California

The black swans are the subject of endless fascination. According to NYCB: https://www.nycballet.com/discover/ballet-repertory/swan-lake-balanchine/ In 1986 the production was redesigned once more by Alain Vaes who created an icy landscape instead of the traditional Gothic lakeside, and dressed the corps of swans in black, which Balanchine may have been planning in 1981 when he mysteriously ordered 400 yards of black tarlatan. When asked to justify this odd request, Balanchine merely said, “There are black swans as well.” I've never seen any other explanation of Balanchine's thinking. Here's a 1965 photo from NYPL with Allegra Kent and all in white: https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/7bc0c990-3f84-0133-b011-00505686d14e

"American Ballet Theatre (ABT) and Segerstrom Center for the Arts have formed a three-year partnership that names ABT the Official Dance Company of Segerstrom Center for the Arts. The details include the co-presented production of The Nutcracker and world and West Coast premieres and engagements each spring through 2024." https://www.scfta.org/Center-Connection/February-2022/ABT-partnership.aspx? It appears Segerstrom will continue to be the site of some ABT premieres. The announcement includes this: "In March 2023, ABT will return to Segerstrom Center, this time with the North American premiere of Like Water For Chocolate, based on the best-selling book by Laura Esquival. Choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon , this will be a co-production with The Royal Ballet."

I recall some poignant interviews with Katarina Witt of East Germany. She pleaded with the government to let her tour in the west, as western peers did after their Olympic success. She was actually on a limited European tour when the Berlin Wall fell. She told sad stories of predecessors in East Germany pushed to win Olympic medals to show the "superiority" of the communist system and then dumped in favor of the next generation of Olympic stars, left to do nothing but perhaps teach when they could have toured for years had they been in the capitalist west. The Soviet Union fell three decades ago, but some of the old attitudes don't seem to have changed much.

The Mariinsky engagement at the Kennedy Center in late April has been cancelled due to COVID. I suppose it was too much to hope they could visit this spring. This is the message ticket holders just got: We’re disappointed to share that your performance of Mariinsky Ballet’s Jewels has been canceled. Due to multiple factors, principally the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic-related conditions, the Kennedy Center and Mariinsky Ballet have mutually concluded that this year’s engagement is not possible at this time. The value of your tickets has been moved to a credit on your account (including parking, where applicable). This credit can be used towards a future Kennedy Center ticket purchase. Please log in to your Kennedy Center account to view your credit balance. If you do not wish to keep these funds as a credit on your account, please visit this online form to make your selection from the following options: • Receive a Kennedy Center gift certificate, • Donate the value of your tickets back to the Kennedy Center, or • Receive a full refund for the value of the ticket and associated fees.

Tara was right to be concerned. I remember travelling with somebody who was subject to random drug testing at work who was also super-careful to avoid poppy seeds. https://www.usada.org/spirit-of-sport/education/can-poppyseeds-cause-a-positive-drug-test/

Colorado Ballet just announced its 2022-2023 season: https://coloradoballet.org/22-23-Season-Productions

Casting has been posted for ABT's Don Quixote at the Kennedy Center March 31-April 3, 2022. Of special note: Daniil Simkin with Boylston on March 31. https://www.abt.org/performances/master-calendar/?start=2022-03-18

Very interesting! I use those Scotch 3M hooks with the shoes in clear heavy plastic bags. On another wall, I have one of those accordion racks for hats/coats. I worry about dust/dirt and my collection goes back to the 70s (Farrell, Ashley, Watts!). I have an alcove in my condo that was apparently intended for sculpture, but I line the walls with my collection. I am not sure if this can be seen off Facebook, but here is one shot: The framed autograph on the back wall is Baryshnikov on the program for Push Comes to Shove in 1976, the year of its premiere.

