94 replies to this topic

[Kathleen O'Connell]

Watching Diamonds this afternoon, I again found myself enjoying Gwyneth Muller, this time as one of the demisoloists. She reminded me, for the first time, of Renee Estopinal (although they look nothing alike) for the simplicity and directness of her dancing, her warmth and her recently acquired sophisticated mien. I've come to treasure her.

This thread has been dormant for a long time. We've had lots of new corps dancers come go -- sometimes to soloist level or beyond. Anybody else want to add?

Yes! I have two new favorites: Lauren King and Rachel Piskin -- they are like rays of pure sunshine. I just love to watch them dance.

[Marga]

I used to watch Lauren in class at the American Theater Dance Workshop, school of the Eglevsky Ballet and as a child performer with the Eglevsky. She was about 12 years old when I first saw her. If ever anyone had a perfect body and facility for ballet, she did. I've seen her only once as a member of the corps de ballet at NYCB (since I live in Canada), but I mainly watched her, since I "knew" her. So nice that she's gotten a mention in this thread. I, too, love her dancing.

[nysusan]

There are so many corps girls at NYCB right now that draw the eye. Kathryn Morgan barley even fits in this category, she is a principal in waiting. Muller, King and Piskin for sure but I also find myself watching Ashley Laracy and Glenn Keenan all the time. Both were lovely in Emeralds yesterday afternoon and I think it was Keenan who did double duty also poping up in Diamonds. And Erica Pereira, my goodness she's extraordinary.

Over at ABT I always notice the lovely & elegant Zhong-Jing Fang, the sweet yet forthright presence of Anne Milewski and the lightness and delicacy of Renata Pavam, and this season I've also started to notice Jessica Saund. Among the men I've been had my eye on Grant Delong and Alexander Hammoudi for a few seasons now and of course Simone Messmer and Blaine Hoven are ripe for promotion.

And during the Kirov City Center season I was captivated by Svetlana Ivanova, Elena Androsova and Maria Shirinkina. Wish they were local so I could watch their progression!

[Paquita]

NBoC's Elena Lobsanova. A pure love of dance is evident in her in even the smallest roles. She has such a lovely and sweet on-stage personality, and her movements are expressed with a rare sense of calm and clarity. She's still quite young, and I'm sure she will be a star one day! I can already imagine her being a wonderful Odette, Juliet, or Aurora...

[Helene]

It's interesting for me to read this thread from the beginning, having been in Paris and London in April. Among the POB dancers mentioned here that I saw in soloist and principal roles in the Four Temperaments, Artifact Suite/Raymonda program are Fiat (whom I loved), Ould-Braham, Phavorin, Froustey, Thibault, and Gilbert. I was also very impressed by Cuthbertson at Royal Ballet.

Among others mentioned, I completely agree about Lewitzke; I was lucky to have seen her in one of the "Liebeslieder" performances. And about Renee Estopinal, a first among equals in many, many ballets.

Rosalie O'Connor is now taking spine-tingling and sensitive ballet photographs.

I once took my first boyfriend in NYC to see what was my first "Nutcracker". He loved all of the leotard ballets, but was allergic to tutus and rhinestones. It was a matinee, and he spend the first 1.5 parts of the ballet whining about the noise kids around us were making. Until Susan Freedman appeared as Coffee. That shut him up quickly enough, but I think at that moment he was lost forever I've never seen a Coffee that matched her.

Two of my all-time favorite corps members at PNB retired with tonight's "8 Encores" program: Kara Zimmerman and Rebecca Johnston. They are irreplaceable.

[bart]

Thanks, carbro, for rediscovering this thread.

It's always nice when you get to know a company well enough to identify large numbers of dancers by name and to look forward to seeing them perform. It's gratifying when some of your early personal favorites turn out to have major careers.

Miami is the company I've followed closest in the past 6 years. I wouldn't say "love" so much as "feel very personally attached to." They're also the dancers who draw the eye, especially when you've seen a program a number of times. Whatever ther role, they dance with zest, commitment, and attention to detail. It's so clear that they love to dance ... perhaps that's why we love them in return.

I'd go with:
Jeanette Delgado (from Apprentice to Principal in only 4 seasons).
Alex Wong (promoted to soloist in his 3rd season), and
Daniel Baker (Apprentice to Corps in his second year).

