FauxPas

Now that Alexei Ratmansky is a resident choreographer at NYCB, perhaps he can create his own versions for the company. The crayola Per Kirkeby sets and costumes could be sent to the New Jersey landfill.

Bravo on your first post Sara. It is a really tricky line to navigate because it is a fraught and emotional subject that is also a very sensitive one. There is a few extra pounds and/or a deteriorated technique but the two don't always go together. There are thin dancers who are "out of shape" technically and there are dancers who may be perceived as overweight but are dancing well with good technique. Of course dancing well with good technique regularly is cardio and promotes thinness in a dancer, being overweight can impede stamina and flexibility impeding technical ability (but not always). Tyler Angle is thinner but still a little over the weight he was before the pandemic but he is dancing well with good technique. Preston Chamblee was heavier and dancing with effort and diminished flexibility - this season he has come back strongly and is looking lean and mean and ready for bigger things. I think that Jonathan Stafford, Wendy Whelan and the rest of the administrative and coaching staff are aware that dancers were coming off of a two-year enforced break. So certain dancers were allowed to find their way back slowly. Many dancers have been injured especially when going back to dancing full time after a long break. (Ashley has been injured including a big one in her first Fall season in 2021 right after the pandemic and then another severe one early last year) So I think everyone has been a little more forgiving. Also many of these senior dancers, like Bouder, were colleagues of Jonathan and Wendy and they are not going to kick them out unceremoniously. (However, Abi Stafford was something of a special case...) Jared Angle clearly was past his best and most useful years as a principal and was not cast in anything but smaller roles with just partnering, no solos. But he was allowed to stay on for a few years until he found a position abroad as a dance master. There seems to be a policy of not enforcing retirements or kicking people out until they are ready/willing to go. Is that always a good policy? In the case of Bouder she seems to have little self-awareness of how badly her technique and physical conditioning have declined. She can make accusations of weight discrimination and age discrimination but the bottom line is - Can you dance? How well can you dance? Are you able to handle the repertory? If you can't dance well and do justice to the choreography, don't stay on the stage. She also doesn't seem to be a team player. Bouder when she was pregnant with her first child kept dancing past the point where she was showing and in difficult classical roles. I remember a Sugar Plum Fairy in "Nutcracker" where Andie Veyette had to change the partnering and adjust the lifts to accommodate the baby bump. Bouder was taking company classes late into her third trimester doing pirouettes on pointe, etc. After she had the child and had gained weight, Ashley hired a trainer and worked hard in the studio and classes to get back into shape, lose the weight and reclaim her old, demanding classical repertoire. She did that (but I felt with some loss of fluidity and grace). Management may have assumed that after the pandemic enforced hiatus and the various injuries, Ashley would have the same determined work ethic. Well it's over two and a half years later and she still hasn't recovered her technique... That Ashley is not today's Ashley. Maybe her body can't bounce back any more. She is retreating into victimhood and accusations. Under Peter Martins there were times when principal dancers were let go without a retirement performance (especially if it was felt they couldn't perform well in such a program). Nilas Martins, his own son, was one of those dancers who was retired with no celebration or announcement. If Bouder continues to make problems on social media and run to the press and appear on TV belittling management then I would not blame them if she wasn't rehired for next year and simply dropped with no parting celebration. I wouldn't want to be the one to have the "conversation" with her about a quiet, graceful, timely retirement. The board member or whoever who told her privately a year or more ago that it was time to look at a life after dance may have thought they were being kind and helpful. Their intervention led to a tearful Instagram rant that lasted several minutes. I also wonder how this top leadership person supposedly told the audience not to clap for Ashley? Did they address the audience from the stage? Was there an announcement over the loudspeaker? Did they put a flyer in the program "Don't applaud Ashley, it will only encourage her"? I mean maybe the company leader told their companions in their row to not applaud her? Were company members attending the performance told not to clap before the show started? Okay but is that the public slight that Ashley was suggesting? It seems a private internal matter. I wonder if contracts for next season have been signed already.