I saw three of the four performances this weekend of Colorado Ballet's Romeo and Juliet. They use Derek Deane's choreography, which was originally created in the round for English National Ballet in 1999 and was restaged for a proscenium stage for the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater in 2017: https://www.pbt.org/the-company/artistic/repertoire/romeo-and-juliet-2/ Colorado Ballet performed this version in 2018 and its return now was very welcome as everyone recovers from pandemic doldrums. The costumes are the same as those used by ENB. The sets for this production are truly gorgeous, designed by Roberta di Bagno Guidi. All have been borrowed from PBT. The sets feature beautifully detailed medieval tapestry designs throughout, to underscore the distant history of the story. Instead of a traditional curtain, we see seven vertical panels with tapestry designs which are ingeniously raised and lowered throughout for various scene changes and tableaus. I had trouble finding images on-line of the sets. The image linked above shows just one of the many gorgeous tapestry sets. I see that around the country this ballet is becoming to February/Valentine's Day what Nutcracker is to December. Except for ABT, the others all use choreography by someone other than MacMillan, which unavoidably hovers in the mind, especially for such important passages as the balcony pas de deux and the final PdD in the tomb. Deane's choreography is eminently serviceable and the partnering is often challenging and interesting. I am also fascinated by group scenes that seem to have retained their in-the-round roots. And with the glorious Prokofiev score performed by a full orchestra, it's hard not to retain interest. With such a large cast, let me single out just a few of special note: Yosvani Ramos, now 41 and having recovered from some serious injuries, is in fine form as Romeo. He was relatively new with this company for the 2018 performances and also performed it with ENB long ago. Dana Benton was Ramos' Juliet. She is celebrating her 20th year with the company. Both are reliable audience favorites. Mario Labrador had been announced earlier in the week for two performances of Romeo, but he was replaced with a last-minute announcement by Chris Moulton, a long-time company soloist. I was very disappointed not to see Labrador, a new hire just promoted to principal last fall. He is scheduled for one performance next weekend, but I'll be in San Francisco for their opening programs. Moulton has been with the company since 2010 and a soloist since 2017. This was no last-minute substitution. He had not been scheduled at all for the eight-performance run but obviously had worked out detailed nuances in the presentation, technique, and partnering. His height and stately presence were perfect for this role and it was nice to see him given this opportunity. Jennifer Grace, another brand-new principal, new to the company, was Juliet, originally scheduled with Labrador and instead dancing with Moulton at both matinees. She was exquisite in her nuanced interpretation and delicate performance throughout. Nicolas Pelletier and Sarah Tryon took the leads at the Thursday matinee performance for students (which I did not see) and one more next weekend. They were also third cast in 2018. Jonnathan Ramirez, another new hire promoted to principal last fall, alternated between Mercutio and Tybalt. He was a delightful, impish Mercutio, one of the juiciest roles in this ballet. Kevin Gael Thomas, long-time soloist, made a welcome debut as Mercutio. Although there were no opportunities for his trademarked Revoltade, he nicely conquered the technical and acting challenges. Asuka Sasaki, returning from maternity leave, was Rosaline, a minor role that let her ease back into performing. She was a sensation as Kitri and Sugar Plum Fairy in 2019 before the pandemic shut down, but with a partner no longer with the company (the greatly missed Francisco Estevez). I hope she is able to find a partner this year appropriate for her many strengths. I have to wonder if the company has plans to pair her with her husband, Chris Moulton, after his very successful performances as Romeo. Children: This production uses eight young students from the Academy in both market scenes. As with the Nutcracker last December, they were all masked, but it was not at all intrusive and seemed a reasonable precaution to allow them to perform. COVID precautions: The City of Denver lifted mandatory indoor masking requirements just last Friday. But the Denver Center for the Performing Arts (home to the Colorado Ballet, Opera Colorado, plays, and travelling Broadway shows) quickly announced that they are staying with the requirements in place since last September, viz., proof of vaccination and indoor masking. They are not requiring the KN95, as San Francisco is doing, but I note that many of us use those anyway. As these audiences are generally older and more cautious, I think these are reasonable requirements and no one seems to be complaining about them. Needless to say in this blue state, there are no bans on indoor masking or vaccination requirements as I hear about in other cities. This Instagram posting includes some examples of the gorgeous tapestry sets: https://www.instagram.com/p/CZsJPsDgG7E/

Peck and Cornejo did Rubies at Vail in 2014. (It starts at about 1:20) (Wasn't she out for over a year after that with a serious injury to her back?)

