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britomart

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Everything posted by britomart

  1. Considering that most of the pics of the two of them show him grabbing her breast, I'm not sure I would qualify this as a move up in the world.
  2. He is still listed on the website, whereas the other retirees are not.
  3. They do indeed allow people to take drinks back to their seats now, as they are doing at many regional theaters (for example, the Asolo Theater in Sarasota recently made that change). Many venues see it as a way to make extra revenue, and I for one am grateful not to have to throw back my glass of wine in five minutes (takes ten to get it, particularly at Saratoga). I'm sorry, Deborah, that you have had such a bad experience there. I've been going to SPAC since I was a child, and always found the audiences to be fairly courteous and wildly appreciative. It's actually one of my favorite places to see NYCB; there's something almost primeval about watching dancers dance under the sky as the sun sets.
  4. I'd vote for Barry Foster (the serial killer in Hitchcock's "Frenzy"). Sorry Blaine.
  5. Oh no... Don't leave us hanging. Please.
  6. I realize that this statement is not going to contribute to the discussion, but a good bit of this thread and the other one on the dancer layoffs from NYCB feels like a bad day in law school or an academic conference that has gotten out of hand, where someone just wants to be right at the expense of the ideas being circulated.
  7. Thanks for all your responses - I remember taking class with Molly when she was quite young, and it was obvious that she was a prodigious talent. Not in a fireworks-and-schmaltz way, but in a thoughtful and mature one. I hope that resurfaces soon.
  8. britomart

    Molly Smolen

    Does anyone know if Molly Smolen has left SF Ballet? If so, does anyone know where she has gone? Thanks!
  9. Nicely said, Leigh! I'd definitely agree w/Mozartiana. Also certain roles in Liebeslieder and Davidsbundlertanze - I don't know enough about the choreographic history of these ballets, but it seems as though certain roles were choreographed with more mature dancers in mind. And I've only seen "Orpheus" with older dancers as Eurydice (Helene Alexopolous, Darci Kistler) so I find it hard to imagine a young dancer in the part. I'd also put the Waltz Girl role from Serenade on the list. One ballet I think benefits somewhat from youth is "Allegro," not just because of the technical demands, but because there is something of an Aurora-like quality about the female principal's part, but without the narrative that sometimes an older dancer can use to great advantage. I am a bit biased about "Allegro" though, because one of the most extraordinary performances of it that I have ever seen was Alexandra Ansanelli's debut in the part about 5 (?) years ago. There was something about her; she was still a girl but on the brink of becoming the woman she grew into, and seeing that moment in that ballet was magical. What about roles that can go either way? One for me is 2nd mvmt. Symphony in C - someone (was it cabro?) mentioned recently remembering Darci's 16-year-old debut in the role, and many people have lauded Whelan's rendition over the last couple of years. Of course, Whelan's body is holding up extraodinarily even though she is approaching 40, which is not true for every dancer. In her New York Times Magazine interview Whelan said that performing that role was "like talking to God." I don't think that one needs to be a particular age to talk with God, but perhaps communicating that to other mortals is something that is more natural for some dancers early on, and some come to over time.
  10. There seems to be as much bashing here of Ms. Kelso as she did in her article on the ballet world!! As both a former professional dancer (and no, you've never heard of me, I'm sure, but I did dance with several very well-known companies) and a current graduate student in English and film, I think that although Ms. Kelso's article was clearly biased, there were some issues raised that are worth raising, as canbelto mentioned. It seems a bit pointless to start denigrating the academic profession (which does indeed have it's own set of pervasive problems, although many of my colleagues are the funniest people I know, and teaching has provided me with some of the most ludic of experiences and exchanges that I've ever had). I think that since the basic critique of Ms. Kelso's work is one of moderation (that she used sources one-sidedly, even at times inaccurately) that the most productive response would be a balanced one rather than another one-sided attack - sometimes the best offense is really not the best defense. There is a facet of truth in what drval 01 said about academic publishing - but it's not the publishing it's the training. One is expected to present an argument in an article, and while there are certainly better or worse ways to prove it, one cannot write a sort of overview of varied opinions on a subject with no personal or authorial stakes. You can disagree with those stakes or even the conclusion, but it's not a middle-of-the-road kind of genre. One thing that I found interesting in this thread was the discussion of the sour grapes model of writing, and a few people implied that Ms. Kelso was no one in the dance world and now is no one in academia. This, besides being a personal attack, is also possibly not true. While it does sound as though she didn't have the best experience in dance, it's not the best evidentiary move to assume she has based an academic career on a previous disappointment. Second, it's very possible that Southern Ill is a top-ranked grad program in sociology; don't forget the number one school in English in the country is a state school (Berkeley) and I know for a fact that some of the big Midwestern state schools have the top-ranked programs in certain social sciences. Finally, since I brought up the point of balance, I'd like to finish by saying that I don't agree with all of Ms. Kelso's points, nor the point made in the thread that graduate students have less creative agency than dancers. Both, of course, depend entirely on context. I've worked with directors and choreographers who made their dancer's creative input an integral part of the creative and rehearsal process and ones that treated their dancers like cogs in a wheel, whose only purpose was to serve their particular vision. Academia in some ways has encouraged my creativity in ways I'd never imagined, while at the same time it is true that this creativity has to be exercised within particular parameters. Neither is a system of absolutes. It's interesting that I remember another post some time ago about individual interpretation where there was some serious backlash against the academy. I wonder why there is a tendency for these two arenas to almost immediately face off and assume ranks. It doesn't have to be this way. I attended the Balanchine symposium at Ann Arbor two years ago, which was quite illuminating and a rather wonderful amalgam of people working in the field and people studying and writing about it. I know this sounds a bit like "Why can't we all just get along?" but why can't we get along better?
