Lincoln Center Festival 2017

[sandik]

4 hours ago, Kathleen O'Connell said:

 

I ask this question about Paul Taylor and Merce Cunningham's works all the time. To me, so long as the choreographer's company is still in existence and is still actively engaged in conserving his or her essential style, its reading remains the touchstone.

 

 

The touchstone, yes, but is there room for other worlds? 

 

Taylor and Cunningham are interesting additions to this discussion, especially since they addressed the future of their own repertory very specifically, and very differently.  I imagine we've all seen some performances of Aureole that were far from what we think the Taylor style should be -- ditto with some performances of Summerspace (which I've seen performed by artists that didn't really seem committed to the aesthetic).  But we've likely also seem performances that were viable alternatives to the original material.

 

(I won't talk about seeing less-than performances by the companies themselves -- anyone can have a bad spell).

[sandik]

5 hours ago, nanushka said:

 

Thanks, abatt. I strongly recommend Nancy Goldner's long analysis in Balanchine Variations and, somewhat less strongly, Laura Jacobs' essay "Balanchine's Castle."

 

Alas, I am not a New Criterion subscriber -- I will have to schlep to the library for this one.

[sandik]

2 hours ago, MRR said:

The NYCB and Bolshoi approaches to Diamonds could not be more different: if Diamonds is considered "After Petipa," NYCB emphasizes the "After" and Bolshoi the "Petipa."

 

I'm not going to see any of these performances, but you've said something here that makes me feel like I might have -- very tight writing!

[nanushka]

1 hour ago, Gnossie said:

 

I hate how in 2017 US citizens still use the "black people/ white people" distinction but alright let me use it, first of all, not all "white people" are the same and maybe in the United States  the audience needs to see "black people" on stage to say "Look there is diversity" therefore taking for granted that any ensamble with no "black people" lacks diversity.....ERROR.
No, the Bolshoi is not #SoWhite, there are Georgians, Kazaks, Armenians, Uzbeks, Ukrainians and Belorussians in the company,  and there are dancers from all over Russia, there are Tartars, there are Osetians, a full rainbow of ethnias there is at the Bolshoi, not in every country diversity means having "black people",  in many countries is much more than that,Russia being one of those, the Bolshoi has too many problems but #BolshoiSoWhite is not one of them, it couldn't be possible when the ballet company is directed by Vaziev, who is an Osethian himself. 

Apologies for my poor english.
 

 

Heavens am I sorry now that I fired off that little attempt to be cheeky on my phone while walking down the sidewalk after the performance, but let me just repeat here that it was not intended as a criticism of the company or even meant to identify a "problem" per se. I am aware of the basic outlines of the history and demographics of Russia, of the distinctions between race and ethnicity, of the many non-racial varieties of diversity, of the problems with viewing race as a black/white binary, etc. etc. As I've said above, in response to another member who, I think, attributed (perhaps from a perfectly reasonable assumption) meanings to my comment that were not intended, I was merely noting this: 

 

–– how visually striking it is, from my perspective as a balletgoer in NYC, to see an ensemble on stage that looks overwhelmingly white.

 

That is the only message that was intended. I apologize to all if I was too shorthand with my original words; the tone of my postings on that particular evening was meant to be lighthearted. Of course, I look forward to any further discussion of the topic in general, but I hope that will be taken as my meaning.

 

Edited July 24, 2017 by nanushka

[Kathleen O'Connell]

7 hours ago, sandik said:

 

The touchstone, yes, but is there room for other worlds? 

 

 

Yes, of necessity and up to a point. Any company that wants to present a Balanchine ballet to its audience and has the wherewithal to do so ought to: it does neither his legacy nor the world any good to lock his work up in a cabinet like a rare manuscript that can only be viewed by special permission in a climate-controlled room while wearing white gloves and a surgical mask. Lord knows, that's not how we treat Shakespeare, Beethoven, or Petipa: tastes, technique, and technology change over time, and so does performance practice. 

 

That being said, choreography is more than an assemblage of codified steps; simply executing the steps in the right order to the right music isn't enough. The way the choreographer moves the body through space in time in relation to the music (and, I'd argue, in relation to dance tradition and codes of behavior as well -- body language if you will) is as essential as the steps. So are the things that are emphasized -- and, importantly, de-emphasized. I'm guessing, for instance, Balanchine wasn't particularly invested in the kind of tidiness that some styles require, and that insisting on it might in fact be detrimental to the way he wanted to see the body move in relation to the music. A company's style tells you what it values. It can't simply abandon those values wholesale to dance Platonic Idea Balanchine. But by the same token, it can't insist on something that's antithetical to the values that are central to Balanchine's choreography - the way phrases are shaped in relation to the music, for instance, or the way the arms are deployed to facilitate speed. 

 

A company that has been bred to present the body in time and space and with the kind of decorum that is ideally suited to Petipa is going to have to make some adjustments to do justice to Rubies. And it's OK if the Tall Girl has an accent (America is a nation of immigrants after all ) but she can't just be the Lilac Fairy engaging in some showgirl cosplay (or worse, a cheap hoyden, but I digress ...). Similarly, a company that's comfortable pulling the music out of shape to accommodate pyrotechnic display or using big preparations to signal that the next amazing feat is on its way will have to make adjustments to perform, say, Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux with the right kind of music-dependant showmanship.

