cobweb

I personally don't have a problem with the AD or a choreographer being married to a dancer, or even sleeping with dancers while married to another. From the point of view of an audience member, I want to see a great performance, and I don't give much thought to how casting decisions are made, as long as they are good... and currently, at NYCB, they (mostly) are good, IMHO. Harassment is something else. (Let alone the question of minors... I am fervently hoping that there is absolutely nothing to that possibility.) About a year ago, I saw a working dress rehearsal for Sleeping Beauty, where Martins was coaching some of the dancers. He was constantly putting his hands on the women, and I don't mean for the purpose of correcting them. Rubbing the dancer's arm while saying something to her, insisting on grabbing and holding the dancer's hand as he spoke to the audience, squeezing the back of a dancer's neck as she left the stage, etc. This was only the women - he left the men alone. I found it positively nauseating, and my heart sank to think they have to live with this.

It does seem like it's time to stop re-hashing the past. Probably he should have declined to comment; this doesn't make him look good. However, as someone who recently rediscovered what a fun place Philadelphia is for a weekend trip from NYC, I'm eager to see the company. Hopefully in the spring.

I have not had good luck with standing room for Nutcracker, although it's probably been a year or two since I tried. It is only for sold out performances, and as popular as the show is, there is often a smattering of very expensive, or very partial-view, seats left. If anyone has a different experience, I'd love to hear it.

I thought that in past years there were three girls rotating in the part (also three princes). Anyone know for sure?

Third week of casting is up. I'm thrilled to find I have a ticket to see Tiler Peck's Dewdrop! I look forward to any Nutcracker reports.

Back to Scotch Symphony - I saw it for the first time in the SAB workshop and wish the company would bring it back. Also look forward to getting to know the new apprentices. I thought Nadon was wonderful in the Workshop.

I too look forward to seeing Isabella LaFreniere - as Dewdrop or anything else. I've been disappointed she hasn't gotten more opportunities. She is a bright, beautiful presence.

I saw the Sunday matinee (with Mearns and Gomes). I found it very entertaining, but I wouldn't need to see it again. Definitely you need to have seen the movie, otherwise you would have a hard time following the plot. My favorite parts were the silly "beach ballet" and the scene with Egyptian guys, showing how low poor Vicky has sunk. But overall, the detail and nuance of the movie were lost.

It was a season that left me dissatisfied, wanting a lot more Balanchine. I saw: four Swan Lakes (Hyltin, Mearns, Fairchild, and Peck), the Rebecca Krohn farewell, and all four performances of the all-Balanchine program. Highlights were the Krohn-Ramasar Stravinsky Violin Concerto, the Bouder-Stanley Square Dance, Sara Mearns and Tyler Angle in Cortege Hongrois, the Hyltin-Fairchild Duo Concertant, and Tiler Peck in Swan Lake. I feel so sad about Robbie Fairchild. If, as has been suggested on this board, this is the best solution he can find to his personal problems, it seems doubly unfortunate. A few assorted notes. Seeing all four performances of the all-Balanchine program gave me the chance to focus more on the new corps and apprentice members. In training my binoculars, suddenly a corps member who had escaped my notice came into focus: Ghaleb Kayali. As Ramasar's sidekick in La Valse, and then in the corps of Square Dance and Cortege Hongrois, the name suddenly gained a face for me, and surely, with his plushness, elegance, and attention to detail, he deserves more opportunity. Among the younger ones, Kennard Henson, Christopher Grant, and Alec Knight have all impressed. Also Teresa Reichlen looked much more assured in Cortege Hongrois today. The first slap registered well, the second not so much. She is beautiful - I always enjoy her - but if she could gain more assertiveness, or even aggression, in her attack, she could be really great. Ashley Bouder and Taylor Stanley were ablaze again today in Square Dance. This is the piece, and these the very performers, who first sparked my love for NYCB and Balanchine, back in 2011. They were terrific then and they're even better now.

Robert Fairchild looked absolutely wonderful today and it was bittersweet to see him one last time (well, second to last, since I'll be there again tomorrow). This is a real loss to NYCB and to ballet generally. I know he's pursuing a different career direction, but he has such special qualities -- I can't help but hope he'll find his way back to ballet. The Royal Ballet, perhaps? Sterling Hyltin also looked wonderful and the violin playing was lovely. I enjoyed Duo Concertant a lot more than I often have. Ashley Bouder and Taylor Stanley tore the stage up in Square Dance. Her impish grin is perfect for this piece, and she looks like she's having a grand, grand time. Taylor Stanley was amazing, what my partner called the "MVP" of the matinee. He threw himself into the adagio with commitment to every shape and every detail, and such a sense of yearning that you felt it might tear him apart. La Valse. Sara Mearns and Amar Ramasar are an intense pair. I thought Emilie Gerrity as one of the soloists looked very compelling; I'm starting to picture her as a principal. In Cortege Hongrois, Teresa Reichlen looked uncharacteristically tentative, unsure of herself and her partner. I saw this same program twice last week, and Sara Mearns brought utter assurance and verve to the role, and was astonishing in her solo.

No reports so far on the Krohn farewell?! I thought Krohn looked stunning in her final performance, with precision and abandon both. I am very sorry she is retiring, when she seems to be reaching new peaks of artistic maturity. I hope she is successful in passing on her aesthetic to younger company members. For the farewell, the principal men, led by Ramasar and LaCour, all presented her with bouquets (notable absence: Robbie Fairchild), and the principal women followed, along with Jon Stafford, Peter Martins, many other company members and finally, after the curtain went down and back up, her husband former soloist Adam Hendrickson. She looked very happy. As for the program, it was a trajectory from the dismal (I actually dozed off during Red Violin, despite the beautiful Unity Phelan), to the beautiful (In Memory Of...) and the sublime (Stravinsky Violin Concerto).