  11. Fayette's not that young - he was born in 1970 - so while he certainly didn't have to retire yet, he must have been thinking his NYCB afterlife. I don't know, but it seems reasonable that he would retire b/c he was offered the job with AGMA, which is something he's been involved with for quite awhile as company rep.
  12. I will say that I had much the same question as you did last year, Bart, when the SPAC scandal erupted. However, I have been lucky enough to spend two weeks up here this summer (my mom is a long time summer resident) and the whole town is buzzing with excitement about the ballet's return, and I can honestly say that I can't imagine the place without it. It might be true that NYCB might make a bit more off of a summer tour, but they are part of the summer tradition here, and SPAC is a part of the company's tradition now. So it's more complicated and involved than the finacial aspects suggest. I want to mention that NYCB forms part of the cultural fabric in Saratoga, and that its loss could also mean the loss of some of the other wonderful events that take place during the summer, many of which are free. I saw a terrific outdoor performance of Much Ado About Nothing this week, that was well-attended at Skidmore. I heard many members of the audience talking about the ballet as well - what they'd seen or were going to see. Saratoga also hosts two large ballet summer programs - Briansky Ballet and the New York State Summer School of the Arts, and the benefits they must reap from NYCB's presence here are immeasurable. So, it's sort of like a tapestry - pull one thread and the whole thing might fall apart - of course, that's a bit overdramatic, but I do believe it would have a truly detrimental effect on the arts community here. And, rkoretsky, I'll be at the ballet Sat. eve with my mom on the lawn! Maybe I'll see you!
  13. Oh rkoretsky - I hope not. People like Chesbrough often seem invincible, but I can't believe that his seeming campaign to get rid of NYCB won't bite him in his nether parts in the end. He's handled it with such gracelessness. At any rate, I for one will be bringing my mom back to SPAC, and seeing if a few friends can't come in for a performance or two over the next couple of weeks. It's a small thing, and it won't help the numbers problem much, but it is a testament to the efforts of STB and yourself. Your commitment to this cause has inspired a lot of discussion (and individuals) on the board, and it has also asked me to think about the ways in which I for one, take institutions like NYCB for granted. I'll bet those efforts writ large over the Saratoga community have done more than you can imagine or see right now.
  14. Hi all: Been thinking about this a lot, and I've come to realize that one thing I'd not thought about earlier is the fact that one of the things that makes the Saratoga residency special is that it is in New York. NYCB could, no doubt, find another place to have a summer season, but it would likely not be in New York. It's pretty unique and quite special that NYCB brings its performances to residents of NYS as well as NYC, and that's something that shouldn't be overlooked (slapping my own hand :sweating: )
  15. I think that the separation of temperament and aesthetic is a really good one to delineate, ballerina 1023. Kowroski definitely fits the bill in terms of the Balanchine/American aesthetic, and might even temperament-wise, especially in comedic roles. People have brought up some women I hadn't thought of originally, like Merrill Ashley, who, during her career, seemed lto me ike a quintessentially American dancer both in terms of physique and temper. Some others I have since come up with are Susan Jaffe for her wide-eyed beauty and ability to convey a sort of purity of essence and Evelyn Cisneros for the sort of fearlessness and athleticism that carbro was talking about with Lindy Roy. Another person I thought of was Jodie Gates formerly for the Joffrey Ballet, and later with Pennsylvania. There was something incredibly robust about her dancing and her stage presence. And definitely Darci in her early career. Here's something I've been struggling with a bit, and it might sound a little dopey, but can one seem like the boy/girl next door, and/or all-American even if they're not? For example, doesn't Angel Corella embody many of the qualities we see as all-American in dancers like Woetzel and Fayette? Or do they register differently?