 

By the way, I also think its wrong to patrol the borders of Balanchine style with unwarranted ferocity. Back in the day, someone tartly informed me that Bart Cook was dancing Melancholic all wrong and I was naive enough to believe him.

 

[nanushka]

11 hours ago, MRR said:

Marchenkova was the raunchiest Tall Girl I have ever seen.  Subtlety? Nyet!   I'm not really sure what I thought about it, except that it wasn't boring.  Her legs were like pistols, and she looked the audience straight in the eye: never letting them out of her grasp.  She did make an effort at the style and certainly should be credited with dancing extremely big.  Not even a particularly tall dancer, she certainly did everything to look like one.

 

This may not have been a definitive take on the role, but it sounds like a performance that I would definitely like to have seen, at least once!

[Kathleen O'Connell]

11 hours ago, MRR said:

The NYCB and Bolshoi approaches to Diamonds could not be more different: if Diamonds is considered "After Petipa," NYCB emphasizes the "After" and Bolshoi the "Petipa." There is nothing in-between, but the steps are basically the same. 

 

 

[canbelto]

FWIW, some of the most unidiomatic Balanchine performances I've seen (that have actually made me want to cover my eyes) has occurred right across the plaza at ABT. 

[Kathleen O'Connell]

4 minutes ago, canbelto said:

FWIW, some of the most unidiomatic Balanchine performances I've seen (that have actually made me want to cover my eyes) has occurred right across the plaza at ABT. 

 

Oh Lordy, yes! But there have also been some pretty good ones ... and I might add that the home team has dished up some clunkers right on the stage of the Theater Formerly Known as State.

 

Edited July 24, 2017 by Kathleen O'Connell

[canbelto]

23 minutes ago, Kathleen O'Connell said:

 

Oh Lordy, yes! But there have also been some pretty good ones ... and I might add that the home team has dished up some clunkers right on the stage of the Theater Formerly Known as State.

 

 

I actually remember the first time I saw Jewels (maybe 15 years ago) it was at NYCB and it was not a happy experience. I love Maria Kowroski but turns have always been iffy and that night the final pirouettes in the finale of Diamonds were particularly rough. She actually fell over. I think it took her many years to finally develop enough strength in her legs. I also remember that the Rubies was with Alexandra Ansanelli, who back then was being cast in nearly everything. Her Rubies was actually sort of like Ekaterina Kryasnaova's -- full of big grins right out to the audience. I remember liking Jenifer Ringer (???) in Diamonds. But yeah, not a performance for the ages and not the best intro to the ballet.

[Helene]

1 hour ago, Kathleen O'Connell said:

 

I third this!

 

MRR said:

Quote

The NYCB and Bolshoi approaches to Diamonds could not be more different: if Diamonds is considered "After Petipa," NYCB emphasizes the "After" and Bolshoi the "Petipa." There is nothing in-between, but the steps are basically the same. 

 

[sandik]

1 hour ago, Kathleen O'Connell said:

 

but she can't just be the Lilac Fairy engaging in some showgirl cosplay

 

 

There are many thoughtful ideas in this post, and I do appreciate them all, but this morning, this comment is the one that made me laugh out loud!  You didn't happen to be at ComicCon this weekend?

[sandik]

4 hours ago, nanushka said:

 

That is the only message that was intended. I apologize to all if I was too shorthand with my original words; the tone of my postings on that particular evening was meant to be lighthearted. Of course, I look forward to any further discussion of the topic in general, but I hope that will be taken as my meaning.

 

 

Can I have it both ways?  I'm sure that your original post was indeed a lighthearted comment about the stage picture -- the fact that it has opened doors to many other comments is not, I think, a terrible thing.

[sandik]

5 hours ago, Gnossie said:

 

I hate how in 2017 US citizens still use the "black people/ white people" distinction but alright let me use it, first of all, not all "white people" are the same and maybe in the United States  the audience needs to see "black people" on stage to say "Look there is diversity" therefore taking for granted that any ensamble with no "black people" lacks diversity.....ERROR.
No, the Bolshoi is not #SoWhite, there are Georgians, Kazaks, Armenians, Uzbeks, Ukrainians and Belorussians in the company,  and there are dancers from all over Russia, there are Tartars, there are Osetians, a full rainbow of ethnias there is at the Bolshoi, not in every country diversity means having "black people",  in many countries is much more than that,Russia being one of those, the Bolshoi has too many problems but #BolshoiSoWhite is not one of them, it couldn't be possible when the ballet company is directed by Vaziev, who is an Osethian himself. 

Apologies for my poor english.
 

 

Last thing first -- your English says what you want it to say.  Which means it's far better than my Italian, German, French, or Japanese. 

