California

Jaffe said in an interview a while back that she loves Manon. That would be a great retirement vehicle for Copeland and/or Cornejo! And I would love, love, love to see that again. I'd also love to see their Onegin again, but I assume they wouldn't do both in the same season. I assume they'll do a week of Swan Lake, for the guaranteed box office. That works for Murphy, if needed. At Segerstrom next April, they're doing Ballet Imperial and new commissions by Bond and Abraham. That might be a mixed bill for the Met, too, in 2024: https://www.scfta.org/events/2024/american-ballet-theatre Hoping they include something by Ratmansky at each season, too.

I logged into my account and went to the section showing what tickets I bought - "Upcoming performances". For each ticket, there's a box to click "manage tickets." It gives you four choices -- send to email, send to text, add to Apple Wallet, send bar code. But they don't give you the option: send PDFs to my email. What I did get by email was a page with full date/time/location info + a bar code. I use GPay, but that isn't an option.

I managed to get back into my account after waiting an hour and there were the tickets I ordered and were charged for. Hallelujah! I went to "manage tickets" to ask that they be sent to my email with the bar code, as no PDFs ever arrived. I made it through one-by-one, with two more left and then got sent the "suspicious activity" message again, so I'll go back later to finish. However, for those multiple tickets in my account, ordered at one time, each had its own $4.00 Facility Fee and $8.00 service charge. I.e., those fees are per ticket, no matter how you order (singly or together). However, I'm not a subscriber, so I don't know if that makes a difference.

Another update. Waited for an hour. Was able to log in and order the rest of the week. But after the last step, I was popped back over to "suspicious activity." Did anything go through? No way to know. Meanwhile, my credit card was charged according to email from my bank. Long wait, and another email from NYCB listing everything I thought I bought and the price - but no PDF tickets. It won't let me back into my account because of "suspicious activity" to confirm that I actually have those tickets. I think it's safe to say the security measures customer care mentioned have some glitches. Agree with @cobweb that the site is difficult to use, especially to continue shopping. I usually delicately use the backspace arrow on my browser to get back to the calendar listing. That usually works fine, but perhaps that's what the new security measures consider "suspicious." But if I buy tickets one at a time and go back for more, that's suspicious! And I've had the experience (although I don't remember if it was ABT/Met or NYCB) when a seat I picked dropped out of my shopping cart and I had to find another.

Thanks for these reports on Other Dances. At least from comments on Instagram Stories yesterday, it seems the Bell-Murphy pairing went well. Some have asked why this isn't on the fall program, especially program III, which seems a little weak. I'm wondering if they might be including it on the Gala program October 24. I'd prefer Bell-Murphy.

Well, thank you email customer care! I'll paste in the message I got, in case somebody else is experiencing this: I’m sorry you got caught in our heightened security features that were instituted after the Met’s catastrophic hack. It may have been your purchase & immediate return to purchase more tickets. The block drops in about an hour, so you should be able to get back in soon.

I'm sure they are overwhelmed today. I sent email messages to both members and customercare and won't hold my breathe on a response! I'll just have to assume plenty of tickets will remain for fall (other than the anniversary Oct 11 and perhaps opening night, which seem most likely to sell out). Frustrating -- they knew this would be a BIG day and their site can't handle it, apparently.

Experiences so far in trying to buy tickets on-line for the 2023-24 season -- are others having the same experience? I managed to buy October 11 and paid for the ticket. But when I went back to buy the rest of the week, I was told I was in the waiting room for "suspicious activity"! What??? My only activity was paying for Oct 11 to be sure I had that nailed down, as I thought it would be first to sell out. How is it going for others?

If anybody is seeing Other Dances this week, please give us a report.

I'm a donor, not a subscriber. I got email on July 23 about early access July 27: As a reminder, NYCB donors and subscribers enjoy priority access to single tickets for the 75th Anniversary Season. This exclusive benefit includes advance ticketing for both 23-24 repertory performances and George Balanchine's The Nutcracker®. Secure prime locations at the best prices, even for in-demand holiday weekends, before we go on sale to the general public. This is also your opportunity to secure seats for the following in-demand performances, including the recently announced farewell of Principal Dancer Russell Janzen: 23-24 Opening Night (SEPT 19) Russell Janzen Farewell (SEPT 24) Fall Gala (OCT 5) 75th Anniversary (OCT 11) Spring Gala (MAY 2)

Early access for NYCB Patrons and Subscribers starts this Thursday, July 27. In the past, you could buy tickets for the entire year -- fall, winter, spring seasons. Early access for ABT patrons for the fall season starts Tuesday, August 29. What are the "access" performances?

I have that issue of Ballet Review. What article are you looking for?