  16. Okay, let's try something that I hope won't cause any misunderstandings! B) I've read some posts on the board where someone will call a particular dancer "all-American." The last one, I think, was on a NYCB thread where someone referred to Jenifer Ringer as an "all-American girl." (Forgive me if that wasn't the exact quote - it was something to that effect!) I'm interested in two things - what is an "all-American dancer" What sort of qualities does he/she possess? Who do you think of when you hear that phrase? I guess that's actually three things. Well, anyway, it might be an interesting pre-election topic...
  17. I haven't been to Saratoga in quite awhile, but my parents have had a home there for nearly twenty years, and used to be regular attendees at the ballet. They too had noticed a decline in attendance about five years ago, but chalked it up to the fact that Saratoga is not the summer mecca it once was. Many of the people who come in for the larger, single events are from the Albany area - willing to make the trip once, but not for a season subscription, or, perhaps a "younger" crowd, not well-acquainted with ballet, and therefore not as likely to go see it. While I would agree that it would be a shame to see the ballet go, wouldn't it be better served somewhere else? I imagine there would be many places where the ballet would be welcomed, even courted for a summer residency, and perhaps the change would do them good - at least they wouldn't be at the center of what seems to have turned into a rather major controversy. Although it is the theater that Balanchine helped build, I think he would be the first person to go and pioneer a new summer settlement for his company, especially if he felt that Saratoga was no longer a productive place for him and his dancers to work. This is not to say, however, that I agree with SPAC's board; I think it's far worse for Saratoga then for the ballet. However, I fear that even if the money is raised for the ballet, it will be a pyrrhic victory at best.
  18. Leigh: I think that's an excellent point - it does of course matter what one's relationship to the work is, and, I think there are even levels to this relationship. For example, a dancer's job is both to function as a medium of expression for the choreographer but also (arguably, and I imagine, depending greatly on the particular choreographer) to bring something of his or herself to the role. What role the spectator has is a complex and interesting one - I am (right now, believe me this could change) a believer in the fact that they do influence a works meaning over time, whether for better or for worse is certainly up for debate. And, Mr. Salzberg, I am sorry you have such a negative view of the academic profession. While it is certainly true that there are many jargony, anxious (about many things such as the two you mentioned) individuals, there are also many incredible teachers, who do much important work both in education and research, and who do what they do because they love it and they love and respect the authors and texts they work on. I find your answer interesting, though, because the profession has certainly incurred a lot of negative PR in the decades since the 70's, and I think much of it is, unfortunately, self-generated. At any rate, it's good for those of us who wish to enter it to be aware of; maybe that can change. Thanks for the Tolkien references, and the WSS bits as well.
  19. That would mean that when someone sees "Serenade" they would have to read everything Balanchine wrote about it before looking, and then they would still be interpreting what Balanchine wrote. No, that is not it. There is no text, no ballet, no film, no piece of music without the reader, the spectator or the listener. It is not a one-way street. Art is not created in a vacuum, it is created in a culture, and interpretation is an important part of that culture. To say that "that is what the artist means" is to espouse a fundamentalist viewpoint; it is no longer au courant to say that the world was created in seven days. That is because of interpretation.
  20. Whoa, whoa, WHOA.... As someone who studies literature "professionally" (and I despise anecdotal introductions) I would like to assure everyone that we actually do still read literature as training for our educational and critical practice. More than you can probably imagine - when I only spend six hours a day reading it means that I'm on vacation... I understand the resistance to what one might call "overreading" West Side Story. But why does this offend people? One of the best things about studying literature is that it is not empirical or positivisitic; that is, it's not the DNA double helix. You are entitled, of course, to disagree. But the people who have queer readings of WSS are no less "right," just as one is no less right about the respective merits of a favorite performer. Authorial intention is not really the issue - (public domain? Roland Barthes?) a creative work is going to be interpreted, regardless of authorial intent. Anyhow, bashing literary critics hardly seems productive, when there are so many writers who enjoy thinking and writing critically on this board. Part of the current fascination with the queer reading of WSS is because this has been a banner year for gay rights - certainly, that is going to affect the interest of mass media. Few would assert that WSS is definitively queer, but maybe it does bear some cultural marks that can be read as queer. I don't know (haven't seen it for awhile) but I'd be interested to hear someone's thoughts on how it could be queer. A final note - if J.R.R. Tolkien hated allegory as much as he professed, he must have had a miserable career at Oxford, where he was a professor of Anglo-Saxon (Beowulf is largely allegorical) and his thinking and writing was admittedly much influenced by his close friend and colleague C.S. Lewis, who was a Spenser (arguably the greatest allegorist of the Elizabethan period) scholar. Oh well.
