals of Anna, to be honest and wouldn’t be able to pick one over the other. They bring two different spins to the story.

The second act started out rather promising with an absolutely perfect caldron scene. Sebastian Haynes was once more a striking, cleanly-characterised Madge with sharp gestures and an unequalled range of facial expressions that translated across great distances, although I felt particularly touched by him in my front row seat. The intensity of the interaction between Dean and Haynes was really the saving grace of the night, now developed into a whole story arc going far beyond the beginning of the ballet and stretching into the unknown future after curtain fall. I didn’t notice it myself until a picture was posted of Haynes in costume and makeup on Instagram afterwards, but he’s painted a big white scar across his scalp and my girlfriend noticed how, in the first act right before James kicks him out, Haynes’ Madge engages in a staring contest with Anna, gesturing to the scar as if reminding her of how it got there. It was very subtle and added a lot of depth to the already profound relationship between Madge and James. It also made it seem even more tragic that at the end of the ballet, after Madge’s kiss has left James lifeless, Madge steps over his body with the most distraught expression in his eyes. Yes, he won, but winning never felt so bad before. A big round of applause to Haynes for tackling such a difficult and controversial role with such skill and integrity.

Stephanie Chen once more danced 1. Sylph and was splendid as always. She breezed through the choreography with lots of elegance and strength, showing both an air of serenity and one of smiling grace.

The rest of the second act was so and so. The corps was generally struggling with cohesiveness once more, although the “sylph ring” was the best I’ve seen so far and very pretty. Dean is such a musical dancer and adjusted to the changing tempo of the music with great finesse. His acting around the many sylphs was as endearing as it has been the other times. However, he had one somewhat evident stumble in one of his solos. Likewise, one of the corps girls took a fall as the sylph sisters entered and took their positions. It looked like she slipped and fortunately, she recovered quickly, getting up and taking her position before the paired dance started for real.

From the scene where Madge gives James the veil and onwards, the second act came together and redeemed itself. I won’t babble forever about the strengths of every scene with Haynes and Dean, because I’d just be repeating myself, but it was a trend throughout. Those two really saved La Sylphide that night. Watson once more shone in the death scene, but also defined herself really strongly in the divertissement. Something I really love about Watson’s Sylph is the fluidity of her arms and the way she controls her movements from her shoulders to her fingertips. As the Sylph’s blood froze to ice, Watson was visibly trembling. As she was chasing the veil, her arms were used beautifully and I really enjoyed that part of the choreography between her and Dean.

All in all, it wasn’t the best Sylphide I’ve seen (and maybe I’m extra critical because I saw the wonder of J’aime, Dean and Haynes together in Holstebro only a few nights before), but it had some great moments and strong performances, by Haynes especially. It still made me sad that the applause was so poor. As Watson and Dean went out for their second round of applause, it kind of died midway and only revived when people realized that the curtain wasn’t going down. Very awkward.

Next, I’ll be going to Copenhagen. On the 13th, I’ll hopefully be seeing my beloved Susanne Grinder as the Sylph and I’m excited to be seeing Marcin Kupinski as James again. He has received raving reviews. Along with Kloborg’s Madge, it can only be a five star performance. Holly Dorger has also just put on Instagram that she will be returning to the stage for the first time in Theme and Variations, so I will cross my fingers that she’s still dancing on that date, because I’d love to see her in the lead.

And two weeks later, it’s back to Copenhagen for closing night.

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Copenhagen, 13.02.2016

The cast of La Sylphide I'd hoped, prayed and wished for and thus looked most forward to seeing, I finally got to see yesterday on the Old Stage in Copenhagen. How wonderful it was being back in those well-known surroundings, sliding into those red velvet seats - soft and three rows from the stage. A perfect view.

Before we went in, we had coffee in the theatre cafe (August B) next to framed in and signed photos of various dancers. Gudrun Bojesen, J'aime Crandall and Ulrik Birkkjær were the ones I could immediately glimpse. It was a fun discovery to find one of the coffees named a "Hübbe Latte" and describes as "having a little extra power", we were very amused.

The orchestra was once more led by Geoffrey Styles and for the most part the music sounded amazing. I still wasn't as floored as I'd been at several performances with the Aalborg Symphonic, but my girlfriend who is musically trained insisted that the execution was cleaner and better here. I'd probably just got used to the other orchestra's particular sound...

