puppytreats

What is the gate dance?

Ballet dancers often post photos from bows and curtain calls on their social media sites, so apparently they are happy to have these photographs, even though my friend was scolded by an audience member and usher and told that the dancers' union prohibits photos in the theatre.

I am trying to decide whether to go to Italy or Japan to see "Manon", but if ABT performs it in NY, I could wait, and save the money....When will this be announced?

Today's NY Times states: "During an interview in February, Mr. Iksanov said he had no legal basis for dismissing Mr. Tsiskaridze and hoped that he would resign voluntarily. 'Our labor legislation is very humane,' he said. 'He has been on pension for more than a year. I cannot send him to retirement, because according to Russian legislation, it’s a lifetime contract. He can stay at the theater until he is 100.' Ms. Novikova declined on Sunday to comment on what had changed since then."

Braved the rain and Tiler Peck's Allegro Brillante was every bit as fabulous as everyone says. She manages to be so majestic and commanding and her pirouettes were so fast it was dizzying. Veyette and the wonderful Demi-soloists were all completely on tonight. The new costumes continue to ruin Who Cares? for me but Sterling Hyltin was lovely in the Man I Love duet with Robert Fairchild. Scheller has learned to relax her shoulders and gave a wonderful performance. Great evening.

What amazes me most about Tiler Peck is that her pirouettes accelerate as they progress.

_{I just read Mary Cargill's review of Chase Finlay's debut in "Stars and Stripes". It confirmed my belief that tall, princelike dancers like Finlay - the ones who excel in roles like Apollo, are not the best dancers for the lead role in Stars and Stripes. Although he danced it many times, I never liked Charles Akegard in the ballet. Damian Woetzl, Ethan Stiefel, now Andrew Veyette and Tyler Angle - these are the best dancers for the El Capitan role (in my opinion anyway). I am going to New York City Ballet's final performance of the season on Sunday and can't wait to see Bouder and Veyette in Stars and Stripes. I'll definitely post about their performances as well as about the performances in Serenade and Stravinksy Violin Concerto early next week.}

You don't consider Veyette to belong to that first category?

Even without notes, the theme and emotion of the dance are evident, but may not be captured on a single viewing. I think that if one listens to the music, one can understand the general themes of the ballet, and if one reads about the composer, one's understanding is enhanced. The backdrops permit even greater understanding.

I interpreted the demand to "rise above" artistic expressions about oppression, in light of the (unequally) positive experiences of some, to mean "get over it" and "don't complain" or raise the issue.

To endure or physically survive does not equate with "rising above" torture, abuse, or imprisonment.

^{How does one "rise above" not being able to practice his religion, or express his identity?}

^{How does one "rise above" having his property and livelihood being taken away?}

^{How does one "rise above" being accused of crimes one did not commit?}

^{How does one "rise above" the deaths of 20 million?}

^{How does one "rise above' the criminalization of things that have nothing to do with safety or the government's interest?}

^{How does one "rise above" the abuse of power?}

^{Who does not have "secrets" or anything to hide? Even your parents hid things from you that you were not able to understand or had no right to know.}

^{Maybe one is hiding an innocent, or refuses to participate in victimizing an innocent, and therefore "has secrets to hide" and becomes a transgressor of unjust laws.}

^{Why should someone who experienced, observed, or wants to describe such things be accused of ignoring the positive aspects of a society? One does not cancel out the other.}

^{I am not saying anyone has to attend a ballet or play or read a book describing painful situations and raising difficult questions.}

^{At the same time, even though "Corsaire" is considered light, I think the subject matter - slavery - is a heavy matter.}

I hope he manages to get away from the Soviet themes.

If an artist is trying to communicate to you something, why would you want him to "get away" from his "themes"?

.... Marcelo Gomes will replace Hammoudi as Siegfried on the June 19th matinee. Hee Seo, whom Hammoudi would have been paired with for both performances, has really gotten an upgrade to first class with her new partners!

Hee Seo is as first class now as she has been for years, dancing opposite the likes of Hallberg and Muntagirov! She is an ABT Principal...and did not have to wait until her 30s for the appointment.

Yes. I was just making a point about Hee getting perhaps two of the best and most experienced partners in the world for her R&J and SL, instead of a relatively underdeveloped soloist. I think having Gomes for SL will be particularly helpful considering that it is her debut. I also loved Seo as Juliet when I saw her MET debut and thought at the time that she and Bolle might be well-matched, so I'll be interested to hear reports.

Didn't they dance together in Asia?

