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seattle_dancer

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Everything posted by seattle_dancer

  1. I am so excited for Emergence to return! It has been forever! That will be so fun to have Emergence and Mopey on the same program!!! Plus a bonus new work from Price Suddarth! The new Sleeping Beauty production is sure to be a beauty, looking forward to that rep as well. I was sad to see the Hynd staging go though.
  2. I’m extremely glad the video shown at the performance had more dancing than I expected (Odette, Odile, Esmeralda pdd, Aurora) and even a lot of gorgeous still photos from ballets where I didn’t see YY dance. But I still wish there was a farewell program dedicated to YY’s iconic roles. Could they have maybe shown the video of her and her mom Yuri made during the pandemic? My friend from Seattle who attended with me said the sequence seemed anti-climactic watching Marguerite & Armand after the video and they should have reversed the two. I also expected a lot more former colleagues to come and say congratulations and bring flowers. It was a brief farewell at the end in my opinion but that is comparing to retirements at PNB’s Season Encore. I hope YY know how much the audience loves her.
  3. Thank you for the report and insights louiskrebs! Somehow I totally missed that Madison Abeo debuted in Giselle last year, so I really appreciate your report!
  4. I just came from opening night. The male character in this video is Benno, not Sigfried. Luther DeMyer is listed to play Benno first Saturday evening. The show was outstanding tonight! Leta Biasucci went on a week early and you’d never know. Her second act Odette arms were very soft, she almost looked like a dancer of a bygone era but of course she has such strength and technique of a modern dancer. The tempo during the Act III foutte turns seemed insanely fast. I wonder if that was per Leta’s request? Her partnership with Lucien Postlewaite was spot on. Lucien himself is still dancing at a tremendously high level this fifth time as Siegfried and he is probably the best story teller in the company. All the National dances and the corp looked great. The PNB orchestra never sounded better. I can’t wait for my next show!
  5. I noticed yesterday that some principal casting has changed. On the website it now says Leta Biasucci will be O/O first weekend and Elizabeth Murphy will be second weekend.
  6. I'm glad Rico is receiving the recognition he deserves. It's a very nice article. Thank you for everything Rico; your legacy lives on through the lives you have touched and those still working in the ballet/arts.
  7. Luther DeMyer? My guess judging by hair, physique and way he moves. Not entirely certain though.
  8. I don't know if YY was trying to dance until she was 50. But I do think it is very special that she was born in year of the Dragon, and that her final performance is on her birthday just after Chinese New Year (Feb 10) and Year of the Dragon, which is often celebrated for two weeks. For those born in that year, it is said to be an auspicious year for them. It sounds like she has plans to focus on on sharing her love of ballet around the world, and continuing to be an international ambassador for ballet. It seems like a wonderful year for her to make that change.
  9. Has anyone stayed at Inn at the Opera after the renovation? Have all the rooms been renovated? I haven't been since May 2022. I just booked a room for Feb and the confirmation said the elevator is out of service but I called the front desk and they said it is working. It must be an obsolete message.
  10. I finally watched the recording. I had tickets to the show Sunday but wasn't able to attend. It was interesting that Act II and a shortened Act IV were sequenced one after the other. The normal Act IV is much longer and has the big drumroll "Hollywood" music before Odette bourrees off stage left. There is also a very tender moment I enjoy before she leaves where Siegfried is kneeling and she gently puts his head down so he can't watch her leave. The best Sigfrieds look up just as she has disappeared into the wings. You'll have to buy the digital next season if you don't know what I'm talking about! I enjoyed reviewing the season and seeing a wide variety of dancers perform. It is so great to see Leta Biasucci back! I thought it was an interesting choice to include the Giselle Peasant Pas but wow did Kuu Sakaragi impress me with his clean technique and tight feet placements! In Worlds to Come he was featured in a lot of more virtuoso contemporary type jumps and turns but seeing him one week later in this piece tells me he has great foundation. I also really enjoyed Lucien Postelwaite as Oberon! I think he was made Principal in 2009 - it is amazing he can dance such a difficult solo at such a high calibre! The video of Lesley was really special. I loved seeing all that footage from different years - her great range across different styles of choreography, many partners, relationships, her training and trajectory of career.
  11. The Season Encore was recorded and is available for four more days and the link on the website expires June 15 11:59 PM Pacific DST. I’m a subscriber and I received an email letting me know. If you watch it and you didn’t attend the show and are not a donor or subscriber please consider sending PNB a small donation. Thank you!
  12. Sarah-Gabrielle Ryan and Kyle Davis make their debut second Saturday evening. You mentioned wanting to see Angelica Generosa and Jonathan Batista earlier, they dance first Saturday matinee, along with Amanda Morgan as Myrtha. Hopefully those fit your schedules. I was also pleasantly surprise to see Lesley Rausch has a second show second Saturday matinee, for which I have a ticket, and it's probably her last Giselle ever. The 5th cast is Madison Ryan Abeo and Dylan Wald on Sunday, the closing show of the run. Of course if there are any illnesses or injuries, there could be changes in casting.