  21. As an admittedly "mature" (at least in age) viewer, and one who has a background in dance as well, I think that what you say, Swiss Chard is true. Heart goes a long way. My only argument is that I believe Sacha Cohen has that heart. I like Kwan, and was a long-time fan of hers, but feel that in the past few years, her ego has gotten the best of her. While Cohen may look tense during her skating, Kwan is busy "giving face" trying to look fierce and unconquerable: she has lost the vulnerability I so loved in her earlier presentation. Her performance Sat. night was commendable, but I haven't really seen improvement in her skating for a while. Heart, in my opinion, is not just showing uncontrolled joy when you do well, but doing what you do outside of competitive reasons; that is, finding joy in the ability to do what you love. I don't think Kwan does that any more than Cohen, although she may be more adept at performing joy. I think that Cohen's bitten lips and the extension of her fingertips in her spiral show that joy, although perhaps not in as palatable a way as Kwan - give her time.
  22. I must admit that I too am a bit disturbed by the criticism of Cohen's personality. She is, after all, only nineteen, and has much to learn, no doubt, about the cultivation of a public persona. Her ability cannot be denied, and I do not find her cold - perhaps a bit reserved in front of the camera - but her passion for what she does is clearly there. She is as musical as Kwan, and if she does not engage with the audience as much, perhaps it is because she hasn't received the same sort of devotion. I don't entirely understand the backlash against her. Perhaps it is because she is so undeniably talented that people wish to see her fail. I look forward to the day when she comes into her own, which despite her flawed performance at Nationals, cannot be far off. Worlds are coming up, and we'll see what she does there.
  23. Hmmmm. This is one of those times, as Leigh often says, where two people can and often do see completely different things at the same performance! I thought Ansanelli's debut was truly wonderful. From the moment she came out, she was fully committed to the role; one, IMO, that is a difficult one to grasp. It's not Odette, and Ansanelli was perfectly clear on the differences both in her movement and in her demeanor. Someone ( I think it was Michael) mentioned in the T &V thread how Ansanelli seems like she will be a natural heir to Theme, and I couldn't agree more. She has that quick muscle response in her body that gives movement that diamond-like precision that Weese has, and Ansanelli used it to full effect in her portrayal of the Firebird. Even the tiny, turned in piques she does in the beginning (giving the effect of "walking backwards") she timed with a truly birdlike sharpness; it was her focus on such small details as these that made this debut truly notable, rather than merely successful. At the end, where she restores civilization and pushes the. monsters off, she did it will grandeur and compassion, and just a hint of tragedy. After all, even if one kingdom is restored, another has fallen--the one to which the FIrebird herself more belongs--the kingdom of the monsters. Ansanelli's interpretive maturity continues to amaze me--she cannot be more than 22--and I hope that we will hear of it's being rewarded with a well-deserved promotion at least by the end of the Saratoga season.
  24. Estelle, thank you for the supplemental info! Of course, I realize that these are young dancers, and that traveling overseas even for seasoned perfomers is no easy feat. I can't imagine that anything said here is done so to denigrate or discourage, merely to comment on what was seen--something both subjective and dependent on circumstance. One has to admire these young people (and no, the stage was not raked; I imagine it is at home) just for coming here and doing such a professional job at a young age. I remember about a year ago when the reviews for the SAB workshop were coming out here on BalletAlert, and there was some discussion about whether or not it was fair to review students, and it is certainly a tougher forum than is usually presented. That said, I'll stick by my programming complaints. I wish, that under the circumstances, (traveling, new stage, etc.) that they could do what they have rehearsed (like Western--and I understand your feelings BW about the piece in general-- and feel comfortable in. But perhaps that is part of the "experience"--that the school wants them to see/get used to some of the realities of a professional life. That's understandable, if hard on the students. I wish them all well in there futures, and am sure we'll see many of them again, whether at the POB or elsewhere.
  25. I have to concur w/Leigh on this one. While I thought the level of facility that the young women possessed was extraordinary, in general I was surprised at the stiffness of their upper bodies (especially w/r/t the neck), among other things. There were a lot of flat-footed runs, and sickled back feet in arabesque. The men, however, were breathtaking; I don't think I've ever seen such a bumper crop of young male dancers. They looked better than most male corps de ballets, even among the upper echelon of ballet companies. In them, one could see the rigors and precision for which the POB school training is famous. I will say in all fairness, that in general the program choices did not complement the young dancers. The John Taras piece was little more than a classroom-type demonstration of some of the most technically demanding yet visually unrewarding dancing I have ever seen. Surprisingly, the piece that came off the best was the excerpt from Western Symphony, which was danced both technically well and charmingly. The exception among the women did the lead in this piece--her name was Laura something---and she was quite gorgeous to look at, both physically and in terms of presence. She looked like a hybrid of a young Isabelle Guerin and Wendy Whelan (more Guerin than Whelan, about a 70/30 ratio).
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