nanushka

I didn't write the remark you're responding to, but personally I read "always seemingly injured" with the seemingly modifying always rather than injured — i.e. "it seems like he's always injured" (with always being obviously somewhat hyperbolic), not "he always has these so-called injuries that may not be real." I may, of course, be wrong.

Pardon the possible indelicacy, but I was pleased to see that the missing tuchus, which he seemed to have lost in Moscow, had by his return to the Met last spring found its way back to him.

Yes, it seemed intended as a narration of a very personal journey — one that was obviously initiated by external physical experiences (the experiences of injury especially) but that was primarily unfolding within.

I think Hallberg is a beautiful dancer but I also admit to feeling he is sometimes overhyped. To me, he lacks the charisma that certain other top dancers have to a greater extent — e.g. Marcelo Gomes. Gomes is also a superior partner, but I'm mostly just thinking of how they compare when dancing solo. Marcelo is not as ideally proportioned, perhaps, and he lacks some of David's elegance; in certain ways, David is "better," and yet I find Marcelo's stage presence to be more engaging. Vs1's term "inward" is a perfect one for David. ("Chilly" might be another.) In certain roles, this quality can be an asset, but I almost always find that it's also something of a liability.

I believe the standing room availability was a mistake, as I noticed that they were available for another performance as well. Now there are none even in Family Circle for the 5/19 Giselle, even though many Family Circle regular tix are still available. I can't believe Fam Cir SR would sell out with all those regular seats still left. Must've been a Met box office mistake.

That's odd. I bought tickets for about 8 performances and only had to stop there because of the 15-minute time limit, so did the rest in a second round. The site went live around 11:30. Oddly, though, the Mon July 2 Whipped Cream tickets weren't available until about 12:15.

Yes there are a lot and they’re amazing! Ouch haha I’ve been meaning to read her memoir for awhile now.

Yes, definitely the points you make here are valid. Sorry, I was wondering about what the current practices are at NYCB, the company Croce was discussing in the context I mentioned. Sorry that I wasn't clear enough. I forgot that context wouldn't necessarily be clear.

– Croce, January 30, 1978, in Going to the Dance. p. 55

Well not “insisting” but there are definitely trends. Symphony in C second movement is often (not always, obviously) taller. Agon PDD or Choleric same. Russian Girl or Symphony in C 3rd movement shorter. etc.

Croce writes about Ashley in the “tall cast” of Div 15, when apparently there was both a tall cast and a short cast. Does that still happen now, with pieces such as Div 15, Ballo, T&V, etc? Or is it mostly just shorter casts now for those Allegro-Adagio ballets? (wherein even when it’s adagio it’s still kinda allegro)

Yet I believe Ballo was made on her even before she made principal, according to the DVD notes!

SERIOUSLY! Rewatching now the Ballo Della Regina on Dance in America. She’s amazing. Must’ve been unbelievable to see her live.

Wow. I just watched the Theme and Variations (or actually probably mvmt. 4 of Tschai Suite No. 3, but it's not listed that way) with Merrill Ashley and Sean Lavery on Clifford's channel. Wow. Ashley is quite tall, yes? Because both dancers' movements are so remarkably articulated in that video, even shot from rather far away — I can only imagine what it must have been like to see that performance live.

It looks too casual. If she's going to do it, I think it needs to be crisp. She's probably better off sticking with the standard approach.

I’ve been meaning to watch that, have had it saved on a playlist. Will take a look! Definitely a great cast.

Thanks so much for the update on that! I only started seeing NYCB ca. 2007 and have seen Davidsbündlertänze since then (and disliked it — but would be curious to see it again, now that I’m more into Balanchine overall), so that’s definitely more recently in the rep. I would love to have seen Watts in Bugaku!

Yes, that's bizarre, I've never experienced a site that is more fully realized on a handheld device than on a laptop.

Oh interesting, so it's possible it's still reasonably revivable there. I thought it might be more definedly out of the active rep. I find it fascinating as well, even though obviously off-putting in some ways. I'd be very interested to see it.

Hah, personally I avoided following that thread, worried that it might just make my blood pressure rise. But thanks for the link!

Those are very interesting ideas, I think it could work quite well in other styles. I happened to just read today an interesting passage Croce wrote about Suzanne Farrell and Allegra Kent in the piece: (February 24, 1975, in Afterimages, p. 129)

Thanks so much for the heads-up about the comments; I might've missed them. And the above is always true hah. Oh I would love to see the piece live! When was it last in NYCB's rep, anyone know?

Really don't like that on the new calendar you have to hover over a performance to see the cast — much prefer being able to glance over the whole week's casting.

If there was any question remaining that Gia Kourlas was in the business of journalism and/or criticism rather than dancer promotion, that article resolved it in my mind.

Thanks so much for your report, rhys. I particularly like what you wrote here. It sounds like a very appealing and successful characterization.