California

The Choose-3 is supposed to be available today, but it's not on-line, either on the ABT site or the Met ABT ticket site. Any info on when/where you purchase this?

The only thing I see on the schedule with that kind of attraction is the Bolle retirement on June 20. That seems likely to sell out fast.

Thanks for this info. I'm positive I was able to do a choose-your-own at NYCB with seat selection. That's late in the game, after all the regular subscribers are taken care of. But it's still a big advantage. Another advantage: I started with a pick-3. Weeks later I realized I could add 3 more and it moved me into a slightly better subscriber category. But I didn't have to do everything at once. Much better subscriber management, although I blame the Met, not ABT, for their less attractive approach to these.

I have a different question: Their pick-3 subscription (which also opens Tuesday, 1/29) says this: Make 3 Subscriptions are a choose-your-own package. Purchase at least three tickets to separate performances for maximum flexibility in your ABT Spring 2019 experience. Make 3 Subscribers receive the following benefits: Early access to additional tickets Free subscription ticket exchange Flexibility to choose the performances you want to attend Does that "early access to additional tickets" include seat selection? I'm thinking this is a way to get an early start. I don't think you get seat selection for the initial three though, right?

I'd look for Sarah Lane partnered by Herman Cornejo -- they're doing two Corsaire's, two Manon's, and Sleeping Beauty. I'm looking forward to the Tharp Trio, but I love Tharp. In the Upper Room is mesmerizing, but I know some here don't care for it.

Cold War will be available March 22 on Amazon Prime Video. The trailer is intriguing. https://www.amazon.com/Cold-War-Joanna-Kulig/dp/B07MXM7XVV/ref=sr_1_1?s=instant-video&ie=UTF8&qid=1548600111&sr=1-1&keywords=cold+war

I've also had that impression. When I compare prices for Colorado Ballet and Opera Colorado, which perform in the same opera house, I'm stunned at how much more expensive the Opera is for the same seats. Out of curiosity, I found the same thing comparing prices at the Met for ABT and the Met Opera for identical seats.

Thanks for the heads-up. Looks like this is 3:30 PST, not EST. They have a reminder sign-up on this page.

On his Instagram, Simkin says he's spending a few extra days in LA "on business" after finishing his ABT performances in Harlequinade. Then he has a shot at the LA Dance Project. (He uses that Instagram-story thing which I don't know how to link.) I haven't seen any announcement on that, but perhaps something to watch for. He seems to be busy, busy, but he's in his prime, so more power to him!

NYCB used to do that on Sunday evening of the last day of the spring season. It was really delightful. But it was discontinued a few years ago, with no explanation.

I always thought this was a throwback to the poet's shirt in Les Sylphides, although the bow in that is usually longer and less silly looking.

Here's the link - not much we didn't already know: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/14/arts/dance/sergei-polunin-putin-trump-paris-opera-ballet.html Have to wonder if Berlin will keep him on the schedule.

Most companies seem to offer adult drop-in classes at several levels. (A good thing for many reasons -- exercise, loyalty to the company, money-maker.) But I was thinking specifically of the 5-day Adult Ballet Workshop SFB is holding June 10-15, which works for out-of-towners. I asked them last year and they don't really want "absolute beginners," as NYCB welcomes in their Ballet Essentials program. I see for 2019 SFB has more language along these lines: "You must be regularly attending ballet classes and have an in-depth knowledge of ballet terminology and be proficient with center work." https://www.sfballet.org/community/adult-ballet

Something new from NYCB: a four-day Ballet Essentials workshop for adults with little or no training in ballet. Some of us have gone to the 90-minute Ballet Essentials Workshop in recent years and loved them. They are taught by actual NYCB dancers and every age, size, and ability is found in the classes. https://www.nycballet.com/Educate/Public-Programs/Ballet-Essentials-Workshop-Weekend.aspx San Francisco Ballet does a week-long summer "camp" but it's for adults with some serious ballet training. I wish other companies would try the version for rank beginners. From attending the one-time workshops, there's a tremendous audience for these things.

I'm reminded of a quote from Balanchine: (paraphrasing) I'm not looking for people who want to dance. I'm looking for people who have to dance.

Speaking of...Amar Ramasar will be a guest with BalletNext in February http://www.balletnext.com/press-release-december-20-2018

Best: Kimin Kim in ABT's La Bayadere June 1, especially having seem him in that role at the Kennedy Center with the Mariinsky in 2017 Yuka Iseda in Pennsylvania Ballet's Swan Lake in March (then a corps member, now promoted to soloist) (partnered by Jermel Johnson) Joseph Gordon in NYCB's Coppelia (partnering Ashley Bouder) in June, foreshadowing his much-deserved promotion to principal In ABT's fall season: Symphonie Concertante, Sarah Lane in Other Dances, and Herman Cornejo in In the Upper Room The release of Cranko's Onegin on DVD, the first of what I hope will be many releases of his work Worst: The difficulty finding things to put on my "best" list The NYCB scandals Jessica Lang's Garden Blue for ABT

This was the last performance of Baryshnikov in Giselle. Similarly, his performance of Le Jeune et la morte in White Nights (1985) was his last performance of that ballet. I remember discussion at the time that he was trying to record as much as he could of his repertoire before he fully retired from classical ballet. So, for all the flaws in that movie (and I agree, they are many), at least we have a record of an historically great dancer in an important role. Also nice to have footage of Ferri in Giselle. Another historical tidbit: they were in a rush to finish this film, as Nora Kaye was dying (and died before the premiere of the film). She, of course, was married to director Herbert Ross.

This is only helpful for people who itemize charitable deductions, but you can donate tickets on-line up to two hours before performance. They'll send you a receipt for your taxes: https://www.nycballet.com/TicketDonations.aspx

If you missed this lovely episode on CBS Sunday Morning today, the entire thing is now on their web page. (Bring your box of kleenex.) https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ballet-for-special-children-new-york-city-ballet-workshop-for-children-with-disabilities/

I get the same message for Fandor for Ballet Russes. Black Ballerina is free on Amazon Prime. Wilkinson is in both of them.

Very strange! I just tried my Amazon Prime again and it's free. I only watch on a laptop or tablet, not a TV, if that's what makes the difference.

That's fascinating, especially after seeing the photo of the original version. It looks difficult, so it's understandable it disappeared in later versions. But I wonder why Balanchine didn't use the original scarf (as the Royal seems to have made that work), instead of the floor slide or whatever he used to pull her along. Even so, as the skarf hasn't appeared before or seem to have any particular dramatic purpose, it still feels gimmicky. Historic, but gimmicky.

Or is it that slide in arabesque across the back of the stage? I suppose this is heretical, but I always think that looks just too gimmicky in that context.

This seems like a good time to remind everybody: Raven Wilkinson is included in a wonderful documentary called Black Ballerinas. It's available for free viewing on Amazon Prime and I would recommend it. https://www.amazon.com/Black-Ballerina-Joan-Myers-Brown/dp/B07HF7KSTC/