California

Miami City Ballet just announced their 2021-2022 season: https://www.miamicityballet.org/2122season Midsummer Night's Dream October 14-31, 2021 Balanchine's Nutcracker December 10-30, 2021 Swan Lake (Ratmansky reconstruction) Feb 11-27, 2022 Jewels March 18-April 24, 2022 Mixed bill: Prodigal Son, After the Rain, Hermann Schmerman April 29-May 22, 2011

I wrote to the membership office about Friends rehearsals in the fall: "We are still working on the logistics of open Friends rehearsals for the fall season. So sorry I don’t have a definitive answer for you at the moment. We will be in touch with members as soon as we have more information."

New York City Center has announced its 2021-2022 season: https://www.nycitycenter.org/About/2021-2022-season/ A few interesting ballet offerings: TWYLA NOW Nov 17 – 21, 2021 Pioneering choreographer Twyla Tharp turns 80 and she’s celebrating on our stage. Stars including Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s James Gilmer and Jacquelin Harris; American Ballet Theatre’s Aran Bell and Catherine Hurlin; Tony-nominated actor and dancer Robert Fairchild; and New York City Ballet’s Sara Mearns, Roman Mejia, and Tiler Peck perform signature works and two world premieres including a group piece featuring the principal dancers and an ensemble of young performers for this once-in-a-lifetime event. ARTISTS AT THE CENTER | TILER PECK Mar 3 – 6, 2022 Artists at the Center is our new dance series that gives City Center’s extraordinary family of artists opportunities to conceive and curate their own programs for our stage. Tiler Peck, New York City Ballet principal dancer, will launch this annual event with a program of her design, performing alongside a variety of dancers and musicians. A City Center-commissioned world premiere set to music composed by jazz legend and recent Academy Award-winner Jon Batiste is presented alongside works by William Forsythe, Alonzo King, Jennifer Weber, and Peck herself. ST. PETERSBURG EIFMAN BALLET Jun 10 – 12, 2022 Award-winning choreographer Boris Eifman explores the life and artistic universe of the famous comedy dramatist Molière in his latest production, Molière Passion, or The Mask of Don Juan. Like the 2001 production of Don Juan & Molière, the new ballet draws its dramatic energy from the contradictory unity of theater and reality, and the paradoxical relationship between the author and his characters.

If they are worried about long lines and crowds in the restrooms, I wonder what they have planned for before and after the actual performance. We are used to seeing signs on the floor for distancing and attendants at the door to regulate access. But, of course, that could also be done at a genuine intermission.

Apologies! I should have edited that press release to break it up into paragraphs. Thanks for reformatting. I was so impressed with the digital offerings of this company in the past year, I'd be tempted to visit if they did a Balanchine festival. But I don't think I want to travel to see the pieces they are doing in February in their All-Balanchine program. A Bournonville festival would also attract out-of-towners, but that might not be feasible with their local audience.

Ballet Arizona has announced their 2021-2022 season: https://balletaz.org/2021-2022-season/ PHOENIX – Ballet Arizona is proud to present its momentous 2021-2022 season, celebrating a revival from the pandemic and overcoming the pause in arts programs across the nation. The season will mark the 36 th year for Arizona’s official ballet company as well as the first full lineup after the pandemic. The new season will kick off Oct. 29-31, 2021, with Contemporary Moves. Three ballets that shine the spotlight on masterful and diverse choreography, music and tone from celebrated choreographers: Justin Peck, Sir Frederick Ashton, and Ballet Arizona’s own Nayon Iovino. Rejoicing in the spirit of the holidays, Ballet Arizona’s famous performance of The Nutcracker will take place Dec. 10-24, 2021 in Symphony Hall. Live music from The Phoenix Symphony will help bring the enchantment and splendor of The Nutcracker to life, alongside Ballet Arizona Artistic Director Ib Andersen’s dazzling choreography. Ballet Arizona’s production has been named “among the top three in the country” by The New York Times. The Nutcracker is sponsored in part by Pivotal Foundation | F. Francis and Dionne Najafi. Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Romeo and Juliet, choreographed by Andersen with the lush score by Sergei Prokofiev played by The Phoenix Symphony, will bring the star-crossed lover’s story to Symphony Hall February 10-13, 2022. With its sweepingly regal ballroom scenes, vivacious swordplay and poignant pas de deux, Andersen’s production is a visual tour de force. The All Balanchine program will present three ballets by renowned choreographer George Balanchine and staged by Andersen, who is one of a handful of artists worldwide authorized by The Balanchine Trust to stage the late choreographer’s masterpieces. The lineup includes performances such as Serenade and the Arizona premiere of Bourrée Fantasque March 24-27, 2022 at the Orpheum Theatre. Ballet Arizona will bring to life Andersen’s innovative choreography with the music of iconic Mexican singersongwriter Juan Gabriel’s performance from the Palacio de Belles Artes with Juan Gabriel. This world premiere performance May 5-8, 2022, pays homage to the legendary entertainer who captured the hearts of millions worldwide and whose works have transcended generations. Juan Gabriel is produced by Jacquie and Bennett Dorrance. Ballet Arizona’s annual tradition An Evening at Desert Botanical Garden will conclude the 2021-2022 season May 17-June 2, 2022. Inspired by his 2016 world premiere, Round, Andersen plans to revisit this unparalleled work with re-imagined choreography that embraces and showcase

