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NYCB Spring 2016 Spring Season


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Wow - I'm amazed to hear that about Veyette. I've seen him do this role so well. I hope it was just an off night.

I saw Andie Veyette both Tuesday and Friday. Tuesday was an off night. His performance on Friday was technically much stronger (no sloppiness at all) and his acting was, as always, excellent.

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I saw Andie Veyette both Tuesday and Friday. Tuesday was an off night. His performance on Friday was technically much stronger (no sloppiness at all) and his acting was, as always, excellent.

I've been underwhelmed by Veyette lately. He seemed to struggle through T&V (although perhaps only compared to Tiler Peck, who is always exquisite). Recently, I just didn't notice him much in Western Symphony and thought Christopher Grant in the PBS SAB Workshop more impressive jumps. He seems like a wonderful partner but these bravura roles may be eluding him lately. But it's good if he was stronger on Friday! On another note, so happy about Stanley's promotion. I find he's such a fluid dancer and can't wait to see him more!

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I always try to give a dancer the benefit of the doubt when s/he under-performs roles they've done very well in the past. Maybe they're dealing with an illness. Also, I figure they may be dealing with an injury, needing to baby it for a performance or even a small series of performances until it heals. Holding back a little for some performances allows them to actually heal and could very well permit them to return to their former excellence and extend their careers. It's such a balancing act for dancers; they deal with injuries all the time.

Note: I have no idea whatsoever if Veyette is dancing injured or is sick. I'm just commenting in general about my thought processes when dancers don't perform up to my usual expectations. I try to be forgiving until under-performance over a period of time becomes the norm.

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I always try to give a dancer the benefit of the doubt when s/he under-performs roles they've done very well in the past. Maybe they're dealing with an illness. Also, I figure they may be dealing with an injury, needing to baby it for a performance or even a small series of performances until it heals. Holding back a little for some performances allows them to actually heal and could very well permit them to return to their former excellence and extend their careers. It's such a balancing act for dancers; they deal with injuries all the time.

Note: I have no idea whatsoever if Veyette is dancing injured or is sick. I'm just commenting in general about my thought processes when dancers don't perform up to my usual expectations. I try to be forgiving until under-performance over a period of time becomes the norm.

Thank you vegansmom. My sentiments exactly, but you put it into words better than I could have.

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I was there one horrible night in February last year when Andy was clearly struggling through Donizetti Variations. Finally after a painful landing he winced visibly, walked offstage and Ashley Bouder improvised a coda alone for the remainder of the ballet. He was pulled from Rodeo the next night and was out for the rest of the season. In one recent instagram post he thanked Sterling Hyltin for "pulling the old man through."

https://www.instagram.com/p/BEujL2oFL6r/?taken-by=andiev1

I think if anything Andy overdances and goes out too hard and then sometimes runs out of stamina by the end of the ballet. Considering all the injuries dancers at NYCB have suffered in the past and present that have curtailed their career, I'm glad Andy is still dancing and fairly well, even if he has off nights.

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I was there one horrible night in February last year when Andy was clearly struggling through Donizetti Variations. Finally after a painful landing he winced visibly, walked offstage and Ashley Bouder improvised a coda alone for the remainder of the ballet. He was pulled from Rodeo the next night and was out for the rest of the season. In one recent instagram post he thanked Sterling Hyltin for "pulling the old man through."

https://www.instagram.com/p/BEujL2oFL6r/?taken-by=andiev1

I think if anything Andy overdances and goes out too hard and then sometimes runs out of stamina by the end of the ballet. Considering all the injuries dancers at NYCB have suffered in the past and present that have curtailed their career, I'm glad Andy is still dancing and fairly well, even if he has off nights.

I suspect De Luz's absence this season has had Veyette doing double time. The company now has several men who can bring the appropriate technique to the Villella roles, but they're really still the only ones who can bring the appropriate testosterone.

I'll be curious to see if Stanley is eventually able to project the same sort of lovable caddishness that they have. (I'm guessing Suozzi, Danchig-Waring, and Ramasar are too tall for that slice of the rep.)

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Grammar question, but shouldn't it be "on pointe" and not "on point" ? It's bugging me, but I don't know if I'm in the right.

Sur la pointe would most likely be the most correct, but "on Pointe" with the "e" at the end would also do. Without the "e" it becomes something else entirely.