She is one of my favorite dancers onstage, with technique and skills that surpass many others. She is also very well spoken and makes excellent presentations when discussing her art and her own experiences, such as during her presentation at the Guggenheim.

. . . when ABT presents Giselle next spring.

Off-topic for this thread...but where are you finding these hints of programming for spring 2014? Manon seems a safe guess, as they are doing it in Japan in February (as posted by the Japanese theater).

If Giselle, I wonder if they'll let Gillian do it, after her success in New Zealand in their new production (and as it appears they are not bringing it to the US next year).

Has anyone seen Julie perform "Manon"? I really can't imagine her in the rag doll scene at the end. She is scheduled to perform it in Japan.

Why is this ballet such an important part of the canon? I am rarely interested in the tricks, but Natalia's balances and Ivan's split turns were the only things that held my attention. Other ballets differ from the books from which they derive, and still are compelling, but in this case, the book has so much to offer, while the dance does not move me.

Suki and Merrill teach a class on the arabesque. I got the tape from the local library. It is very interesting.

I'm going to have to disagree about Symphony in C. I absolutely hated that so many accents were ignored -- the first movement when the corps de ballet rises up on pointe repeatedly, .....

Exactly as in DC last month. A shame that they weren't able to tidy-up the corps between the DC and NY runs. The soloists -- or, rather, SOME soloists, such as Boylston/Simkin and Seo -- saved the day in DC.

I saw it in DC once and NY twice. The DC performance shocked me, having recently seen it at NYCB. The NY performances were an improvement over the DC performance.

But I myself make silly "principle / principal"-type mistakes all the time because I've become too reliant on automatic completion and spell check. Oh, and because computer keyboards allow you to type faster than you can think. It took a bit longer to pound things out on a typewriter.

I confused them all the time, even before I started using computers. I always have to have a dictionary and grammar or style guide available.

Osipova & Vasiliev were at the dress rehearsal this afternoon, so all is well, her absence from the gala was just a pre-caution.

Osipova danced the third movement of "Symphony in C" yesterday afternoon - quite well according to report. I will see her tonight. However, Herman Cornejo is injured (per a note in the program at last night's performance). He was replaced by a very fine Ivan Vasiliev whose sloppy showboating mannerisms were nowhere in evidence dancing Balanchine. He looked wonderful.

Agreed. He didn't (nor did she at the matinee) "over dance" the third. But I wasn't impressed with how he looked in the black costume. Against all the other ABT men who looked so sleek, he came across as looking a bit "rumpled." But at least he can do a really clean entre-chat-cinq and that counted. Can someone tell me please. At the opening step combination in the third, was there ever a double sau-de-basque. I seem to recall that happening with a few of the male dancers of yore. Just wondering.

My amazement wasn't so much with the Russian duo as with the absolute gorgeous-ness of Stella in the 1st movement! OMG! Sheer perfection. Tell me again why this woman is not a principle? And then there was the outrageous beauty of Polina and Marcello leading the 2nd. Words elude me. For a ballet that tells no story, the two of them spoke volumns.

For me the cast from Wednesday matinee in all three ballets was the one to see. Happily, I get to see them again tonight!

On Thursday night, his turns were so tight and effortless, unlike any I have ever seen, but then he seemed to walked in between some steps instead of dancing.

might be a little off-topic but ABT will be performing Manon in the 2014 Feb-March Japan Tour.

The cast is already online.

http://www.japanarts...14/english.html

I was considering going to Milan for "Manon" in the Fall. Now, maybe I'll consider Japan, or wait for NYC???

might be a little off-topic but ABT will be performing Manon in the 2014 Feb-March Japan Tour.

The cast is already online.

http://www.japanarts...14/english.html

What are "Chamber Symphony" and "Clear"?

The music is so violent, foreboding, dangerous, and clearly alludes to war, at least to my ears.

Ballet Talk/Alert now = Tiger Beat.

A persistent debate in literary criticism. "Motiveless malignancy." "Ontological absence." Spurned homosexual desire. Pick your poison.

Motiveless malignancy = pure evil, so non-zen, and lacking in human insight. Ontological absence = a seeming cop out, a lazy response. Is it simply nihilism? A desire for an end?

Spurned homosexual desire - seems off, since Iago seems a randy heterosexual to me, but maybe that is due to performance on video, etc.

Thanks for trying Simon, but I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For.

What is "must see" in the Spring by NYCB, keeping in mind ample commitments across the plaza?

Advice for Winter Season worked well.

One who does not obtain a promotion resolves to accuse falsely an innocent of deception against Othello, and to use and deceive his own wife, in order to obtain the death of Otello and the innocent, with complete disregard for the effect on his own wife?