 

I agree that in the US we tend to frame diversity in terms of black and white, when in fact we are a much more colorful country.  I live in the Pacific Northwest, and around here, our Asian and First Peoples populations are sometimes more numerous than our African American.  But even though those groups have a long history of unfair treatment from the white majority, we still, as a country, are grappling with the after effects of slavery.  And these struggles play themselves out in almost all parts of our culture.  It's messy, it's painful, and in some cases it does push other peoples aside, which also makes it unfair.  But honestly, it is such a stain on our heritage, that we really do need to do this work, as strange as it may seem to someone looking at it from the outside.

 

Explanations are not excuses, but they are explanations.

[Kathleen O'Connell]

16 minutes ago, sandik said:

 

  You didn't happen to be at ComicCon this weekend?

 

 

Les Trocks de Cosplay ...

 

PS I would love to go to ComiCon, but I'll leave Wonder Woman to the pros. 

Edited July 24, 2017 by Kathleen O'Connell

[sandik]

As a friend of mine might say, a Trock without a frock.

[abatt]

I thought Marchenkova was fascinating as the tall girl on Sunday afternoon.  First, she has great flexibility, so she could lift that leg and smack herself in the head with it with no difficulty.  I loved her sexy and sultry demeanor.  Very fun to watch.  The lead cast in Rubies, not so much. 

 

A word about the Sat matinee Diamonds cast.  Alena Kovaleva (spelling?) was striking.  What long legs and gorgeous feet.  I was entranced.  She was a little young for the part, but she has exquisite lines.  Looking forward to seeing more of her, and her excellent partner (Tissi?) in the future.

 

Seeing Shrew this week, I suspect, will not be as exciting as these Jewels performances. Going from the sublime to the ridiculous.

 

How sad that traditional tutu ballets with large casts, set to classical music, are now either out of fashion or just too expensive to mount.

Edited July 24, 2017 by abatt

[Helene]

One of the problems with interpretations of Tall Girl, particularly when taken on by non-Balanchine companies, is that she becomes a caricature of Bad Girl.  With all of the pony imagery, the key, IMO, to a successful Tall Girl, is that you don't know immediately that she's wielding the invisible whip:  it's when it dawns on you while the four men are moving her legs that they are actually the strings, and she is the puppet master.  It's like in "The Lesson" where you realize that the Accompanist is pushing the Ballet Master's buttons.

 

That said, I thought Shipulina nailed it in the Bolshoi video.

[Barbara]

25 minutes ago, abatt said:b

How sad that traditional tutu ballets with large casts, set to classical music, are now either out of fashion or just too expensive to mount.

One reason I was not drawn to see the Bolshoi this time. Alas, I worked all the days of the Jewels performances.

[KarenAG]

1 hour ago, sandik said:

 

Last thing first -- your English says what you want it to say.  Which means it's far better than my Italian, German, French, or Japanese. 

 

I agree that in the US we tend to frame diversity in terms of black and white, when in fact we are a much more colorful country.  I live in the Pacific Northwest, and around here, our Asian and First Peoples populations are sometimes more numerous than our African American.  But even though those groups have a long history of unfair treatment from the white majority, we still, as a country, are grappling with the after effects of slavery.  And these struggles play themselves out in almost all parts of our culture.  It's messy, it's painful, and in some cases it does push other peoples aside, which also makes it unfair.  But honestly, it is such a stain on our heritage, that we really do need to do this work, as strange as it may seem to someone looking at it from the outside.

 

Explanations are not excuses, but they are explanations.

Beautifully stated, Sandik. 

[canbelto]

Hmm here's a picture of Alena Kovaleva. I think she looks so much like suzanne farrell down to the underbite.

 

 

[ABT Fan]

Canbelto: "Alena Kovaleva. I think she looks so much like suzanne farrell down to the underbite."

 

My goodness! If Farrell had a daughter.....

[cubanmiamiboy]

On 7/24/2017 at 7:29 AM, nanushka said:

How visually striking it is, from my perspective as a balletgoer in NYC, to see an ensemble on stage that looks overwhelmingly white.

 

There is absolutely nothing wrong with your post. The Bolshoi DOES look and IS very white. Not only the company...but the whole of Moscow and SP cities. I don't think I have ever in my whole life witnessed the sight of thousands of people walking toward me-(as in the Moscow subway)- where almost everyone had porcelain skin and overwhelmingly blue eyes. I notice a problem in US as to intertwine "race" with "ethnicity". People from different ethnic groups can all be or look pretty caucasian. Classic example...myself, and the confusion I see when I am asked in forms my race and I write "caucasian", and "Latin" as ethnic group-(Cuban born, Swedish descendant here). And then the ever present.."Oh..you don't look Cuban!", intended as a compliment...when in reality is quite offensive. Bottom line. There are many ethnicities out there-(as with those mentioned in the Bolshoi)-, but light skin is light skin...here and in China. That the Bolshoi IS white and LOOKS white is no rocket science to discover.

[canbelto]

To see just how much they look alike: 

 

[vipa]

For a great Diamonds pas check out Alexandra Ansanelli for what I think of as the right mood and feeling - simple but complex!