Also note that there are no intermissions in the fall: Fall 2021 performances will be seated with no social distancing but will be performed without an intermission to maximize audience safety. Additional safety measures will include an upgraded auditorium ventilation system, rigorous cleaning and sanitation protocols, and a contactless entrance experience. https://www.nycballet.com/your-visit/your-safety I haven't seen any information on open rehearsals for friends and wonder if those are gone, at least for now.

Not a peep about a fall season at Lincoln Center or next spring at the Met. All we know so far is the Kennedy Center engagement March 29-April 3, with two nights of a mixed bill and five Don Qs. In "normal" times they would announce in July fall performances in NYC for October and in October announce the Met season for the following spring. I'm eager to see all of that announced. Looks like they'll do their Nutcracker at Segerstrom in December, but no announcement yet of dates. I spotted one detail in the Royal Ballet's season overview that we might see in NYC someday: Like Water For Chocolate, June 1-17, 2022 by Christopher Wheeldon. A co-production with ABT. World premiere June 1, 2022 at ROH. So we might see it in North American in fall 2022 or Met spring 2023. I assume we'll see Ratmansky's Of Love and Rage, premiered March 5, 2020, at Segerstrom. Performances cut short by COVID. If you follow Bell and Brandt on Instagram, they are showing extensive rehearsals of Don Q and a little Corsaire. I hope they're cast in the KenCen engagement.

So many organizations are rethinking their mission, their organization, a re-birth post-pandemic. This seems to me just another example of that. It's possible they've been thinking about this name change for a long time (or maybe not), but a sense of re-emerging with fresh energy and ideas is all around us nowadays. So many major companies in the US are named after their home city -- San Francisco, Miami, Boston, New York, Atlanta, Washington -- the change fits with that environment. Whether it will help with fund-raising, who knows, but they might have some data that it will.

NYCB just announced via email that single tickets will go on sale July 19 for donors over $100 and subscribers for 2021-22, including the four retirement programs. The email doesn't say if they will have seat selection. Single tickets for the general public go on sale August 1. At least in previous years, seat selection was available at that point. https://www.nycballet.com/season-and-tickets/seasons

The Colorado Ballet today posted their new roster for 2021-22. No news releases or announcements. Principals: Dana Benton, Yosvani Ramos and Asuka Sasaki continue. Francisco Estevez announced on public instagram on April 17 that this would be his final performance with the company. "Today is my final show with Colorado Ballet. Though I never intended to leave in this way at this time during the strangest year in my career, I always trust that things will fall into place." He is teaching this summer at other Colorado academies and doing some guest performances. I have absolutely no idea what the story is, but he will be sorely missed. Yosvani Ramos recently celebrated his 41st birthday on public Instagram. Soloists: Jennifer Grace, Mario Labrador, Leah McFadden [promoted from corps], Christopher Moulton, Nicolas Pelletier, Jonnathan Ramirez, Kevin Gael Thomas, Sarah Tryon [promoted from corps] [Morgan Buchanan left] EDITED TO ADD: As Sasaki on public Facebook has announced that she is expecting in October, it looks like a lot of these soloists will be getting opportunities in the eight performances of Giselle this October. Grace and Ramirez joined the company post-shut-down, so I have not seem them. Labrador was just announced. Moulton is likely to get an Albrecht. Like so many other organizations post-COVID, we are seeing a major transition in the organization. Demi Soloists: MacKenzie Dessens [promoted from corps], Sean Omandan, Melissa Zoebisch Corps: Joshua Allenback, Simon Zinabu Costello, Liam Hogan, Bryce Lee, Francesca Martoccio, Ariel McCarty, Jessica Payne, Alexander Roy, Jeremy Studinski, Sara Thomas, Alexandra Wilson [Ben Winegar left] Apprentices: Ever Larson, Jacob Ray, Catherine Aoki, Catherine McGregor, Sheridan Guerin, Patrick Minh, Christopher Mitchell So, a total of 25 + 7 apprentices. In July 2020 they had 25 + 7 apprentices