I went to the opening weekend of Nutcracker at Segerstrom in 2015. (Was that the first year on the west coast?) At the afternoon dress rehearsal, Gorak apparently freaked out over the Cavalier role and there was a long wait for Whiteside to come out in practice clothes and finish the rehearsal. Gorak did some minor roles that weekend, but no cavalier then (or ever, as far as I know). Even the most seasoned men had trouble with that final PdD, especially the torch lift. That was a long time ago and it seems he never really recovered or figured out what he needed to do to conquer those problems, as Bell did.

Since a lot of people are impressed with Roxander, let me just note that his brother Ashton Roxander was just promoted to principal dancer at Philadelphia Ballet. Or perhaps I should just say "relative." Both are from Medford, Oregon. https://philadelphiaballet.org/dancers/ashton-roxander/ https://www.abt.org/people/jake-roxander/?type=performer

I had the same reaction to Forster at the Saturday matinee. Very weak in Act I -- low arabesques and jumps, e.g. But I think you're right that he seems to have been figuring out stamina to get through the entire ballet, as he was much better in II and III. Pardon this very trivial observation/question: I remember that they used to end with the dead bodies: he on the floor and she draped over. Curtain down. When the curtain went up they were in the same position. Curtain down. When curtain next went up, the pair were standing alone on stage. Now that second view of the bodies seems to have been eliminated. Perhaps it was too hard on the dancers. Perhaps it added too much time to the bows, which they seem determined to keep short now. But I do remember the second view as striking and miss it!

On Instagram stories, Ratmansky is shown conducting company class on Friday morning. Making casting decisions for his ballets for fall?

Here's the schedule for "Other Dances" at the BAAND festival: https://www.lincolncenter.org/series/summer-for-the-city/baand-together-dance-festival-866 Other Dances Choreography by JEROME ROBBINS Staged by ISABELLE GUÉRIN Music by FRÉDÉRIC CHOPIN Costumes by SANTO LOQUASTO Original lighting by NANANNE PORCHER GILLIAN MURPHY ARAN BELL (July 25, 27 & 29) ISABELLA BOYLSTON JOO WON AHN (July 26 & July 28) Piano Soloist: EMILY WONG Music for Other Dances includes four mazurkas: Op. 17, #4; Op. 41, #3; Op. 63, #2; Op. 33, #2; and one waltz, Op. 64, #3 by Frédéric Chopin. Other Dances was created in the spring of 1976 especially for Natalia Makarova and Mikhail Baryshnikov for a gala benefit for the Library and Museum of Performing Arts at Lincoln Center, New York City. The ballet was commissioned by Eugenia Doll and is dedicated to her memory with gratitude for the devoted tender loving care she extended to so many people and companies in the field of dance. Other Dances is performed by permission of the Robbins Rights Trust.

A side note on Bell's partnering from a Pointe interview: https://pointemagazine.com/catherine-hurlin-aran-bell-abt/ At just shy of 16, he was taken into ABT Studio Company, at the time directed by Kate Lydon. It was only then that Bell, who was still on the smaller side and slight, began to grow to his current height of 6′ 3″. And, more importantly, where he really learned to partner. Going through a huge growth spurt made things more difficult, but also focused his efforts. “I had a moment of realization when they asked me to do a very simple lift with the lightest girl in the room and it just didn’t happen,” he explains. “I had that panic—’I need to do something about this, fast.’ ” He started to work out assiduously at the gym, bulked up and figured it out. As a result, at 21 he is already considered one of the most dependable partners in the company. My thought on Royal's shaky partnering Wednesday afternoon: he needs to head to the gym! I wonder how many of the male dancers now see that as essential training.

Brilliant programming for fall! I want to see it all!

Brandt did the "eggbeater" pirouettes with Bell in the black swan at Boca Ballet. See 3:30. I wonder if other pairs will start doing those.

I haven't seen any comments on the Saturday evening performance with Shevchenko and Royal. She was spectacular in every way -- dramatic interpretation, dazzling technique (no surprise). Alas, Royal still has too many rough edges and I hope he continues to improve -- especially the wobbly landings and sloppy positions. The audience was extremely enthusiastic -- too enthusiastic, actually. It seemed like she had a cheering section that burst out in screams and applause at the drop of a hat, including the beginning of her impeccable fouettes (plenty of doubles) and throughout her variations. A nice touch: some yellow sunflowers (the flower of Ukraine) in the bouquet presented to her at the end.

I agree. This performance of Swan Lake with Brandt and Bell was live-streamed for a small donation back in May 2021. Brandt posted her white swan and black swan:

Hee seemed tired in Act III. Low jumps, flat footed at one place in pique turn menage. Single fouettes - about 24. Yes - incredible ballon by Lall. Love to see her have more opportunities to show that off! Bell is the complete package. Acting throughout was nuanced and believable. Solid technique.

Hoven is in the print program. No print insert. But an announcement before the curtain

At intermission, Greg, director of development, confirmed: fall schedule announced Wednesday, July 19.