nanushka

Have they always cast so broadly for Dewdrop? It seems like such a good role for smaller, jumpy spitfire turners. I'm surprised to see that they don't stay within a narrower range of dancers for whom that's a specialty. I know Nutcracker is, broadly, a production that gives many dancers many opportunities, but I've just been surprised by how little they've focused on that "type" this year. Maybe I've just been following the casting more closely than before, though.

On 11/29/2021 at 2:01 PM, Kathleen O'Connell said:

Medici.tv is running a Cyber Monday sale. Annual subscriptions (including gift cards) are $38.70. The pay-as-you-go plan is $3.22 per month.

It's too bad Medici doesn't (apparently) have a Roku app. If so, I'd definitely subscribe at that price, at least to check it out for a year.

(Marquee has a Roku app, but it's terrible — almost not even worth the trouble.)

In the U.S., at least, a romantic relationship between a supervisor and a subordinate can lead to legal liability for the company. The possibilities for abuse of power in such relationships, not to mention plenty of other potential workplace problems, should be obvious. Employers absolutely have a right—in the U.S., at least—to require disclosure of or even prohibit such relationships.

20 minutes ago, JMcN said:

I worked for a government department for 36 years 1 month and 2 weeks.  During my time there lots of people met their partners there and they continued to work in the building although possibly on different teams.  

One of my friends met her husband when she was his secretary.

Unless specifically stated in your contract of employment work relationships are not prohibited.

Right, same in the U.S. But my question was whether employers in the UK have the right to (if they choose) require disclosure of relationships, or to prohibit relationships between supervisors and subordinates, as they do here. In other words, is it true that, as was stated above, relationships between employees are, legally, "absolutely...none of their [i.e. employers'] business" in the UK? That's what would surprise me.

It seems pretty reasonable and understandable to me that an employer would not release detailed allegations against a terminated employee.

1 hour ago, Mashinka said:

If a UK employer meddled in employees private lives they'd find themselves in front of an employment tribunal.

It absolutely is none of their business.

In the UK, do employers not have the right to prohibit (or require disclosure of) romantic/sexual relationships between employees (even supervisors and subordinates)?

I would be very surprised to learn that that is in fact true.

I don't know very much about the Scarlett case in particular, so I don't know if/how this would apply, but as a general matter employers do certainly have a justifiable interest in some cases of "sexual behavior out of the workplace," particularly if it involves a relationship between a supervisor and one of their reports.

I would think that a sexual relationship between a choreographer and a dancer might be of concern for some of the same reasons — i.e. to avoid issues of potential "pay to play" sexual harassment cases and to avoid any of the other problems that often arise from sexual/romantic supervisory relationships.

Again, this isn't a comment on the Scarlett case in particular, but just about the general claim that sexual behavior outside the workplace is "none of their business."

NYCB has posted the opening night performance of "Waltz of the Flowers" on YouTube. I wasn't there, and it sounded like an odd insertion when I heard about it. But watching the video now, I have to say it strikes me as a very spirited and moving performance. The ensemble sounds great, and I can imagine it having been exciting for both performers and audience, especially given the circumstances.

Same, thanks @Barbara!

23 minutes ago, volcanohunter said:

In years past the Paris Opera Ballet and the Bolshoi had fielded a full complement of wilis on that stage. I'm looking at a POB program from 2012, and there were 24 wilis (including Amandine Albisson, Valentine Colasante and Laura Hecquet), plus Myrtha, Moyna and Zulme. My guess is that under the circumstances ABT decided to put fewer dancers into its studios for rehearsals.

There were 18 wilis onstage Saturday night (not counting Myrtha, Moyna, Zulma and Giselle), which is the same number ABT typically uses (according to my programs from past Met seasons).

Once the cottages and ramps were gone, I thought the stage looked less crowded in Act II.

Ohh thank you so much for sharing all those details, @California!

The Met actually offers tours like that to the public, for a fee. I took one once and was pretty satisfied with how much we got to see, for the price.

