Josette

This is such joyous news! So happy for Vanessa and Davit!

I lived in Paris during a period where I was transitioning from my dance career into another profession and fell in love with POB with its emphasis on pure, non-cheating technique and elegance.

Yes, I remember Dores in Scotch Symphony as well! I've been going to SFB consistently for ten years now and it has been so thrilling to watch the growth of dancers such as Dores, Sasha de Sola, and Frances Chung. So many POB dancers have the delightful ability to step onto pointe and hover in space. They are so sure-footed in their pointe and bas de jambe technique. Dorothee Gilbert in Giselle was amazing.

That's how Mathilde Froustey looked - meaning the prancing deer on the beach in her Instagram - which, curiously, was a clip that I posted on my facebook page a short while ago and which makes the FB rounds from time to time. She danced with an effortless technical command and was obviously enjoying performing again, which is always a joy to watch. In the past I felt she would occasionally get stuck in a balance and relish it a bit too much and then get off the music - none of which happened last week. A bit more on Dores Andre: the first time I ever noticed her was before she was promoted to soloist and it was as a demi-soloist in the second movement of Symphony in C, when she bourree-ed out from upstage right, looking gorgeous in the tutu with ballerina-like positioning of her head, neck, and upper back. I don't think I have seen her in a tutu since then until last week. I was happily impressed with the precision and lightness in her pointe work as the Sugar Plum Fairy as well as her musical phrasing, which I have seen several dancers fail to make effective in that role and Tomasson's choreography. I am looking forward to the five performances of The Sleeping Beauty I am attending in a few weeks because classical ballet is of a different standard from the contemporary choreography that the company performs.

I went to five Nutcrackers after Christmas and the company was looking enthusiastic as a whole with excellent performances. Not to discredit any dancer, I nevertheless want to single out a few: Mingxuan Wang as the Snow Cavalier and then in Chinese - what an exceptional dancer he is, on the way, hopefully not too slowly, to becoming a first-rate danseur noble. I saw him about three years ago in the Peasant pas quatre in the SFB Giselle, and have been waiting to see him in more solo roles. Mathilde Froustey in Snow and the Grand pas de deux is dancing better than ever with a less forced radiance and a new serenity that embraces the audience. She looked so happy to be back on stage. I hope to see her Aurora in a few weeks. Ulrik Birkkjaer in the Grand pas de deux - I bought an extra ticket so I could see him. He is a former principal with the Royal Danish Ballet and joined SFB this season. What struck me as unique about him was his mime in the first part of Act II, which was revelatory in its naturalness and projection (years of early training in Denmark in mime). I would love to see him as Albrecht. Dores Andre as the Sugar Plum Fairy (dances Waltz of the Flowers) - I seldom see her in a tutu and was pleased that she looked beautiful and danced with a ballerina's refinement and musicality. She also succeeded in giving meaning to the opening scene of Act II, which we seldom see. Friday night's performance had an utterly exquisite Yuan Yuan Tan with Carlo di Lanno in Snow and a superb Sofiane Sylve with Tiit Helimets in the Grand pas de deux. Lonnie Weeks danced a brilliant Russian, as did Wei Wang in a later performance - but there are no surprises there. Esteban Hernandez also gave his own brilliant all in everything he danced, both in technique and performance values. Both Hernandez and Wei Wang finish their multiple pirouettes up on demi-pointe. Koto Ishihara danced an effortlessly lovely Grand pas de deux, with beautiful line and port de bras. She was scheduled to dance it with Hansuke Yamamoto, but he was replaced in the pas de deux due to injury and so Vitor Luiz stepped in at the last moment and all went well. What I also appreciated about Koto is that her expression changes as she dances and we do not have to look at a monotone smile. Ami Yuki was stunningly beautiful and expressive in Arabian. New corps member Wona Park as the Sugar Plum Fairy danced with pristine classical technique and looked confident on stage. Sean Bennett reminds me of George Chakiris (huge compliment). It was wonderful to see newly promoted soloist Steven Morse dancing with increased presence. And it was a pleasure to see Madison Keesler again, looking radiantly happy to be dancing for us. On to The Sleeping Beauty at the end of the month . . .

Thank you, Helene and canbelto.

Helene, out of curiosity, I was wondering the source for your post. Is it "Avid Reader?"

ABT should contact Aaron Robison of English National Ballet. Aaron is tall, charismatic, unique, and has a beautiful technique.