La Sylphide was amazing last night, despite a couple of mishaps, the biggest of which was the lack of a veil in the caldron scene! The cast consisted of Susanne Grinder (so be aware of some bias on my part), Marcin Kupinski, Sebastian Kloborg with Kizzy Matiakis as Effy, Andreas Kaas as Gurn and Mette Bødtcher as Anna. 1. Sylph was once more Hilary Guswiler.

The overall feeling, atmosphere and consistency of the performance was remakable and the cast very synched to each other, creating a sense of a whole. The interaction between everyone in the first act was almost filmic in its detail and finally having the entire company at disposal filled the stage with life. I especially noticed this tall, broad man who was the second to get his fortune told by Madge and he just managed to present a full portrayal as this dim-witted simpleton. It was superb! Also a shout-out to Morten Eggert for bringing the knee back. There was this wonderful mime in my original DVD with Hübbe and Lis Jeppesen, when the men go look for James in the forest and one is sent to look, but complains about his knee... Eggert brought this back yesterday and only then did I realise that I'd missed it! Camilla Ruelykke-Holst was also splendid as Nancy and had amazing interaction with Matiakis' Effy. Especially in the last part of the Reel when she and another girl spin around with Effy in the middle. It was so touching, how she'd look at her with so much sympathy, worry and care.

As for the main cast. What a trio! Marcin Kupinski was my first on-stage James back in 2011 and he never really spoke to me back then. Yesterday his dancing was vibrant, especially his solo in act 1 was briliant, the best I've seen yet. His acting, too, was lovely. He was a very devoted, serious James, the epitome of "the good boy" who just wants his mother's approval and the good life that he's been brought up to believe will come from it. When the Sylph appeared to him, be was truly perplexed, as if he'd kept this urge repressed for so long that he could barely recognise it once it materialised in front of him.

Thus, for all of act 1 there was a palpable distance in the relation between the Sylph and James. She wanted him to come with her into her world where he would finally be happy and free, but he kept fighting her. And never have I seen a James fight his Sylph so bravely. He tried locking his attention on Effy again and again, kept close to her, as she went to get dressed for the ceremony, neither of them seemed willing to let go of each other as if they both sensed it would otherwise be a farewell.

Once more Kizzy Matiakis was amazing as Effy and she really melted into the role and the relationship between Effy and James with Kupinski to play up against. Those two were a true highlight of the evening. The almost insane rage with which Matiakis ripped her wedding accessories off was chilling...

As for my favorite, Susanne Grinder. I have always loved Susanne as the Sylph, she's a defining portrayal of this role for me, both in the traditional production and I remember her with a particular awe from the opening night of Hübbe's version last season. She was perfect. So I went in with great expectations to her and for the first fifteen minutes, I felt I might not see them be met.

Because, was Susanne's Sylph ever something else than how she'd danced it last season and certainly different from Crandall and Watson, although there were moments where Crandall's and Susanne's dramatic choices were similar. No, really, Susanne's portrayal was a unikum. Unique and breath-takingly perfect once it all came together. Once the curtain went down, I was left with a deep admiration for the sheer depths she had gone to and portrayed with such care.

Nevertheless, as I watched her dance the Sylph's intro solo, I wondered if she had hurt herself, if she had an off day... Her expression would interchange between one of intense focus (on James) and every now and then, a glimpse of a smile. This wasn't the innocently playful Sylph. This being was, in fact, not innocent at all. She was a creature of myth, a creature of the alluring but dangerous outsides. Throughout her solo, she build up her movements from smaller, almost careful jumps, adding intensity and height throughout as the music rose and as it climaxed, she rushed towards James and kissed him with intent.

Susanne's Sylph was one that could and would execute a strong, strong pull on James. Had she been light and playful, his resistance wouldn't have made sense. What is there to fear from a laughing forest sprite? But you could understand his hesitation now, when the Sylph was dark eyes as much as smiling promises. Susanne's Sylph was supernatural, a tiny bit unsettling, mature and in the end, impossible not to fall in love with. For me as well as for James. Susanne created a whole character of this "pretty package" and she revealed the entirety of her in gradual stages where it only really fell into place when you stared at the final end result. The grand tragedy. What a place it fell into!