10 hours ago, vipa said:

One thing about ABT tickets. I know a new ballet fan who used the discount code, but was really turned off by the service fee, facility fee & costume restoration fee. The fees cancelled out her discount and she was so annoyed she ended up not buying the ticket. I see her point. Honesty in ticket purchases would be helpful IMO if you want new fans in the seats. What does a newbie care about costume restoration, and why a service charge for an online interaction?

It seems like costume restoration would be a great thing to target some donors with — along with an agreement for program credit on any future performances in which restored costumes are used. It just seems too specific yet vague a thing to tack on to all ticket sales. (I imagine people thinking, "Why am I paying a restoration fee for unspecified costumes that are probably not even going to be used in the performance I'm paying to see?")

It was such a pleasant relief to purchase 4 Met Opera tickets recently and have only a single $10 fee added at check-out. A much better way to treat ticket buyers.

1 minute ago, ABT Fan said:

 

So, that's 3 full lengths at least for a 5-week season. They'll most likely add one more and then do a week of mixed rep.

They may not do a full week of every ballet or program — particularly since they've been doing some shorter runs of select works (not just mixed bills) in the past several Met seasons, and since they only have 5 weeks now.

There's a lovely article in the Times on Tom Forster's New York debut in Giselle, and his broader career trajectory. I'm not seeing Friday's performance, but I'm really hoping to see his Albrecht (among other new roles) at the Met next summer, if they do it again.

I hope anyone who sees Friday's performance will report on how he does.

3 minutes ago, abatt said:

They are putting someone named Petersen from the corps into the lead role of Myrta on the Sat matinee...

That's Stephanie Petersen, formerly Williams. She has not danced Myrta before, but she has danced Zulma, according to her bio. Also, Swan Lake PDT, Gold and Fleur de farine in Sleeping Beauty, Lady Capulet, Summer in Cinderella, and a few others. But nothing as big as Myrta before, no.

2 hours ago, Balletwannabe said:

Again...just looking at the history of pandemics.  I'm sticking with the word always.  

I am not a historian, but my understanding of the history of pandemics is that pandemics change history.

Quote

Pandemics are central to global history. They have global impact and create anchor points in time. They also interrogate the foundations of society, the sustainability of its material basis, the role of expertise, our social codes, and behavioural norms. Historians of medicine have long engaged with pandemics, examining how they both hinge upon and redefine connections between people and societies in ways that other global phenomena may not. The current COVID-19 pandemic is bound to establish a major anchor point in the twenty-first century.

6 minutes ago, canbelto said:

Well it's never going to end if people are selfish and don't get vaccinated ...

Yes, and “always” is an unwise word to use, I think, when considering world-historical events — especially those that get highly polarized by partisan politics.

I agree, @vipa. As annoying as I often find Macaulay, and as clueless and self-serving as the piece was at times, I think it did raise some good questions — ones that I've found myself thinking about in the past and ones that could be further considered by critics and critical viewers.

13 minutes ago, Kathleen O'Connell said:

It was LaFreniere's debut—Danchig-Waring has danced the male lead in Chaconne a number of times.

Ah, the cast sheet must have been wrong then, as they both had stars for "first time in role."

1 hour ago, On Pointe said:

Even nicer are the comments,  from the stage crew member and the public.

Before I even clicked on them, I just knew the comments would be warm and lovely! That story from Whelan about Apollo was no surprise, given Kowroski's stage presence.

I'd love to hear how LaFreniere and Danchig-Waring do in their Chaconne debuts tonight, if anyone's there! I'll be seeing the same program and mostly same casts tomorrow night.

35 minutes ago, cobweb said:

Thanks for pointing that out. That is a lovely photo of the three women, and their stunning dresses, on the repertory page. I wish NYCB more clearly listed timing for the programs. 

Yes, it'd be nice if they included this info elsewhere for program listings. I always look up the times and note them before performances.

1 minute ago, cobweb said:

Good to know I'm not the only one! What was the timing on that, how long is La Valse?

Timings are listed on the repertory pages. For La Valse, it says 29 min.

I wasn't there, but according to the cast list...