cobweb

After watching the Jewels livestream over and over, I have come to the shocking realization that I have been awfully provincial in my devotion to New York City Ballet. I really have to cast my eye farther afield. It's been a delight to see dancers who are entirely new to me, with fresh interpretations of familiar roles. Somehow it's great to see a dancer I've never seen before, kind of like dating someone new rather than continuing a relationship with a lot of baggage, or past performances however great they may have been. For example, Diamonds. I have seen Sara Mearns, Teresa Reichlen, and Maria Kowroski do this role many many times (am I missing anyone else who's done it recently at NYCB?), with varying interpretations that change over time. De Sola brings a delicacy, warmth and vulnerable humanity that I haven't seen before, and didn't even realize I was hungry for. I love her! And then there's Wanting Zhao, who shimmied and blazed through the Tall Girl in Rubies, as PeggyTulle described above. As it happens, I've been spending a lot of time in the Bay Area during the lockdown. Hopefully I can get to see the company in real life soon! Can anyone clue me in as to what the performing schedule is typically like? Also, I could use some guidance in how to pronounce Tiit Helimets.

Interesting to hear. I have been having trouble judging the height of the dancers from seeing them only on video. For example, De Sola looks tiny (to me anyway) in Diamonds, but I read somewhere that she's of average height. Zhao doesn't look tall compared to the other women in the opening line of Rubies. But, I guess one thing that's certain is that Mukhamedov is definitely tall. 🙂

Agree, PeggyTulle. This was my first time seeing Mukhamedov (actually my first time seeing all the dancers) and I immediately loved her. I found her tall, grand, and yet very warm and human. I gather she has learned Diamonds but couldn't do it due to injury. That would be fascinating to see. On rewatching it all again, I especially loved Wanting Zhao as the Tall Girl in Rubies. Considering that she is not at all tall and therefore not an obvious fit for the role, I would say this was an inspired casting choice.

For someone who is totally unfamiliar with SFB, the recording of Jewels is a great introduction to the company. I was so tired and uninispired of watching ballet on video, that I skipped MIdsummer Night's Dream... which I now regret! Jewels energized me again. The entire company looks great, and I fell in love with Sasha De Sola and the clean clean dancing of Tiit Helimets. I found the camera work mostly excellent, unobtrusive and mostly giving a good view of what was happening onstage. For example, that section in Rubies where the Tall Girl does big second position plies and arabsesques while heading offstage, while the corps slinks off the other side of the stage - I found I got a better view of that overall tableau than I usually do in the theatre. As someone totally new to these dancers, I also enjoyed "meeting" Sasha Mukhamedov (sp?). What a big, warm presence, with beautiful arms and a full-bodied way of moving. I would like to see more of her. Also Wanting Zhao has a great style. I'm mixed on Mathilde Froustey, but mr. cobweb found her "perfect for Stravinsky." I look forward to a few more viewings before it's too late...

Is anyone else having an issue signing on to purchase access? I have tried several times, with different credit cards, and I keep getting a message saying there was an issue with completing the payment and I should refresh the page. No luck with three different credit cards!

I finally got around to watching the T&V coaching session. Much better and more interesting than the one for Prodigal Son, IMO. I look forward to the Stravinsky Violin Concerto coaching session tomorrow night. Thanks canbelto for posting that footage of SVC. The pas de deux with Ramasar and Krohn is amazing. Krohn has such an incredible physique and lithe way of moving it's hard to take your eyes off of her. I still have the postcard NYCB sent out announcing Krohn's retirement, with a photo of her and Ramasar from the pas de deux. Propped up on a bookcase, I keep meaning to have it framed. Mr. Cobweb and I have been hunkered down in California for months, and sometimes I wonder if we'll ever make it back to our former lives, but after watching the coaching session and the pdd from SVC, Mr. Cobweb says he's looking forward to getting back to NYC. Sounds good to me!

Thanks for posting this, nanushka! I signed up to watch. I don't know anything about Ballet Chicago. From the website, it looks primarily like a ballet school and junior company. Is that right, or am I missing something about a professional company? Also, I'm curious about what hall they perform in.

My, that was lovely. Makes me eager to be back in the theatre. I wasn't sure if Russell Janzen was serious when he described the start of the polonaise as "not an emotional moment," since he choked up and his own emotions betrayed him. Like Drew, I feel the same! I am partial to the video with Darci Kistler and Igor Zelensky. Zelensky's line is to die for, I find everything he does beautiful. Also the music in that version is different from tonight - it's more forgiving, quiets down at time, which I find eases the mind. Also the violin playing is so beautiful in that version. I'm not a musician, not sure I'm describing the difference very well. I didn't catch the coaching session earlier in the week, did anyone see it? (I'll go back and watch it over the weekend.)

And yet, I still found her radiant enough that I was irresistibly drawn to see her in the role again.

Lovette has her strengths and weaknesses. I loved her in many roles, most especially Sleeping Beauty, where she was radiant. However, as abatt says, in Swan Lake (one of the last performances I saw before the shutdown), she was really struggling with her grasp on the role, technical and otherwise.