My favourite part of the first act, when it comes to Susanne was definitely the window scene. The way Susanne truly let in the light and pitied James. The way she hesitated with entering upon his request, looking around as if finding the grey room too small for the both of them... And once she entered, it was too small. Not physically, but her mime and her dancing was larger than those walls, larger than life and she almost got James to burst through their entrapment, too.

Kupinski and Susanne had the best chemistry in these roles. I've seen them paired more times than I care to count, but only yesterday did I suddenly understand why. I saw their subtleties working together instead of erasing each other. I saw them complimenting each other to perfection. More of this, please!

However, where everything was truly elated into another world, as it must be at its best, was in the second act. It even started on the most unfortunate note when the caldron didn't produce any scarf. Apparently, someone had forgotten to put it in. Kloborg and his helpers went through the mine without a hitch, but Madge's empty hands as he exited the stage looked somewhat jarring.

1. Sylph was Hilary Guswiler and I was happy to see her redeem herself from when I saw her in Aarhus. She was secure in her technique and very charming to look at. The sylph corps did pretty well overall, actually, especially in the ensemble scenes. The three sylphs were more out of synch than I've seen them before, now speak of jarring...

Susanne entered the white room with yet another nuance to her Sylph. Binding together with act 1, she was determined in her refusal to let herself be touched, but then adopted the lighter air of the surroundings. James' change when in it. She was lightness and soft, happy smiles. She was striking, strong leaps with perfect musicality. She was fluid turns and strong balances. It occured to me that Susanne's Sylph served as James' mirror - that in act 1, she'd mirrored many of his inner feelings about his life and that here in act 2, she was mirroring his freedom. Naturally, as it had been her freedom first, the freedom she was born of and the freedom she was giving him. From here on her portrayal was just block upon block of escalation to the point where the tragedy would unravel.

Her solos in the divertissement were amazing. Fluid, precise movements. Delicate and detail-rich mime. Big arms. Flying jétés. The first solo got a few of us clapping, although usually people wait until the final pose. As the corps sylphs flocked on stage with James at the front, Susanne came in from the side and led them with such precise, delicate movements, her gaze focused intently on James and her eyes absolutely magnetic. Like I said, just a tiny bit unsettling.

Throughout all of this, Kupinski's James was a disbelieving man, unaccustomed to this new lack of boundaries. However, the freedom and the Sylph as its embodiment seemed to slowly intoxicate him, until he wanted all of it. All of her. This development in him really led the story unwards at a natural pace and he took the scarf from Madge unquestioningly. As the Sylph entered again, the new discrepancy between them was immediately obvious and carried into their very dancing. As she chased the scarf, they weren't completely in sync, but somehow it fit the feeling of it. Finally, Susanne's Sylph desperately, almost angrily begs for him to tell her what to do to get this scarf which has this same dangerous, inexplicable pull on her that she has had on James. He makes her kneel and for a second before she complies, everything reverts to peacefulness as she claps her hands and kneels down, arms open.

The intensity in the following choreography was so stark that you could almost hear it in the theatre. The silence. Kupinski holds his breath, wraps the scarf around her shoulders and then embraces her with blind abandon. Selfish disregard. This was rape. Susanne's Sylph wasn't pretty in her forced surrender. She broke. As her arm snapped up, the curves of her body, right down to the lift of her foot resembled contortions. It was an absolutely magnificent moment.

Like both J'aime and Watson, Susanne had a fantastic death scene. It was intense and touching, but also much more grim than either of the other two versions I've seen. The tragedy was not only that James killed her, the tragedy was also that this beautiful creature had to die at all. All Susanne's gestures were poignant, her arms and fingers shook, she rose then fell off then rose back on point when giving him his ring. Susanne's Sylph died, her face darkening and the darkness pouring into James' world from there. The finale was simply a natural extension of this darkness.

Kloborg's and Kupinski's final scene was breath-taking. The last visual of James on the ground and Madge standing empty-handed over him was stark and devastating.

A fine, nuanced performance from everyone. Lovely to see this version unfold on its home stage in its entire fullness. I was thankful to see Susanne's Sylph performed so masterly (and she received a loud, enthusiastic and wholly deserved applause at curtain call), gain new admiration for Kupinski as James, get overwhelmed by Kloborg's Madge once more, see Matiakis' Effy's equally careful portrayal, Kaas' strong but less harsh portrayal of Gurn (I think this was the best I've seen him in the role) and minor, stellar performances from Hilary Guswiler, Mette Bødtcher and the corps. A+!

