cobweb

... and as noted up-thread, there are very varied reactions to these programs. I saw the Joffrey do Four Temperaments three times (Friday night, Saturday matinee, and today matinee). I liked it very much. They had attack and commitment, and they looked plenty capable to me. Notably, they have a bunch of strong men. Never having seen these dancers before, it's hard to single any out, but I liked today's Melancholic, Phlegmatic, and Sanguinic men, as well as Choleric. The Sanguinic woman on Friday night and today was unfortunately lacking in the forceful presence needed for this role, but I found the corps women were fierce. Symphonie Concertante. I am pretty unfamiliar with this piece, having seen it a few times the last time ABT did it, like maybe 12 years ago. After so many glowing reviews on here, from the ABT season and last night, I was eager to see it, but I just could not get into it. Not sure why. But I'll try again next time and hope I can connect to it more, since so many here love it. It was hard for me (and I imagine for others in the NYC audience) to see dancers I'm totally unfamiliar with, do roles that I associate with particular dancers. This was especially true for Tchaikovsky pas de deux. I have a vision of Tiler Peck and Joaquin de Luz, and also that sweet video on the NYCB website where Tiler talks about the ballet (see the videos at her dancer profile). Tereshkina and Kim were totally different. Heavy makeup to the point of bizarre, and old-world grand manners. Sure, I suppose part of the point of this festival was to show how Balanchine is carried out around the world, but the grand manners/mannerisms, and milking the audience for applause, just seemed out of place in modern New York City. Still, it was great fun to see Kimin Kim. His effortless ease is wonderful to see. As for the Agon pas de deux, I see Maria Kowroski and Amar Ramasar. The couple from POB, Sae Eun Park and Hugo Marchand, were woefully unsuited to this piece. On the other hand, I saw them do the pas de deux from Midsummer Night's Dream twice, and I loved it. Wanting to see them do this piece again, was part of why I splurged on a ticket for the final performance. They were exquisite. Something notable I've learned, that I did not know about myself before, is that I really like ballet as performed by American companies. As beautiful as the Russian and the French schools may be (I did not see the Royal Ballet), I relate more immediately to the forthright American style, and I particularly enjoyed seeing Miami City Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, and the Joffrey.

I agree with BalanchineFan’s analysis. I do not follow the dancers on social media but I have imagined it must be an exciting week for the dancers. I picture the wings being crowded as the dancers watch the performances. I splurged for one of the few remaining tickets for the final performance. For the other two performances I saw, I sat in the top balcony. I don’t think I’ve ever been up there before, but I’d gladly sit there again. It’s very steep which makes for great sight lines for short people such as myself. Also it’s surprisingly close to the stage - much, much closer to the stage than the top balconies at the Koch and the opera house. It was a great new angle to see familiar pieces like 4T’s.

Rebecca Krohn?

I saw last night and today’s matinee. It’s been fascinating. One thing I’ve learned is that I like the American companies the best. I enjoy their energetic and forthright quality. SFB’s Divertimento No 15 this afternoon made me so happy, just floating as I left the theatre. Miami City Ballet sparkled in the Glinka pdt, with the beautiful Kleber Rebello getting huge applause. (I don’t think I’ve ever seen this one before. Why doesn’t NYCB do it more often? I’m already casting it in my mind... Sebastian Villarini-Velez, Indiana Woodward, and... maybe Lauren King?). I also mostly enjoyed the Joffrey in 4Ts, which I thought they attacked with admirable energy. The four buzzing ladies of Sanguinic especially exemplified this. I thought Sae Eun Park and Hugo Marchand of POB were really lovely in the pdd from Midsummer Night’s Dream. On the other hand, I saw this same couple again today in the pdd from Agon, and I thought it was completely lacking in suspense, tension, and Balanchine style. Also she got into position with the arabesque penchee, then he laid down, totally bypassing the drama of that moment. Finally, Kimin Kim and Tereshkina in Tchaikovsky pdd. Agree with others. Tereshkina was way too studied and tense and took some liberties and did some fudging of the choreography. The piece was totally lacking in the proper spirit of fun and partnership. But Kimin Kim - this is my first viewing of him - lived up to his reputation, with the audience simply laughing at how over the top incredible he was. A fun introduction to him.

Well, posting from intermission at The City Center Years, all I can say is that if it turns out to be Lopez, I hope she’ll bring Kleber Rebello with her. More later on the other thread.

Curious about the mishaps mentioned of NYCB in symphony in c. Can anyone elaborate? I have tickets for tomorrow night and Saturday matinee.

Interesting, I find Boylston and Teuscher totally different dancers. Boylston is sloppy to the point of unbearable. I find Teuscher appealingly clean and elegant, if sometimes lacking in excitement. . Although I should add, that having greatly reduced my ABT viewing, I haven't seen a lot of either one of them lately.

... and this is why I avoid Boylston whenever possible. As someone said awhile back (maybe it was you, abatt?), she seems to regard her sloppiness, casual demeanor, and lack of grace as a feature, not a bug.

After reading these reviews of In the Upper Room, I decided I had to go, despite not being able to avoid Isabella Boylston. Was there last night. The fourth ring was definitely NOT sold out. I didn't love Upper Room the way I have in the past - there were times in past years when I felt I could never get enough of it, but now I was a tad blah. Not sure if it was the performance, a change in my taste, or what. Also - way too much smoke - was it always that bad? I did like the two red pointe shoe girls, Erica Lall and Anabel Katsnelson. Katsnelson especially has an intriguing quality that makes me want to see more of her. Sarah Lane was wonderful in Other Dances, charming, modest, whimsical, and totally in control of her technique. Her facial expression, which I have often found strained and artificial, was relaxed and natural. Stearns was just bland IMHO, not appearing light or folksy, and not having the casual charm to connect with the audience. I found the Lang piece pleasant enough but with no real substance, inoffensive but not at all compelling.

