nanushka

If there’s ever a time to retire the (IMO) outmoded phrase “ladies’ figure skating,” this Olympics must be it.

A mess, indeed. It's like a scene from Spinning Out or something.

Only if you buy into the logic that her age should be considered as a factor in whether she be allowed to complete after having tested positive for a banned substance — which doesn't seem at all logical to me. I don't understand what the one has to do with the other. Her age should impact who is held responsible, not whether she skates in competition. Her presence on the ice, after a positive test, renders the whole competition a bizarre exercise in overlooking the obviously relevant. It calls into question the significance of the entire event. I don't think it should matter whether she is 18 or 15, or whether the substance got into her by force, in ignorance, or with her willing consent. Once it's there, she should be out. Yes, it may be sad that she as a (possibly innocent) minor should have to pay that price for the mistakes of her elders — but the competition makes no sense if she skates, IMO.

That's interesting, I don't think of Scotch Symphony and La Sylphide as being connected in at all the same way. Certainly, the creator of one has seen and is responding to (among many other things) the other; but I think of SS as depicting (to the extent that it depicts anything) something from the same world as LS, but not in the same idiom, and not with the same basic narrative. Which I guess is just to say that I don't find that SS suffers by comparison. (Though I really only like the first two movements — love them, in fact — and don't much care for the third.) (That may be partly Mendelssohn's fault, though, as it's the same with the music.)

It’s great he’s coming back! Maybe bodes well for the prospect of future NYC ABT engagements?

I was pretty disappointed by Reichlen in Slaughter on Saturday. She was my main reason for staying for the piece. Her legs were of course gorgeous but I was not particularly drawn in by any other part of her performance. I saw her in it once before (a few years ago) and thought she was ok, not great, in terms of overall performance. This time, not so much. Too bad, as it was my last time seeing her and I have really loved her in numerous other things.

Ugh yes that costume. I didn’t much like his program either. Loved Jason Brown though. Gorgeous skating.

Oh no. With her farewell coming up, I really hope she has no serious injury.

Oh, I'm very surprised to hear that the outdoor terrace hasn't been open. Duh, isn't outdoor public space what it's all about now? That makes no sense. Unlock the doors!

I think intermissions promote possible viral transmission a lot less than having a bunch of people eating and drinking while mingling unmasked. At least the current protocols make a bit more sense. (That said, I’m hoping we may be getting closer to a time when the eating and drinking can again be allowed, too, now that we’re past the worst of the omicron variant and perhaps nearing an endemic stage of the virus.)

I’ve been watching her performances on YT in the months leading up to the Olympics and I agree, @Drew—it’s hard not to love her!

I was there too, @MarzipanShepherdess, and agree with many of your observations. Mearns was fantastic. She looks in marvelous shape, and she is so perfect in this role. She has gorgeous, powerful legs — almost a match for Reiclen's in Slaughter! I enjoyed Pereira's dancing more than I ever had before. (I do just wish she'd tone down the lipstick.) Janzen was a good partner, which is nearly all this role requires — but yes, then he botched two of the three double tours, stepping out of the landings. I completely missed the hard fall! Must have been absorbed in watching another part of the stage. I agree about Unanswered Question. I'd have been perfectly happy with just Walpurgisnacht as a first act, but they don't seem to program it that way. Moves would have made a bigger initial impact without UQ in between. There are indeed too many repetitions of the same thing, but I did enjoy seeing Laracey hold that gorgeous arabesque, supported only by the four men from below. I'd be interested to see the piece in the complete Ivesiana, where it perhaps works better. I really enjoyed Moves, which I'd never seen, and I thought all four leads (Gerrity, Grant, Hod, Walker) looked great. Got the sense this piece was an influence on Peck. I've decided never to stay for Slaughter again, unless there's someone in it I really want to see. (I wanted to see Reichlen for one last time.) It's not a strong enough closer to round out a really satisfying program (which this wasn't, alas — didn't all add up to quite enough).

I imagine they did expect the issue to come up and instructed the artists not to engage. That's probably what was meant by "weren't prepared to answer": they deliberately chose not to prepare them.

Arlene Croce wrote at some length about the heights and body types in Mozartiana: ETA: Castelli is remarkably fleet in his gigue (in the video posted above). Ulbricht didn't have nearly that same speed when I saw him on Sunday (the tempo was significantly slower), but he had good precision and elevation.

The whole idea of a Michael Jackson musical that is "essentially an authorized biography" (as the above-linked NYT piece calls it) seems kind of ridiculous. I'm a little surprised artists of Wheeldon's stature got onboard. (That said, I've never much liked Wheeldon's work.)

I have repeatedly noticed and been bothered by this about LaFreniere. A little of that can be fine, in the right places. But she grinned all the way through Chaconne last fall, and through most of the Mozartiana menuet. It reminds me of how Veronika Part for awhile often held her mouth open while dancing. I think she worked on it, though, and it was not a problem in the latter part of her ABT career, as I recall. Hopefully LaFreniere can do the same. (She perhaps has a bit of an overbite, and so it may be difficult for her to sustain a relaxed look with closed lips. From years of braces in childhood, I can sympathize.)

I agree about those particular qualities but for me the role calls for more.

@cobweb I agree with you on basically every point. Hyltin was not particularly memorable in this. Huxley had fantastic precision and height on his jumps. The 4 new soloists looked superb (though I wish LaFreniere grinned less). Fairchild was more thoroughly satisfying than I’ve ever seen her. Garcia was enjoyable too (in a role and ballet I generally don’t care for). Kikta gorgeous throughout. Sanz and Laracey and Kikta great in La Valse. Furlan almost stole the show, and his jetés were phenomenal. But once Furlan froze for the long encounter with Death, Mearns and Ramasar more than capably took over. I was not looking forward to seeing the last two pieces again but with these casts it was worth it.

Yes, very exciting and well deserved by all. Great news!

Yes, especially after seeing what happened to other dancers (e.g. Part, Lane) who, despite principal status, were given fewer roles than (IMO) they deserved.

You do have to register by email, but there's no fee.

Over the last 30-40 years minus the last 10, I'd say. There's been a noticeable change.

That's a pretty outdated description of ABT, though. None of the current principals were really international stars before coming to ABT. James Whiteside is the only current principal who did not enter the company in the corps or even earlier. The vast majority were in the Studio Company or ABT II.

But La Valse and Slaughter were both seen in the Fall, weren't they? While that makes them unexciting for those of us who attend numerous performances, I think that's precisely why they're programming them again. I suspect it's been very difficult for them to get in the studios with the recent COVID spike. Liebeslieder hasn't been done in a number of years so would require a good deal more rehearsal time. Not saying I don't agree it'd be great to have more variety — just that I don't think it's only about "smaller-scale works." (I think Diamonds was problematic not only because it's larger-scale but also because of the amount of rehearsal that means it'd require.)

In addition to the Giselle, I found Simkin's Whipped Cream with Sarah Lane to be particularly memorable — a top-notch performance.