I'm going back to Copenhagen on the 27th for closing night. Casts haven't been announced for the last two performances, but I would love to see this cast one last time. Since Susanne doesn't seem to get Juliet for the upcoming Romeo and Juliet, I really hope she will get if not both Sylphides, then at least the last one.

As for Theme and Variation, my dream came true and I got to see Holly Dorger in the lead. Last night's T&V was absolutely stunning. Not only was Holly amazing (I'll talk more about her in a bit), but the corps was in sync and executed the steps with energy, force and lovely musicality.

This was Holly's second time dancing the solo in T&V. She was paired by Ulrik Birkkjær, but I was curious to find that although he is a principal and she a soloist, she stole the show. She carried the choreography all the way through. Birkkjær didn't have a good evening and struggled with his solos especially, but soldiered through the PDD and acted as a reliable partner for Holly, but she was truly the one who brought presence and charisma to the stage. With her perfect technique, softness, turns and large doe eyes. If this girl isn't the next to be made principal, there is no justice in the world. I wouldn't have been surprised if she had been promoted yesterday at curtain call. Wouldn't have questioned it for a second.

She looked like a princess and managed to pair her sweetness with regality. I love J'aime, but Holly owned this role and commanded the stage, so you saw only her at the centre, as the centre of the beautiful flurry.

Her solos were precise and crisp. What a turner that girl is! How softly she can move as well. I'm officially a big fan now, no doubt.

Although Birkkjær wasn't at his best, his and Holly's PDD was wonderfully dreamy. Holly was constantly focused on Birkkjær and created a palpable feeling of longing between them... And oh, once the finale came about with the parade and the corps and the in and out of the soloists... The hall was breathless and even before the music had finished, before the curtain was all the way down, applause rang loud and wild.

Amazing. I truly hope I'll get to see Holly dance this again. J'aime is preparing for Juliet, so I may get the chance on the 27th.

I really look forward to my last Sylphide trip.

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Casting is up for the last two performances. 23rd will be with Watson/Birkkjær/Haynes (Birkkjær probably taking over for Dean, since Dean will be preparing for Romeo in the upcoming Romeo and Juliet) in the leading trio. Caroline Baldwin and Jonathan Chmelensky in T&V. Baldwin has also been cast as 1. Sylph that day. Alexander Bozinoff as Gurn and Stephanie Chen as Effy (I really hope she gets to dance the role this time, especially since she's been cast both the 23rd and 27th). Eva Kloborg as Anna.

Someone apparently heard my casting prayer, because the 27th it's Susanne Grinder/Kupinski/Kloborg in the trio. I couldn't be happier, now I just hope there won't be any last minute changes! Stephanie Chen as Effy and Jon Axel Fransson as Gurn. I really hope to see these two in those roles, it would be wonderful, I'm sure! Hilary Guswiler again as 1. Sylph. Mette Bødcher as Anna. I really hope this stays, because I want to see this so bad. Not to mention that Holly and Birkkjær are dancing T&V that night, too. Oh, dear Lord, let it be.

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Since Saturday was a first for me in this regard, I'll start off with some notes on Theme and Variations.

The performance I saw this weekend, led by Holly Dorger and Ulrik Birkkjær was the best I've seen, full stop. Holly completely outdid herself; she really shone brightly, I swear I couldn't take my eyes off of her even for a second. There was one awkward instance (on my part, not hers!) after her amazing solo, right before the PDD, where I was so overwhelmed that I spontaneously started to clap, but nobody else was clapping, so I just sank into my seat really embarrassed. But wow, that girl brought her A-game Saturday. Actually, they all did! Never have I seen the corps look so fine and perfectly in sync for this ballet. It was a joy to watch. Lena-Maria Gruber had taken her place amongst the four soloist ladies and fit in very well. Their heights were in unison which was actually quite a relief. Once more, the only person on that stage that could make me take my eyes off of Holly was Sebastian Haynes who partnered Ida Praetorius as one of the soloist men. He dances with such overwhelming energy and feeling, looking at him jump brings me true happiness, it really does. Not to mention his expressive face... Well, back to the main couple. Ulrik Birkkjær was much better today than last time and although I still think he struggled a little with the pace, his jumps were amazing, his turns were very convincing and his partnering of Holly just true love. Now that they've danced both this and Swan Lake together, I hope it means they're going to partner them more often in the future, what with Holly being a principal now. They're a very fine combi with the same sort of softness and great attention towards their partners.