Eifman will also be at the Koch in NYC March 4-6, 202. I'll be skipping that one, too. https://www.davidhkochtheater.com/tickets-and-events/russian-hamlet/

I was fascinated with the history of that name, viz., that it was the original name they wanted, but another group had already taken it. Note that Pittsburgh Ballet is in Pennsylvania, too, so I wonder if that had anything to do with it.

Cal Performances has announced their 2021-22 dance season: https://calperformances.org/performances/dance/ I was hoping perhaps Mariinsky might visit after their Kennedy Center engagement, but no. Joffrey Ballet is the main interest for ballet lovers.

The Pennsylvania Ballet has just changed its name to Philadelphia Ballet: https://philadelphiaballet.org/ Their 2021-22 season has also just been announced: https://philadelphiaballet.org/2021-2022-season/ George Balanchine's The Nutcracker® December 10-31, 2021 Academy of Music New Works For A New World February 3-12, 2022 The Perelman Theater Angel Corella Swan Lake March 3-13, 2022 Academy of Music Balanchine Symphony in C Divertimento No. 15 Stars and Stripes March 17-20, 2022 Academy of Music Two Couples 5 Tangos Hans Van Manen's Humankind May 12-15, 2022 Academy of MusicLEARN MORE

That Swan Lake was in the works for a long time. If they looked at other options in DC next season, Giselle must have seemed like it had great potential as a safe money-maker after the long drought of serious revenue. Not something I'd jump onto an airplane to see, but still...

Washington Ballet has just announced their 2021-22 season: https://www.washingtonballet.org/seasons/2021-22-season/ Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Giselle, Next steps

Royal Ballet has announced casting for the fall season, including Giselle and Romeo and Juliet. https://media.wordfly.com/roh/bp1-casting-2021.pdf General ticketing starts August 24, with Friends right before that. https://www.roh.org.uk/tickets-and-events

Rocky Mountain PBS is broadcasting the Colorado Ballet's Alice (in Wonderland) by Septime Webre on Friday, June 25 at 8 pm MDT. I don't know how far their reach is. This was a wonderful production from a few years back. Several of the principals have since retired, so it will be a real treat to see them again (most especially Maria Mosina, Sharon Wehnert, Alexei Tyukov). https://www.instagram.com/p/CQEM8B_Apxz/

The Berlin State Opera Ballet has announced their 2021-22 season: https://next.staatsoper.de/en/

I loved it, too -- ballet comfort food with just a little contemporary work with Bell and Hurlin. The camera work reminded me of the hideous German recordings long ago of Balanchine, which he reportedly hated. But that point in Vienna Waltzes that we all missed shows that camera work still has room for improvement after all these years!

If you are a Friend of ABT (not sure where the cut-off is), you have access to ABT On Demand. It includes a full-length recording of ABT's performance of Swan Lake in 2014 in Australia with Veronika Part and James Whiteside.

That was my one big disappointment with the camera work. The moment when the lights come on and the crowd enters from the side is always so exciting in the theater, and it was lost because the camera was watching Kowroski exit.

NYCB Vienna Waltzes free on YouTube through June 17: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpqhrYV7W3I

Boston Ballet has announced their 2021-22 season: https://bostonballet.widen.net/s/gpwlpk2mxx/digital_2021-2022_seasonbrochure_acquisition Their first in-theater performances will be Nutcracker, with four programs in the spring. https://www.bostonballet.org/Boston-Ballet/Tickets-Performances/Subscription-Information/Subscription-Landing-Page They are also offering digital programs. It appears that some of the virtual programming is new, while others are from the archives: https://www.bostonballet.org/Home/Tickets-Performances/Subscription-Information/Packages/Virtual-Package