Cubanmiamiboy, I was happy to read your comment about the tree. I have not seen the NYC production live and have heard wonderful things about the tree, including your comments about Balanchine. I go every year to San Francisco Ballet's Nutcracker and I am thrilled like a child when the tree grows - it is utterly magical and I even noted that the lights on the tree last season were different but still very beautiful. I can't wait to see it next week, four times. It is an incredible moment. I saw two performances of Miami City Ballet's Nutcracker two weekends ago and was waiting for the tree to grow, but the effect totally fizzled out. It was a bad, uninformed choice by the set designers and, as you say, "cheap looking." I agree with you completely. A major disappointment. I also have to mention that the majority of the dancers gave emotionally wan performances in the Saturday matinee (Dewdrop Jennifer Lauren and Frau Lauren Fadely were exceptions). Generally, they seemed to be mentally elsewhere and disengaged in giving anything you could call a performance, though the steps were executed very accurately. I was sitting in the front row and could only wonder whether some of the dancers think that we in the audience do not look at their faces. This is not the Miami City Ballet I knew under Villella. The Sunday performance I saw had more vitality from everyone - it was their last performance in L.A. before flying back to Miami, so perhaps their enthusiasm to get back home worked to pick up their collective energy level.

Thanks for letting me know, AB's Mom! I certainly have no complaints about seeing Sarah Lane. Also looking forward to seeing your daughter. I am in the front row.

Yet there are hearsay exceptions that are admissible in court. Additionally, hearsay is not a valid objection to refrain from responding to a question in deposition, interrogatories, or other forms of discovery, as the response may lead to the discovery of admissible evidence.

As described, it's assault and battery.

I just received an email from SFB, stating that, due to public demand, they are adding a performance of The Sleeping Beauty on Friday, February 2, 2018, available for the general public to purchase tomorrow, Dec. 8, 2018. Apparently donors and subscribers have about 10 hours before the general public to purchase tickets for the added performance. That makes 11 performances. There are still dates open on which other performances can be added.

Thanks, pherank.

I love knowing that your daughter is Clara!

I'm only going once to the Ratmansky Nutcracker this year, and mainly to watch the adorable children, but I happily chose the Sunday matinee Hee Seo-Cory Stearns performance. I've seen all the female principals but Copeland, whom I do not find interesting or distinctive as a performer or dancer. I am also seeing two performances of Miami City Ballet's premiere run of Balanchine's Nutcracker in L.A., which includes dates when ABT is performing in Orange County. I wish Miami City would post their casting.

Sob.

SFB sent out an email today about adding an evening Nutcracker on Friday, Dec. 29, 2017, available to the general public tomorrow.

I am not a subscriber. The last time I attempted a subscriber package, there was an insane extra charge, so I balked. It was the price of an extra ticket. As a Friend, I am supposed to get a free dress rehearsal. When I log in, the SFB site already recognizes me as a Friend. I am seeing Nijinsky twice and hope to get a third show in so I can see all casts. I hope for two more performances of Sleeping Beauty, program B of the new works, and two of the Robbins performances.

I was in the Friends category of being able to buy singles before Nov. 16 and could not find the way to do it. So I gave up, plus am super-busy at work, and bought tickets for most of what I wanted today. I could not find a ticket I wanted for the Robbins series or for Unbound B, but, inevitably, subscribers start to exchange their tickets for other shows after the holidays and good single tickets become available. I got Sleeping Beauty for the last weekend shows on Saturday-Sunday and I expect and hope that SFB will add one or two Sleeping Beauty performances on Feb. 1 and/or 2, 2018, as I would love to see as many casts as possible. SFB has added performances in the past for Swan Lake and Cinderella when the tickets were selling well.

What a shame.

Totally delightful!

Madison was chosen by choreographer Akram Khan to dance for several performances the lead in his Giselle, which was a huge honor and responsibility. I am looking forward to seeing her again on stage in SF. I selfishly wish that Aaron were still at SFB for another year because I found him exhilarating on stage. He has a beautiful, finished technique and a spontaneous quality. I wouldn't doubt for a moment what you state as to his being happy to be back in England.

In the past few months, Aaron Robison has danced Song of the Earth and Romeo to Jurgita Dronina's Juliet in Nureyev's Romeo and Juliet in his first season with the English National Ballet. He seems to have found his right place.

That smile of Asylmuratova when she ends her fouettes is so adorable that you just have to love her.