Based on their work as Company Apprentices this year -- and their performances at "Our Show" a few weeks ago, I know that I will be aiming my opera glasses in the direction of these newly promoted corps members:
Christie Sciturro
Bradley Dunlap, and
Michael Breeden

[bean]

Helene,
Kara Zimmerman is not retiring from dance. She is leaving PNB to become a soloist with Cincinnati next season!

[Helene]

Helene,
Kara Zimmerman is not retiring from dance. She is leaving PNB to become a soloist with Cincinnati next season!

She retired from PNB but I'm thrilled for her that she's continuing her career in Cincinnati. I hope the audience there cherishes her, because there isn't a single role of any size at PNB that she didn't dance completely, and it never mattered if she was in the front or back row or center stage.

[atm711]

At yesterdays performance of ABT's Don Quixote (Reyes/Cornejo/Boone/Radetsky) it was a Corps dancer Melissa Thomas who opened my eyes wide with her dancing of the Queen of the Dryads in the 2nd Act. The beauty of her line and the crystal quality of her technique notwithstanding, it was her expressiveness that raised her performance to such an enjoyable height. She easily managed to steal the scene from the Ballerina; I went to the performance to see Cornejo but came away with a new discovery.

[sylvia]

I couldn't resist replying...Yuhui Choe in the Royal Ballet. She has wonderful willowy arms, the way she holds and uses her head, and such a way about her dancing that's completely captivating, I've managed to pick her out from the back of the amphi where you can't see much of anything. I've had friends who are totally clueless about dancing pick her out from the corps too, and she's a firm favourite with the regulars. I don't think she's done many soloist roles apart from Princess Florine and other fairies in SB, but she's getting her big chance as SPF this Christmas. Watch this space - the soloist and principal ranks are a bit crowded at the moment, but I'd love to see her promoted.

http://info.royalope...d...252&cs=1252

[bingham]

At yesterdays performance of ABT's Don Quixote (Reyes/Cornejo/Boone/Radetsky) it was a Corps dancer Melissa Thomas who opened my eyes wide with her dancing of the Queen of the Dryads in the 2nd Act. The beauty of her line and the crystal quality of her technique notwithstanding, it was her expressiveness that raised her performance to such an enjoyable height. She easily managed to steal the scene from the Ballerina; I went to the performance to see Cornejo but came away with a new discovery.

I'm glad she is ,finally, getting recognition for her talent.i know it's the wrong forum but how did Herman do?

[cargill]

I so agree, she was stunning, all I could think of is "Why isn't she doing a Lilac Fairy?"

At yesterdays performance of ABT's Don Quixote (Reyes/Cornejo/Boone/Radetsky) it was a Corps dancer Melissa Thomas who opened my eyes wide with her dancing of the Queen of the Dryads in the 2nd Act. The beauty of her line and the crystal quality of her technique notwithstanding, it was her expressiveness that raised her performance to such an enjoyable height. She easily managed to steal the scene from the Ballerina; I went to the performance to see Cornejo but came away with a new discovery.

[bart]

I've had friends who are totally clueless about dancing pick [Yuhui Choe] out from the corps too ...

That's always a remarkable sign and pretty rare.

[ ... ] and she's a firm favourite with the regulars.

That's the clincher. The combination of these two groups really do confirm that something special is going on.

Are there any other among our Royal Ballet fans who have been paying close attention to this dancer?

[bertrande]

That's always a remarkable sign and pretty rare.

...Are there any other among our Royal Ballet fans who have been paying close attention to this dancer?

I am one of her fans. She has a very distinct presence and it was a pleasure seeing her in La Bayadere (both as a solo shade and as the corps dancer leading the shades down the ramp) and various other roles. I think management is allowing her to develop slowly but surely - compared with Zhongjing Fang, I think she's been given more opportunities albeit at a more measured pace and not in spurts. I can't recall off-hand but wasn't she the RB's representative at the Eric Bruhn competition? I've followed her career with much interest and I too hope she'll get promoted sooner rather than later!

[ami1436]

I am a huge Yuhui fan! I've followed her since her win at Laussanne, and I love her love her love her. She has the most lovely, musical arms and fantastic footwork. There are some bits of choreography which I don't like, which she can make speak to me. Early in the season she did the fast shade variation from Bayadere (the one ending with releve en voyage in arabesque). I was surprised to see her cast as this as I had thought of her as more of a lyrical dancer, but she astounded me with her phrasing and presence. And yes, she was at the Bruhn competition.