Just a few additional suggestions: Aran Bell was promoted to principal during COVID (I think) and he is tearing through the rep. Very exciting young dancer and apparently one of Ratmansky's favorites. I'd also watch for Brandt and Shevchenko in anything they do. Cornejo is near the end of his career, so anything he does will be worth seeing this year.

Washington Ballet will perform at Wolf Trap on September 14. This appears to be the only dance all summer at Wolf Trap. https://www.wolftrap.org/calendar.aspx?genre=dance

The master calendar on the ABT site has finally been fixed to match the Kennedy Center: the same mixed bill March 29-30: https://www.abt.org/performances/master-calendar/?start=2022-03-16 Still no casting for the Don Q at Kennedy Center, though.

I love these on-line programs. Colorado Ballet has been using this for a few years. But why don't they send email to everybody who has a ticket for one of these programs? I'm going to both Program I and 2 in the second weekend but knew nothing about this until I read it here.

I assume there are massive supply chain issues. CDC recommends this BYD mask as do some other evaluation sites. I got two boxes from Amazon in recent days via Prime. Now they say 4-5 days. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08DPTHMS4? https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/topics/respirators/disp_part/N95list1-b.html Here's another rating site (recommended by Consumer Reports, NBC): https://www.projectn95.org/ There are lots of counterfeits. I use these in all high-risk areas -- theaters, airplanes, etc. I still have a lot of the blue medical masks, but they're not very good against omicron.

San Francisco Ballet is upgrading its requirements: booster for all who are eligible and KN95 or N95 masks. And if you don't have one, they'll give you one. This just went out to ticket-holders: We look forward to welcoming you back to the War Memorial Opera House (and its new seats!) this season. If you have had your booster shot, you don't need to review the rest of this note. Simply make your way to the Opera House for your performance, and we will provide you with a free KN95 mask at the door if you're not already wearing one. If you have not received your booster shot, please read this email carefully to ensure that you are allowed to enter the venue to enjoy the performance. UPDATED BOOSTER REQUIREMENT Beginning February 1, 2022, we will require up-to-date vaccination, including booster shot when eligible, for all attendees ages 12 and up. Ages 12 and older: You must be fully vaccinated and, if eligible, have received a booster shot at least seven (7) days prior to the performance you are attending. You are eligible for a booster shot five (5) months after a full course of the two-dose Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or two (2) months after the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. You will be denied entry if you are eligible for a booster but did not receive it. For more details on up-to-date vaccination status and COVID policies for children under 12, visit sfballet.org/safety. UPDATED MASK POLICY Based on health and safety recommendations from the City and County of San Francisco and due to the transmissibility of the Omicron variant, effective immediately, SF Ballet requires all patrons to wear a N95, KN95, or KF94 face mask to enter the venue. We will supply a free KN95 or equivalent mask upon entry if you do not have one. You will be denied entry if you do not wear a N95, KN95, or KF94 face mask. Masks are required indoors, regardless of age. Masks must be well-fitted and cover the nose, mouth, and chin. Studies have shown that N95, KN95, and KF94 masks are the most effective at protecting against COVID-19 transmission. Masks must be worn at all times, except when actively eating or drinking in the lobbies and designated areas. Food and drinks are not allowed in the auditorium to ensure masks are worn during the performance. Due to SFDPH's frequently updated health and safety mandates, we strongly recommend that you visit sfballet.org/safety close to your performance for the latest on SF Ballet's COVID policies. SAFETY UPDATES

In all the stories of shut-downs, struggle, and re-openings in the ballet world, I have seen nothing about Gelsey Kirkland's Academy. With a little Googling, all I could find was a site that it closed in 2021: http://gelseykirklandacademy.org/ Pre-pandemic, I remember reading that her building was slated for demolition, but never heard anything more about a new location: https://brooklyneagle.com/articles/2018/11/13/demolition-of-gelsey-kirklands-dance-school-in-dumbo-approved/ According to Wikipedia: "Gelsey Kirkland currently lives in Maine with her second husband, dancer, choreographer, and teacher Michael Chernov, who was also with ABT. " https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gelsey_Kirkland I wonder if others have seen anything more in published reports. Surely she could still contribute through teaching/coaching. Such a sad exit for a once-illustrious dancer.

