Plisskin

That is what is so strange about it all. Other than Balanchine's Jewel's, my impression is Russian's generally dislike American ballet companies, dancers (with the recent exception of Hallberg), and productions but we don't take it personally. We also certainly don't insult Russian ballet goers education about ballet or their culture just because we don't like a single production... I highly doubt an American company like ABT or NYCB could have sold out shows in Russia like the Bolshoi no matter how great or terrible the production is.

There is a well known Russian ballet forum that is full of comments that are highly offended by a lot of Americans not liking Grigorovich's Swan Lake production. I'm guessing that is how Ekaterina got wind of this thread. It's quite puzzling to say the least.

I think ABT's weird casting (or lacktherof) such as not having Lane dance with Cornejo, etc. is either McKenzie thinks foreign (mainly Russian) dancers are superior, or maybe more people come to see these "guests" versus ABT's own dancers. I understand on forums and blogs people complain about ABT's dancers going by the wayside, but is this outrage seen at the box office? Would a Lane/ Cornejo ticket equal or outsell a Cojocaru/ Cornejo or Kotchekova/ Cornejo ticket?

Everyone knew Boylston's promotion was on the horizon. Personally, I'm not a fan. Her stiff port de bras bothers me, as well as her scraggly fingers. I also don't find her dancing graceful nor her acting having any depth. But the AD McKenzie and professional ballet reviewers see something in her that I don't. I am also sad that Abrera wasn't afforded the same oppurtunities. I feel like she should have been poised to be the next principal. She is already a principal in my opinion, just stuck for whatever reason dancing soloist parts. But alas... Congratulations to the dancers. Shevchenko's promotion comes as a bit of surprise for me, but she is a lovely, graceful dancer. I hope these new soloists aren't stuck in these positions for years to come, not developed, and passed over for guest artists like the soloist whom have left us and are leaving us. Highly unlikely but one can only hope.

Me too. I think it is a shame that a full length ballet of Marcelo Gomes and his wonderful partnership with Vishenva has yet to be filmed by ABT. It took David Hallberg dancing w/ the Bolshoi to finally have a full recorded performance of him. In fact, I can barely find dancing footage of any of ABT's dancer's. One main reason why people know and love company's like the Bolshoi, Mariinsky, or Royal is the DVD's, online videos, and live web telecasts they broadcast worldwide. It garners interest for people to want to see them live when they can whom otherwise wouldn't have known a thing about those companies because they might not live in that area or even the country. It also puts a good spotlight on their company, style, and their dancers. ABT has so many wonderful dancers that, outside of America (heck NYC), nobody knows about or has seen dance. And it shouldn't be like that. ABT has had many dancers who should be having international acclaim like Hallberg, Vishneva, Osipova, etc. ABT doesn't seem to understand this.

@ vipa ABT, for the longest time, hasn't seemed to have understood the importance of media. That's 1 of this company's major problems. They've done promotional video's in the past, but they were hardly seen by anyone since they would make these ridiculous micro websites that could only be found via Google, instead of posting it on Youtube or some other popular video sharing site. I believe so. I think that is also why they had the NYT write an article about those 6 select Corp de ballet members. This season, I've seen way more professional reviews (and blogs) remark upon the excessive guest artists at ABT and not nurturing their own. It would be nice if McKenzie and co. would change this unspoken new policy (among other things) but I don't see it and the "melting pot of styles" hogwash going away until atleast a new AD is appointed.

It's nice that ABT is finally starting to join the 21st century with this Youtube page, but they surely have to be kidding with the differences in training backgrounds being an asset. I thought the JKO school was the whole purpose in addressing their not uniform corp de ballet problems that has been talked about for years.

I don't know about Stiefel. I like him and think he'd be great, but I'd be afraid he'd resign after a couple of years. My vote goes to Ratmansky or Jaffe.

Not surprised. I'd be tired too of being in a company that constantly hires mediocre "Exchange" or "Guest Artists" dancing principal roles while I, a better dancer, am stuck doing a pas de trois or posing in the background. I've seen some of those Exchange and Guest Artists dancing and they aren't that great. Yet McKenzie will put them in a principal role before members of his own company. And half of them aren't box office draws like Tereshkina so I'm confused on why they are given chances above ABT own dancers. Well, I live in Houston and Houstonians as well as Houston Ballet's AD will appreciate Jared and Yuriko. I think it says it all that they'd rather go to a different company with the same rank, than continue to stay at ABT.

I know about Stearns, Hallberg, et al. I used Kent and Murphy as examples.

