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ABT Fan

Senior Member
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  • Connection to/interest in ballet** (Please describe. Examples: fan, teacher, dancer, writer, avid balletgoer)
    Former dancer
  • City**
    Astoria
  • State (US only)**, Country (Outside US only)**
    New York

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  1. I agree that too many older dancers are being allowed to hang on, however, they were already being allowed to hang on when McKenzie was still AD. He should have graciously let a few of them go before he retired (and that was only a little over a year ago). Jaffe let Shayer go. We don't know the circumstances that led to Gorak leaving last year nor Katie Williams retiring this year. How would everyone react if she pulled a "Corrella" and did a slash and burn all at once? The balletomanes and the press would have a field day. And, the company's morale would take a huge hit - I bet a bunch of dancers would leave. But, now that we're basically on year two of Jaffe's reign there needs to be more retirements - Hoven, Paris, Fang. That will also free up much needed space to promote Coker and maybe Frenette. I disagree about Murphy still dancing well - I've seen enough over the past year. Jaffe may be treading lightly there due to Murphy's stardom/tenure, but it's past time. Same with Copeland (just remove her name already). I also think Stearns needs to retire. He's always injured and when he is it takes him out for a long time. Now that Curley is a soloist they better be prepping him for Siegfried and Romeo as an understudy (if not his own show). We can't have Camargo doing 3 or 4 Romeos like last year. Regarding Park, she has not been getting the same old roles. She debuted Natalia in On the Dnipro last Fall and debuted Clara in Nutcracker in December. Of course, not on par with Misseldine's O/O, but what is? Again, with Murphy still on the roster that limits opportunities for others. Park could have debuted Juliet this year (or Brandt) but perhaps she will get an Olga in Onegin. I hope they wait another year before promoting Misseldine to principal. It'll no doubt happen (and, I believe it should) but she needs more time in more roles. Jaffe's programming last Fall was different - bringing back Etudes, Ballet Imperial, Petit Mort was a big deal. Some other repeats, but they don't have enough rehearsal time to do 7-8 new works. We all discussed here on a different thread the reasons why we may have too many repeats at the Met this year (licensing, etc) but whatever the reason I definitely agree that there's not enough variety. I hope Met 2025 will be vastly different.
  2. I’d love to hear your thoughts after. I personally love arts-filled weekends in Philly, and anywhere actually! I assume you’re also hitting some of their great museums. And, there are so many awesome restaurants. Philly is one of my favorite places.
  3. Amazing news!! Yes, let’s cast these guys in some new and big roles. I think Coker is more than ready. I feel so bad that she was overlooked again, but there may not room right now.
  4. Hallelujah!!!! Congratulations to all three! Have to admit, my heart aches for Zimmi Coker, overlooked yet again, but there may not be room for another female soloist as there are quite a few.
  5. It was only that one and it only included certain ballet steps, it wasn’t a classical ballet per se. I do not mind that classical ballet is not their specialty as I wasn’t expecting that, and I thought the use of cabrioles especially added to the flair of the rest of the choreography.
  6. I went to today's matinee performance featuring the National Ballet of Spain. Has anyone else gone? The Flamenco Festival has been a yearly program at CC for many years and I've always wanted to go. I'm so happy I finally went! Their first piece, Eterna Iberia, showed off the dancer's ballet training and the choreography featured lots of brises, cabrioles, extrechats, and pirouettes combined with traditional flamenco. The first half of the program used all taped music, which was fine. The second half of the program absolutely brought the house down with on-stage singers and musicians (guitar and percussion) and incredible dancing. I was sitting up in the mezzanine which was inadvertently perfect - there were many intricate and ever-changing choreographic formations when large groups of dancers were on stage and I don't think I could have appreciated it nearly as much had I been sitting down in the orchestra. I have to specifically mention Jose Manuel Benitez, who performed a spell-binding solo. At times pausing and dancing in complete silence, I could barely breathe. His dramatic stage presence, control, charisma, and technique was extraordinary. The entire company was in fact incredible - extremely well rehearsed and the footwork and percussion was absolutely on fire. In the middle of it all, I remembered a thread on here a month or two ago where a few of us were commenting on some male ballet dancer's exaggerated flair and mannerisms in their DQ solos. They should study these dancers. The last performance of the Nat'l Ballet of Spain is tomorrow the 10th. If anyone is thinking of going I can't recommend it enough. The next two weeks will feature different artists.
  7. I saw their SL back then as well (2018) and was extremely impressed with the swans! I pulled out my program and in my notes I wrote that they were my favorite part of the performance. Impeccably rehearsed and very much in sync with tight formations. Good choice on your seat. I sat in the front parquet and even though I'm tall I remember there being no raked seating up there so even for me I had to bob my head at times to see around people in front of me.
  8. New 3 year agreement signed!! I hope the dancers and stage managers are happy with it. And, maybe there will be promotions soon? https://www.instagram.com/p/C4JL1LyRfmL/?igsh=MWs0eng5YmE5OXgyOQ==
  9. Posting an update on Whiteside’s injury here as it may affect the Met season. He says in the video below that he has a cyst on his ACL and that he doesn’t need surgery. Not sure when he’ll be back dancing. More details in the video. https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3-pOT4OgkM/?igsh=MTN5Y2FycTIzeDM1eQ==
  10. Whiteside is now out with another knee injury (not the knee he injured a few years ago). I hope it’s not serious and he recovers in time for the Met season. But, they really need to get Curley rehearsing Siegfried etc as a possible replacement (he deserves to be cast in any case). https://www.instagram.com/p/C3xopOqOu6z/?igsh=c3ZlM3NuMW1nOGVj
  11. Same!! I appreciate everyone's reports on Misseldine. So happy to hear how wonderful she was and really wish I could have been there.
  12. Whiteside is replaced tonight by Ahn. Cornejo posted an IG story tribute to him so it must be injury or illness.
  13. Thank you. I’m happy for her, she’ll make a great Kitri. Her Mercedes is the best I’ve seen. It’s good she has so many guesting opps since her ABT load is so small (she’s not the only one these days, but she still wouldn’t be on their SL tour even if she wasn’t guesting with Twyla).
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