Speaking of which. I was allowed to witness my first on stage promotion! I began attending the ballet regularly as a result of reading about Susanne Grinder's promotion to principal in 2010 at a very low point in my life and ever since, I've thought of this particular act as very special, almost magical. To be allowed to see Holly Dorger who has definitely become a favourite of mine finally and much deserved get promoted to principal at the company I consider mine was a great honour and very, very moving for me. The ten-minute non-stop applause, the cheering, the direct contact with the audience as she took her bows again and again... I know this will stay with me forever.

As for the rest of the night. Altogether it was just perfect. Aside from the orchestra really struggling with Løvenskiold, sometimes to such a degree that the dancers were left to dance blindly as a result, the entire company brought all their best assets out into play. Marcin Kupinski didn't quite fly as impressively this time in his solos as last, but his acting was a thousand times better and so spot on in his interaction with Sebastian Kloborg's Madge, Kizzy Matiakis' Effy and, not least, Susanne Grinder's Sylph. These four combined delivered what I will without a tremble call my ultimate La Sylphide performance, messy music be damned. Wow. Just wow. Perhaps due to Jon Axel Fransson's Gurn, Matiakis danced her very finest Effy with a lovely subtlety to rein in the overwhelming tragedy and emotional storm. Fransson's Gurn is my favourite, I must say. He is, so far, the only Gurn I've seen who wasn't in any way an unlikable character. He loved Effy genuinely, honestly and without selfish intentions. He was worried for her happiness in her relationship to James. He didn't really want to help or be helped by Madge, but sometimes life serves you lemons and he made lemonade. It was such a cohesive and impressive piece of acting (not to mention that solo in act one, oh my) that I will eat my hat if Hübbe doesn't soon make a J'aime Crandall on him, let him be a soloist for half a year for the sake of propriety and then promotes him to principal. He is principal material, that's for certain. If they give him Basilio in Don Q, I see nothing but possibilities, possibilities, possibilities... Okay, I'm done gushing. The first act was so sharp and engaging, coming together so nicely. The reel was amazing, I just wanted to watch it over and over and over. Susanne's Sylph was lighter this time around and although I liked the nuances she created last time, Saturday was just such a Susanne day through and through. Light and airy and thought-like. She floated and was impossible to resist, still dangerous in the way elf girls are. The part where she tries to lure James with her out and he keeps resisting and she jumps forward, moves back, making him move with her - the connection she and Kupinski showed there made you actually believe that she, by this magical attraction, had entered his mind and he just couldn't fight her. It was such a masterly portrayal. I loved it.

Second act wasn't quite as polished, but had some of the absolute most amazing moments. This time Kloborg did produce a veil from the cauldron and... A couple of words about Kloborg's Madge. When I first saw him in Aarhus, I liked him, but thought he was rather cold and aloof. As he's danced the role more, the coldness has given way for an underlying glimpse of emotion. The love story between Madge and James isn't as overt as between Haynes and Dean (which I also love), but it's obvious at this point that Madge is invested in James for some reason we are left to guess at and these emotions do get throught the hard facade every now and then. As he walked off with the veil, he held it almost lovingly in a reflection of how the Sylph caresses Effy's scarf in act one. Very nicely done. Hilary Guswiler was 1. Sylph and was the best I've ever seen her. For every time I see her, I like her more and more. She's not just beautiful, thought that she is as well, but her dancing was so smooth and fluid and light. Why she's still in the corps, I don't know. As far as I recall, she's danced some big roles a couple of years ago and then just... kind of slipped under the radar? How do you go from dancing Odette/Odile to dancing 1. Sylph? Well, I won't complain, she was a delight to look at. Bravo.