Just watching the Paris video and enjoying Kretzschmar and Mann as the soloists in the first movement. Not totally sure of my memory when I first started watching NYCB but I think the first movement soloists at that time were LeCrone and the lovely Gwyneth Muller. Since both Mann and Kretzschmar will need to be replaced, I wonder who!

I love In the Upper Room and despite the lack of other programming I wanted to see, I was planning to attend at least once, just to see In the Upper Room again. But I see the casting has changed. Hmm..... now, not so much.

I can understand no refunds, but why no exchanges? This seems guaranteed to alienate some of the most devoted audience members, those who really care about the particularities of casting.

It’s not just about the promotion although god knows Laracey deserves it. For me it’s more about seeing her in certain roles. When will we see her in Concerto Barocco again, Symphony in C, or Diamonds?

I also love Macgill in the Paris video. I'm sorry she hasn't danced it again or had more featured roles.

I hope they are not keeping two dancers together as a pair in this way; dancers will develop at individual rates and it seems silly to hold one back until both are ready and there's space for two principals at once. I don't understand the new opportunities for her, unless it's that they feel the other soloists are overloaded and want to spread the work around. I find that Pereira doesn't project well and makes very little impact. However, I didn't see her Allegro Brillante. Can anyone report on how that went?

Not that I saw or heard. She has been out for quite some time - maybe a year, I'm not sure.

That picture of T&V is unfortunate, not doing any favors to De Luz or anyone. And totally agree about the Tom Cruise comparison... maybe we could flip it around and say that Cruise is the Joaquin De Luz of movies?

Yes to Woodward. Yes also to Laracey, Phelan, Gerrity, and more of the bafflingly neglected Pazcoguin. So much talent!

It looks like the Shanghai casting has been updated, although I’m a little confused because it’s dated 10/01/18, and I know I looked at it yesterday. Anyway La Cour is out of the tour, resulting in casting shuffling and debuts for Applebaum and Janzen in Serenade. Already the company is benefitting from the Applebaum promotion! He is a stalwart.

Totally. With his unique stage magnetism and his ability to etch out astonishingly clear forms, I think has the makings of a very memorable Apollo. He may be against type, but to me this is a no-brainer.

That is Sascha Radetsky at 4:39. It was disheartening to see Adrian DW on crutches. Will he be ready for January? They need to be rehearsing another Apollo.

I thoroughly enjoyed this afternoon's performance. The program was well chosen to show off de Luz's versatility, star power, and technical ability. He and Tiler were glorious in T&V, seemingly sailing through the choreography with ease, pleasingly affectionate with each other, and projecting up to the rafters. Concerto Barocco suffered a little by comparison, pleasant enough but wan (although I loved Janzen). I don't believe I've seen A Suite of Dances before. I found it charming, but my feeling is that it takes someone like de Luz to make it worthwhile, totally giving himself over to the movement and with with a big enough stage presence to carry the audience along. Also never seen Todos Buenos Aires before. I won't miss it if I never see it again, but it was entertaining to see people like Andrew Veyette dancing with a Spanish flair, and again, well chosen to showcase de Luz. The sendoff was heartening. I was wondering if Peter Martins would make an appearance, but no. From where I was sitting I had trouble seeing the faces of those who came onstage to say goodbye, so if any of you can identify more of them (besides the current dancers, of course), I'd be curious to know who more of them were.

I have only been attending City Ballet since 2011. I first noticed Ashley Laracey that year, as one of the lead flowers in Nutcracker. I was floored by her beauty, and at that point, totally new to the company, I was scouring the program and pictures on the website to figure out who she was. I do not know anything about her career trajectory before then. I was and remain baffled about why she is not dancing the great ballerina roles that no doubt she would be exquisite in, such as second movement, Symphony in C. Kathleen, thanks for spelling out the cast listing for Swan Lake!

Kathleen, thanks for calling my attention to the Shanghai casting. There are some interesting debuts in there - for Laracey in Stravinsky Violin Concerto, Lovette in Serenade, and other debuts for Sanz, Kretzschmar, Chamblee, Scordato, and Gerrity. Re the Swan Lake, can anyone list out what are the principal roles, listed in which order? After the two leads, what are the three roles listed?

Definitely they needed to shore up the male ranks and develop more of a pipeline at the soloist level. Even if Ramasar and Catazaro are reinstated after the AGMA appeal, a stronger male contingent is needed, and there is a lot of potential in this group. Harrison Coll should already have been promoted, and Sebastian Villarini-Velez is ready. I haven't seen Peter Walker in enough featured roles (didn't see Romeo & Juliet), so I'm a little surprised. Aaron Sanz is someone I find absolutely magnetic much of the time, but could look more authoritative and confident. Daniel Applebaum will probably remain as a "flagship soloist," but his dependability and strength are absolutely needed. He's already been functioning as a reliable soloist, so I'm glad he's getting the promotion and the pay raise. Maybe Spartak Hoxha will be promoted in the next round, or Chamblee or Farley. I liked Claire Kretzschmar in Episodes a few years back, but otherwise I haven't found her very interesting, and especially her Tall Girl in "Rubies" was disappointing. Hopefully I'll like her more as time goes on. Disappointed about Emily Kikta not getting promoted, I find her way more intriguing than Kretzschmar.