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The Times had "on point" in the article about Kowroski and it drove me nuts. That means something different! I would use "on pointe" or "en pointe" depending on how Frenchy I wanted to be. French speakers also use the phrase "sur ses pointes," but that's more as "on her toes" (or his toes) and it's always plural.

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Ah yeah, I'm actually French myself, and wasn't sure if maybe that was the correct way y'all write it in English. But it sounds like the NYT just doesn't realize they aren't spelling this correctly. I thought "on point" was wrong, but wanted to make sure. Fix it, NYT!

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Thanks for the link unicorngabby.

Very pretty slide show of Miriam Miller. I got nothin' from the interview though, unfortunately--her answers were notably generic. I hope Miller is not going to turn out to be a beautiful blank.

I clicked on a link to NYT Macaulay's summation of the season, discussing the music--this was a refreshing discussion, I wish they'd comment on this more---and a few asides at the end reviewing some performers.

I disagree with his statement that Miami City is superior to NYCB--or rather, I think an accurate assessment cannot be made when comparing a week's worth of 1 company's performances to a whole season of another. ie, he calls out one isolated Mearns performance in Serenade as diva-ish. But what about the rest of her season? Entirely possible that some hypothetical dancers at MCB are likewise uneven performers, but this wouldnt be apparent from a week long visit. In addition to the fact that a company on tour will not dance they same way as they do all season in their own theater. I think there are other factors as well but will cut this post short here.

..except to add that Gottlieb has the same issue--I like reading his reviews and think he makes some valid points, but his personal involvement with MCB and his feud with NYCB admins have clearly altered his perspective on both companies. I know he's recused himself from reviewing MCB, but it was none too soon, and it doesn't change the fact that his love of MCB will seep into NYCB reviews.

I think a comparison of MCB and NYCB would be interesting, but neither Alastair nor Gottlieb is the right person to do it, though

sorry for any syntax errors, typing this in a very very loud train station

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Congratulations to Alec Knight who has been promoted from apprentice to the Corps de Ballet!

http://www.nycballet.com/Dancers/Dancers-Bios/Alec-Knight.aspx

Yes, congrats to Alec and to Taylor Stanley. I think there will be other promotions but this year is seems they will be announced later, after Paris or Saratoga. OTOH, the SAB workshop is this Saturday, Jume 4. We should know shortly afterwards who will be accepted into NYCB as apprentices. My one bet is on Kennard Henson, who was one of the SAB students coached in Tchai Pas for the demonstration event that occurs during the weekend of Balanchine's birth. I saw Kennard last year and was extremely impressed.

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I've been underwhelmed by Veyette lately. He seemed to struggle through T&V (although perhaps only compared to Tiler Peck, who is always exquisite). Recently, I just didn't notice him much in Western Symphony and thought Christopher Grant in the PBS SAB Workshop more impressive jumps. He seems like a wonderful partner but these bravura roles may be eluding him lately. But it's good if he was stronger on Friday!!

I think the problem with Andie has a few facets. One is that he's getting older and last year had that serious calf injury. Another is that Andie ALWAYS gets the bravura, technically demanding roles. And the third is that he doesn't really dance enough. Amar, for example, dances a lot more than Andie.

This last factor may be the most important reason because Danny Ulbricht has a similar problem. He is only used in bravura roles and he is criminally underused by the company. Yet he always comes out and knocks your socks off. Perhaps Danny's projects (like Dance Against Cancer) leave him in good shape.

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On 5/8/2016 at 2:36 PM, FITTB85 said:

I see a lot of talk about Ashley Laracey here. I agree, she is very underutilized and would have been a great fit in the DSCH role. I feel Ashley’s biggest roadblock is herself. I followed the “A Ballerina’s Life” Viber chat this fall and noticed Laracey’s comments presented a lot of self-doubt. When I saw her in the winter season I thought to myself ‘she needs to give herself a lot more credit!’ Perhaps this is why she is not frequently featured, Peter and the ballet masters may see a lack of confidence as well.

Watching the premiere of Peter Walker’s dance odyssey last evening I couldn’t help recollecting this comment—Ashley Laracey appeared to be the (balletic) embodiment of feminine elegance, poise and sophistication!

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