  13. Second weekend casting is posted online! Dylan Wald is back as Albert on Sunday, paired with Madison Rayn Abeo as Giselle (both debuts I believe). https://www.pnb.org/season/giselle/
  14. Hello, does anyone know when Boston Ballet posts casting? I would like really like to fly to Boston to see Don Quixote! And does anyone have any ideas on how many Kitris they might have? I'm not familiar with the lead ballerinas anymore.
  15. First weekend casting is posted online! Scroll all the way to the bottom! I won't spoil anything...enjoy!!! https://www.pnb.org/season/giselle/
  16. IIRC, Sarah Ricard Orza had debuted Giselle in 2014 (one show) and retired at the end of the 2020 season. I saw here show and her mad scene was terrific, I was really happy I saw it and sad to never see it again. Noelani Pantastico is another probable 2020 Giselle (wasn't here in 2014 still in France) who was a Principal dancer then who has since retired. These movements have opened a lot of opportunities for others.
  17. Ha, I just saw your post about Leta Biasucci's writings and wanting to see her dance again. I miss her sooo much! After seeing her in Act II of Swan Lake I think she has the makings of a great romantic ballerina, which is rare in America. I would love to see her as Giselle, she has grown into a mature principal dancer. I've always adored her dancing since she arrived at PNB, she's very unique. I saw on social media Angelica Generosa and Jonathan Batista are rehearsing together. I hope to catch one of their shows. I suspect Lesley will reprise the role, the only returning Giselle, the rest will be debuts. I would like to see her one last time as well, what a fabulous career she has had. I also used to really love Leta and Jonathon Poretta in the Peasant Pas. Angelica used to dance it too, not sure if she will again. There will be a lot of new casts this run, that's for sure.
  18. Rave reviews in the press!!! At Pacific Northwest Ballet, a dance so mesmerizing the audience leapt to its feet Review by Moira Macdonald, The Seattle Times https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/dance/at-pacific-northwest-ballet-a-dance-so-mesmerizing-the-audience-leapt-to-its-feet/ “Pure joy.” The Seasons’ Canon Took My Head Off Review by Rich Smith, The Stranger https://www.thestranger.com/dance/2022/11/08/78711156/the-seasons-canon-took-my-head-off “Pacific Northwest Ballet’s latest show is one of the best I’ve seen. If you’re not doing anything this weekend, then go to the ballet. If you’re planning on doing something else, then cancel those plans.” ArtSEA: Seattle shows that’ll make you feel the planet turn Review by Brangien Davis, Crosscut https://crosscut.com/culture/2022/11/artsea-seattle-shows-thatll-make-you-feel-planet-turn “The most stunning performance I’ve seen all year. I truly can’t recommend it highly enough.” Don’t Miss Mini-review by Chase Anderson, NWTheatre.org https://nwtheatre.org/2022/11/10/this-week-in-arts-weekly-roundup-11-10/#seasons Art and Life as Pacific Northwest Ballet Celebrates 50 Years of Pushing the Envelope! Review by Xavier Lopez, Jr., Seattle and Beyond – Art & Culture (blog) https://seattleandbeyondartculture.blogspot.com/2022/11/art-and-life-as-pacific-northwest.html “Quite possibly the most amazing, magical night of ballet that I have experienced. Exciting, important and vibrantly new.”
  19. I loved the whole program! I saw the dress rehearsal and three shows. I highly recommend the digital stream with the opening night cast. It has been released already this morning. I thought the Dwight Rhoden piece was really great, even better than "Let's Begin at the End" which he made for SFB. It was such a great blend of music, choreography, use of dancers, super sleek and individualized costumed and lighting. There's a lot to see and doesn't really repeat. It really showcases the dancers well - the principals in the duets but also I was happy to see Zsilas Hughes finally in a beefy role. He was also singled out in the Stranger review, I believe. I had not seen Duo Concertant before, it was fun and I really loved the ending when the stage goes dark. The music undergoes a key change and the last movement starts with a spotlight on the woman's face and grows to incorporate her arms and then to include her partner. Such a beautiful ending. To answer Swanhilda8's questions, in some of the Meet the Artist sessions the dancers spoke about how Pite was inspired by Octupus mothers (Amanda Morgan) and bucks fighting (after Kyle Davis solo) and other natural occurences. The lighting is not a video or a projection is a live light show, if you listen to the podcast of the lecture before the dress rehearsal Pite explains how it was done. It was amazing to see so many dancers on stage (54) and the trafficking and patterning was pretty incredible. It was not a matter of simple symmetry. For the dress rehearsal we are not allowed to sit in the orchestra level but that actually works out best for Seasons Canon as it is such a large piece. The duets are also incredible - Angelica Generosa & James Yoichi Moore start out slow but then with tempo change it almost looks like they are sparring. James Kirby Rogers and Sarah Ryan also have a high enery almost martial arts style duet, and then Lucien Postelwaite and Leah Terada have a more flowing, smooth duet. Check out all the videos on FB or IG.