The first live performance by ABT that I ever saw was February 1989 in Chicago at the Lyric Opera House. I saw the "Kingdom of the Shades" performed on a mixed program as a standalone. The soloists were Marianna Tcherkassky and I believe Danilo Radojevic. It was done as a standalone several times in the 70's and 80's though I attended only full-length "La Bayadere" performances once I moved to New York City in the 90's. Makarova had no problem with the Shades act being performed as part of a mixed program back then and probably wouldn't now. However, she is in her early 80's with bad arthritis and if ABT wants her to coach the new generation of dancers it has to be done pronto. I think Makarova would not be open to revising her full-length production to cater to politically correct sensibilities, but I am not living in her brain so I wouldn't know for sure. But her production honored and redacted the Konstantin Sergeyev production she danced in St. Petersburg in the 1960's and early 1970's. BTW: slightly off-topic but on Sunday evening I attended the Ajkun Ballet Theater's 90 minute abridged version of "La Bayadère" which they performed in a dance studio behind City Center on Saturday and Sunday. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/la-bayadere-tickets-713848950427?aff=oddtdtcreator. They will bring it back on August 10th and 11th for those suffering from acute Bayadère withdrawal. Now they only had 6 corps dancers (2 of which were soloists) and no ramp (or any scenery), so the descent of the Shades was omitted. The music was on tape. I will not suggest that these plucky and charming dancers are the technical or artistic equals of American Ballet Theater, the Mariinsky or the Paris Opéra Ballet which I have seen perform the ballet. (I have yet to see the Bolshoi Grigorovich production but that isn't in the cards given the current political situation.) Anyway I enjoyed what they offered of the ballet and was reminded why I love it so much. Areum Jeong performed Gamzatti and didn't simplify or omit anything difficult and was a pleasure to watch. Klevis Tafaj as Solor is very handsome and a good strong partner. There is something about watching a classical ballet in the intimacy of a studio less than 10 feet from the dancers sharing the same space.

Tamara Rojo made a trenchant comment about how there will always be people who are offended by this or by that, and if we limit art to what doesn't offend anyone we'll have bad art and lose a lot of great art. The Kingdom of the Shades from La Bayadère is a central, historic part of ABT's repertoire. I shudder at the thought of it being banned from our stages especially since the Russian companies can no longer tour here. That means there will be generations of audiences who will be denied the opportunity to see it live in New York City. I previously made a suggestion that ABT put together a Petipa evening. They could do the Kingdom of the Shades, the Hunting of the Larks from "Harlequinade" and then pas de deux and solos from "Sleeping Beauty" (the Ratmansky production was to be revived with many role debuts in 2020 but was canceled with the rest of that season). Maybe parts of "Paquita" or the whole "Paquita Grand Pas". That would be a great evening. Petipa's "The Cavalry Halt" still exists and can be staged for ABT- I think Gelsey Kirkland's company did it.

I bought two tickets at the box office for the upcoming ABT season - "Woolf Works" June 28 "Honoring Alessandra Ferri" because it will be her de facto farewell and the July 6 evening "Swan Lake" because I haven't seen Brandt as Odette/Odile and Cornejo's days in classical lead roles are limited. Otherwise, I will see what shows end up discounted. "Onegin" is never that popular and the current crop of dancers can't match Vishneva, Gomes, Osipova, Kent, Bolle et al. I think Camargo is potentially wonderful as Onegin. Camargo might get me to see "Like Water for Chocolate" a second time. I also have some interest in Catherine Hurlin and a lot of interest in Chloe Misseldine (and Aran Bell) in "Swan Lake". But I can wait for the rest. "Romeo and Juliet" I really need a break from.

So if we want to start predicting the 2025 Summer ABT season we have "Giselle", "Crime and Punishment" and the inevitable "Swan Lake" with maybe another classical ballet? I hope NOT "Romeo and Juliet". "Don Quixote"? That would have some variety. I think if ABT wants to revive "Woolf Works" it could probably be staged perfectly well at the New York State (K*ch) Theater for the Fall season. Not loving the shortened Met season and the lack of classical rep. They need to do some classics like "Don Quixote" or a new "Coppelia" at the State Theater.

Sadly, Jonathan Klein, corps dancer but potential soloist (and likely principal) material has left the company with his wife Emily Hayes to spend more time managing their skin care line. Also several people have mentioned that the Studio Company has strong talent and several members have joined as apprentices and corps. Names that spring to mind are Elisabeth Beyer, Finian Carmeci, Cy Doherty (a dance actor it seems), Takumi Miyake, Madison Brown, Andrew Robare, Alejandro Valera Outlaw, Kyra Coco and probably one or two I've missed. They need to be utilized stat. Beyer and Miyake are outstanding talents.

Just a note that looking at the corps roster - Jonathan Klein is no longer a member of ABT. He is off the roster. A real loss.

Well, several male soloists were promoted to principal which opened up slots (including character dancer/actor Roman Zhurbin). Gabe Stone Shayer was fired. Joseph Gorak either left or wasn't rehired. So that opened up even more slots. Plus over the pandemic veteran male soloists like Alexandre Hammoudi and Arron Scott retired/were let go. So spaces were definitely there.

I think that being injured is a hindrance to promotion and that was what probably sidelined Zimmi Coker this time around. However, Katharine Williams is retiring and Luciana Paris and Zhong-Jing Fang (sadly) are near (or past) retirement age. So there is room to advance.