Excellent point and I agree. However, It seems as though McKenzie wants ready made stars instead of creating them. But I wonder why? It it becuase audiences flock to see Vishneva and Cojocaru more than Murphy and Kent (in her prime)? That would be interesting to know. Due to the constant influx of guests and "Principal" dancers whom only perform during the MET, the only purpose I see in the associate school is, sadly, to train Corp dancers. Which is a shame. Their are a lot of good dancers coming out of JKO/ Studio Company whom I would love to see nurtured and could possibly be future stars, like Stone Shayer for instance.

She debuted as Gamzatti and posted 3 video's of her variation shot from the wings:

I don't understand why someone like Sascha, with his technique and artistry, has been a soloist for years at ABT and James Whiteside, whose technique and artistry isn't that great, was hired as a soloist from a regional company (?) then promoted to principal after barely a year. I wonder if Stella will follow suit.

Debut of Skorik as Mekhmeneh in Legend of Love: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8slZtzKNTU

Thank you guys! I actually might see both. And thank you so much sandik for the links. I had absolutely NO idea other companies traveled to Houston or about the Fathom dance broadcasts. Which this is a great thing that I found out now because their showing The Royal Ballet's Sleeping Beauty next month! I've only seen snippets of the company on Youtube so the information is much appreciated. I will definatly report back on the performances I've seen of them. I have noticed that they aren't very much talked about here or elsewhere on the net. I am very excited because the last city I lived in had no ballet, orchestra's, or anything. I'm not very educated in opera. I've only been to two? performances years ago in elementary/ junior high, but I do plan on seeing an opera here. Not sure if I'll like it but I thought I'd give it a go (and I'll definatly do some reading up on it beforehand).

I found a video on the Chinese video sharing site Tudou of ABT's Don Quixote in 2011. The DVD was only released in Japan. I'm not a fan of this performance, but I thought I'd share. Kitri - Yuriko Kajiya Basilio - Daniil Simkin Gamache - Alexei Agoudine Espada - Cory Stearns Cupid - Renata Pavam Flower Sellers - Isabella Boylston, Sarah Lane Queen of the Dryads/ Mercedes - Veronika Part Don Quixote - Victor Barbee Sancho Panza - Julio Bragado-Young http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/r15y71Jl4-4

Just moved to Houston recently and would love some recommendations on which ballet to see from them. This will be my 1st time seeing a ballet live! I was thinking either Swan Lake in June or A Midsummer's Night Dream in September. Also, how would you rate this company's dancing? Are they up there with SFB, ABT, and NYCB?

Ah, that is true. I don't know why I didn't think of that and got my hopes up, lol. Although I don't really care for her, they atleast have given Boylston a good amount of Met performances.

Unless I'm looking at the casting wrong, there's not as many Guest Artist's this Met season? Only Kotchekova, Matvienko, and Cojocaru; the former whom only has 1 performance so far. Maybe McKenzie is deciding after those scathing exiting interviews from Messmer/ Dvorovenko about the low company morale due to too many gust artists, and the recent exits from long time corps members, to give more opportunities for ABT dancers? No complaints from me if so.

Eun Young Ahn is no longer on ABT's website and dancers Mai Aihara, Sungwoo Han and Jonathan Klein joined the corp this month. Their has been a lot of shake up in the corp this year.

^ Unfortunately I don't read Russian either. But I do know the piece is choreographed by Susan Jaffe.

I found this performance randomly the other day on Youtube. It's the Studio Company's performance at the Bolshoi's International Festival this past November. Their isn't too much footage out there of ABT or the JKO school so I was happy to come across this. ABT is churning out excellent dancers.

Ah, this is a good point as well.

Womack danced Lise in the Moscow school production of La Fille Mal Gardee and Marina Leonova or her teachers, did not seem to have a problem teaching her the choreography. If she was able to remember the choreography for Lise, she definitely could remember the choreography for a swan standing around, doing nothing, during the Odette adagio.I consider Rebetskaya as a liar, my opinion. I also found that puzzling as well. She also did the Paquita Pas de deux with fellow American classmate Mario Labrador. I also know she's danced in 1 American production with West Side Ballet as the Sugar Plum Fairy last year, and their are other video's of her on Youtube doing various variations. It's implausable to me that she could apparently do that, but couldn't remember simple choreography of standing around in the background waving roses. Joy has said that she thinks her treatment was due in part to being American or foreign. Unlike the West, Russian ballet companies are known for being xenophobic, which was why David Hallberg's Principal appointment came as a surprise since that never happens. In that regard, I wouldn't be surprised if their were some truth in her statements.

I don't understand why they would consider suing her. She's not the first Bolshoi dancer to talk about bad things that go on behind the curtain. Volochkova said similar things Womack has said about sex sponsorships and I don't recall them suing/ threatening to sue her.