  20. I really enjoyed watching Angelica Generosa revisit Allegro Brilliante. I wish I could have seen her perform it at her graduation SAB workshop. Here is a writeup in the NY Times from 2011: https://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/09/arts/dance/school-of-american-ballet-workshop-performance-review.html Opening week of the run I saw her perform it three times between dress rehearsal, opening night, and Saturday matinee. I just loved how she put care into so many details, and her technique is so solid. The partnership with Jonathan Batista (fantastic dancer in his own right) continues to blossom and is a thrill to watch!
  21. Before you watch, try to listen to the lecture that was recorded before the dress rehearsal. The link was posted by PNB on Facebook 6 days ago. https://apple.co/3UDCtWI. I don't know if the recording will be included in the digital release or not. You could wait until Thursday and check first. The digital release usual is emailed about 10am Pacific Time. The new Ratmansky was amazing! I am excited to watch again in digital form. I suspect the opening night cast will be included in the digital release. Kuu Sakuragi was named by Alexei as a new standout dancer this time working with PNB, it should be recorded in that podcast.
  22. Yes! I went to opening night and when he took his bow he opened the Ukrainian flag and waved it proudly. I see a video of it posted on PNB’s Instagram now. I also attended the Dress rehearsal lecture the prior evening, which Doug Fullington said was recorded and will be made into a podcast. Alexei said although he was born in St. Petersburg he was raised in Kiev and danced his first eight years professionally in Ukraine. His wife is also from Ukraine. So he identifies as Ukrainian and Wartime Elergy is his first piece utilizing all Ukrainian music. (I am traveling today so posting in bits and pieces. I was also at the PNB Saturday matinee.)
  23. Today I received an email regarding the opening night performance this Friday. Under Health & Safety it now says "Masks are still strongly encouraged...". The vaccination check has also been eliminated. I'm still excited to go and plan to attend in person (masked). If anyone is on the fence the program is: Allegro Brillante - 16 min Wartime Elergy - 21 min (25 min intermission) Carmina Burana - 66 min The Ballet Talk discussion one hour before the show and Meet the Artist after the show will be offered with each live performance and in digital form.
  24. Casting and program notes for the NY tour can be found here: https://www.pnb.org/season/touring/casting/ For the program notes: click on the name of the ballet to drill down. There will be notes and particularly for Diamonds and Plot Point there are videos. Some of the others just photos. If you are on the fence buying tickets maybe the videos will be helpful. In any case, if you are a Jewels fan, check out the Jewels at 50 video. It has wonderful footage of Jacque D'Amboise, Mimi Paul, Violette Verdy, and Edward Villella, all of whom Peter Boal asked to come to Seattle to coach his dancers. I also loved seeing some of our dancers who have moved on - Carla Korbes, Jonathon Poretta, Lindsi Dec, and Maggie Mullin. Sunday evening we had our Season Encore performance where we honor and say good bye to departing dancers, but it appears Peter Boal also used it as an opportunity to run through some of the NY tour. We saw Little Mortal Jump, Dancing on the Front Porch of Heaven, and the Diamonds Finale. Lesley Rausch was not in Front Porch on Sunday I thought that was odd but I see she'll dance in NY. Jonathan Batista made his debut in Front Porch on Sunday and he was terrific. Earlier in the day I saw Waiting on the Station, with James Moore as the Father. Twyla Tharp made the role on James Moore he is so smooth and charismatic and Josh Archibald-Seiffer was a standout on the piano. I also saw Kuu Sakaguri as the Son for the first time; he has a very special spirit and energy. Kuu also danced David Dawson's Caught in the Encore program and blew us all away! Angelica Generosa danced as part of a principal couple after dancing the Blue Couple in Brief Fling, which is like a marathon. She has great technique and control, but in Station, she also shows off what a great actress she is and her funny facial expressions. She trained at SAB then Peter Boal hired her, and I'm so glad.
  25. Oh Sandy, what a bummer for you! Did you at least get some nice dinner or treat as a consolation? I know I would have!!! Opening night I was a few minutes away from leaving to have dinner with friends before the show and I don’t know why, I glanced at my phone. I’m so glad I did I had a text from PNB that the show was cancelled and to check my email for further details. The other ticket buyer in the group did not receive a text (she may not be a subscriber) so she didn’t know yet, but turns out she did have an email waiting for her. We were able to still salvage dinner outside somewhere else but I feel bad for the lower QA restaurants to lose business. I have exchanged my tickets for the new opening night. Fingers crossed for this weekend and the Encore show!!!
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