All I will say is that I saw Ashton Edwards and Taylor Stanley in TTAR and I didn't get a sense of opposition or of being in two different worlds. What I got were two individuals who were were isolated/lacking community and joyously found one in each other. That sense of connecting and finding yourself in the right place with the right people and being in your community. There was a feeling of joyous bonding. Edwards was radiant onstage and projecting JOY and Stanley was very present and engaged. We like to sort of push sexuality into black and white extremes on the furthest opposite poles of the Kinsey Scale. There are infinite shades of gray. But there are also different forms of self-identification and presentation. Edwards is biologically male but was presenting very female. Taylor Stanley is biologically male but was more cisgender in his presentation in this ballet. The way that a dancer may present onstage is not the way they present offstage. For example, the Broadway actor Brandon Uranowitz can play very serious masculine guys onstage but I saw him interviewed on the Tony's red carpet and he is extremely flamboyant and effeminate offstage. I don't have a problem with that. The "Brandon Uranowitz" of NYCB is Gilbert Bolden who can present very serious, weighted and masculine onstage (as in the Barber Violin Concerto) and sexy in a macho way. However, in his real life and attending galas Bolden loves to genderfuck and wear high heels and cross dress in very outrageous feminine fashion like a peacock. Per instagram, Bolden uses the pronouns "He/Him". Meanwhile checking Taylor Stanley's instagram they present as cisgender in private life (and seems happily partnered with Alec Knight). So the pronouns are a very personal thing and the self-presentation and self-identification can vary widely. In ballet we have all seen very gay and feminine male dancers who have had to "butch it up" onstage and in the studio in order to get cast. In standard ballet, traditional gender roles are rigidly enforced. So the debut of Ashton Edwards with Taylor Stanley partnering was a joyous opening up to more diversity. I think the community of Peck's "The Times are Racing" is open to trans, non-binary, whatever... I didn't get a sense of compromise or political correctness or virtue signaling at the expense of artistic integrity but a sense of joy, connection and discovery from the pairing. The world of that particular ballet is about finding and creating community - there is room in that community for the very different alternative gender identifications of Edwards and Stanley. And it added another level of narrative and message to the ballet.

I was there last night and must agree with all of the above - everyone seemed to have settled in, worked out the kinks and were more on their game. Mira Nadon was on another exalted level from her very fine colleagues. I too was impressed with Preston Chamblee who was looking beefy and out of shape last season - he is lean and mean and on form these days. He is needed. Another possible improvement is that in the pause between the halves of "Liebeslieder Walzer" the curtain came down but so the lights were only put on at a lower level - so clearly it wasn't like another intermission with the lights full on.

I attended the Sunday matinee 1) Polyphonia — I didn't always enjoy the Ligeti music (not all of it is danceable) but Wheeldon's combinations are beautiful. Davide Riccardo looked very elegant replacing Aaron Sanz. I enjoyed the work for its use of space and the excellent group choreography. Emilie Gerrity looked particularly warm and engaging in her waltz section. 2) Barber Violin Concerto — I think this is one of Peter Martins' better efforts. Merrill Ashley was seated behind me - she has been coaching the women in "Barber Violin Concerto" and "Ballo della Regina". A few things - Mearns was very good but she is very different from Merrill Ashley. Ashley was always perceived as a "cool" technical virtuoso. Martins' choreographic concept keeps the "classical" couple elegant, balletic and restrained to begin with and then when they dance with the "modern" partners they loosen up. Seeing Ashley with her hair down, sexualized, abandoned and passionate was a surprise. No surprise with Sara Mearns, beautifully as she suggested the contrast, as we know Mearns can be passionate, sensual and abandoned. Gil Bolden looked great and is riveting onstage. He then joined the corps in "The Times are Racing" though he wasn't listed in the program. Suspect that he was replacing an injured colleague in an assignment he had left behind. Emma Van Enck was the "modern" girl and seemed to relish stamping her feet, throwing her hair around and jumping on the so elegant, so game Alec Knight (he is really emerging and looking great). It was fun. No masterpiece. 3) The Times Are Racing — this ballet has a great energy. Ashton Edwards had a lot of fans in the audience and a lot of support onstage from the company and their partner Taylor Stanley. Lots of hugs and cheers at Edwards' curtain calls. They looked radiant. I loved Harrison Coll in full James Dean/Jeremy Allen White mode (if they were a dancer) - great work with KJ Takahashi. Alexa Maxwell also did yeoman duty doubling in the Wheeldon and this and looking great in both roles.

I agree - not necessarily. BTW: I was wondering about Preston Chamblee. His recent Instagram post has a valedictory tone to it: https://www.instagram.com/p/C2QCJwaAD7B/?img_index=1

Tiler hasn't been taking those risks for a long time since her back and neck injuries. Tiler used to also go off center in turns and pirouettes like she was going to throw herself out of the steps but would pull herself back in at the last moment. No more. She also used to sort of do a pause at the apex of a difficult step in time with the music - creating a risky kind of freeze frame moment. No more. She is still amazing. BTW: on the online casting sheet for Week 3, I see Sanz listed in "Hallelujah Junction" and "Copland Dance Episodes". Also, Ashley Bouder is still MIA and I thought we might get her in "Liebeslieder Waltzes". Maybe a second cast?