The music really failed in act two. The three sylphs, Camilla Ruelykke Holst, Lena-Maria Gruber and Hilary Guswiler managed to be pretty much in sync and actually made the best show of this particular part of the ballet I've seen so far. Very pretty. However, the corps girls really struggled as soon as they were no longer in formation. The four sylphs dancing together (I couldn't place their faces, but I've seen them all before) were just... so out of sync, it wasn't even funny. When Susanne came out to dance her first solo, the music just worked against her relentlessly and you could see how she tried following, but it didn't come together. There was nothing wrong with her dancing, it just fell flat due to the orchestral work. However, throughout the rest of the divertissement, the pace picked up and in the end, it was a very bright, very beautiful scene. Allover, maybe the best I've seen. Susanne's Sylph was so inspiring - as a part of her portrayal, too - you could see James be infested with her playfulness and lightness and Kupinski's solos were soaked in pure freedom. So wonderful.

The final scene with the scarf played out better than last time, too. They were so synchronised and displayed a very palpable connection. The thing I really love about Susanne's Sylph and Kupinski's James this time around is that you can tell they've danced the ballet together before. I remember Hübbe writing in the program introduction for his first, traditional Sylphide that the death of the Sylph should be understood as rape. Although he says nothing of the kind in the introduction for this version, it was very clear that Kupinski and Susanne had let it carry over into their performances now. He approaches her with such frightening intent, selfish disregard and takes her with quite a show of force. As her swung her around and then bent her into that beautiful position on one foot, Kupinski buried his face against her chest and looked quite beside himself, while Susanne's Sylph was in despair and struggled against him. It was very, very striking and I loved to see them just own it this time, because I remember it feeling... too pretty somehow, in the traditional version back in 2011. This time it wasn't pretty, it was ugly and it was tragic and it left me breathless. Susanne's death scene was once again sublime, but like the rest of her portrayal Saturday slightly softer. She was devastated, but also resigned in the "why couldn't you respect the terms of the game" way. From where I sat on second row, her features projected very, very clearly. She has such delicate, fine features, Susanne Grinder, but the lines of her face really told their own story during this scene. Often, I get the feeling that because people are used to thinking of the relationship between James and the Sylph as some sort of romance, they think of her death as HIS tragedy, but here it was hers. She owned it. As a result of that, James also suffered, but he didn't suffer because of her - her love or her demise, he suffered because he'd gone too far in his chase of it.

I will also mention that for the first time the relationship between Gurn and Effy in act two really made sense to me. Fransson had the most amazing moment after having found James' hat where he tries to explain to Madge that he needs to show it to the others and when he looks away, in that direction, Kloborg snatches the hat from him and stuffs it in his pocket. Fransson has the most amazing moment of looking at his empty hand and up at Kloborg, sort of complexed. He wasn't a bright Gurn, but he didn't need brains when he was so well-meaning. As they receive blessings from Anna, Fransson's Gurn only looks out at the audience very, very briefly - all his attention is on Effy, constantly. As the only Gurn I've seen, he kisses her on the mouth afterwards and the sweet moment afterwards just broke my heart. Matiakis' Effy seems to really melt into his touch, as if she's been craving this sort of undivided affection from the beginning. Which she probably has - having been engaged to James. So well portrayed, almost cinematic in its scope. The entire ballet is, really.

The final scene of Madge versus James was unbelievably dramatic. Kloborg's Madge just lost it and seemed to repeatedly be surprised at the extend of his own rage and its consequences. As James falls to the floor lifeless the first time and the Sylph is carried across the stage, he desperately slings Kupinski over one shoulder and slaps him in the face to get him to see it happen. As they clash again, like titans, afterwards, the back wall closes in and you just get this sense that James' safe haven, his happy place has been lost forever. Kloborg's Madge, too, stands over his body and keeps looking down, then up, then at his hands, then down again, then up again. There's no victory to it. This is the ultimate tragedy. Everyone with even the slightest connection to that dream world lost.

You know, even if they end up never staging this version again (as I have a feeling they might not), I feel so privileged to have seen THIS version as the last one - and to have followed this tour with such dedication. The experience, the many impressions, the intensity and the nearness I've felt to it will never leave me.

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"and to have followed this tour with such dedication"

I'm so glad you've been able to see this program several times -- you really learn a lot with that kind of intense observation. At some point, go back and re-read your comments on these performances. I think you'll be interested in seeing how your views deepen over the series of shows.

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