I too watched the interview/coaching session of the Siren last night, and I found it surprisingly lackluster. The interview portion was repetitive and superficial, with Kowroski, Clark, and Jackson repeating the same things: don't overact, you grow into the role, and the cape should be expected to malfunction. Then on to the coaching session. Unfortunately, it had nowhere near the nuance and interest of the City Center Studio 5 series with Tiler Peck/Merrill Ashley and Sara Mearns/Nina Ananiashvili. It shows Clark going through the cape solo again and again, with Lisa Jackson saying things like "that's better," or telling her to better distinguish the steps. Jackson has killer legs and was wearing great boots, but she was walking around and waving her arms frenetically and distractingly. I got very little insight as to things to watch for next time I see this ballet. Overall, this was a missed opportunity. I hope they can put together something more engaging for the next two programs. In any case, like others I look forward to tomorrow night's broadcast of Prodigal Son, and of course more than anything, getting back to the theatre in person.

The press release says they are "previously recorded" performances, it doesn't say when but presumably in recent years, not new. Prodigal Son - Reichlen (with it was Kowroski) and Ulbricht; Theme and Variations - Peck and Veyette; Stravinsky Violin Concerto - Hyltin, LaCour, Mearns, and Stanley. *wish* it was Kowroski,

Wow, I knew he was young, but I didn't know he was THAT young. I too feel like I've been watching him for a long while. This puts into perspective the baffling question of why he hasn't yet been promoted to soloist. He appears so confident and poised that he could probably (so it appears) manage the pressures of being a soloist at a very young age, but still, there's a good argument for waiting till the person has a few more years.

Wow, THANK YOU for posting this, canbelto! I can't wait to get back to the theatre to see these dancers, who feel like my dear long-lost friends.

So I just watched the livestream (available for just a few more hours this evening). Mixed feelings. It was great to see the familiar faces of the dancers again, but I certainly am eager to see ballet in an actual theatre again. This was a huge undertaking, with Schumacher providing an hour of new choreography. I liked this choreography better than Schumacher's more experimental work, and would look forward to seeing more of it. In terms of the dancing, it was quite limited by the setting - the party scene takes place in the house, the mouse battle and waltz of the snowflakes outdoors (were those ladies dancing in the snow? couldn't tell if it was actual snow/ice, it couldn't possibly be, right?), then the divertissements inside a big tent with a stage. Also, with the stage being viewable from all sides, it was hard to get a full view of the divertissements. I was sorry this wasn't the cast with Ashley Laracey as Sugar Plum Fairy, as she is a favorite of mine and I haven't seen her dance she went on maternity leave from NYCB. However, Sara Mearns looked good, if dancing smaller than usual. Tyler Angle has gone bald. Otherwise, it was hard to really assess the dancing, but I did notice that Cainan Weber was a bolt of energy as Candy Cane, and Kristen Segin brightens up everything with her beautiful face and smile. The drama of the battle scene, and the majestic music after the Nutcracker Prince's triumph, really made me miss the NYCB production, with the bed swirling around on the stage and the Nutcracker Prince nobly offering his hand to Clara. Next year.

Those are fascinating photos. It looks so different without the costumes I’m used to, it’s hard to recognize it as the same ballet. The long tulle skirts worn now add an entirely new dimension to the ballet.

In talking to a friend who knows little about ballet, I was trying to describe some of the mystical, beautiful moments of "Serenade." This led me to an internet search for photos of the iconic moments. I am eager to find a picture of the moment that the Dark Angel and the man enter - just the two of them, him with his arm outstretched and her behind, with her hand over his eyes. Surprisingly, I can find no photo of this moment on the internet. If anyone can point me to a pic, I would appreciate it. More generally, I would love to see everyone's favorite moments of "Serenade." And in poring through the online photos, I really CAN'T WAIT to see this again. There could be no better re-introduction to performances of live ballet.

I'm not sure where this topic should go - this is not a NYCB production, but the dancers are all apparently NYCB, and probably most of the people who follow NYCB on this forum would be interested. Should "Ballet Collective" be listed as a separate company with its own forum? I have been getting publicity emails about this, and now I gather there's a positive review in the New York Times. I'm very intrigued by the production. If anyone has attended, please report back in detail!

Interesting to hear. Now I'm more interested in figuring out how to watch it. I would have thought Sara Mearns would be the go-to Sugarplum Fairy. Is the camerawork distracting?

I haven't viewed this Nutcracker (I don't even know what Marquee TV is), but it's fun reading the reviews. Just like the old days! I can't wait to get back to live performances. JuliaJ, I don't think they deliberately chose this casting for a recording and broadcast. I assume this was similar to the other pieces they released for the recent "digital seasons," that is, performances recorded for archival and/or publicity purposes only. When covid happened they reviewed and chose some for a release that was not originally intended. I think it would have been great fun if they had put out multiple casts. I would have watched them all.

Did anyone see this casting last year? It would be fun if they took the opportunity to showcase different casts. If they showed 5 casts, I would probably watch them all!

Agree... especially about Bartok Ballet. The new commission I'm most interested in seeing is from Silas Farley, at least I know that he knows and appreciates ballet. I haven't seen any of his work, though -- as anyone seen any of his choreography?

I also find the redesign unattractive and unengaging. The home page is all silhouetted sculptural bodies. No movement, no ballet. Nothing to draw the dance lover in.

If you're a dancer, now is probably a really good time to have a baby. I suspect we may be seeing a lot more of this. Congrats to her!

Just judging from this one interview, a simple fix for Megan Fairchild might be to clarify in her own mind what kind of dialogue is this meant to be. Is it a conversation between old colleagues about how both of them have been doing during the pandemic? Or is it an interview of Lauren Lovette and her reflections on her past, present, and future? Megan seemed to be taking it as a convo to which they would both share experiences, while Lauren seemed to be taking it as an interview of herself. I would prefer the latter, but I could enjoy the former as well, if they are both on the same page.