Les Ballet de Monte-Carlo will perform Maillot's "Coppel-i.A!" at Segerstrom Center for the Arts April 15-17, 2022. https://www.scfta.org/events/2022/les-ballets-de-monte-carlo

Segerstrom Center for the Arts has just announced five performances by ABT March 16-19, 2022. It's a mixed bill: Bernstein in a Bubble, Zig Zag, and a premiere by Alonzo King. https://www.scfta.org/events/2022/american-ballet-theatre This is the same program announced by the Kennedy Center for March 29-30: https://www.kennedy-center.org/whats-on/explore-by-genre/ballet/2021-2022/american-ballet-theatre/ But if you go to the master calendar on the ABT site, you see Don Q for March 29-30: https://www.abt.org/performances/master-calendar/?start=2022-03-25

Problems with rehearsal time seem to be a big factor in delays and cancellations. Sarasota just announced cancellation of one part of their next program, Napoli Act III. Johan Kobborg's Napoli Act III Cancelled Due To COVID-19 Today, we announce that, because of the recent COVID-19 omicron variant surge, Johan Kobborg’s production of Napoli Act III has been removed from our upcoming fourth Program, Love & Betrayal. Due to several Company dancers having tested positive for COVID-19, rehearsals were cancelled for over a week; as a result, we decided that Napoli Act III would not be able to be performed to the Company’s artistic standards and was thus cancelled. Sir Frederick Ashton’s Valses nobles et sentimentales and Dame Ninette de Valois’ The Rake’s Progress will still be performed as part of Love & Betrayal at the end of the month. “It is with profound disappointment that we must cancel our scheduled performances of Napoli Act III,” says Iain Webb, Director of The Sarasota Ballet. “Due to rehearsal difficulties, as well as out of an abundance of caution for our dancers, we have deemed it necessary to cancel this ballet from Program 4, Love & Betrayal.” Patrons with questions regarding Love & Betrayal may contact The Sarasota Ballet Box Office at boxoffice@sarasotaballet.org or by calling 941.359.0099. For information regarding our current COVID-19 Health and Safety Guidelines for the 2021 - 2022 Season, please click the button below. Click here for our COVID-19 Guidelines

But her husband Isaac Hernandez is currently a principal at ENB. Presumably Rojo had the clout to keep him in that position. If she didn't, that would explain both of them leaving. https://www.ballet.org.uk/the-company/dancers

Singles go on sale to the public April 25: https://www.abt.org/performances/summer-season/ Friends at $480 and up get access one week ahead: https://www.abt.org/support/individual-giving/membership/

On Kochetkova's IG Stories, a shot yesterday at Heathrow with suitcases and today in Copenhagen. She's 35 years old and not really a super-star in a league with Osipova. I wonder if she'd head back to San Francisco for a few more years. ABT has no shortage of principal women.

Just announced: Kochetkova is leaving ENB at the end of this month. No mention of SFB. She did at least one Nutcracker with ENB. Repost @englishnationalballet* * *Today we announce that Maria Kochetkova, Lead Principal Dancer, will be leaving ENB later this month. Maria will be leaving the UK to pursue her wider creative ambitions in dance. We wish Maria every success in the future. https://www.instagram.com/p/CYtUupENjRr/

No mention on their web site for this luncheon. They do have a program: https://res.cloudinary.com/new-york-city-ballet/image/upload/v1641919045/Special-Events/2022-AL-Electronic-Invitation-V2