Wish I could. I have NYCB tickets Oct 14 and 15, so that weekend is out. I will try for Swan Lake in the spring, and meanwhile I look forward to any reports of Sleeping Beauty.

Wow, I see you are right re hotel availability! It's slim pickings on airbnb too. Glad I found out before I bought tickets for the performance. Unfortunately, thanks to Harry Potter it looks like I will not be seeing this run of Sleeping Beauty.

Is the 10/21 performance really at 5? What an odd time. I was hoping it was a mistake.

I am thinking of making the trip from NYC to see a performance. I have never seen Pennsylvania Ballet before. Can anyone familiar with the company comment on this year's programming, and in particular Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake. How are the productions, and would you recommend it? When does casting come out? Any guidance on seating would also be appreciated.

Tiler was as superb as we have learned to expect from her. Utterly in control of her technique, showing every sign of rigorous preparation, and careful, loving attention to every tiny adornment and detail. The fouettés epitomize her accomplishment: doubles with a fierce increasing centrifugal force, then clean singles, all seamlessly timed to the music. So much better thought out than the typical mishmash of random singles doubles and triples with no rhyme or reason. I found Finlay a little bland and not much connection between him and Tiler. In the folk dances, new corpsman Alec Knight impressed in his debut in the Hungarian. Threw himself into the role with commitment, abandon, and joy. Oh, and Troy Schumacher as the Jester was replaced by Spartak Hoxha after intermission. Hope Troy's okay!

Casting changes are posted on the website for this week and next. Adrian Danchig-Waring appears to be out this week at least, and Harrison Ball, who was replaced as the Jester last week as announced from the stage, has been replaced for this week and next week as well. Also young corpsman Kennard Henson is replaced in tonight's premieres.

I too found Megan Fairchild and Gonzalo Garcia a surprising delight. I would not have thought to cast her in this role, but she showed dramatic range without looking artificial or overdoing it. Of course, she was up to the technical challenges. And they are just wonderful together, the chemistry is palpable, brimming with trust and affection. I actually prefer to see her with Garcia now, more than de Luz.

I saw Zachary Catazaro's debut, with Sterling Hyltin. There were no major problems, but I was underwhelmed. Catazaro generally looks assured and danced well, and having his hair cut shorter makes him look more serious and adult. However, I find him lacking some quality of grandness or confidence - hard to define. I didn't feel Hyltin conveyed emotional depth. And they seem a mismatched pair, with him dancing on a large scale and her so thin and nervous-looking. At this same performance, Unity Phelan was lovely in the pas de trois. Emily Kikta brought tremendous panache to the Hungarian Dance, and somehow seems more grown up than when I last saw her. So great to see Adrian Danchig-Waring back!! He and Emilie Gerrity were very grand in the Russian Dance. Very glad to see Anthony Huxley back as well (subbing in the pas de quatre for injured Harrison Ball), although he seemed to struggle at times to keep up with the music, and may not be back at his previous level. Abi Stafford in the pas de quatre was delightful. I love her piquant charm and the splay of her fingers. Finally, Kennard Henson, who caught my eye as an apprentice last year, stands out for his elegant bearing. Sara Mearns and Tyler Angle in yesterday's matinee were as grand as you would expect. I loved it, although my partner felt the interpretation was "too Wagnerian." Joseph Gordon was Benno - he looked fantastic in his solos in the pas de trois. He has a very immediate, appealing, wide-open stage presence. Lauren King, Ashly Isaacs, and Indiana Woodward were all wonderful in the pas de quatre, with Woodward being especially scintillating. Lydia Wellington was beautiful and seductive in the Spanish Dance. However, I fear I will be disappointed in the Spanish Dance men forever, as no one can live up to the snap Taylor Stanley brought to the role. My partner, a professional musician, was critical of the playing in both performances. The percussion was murky rather than snappy in the Hungarian Dance, and the violin solos were unfortunate. (However, he hastens to add the NYCB orchestra is much better than ABT's.) I won't be seeing Teresa Reichlen this time. Would love to hear any reports.

Will try to report more later after seeing last night and today matinee. What stands out most is how much I will miss Rebecca Krohn, who did the Russian dance today. I hope she is retiring because she wants a change. In terms of her dancing she is beautiful, committed and unaffected. And at the top of her game. I feel unready to see her leave. Also Robert Fairchild was and will be much missed. Catazaro is not ready to fill those shoes. Surely they should have given the opportunity to Amar Ramasar, a natural for Siegfried with his innate nobility.

I was hoping for some debuts in Square Dance, say, Indiana Woodward and Harrison Ball. It's looking like probably not. Probably next week will be Ashley Bouder or Abi Stafford. What is "The Chairman Dances"? I was picturing something with Peter Martins in some new piece... hoping not!

Thanks for the clarification re Pereira and "Craig Hall." I was surprised.

I hope it wasn't all about his split with Tiler. He is such a wonderful dancer!

If anyone notices the 4th ring being opened for ticket sales for either performance (Oct 14 matinee and Oct 15 matinee), please post or PM me.

That is a real loss. I guess he has found he can have a good career, less arduous and presumably more lucrative, outside of ballet. Catazaro, IMHO, is nowhere near ready to replace Fairchild (although let's see how he does in Swan Lake). I see they have not yet opened most of the 4th ring for ticket sales. Presumably that will happen, though. If anyone notices the 4th ring beyond row B open, please post! (or PM me.)