seattle_dancer

Hooray for Larae!!!  A very nice tribute indeed!!!

Last night there was a Male Solos présentation in the PNB studios.  Larae was there and I thought Peter Boal said she would be going with the group when they present the same program at the Guggenheim in October.  The three dancers were not in costume, but maybe they will be in NYC.  So if you have a ticket to that event, maybe you will see her.

22 hours ago, SandyMcKean said:

Say it isn't so! I can only find these broadcasts in 1 theater in the whole of the USA (NYC of course). If I can't see Steven McRae in Mayerling I'll going to kill. 

Is this some sort of British punishment for our crassness in electing a fool as President??

Super funny post Sandy!  But seriously, please keep us posted.  I really want to see Mayerling.  Is it not showing up in Vancouver?

My ticket envelopes DO have the Ten Mercer discount coupon on the flap.  Oh well it’s a not-for-profit.  They have to do what they have to do to save money.

What bothered me more was that there was no photo of Noelani Pantastico on any of the subscription tickets or anywhere in the booklet.

I did like the Nutcracker photo of Dammiel Cruz with the student who played Clara.  Nice way to promote diversity.

Hello from Seattle!  Welcome! I just had to cancel a trip to NY so please tell us about all the great shows you see.  I had planned to see the NYCB Robbins Festival and Parsons Dance at The Joyce this weekend.

If you see anything anywhere else like Russia we’d love to hear about that too!  I haven’t been there since 2016.  

On 3/27/2018 at 12:12 PM, Helene said:

SPECIAL EVENTS:

PNB CONVERSATIONS & DRESS REHEARSAL

Thursday, April 12

Nesholm Family Lecture Hall at McCaw Hall

Join PNB Audience Education Manager Doug Fullington in conversation with RAkU choreographer Yuri Possokhov, during the hour preceding the dress rehearsal. The conversation begins at 6:00 pm, followed by the dress rehearsal at 7:00 pm. Tickets ($30) may be purchased through the PNB Box Office.

 

I noticed the guest artist for the dress rehearsal discussion has changed to composer Shinji Eshima.  See https://www.pnb.org/community/audience/lecture-series/.  It would have been nice to hear Yuri speak, but I am excited Shinji will be here.  For me, everything starts with the music.  Last weekend I listened to the RAkU CD several times while on a road trip so I'm looking forward to hearing about the music in detail.   And I loved their collaboration on Swimmer, so maybe we'll hear about that too.   I wonder if Shinji is composing for Yuri's World Premiere for San Francisco Ballet next season?  Hopefully we'll get some information so we can plan our trips to SFB next year.

I really like Slingerland but this time around it’s just not the same without live music.  Someone asked about the music and the skirt at one of the evening post-performance talks, first Saturday I believe. Forsythe wants this recording used.  And I liked the former Pringle skirt (that’s what Peter Boal called it), I wish they still used it.

Also I would like to echo Sandy McKean’s praise of Leta Biasucci!!!  She is a very unique dancer, we are SO LUCKY to have her.  I’ve watched the Perpetual State videos (studio and in costume) several times.  Her phrasing is just to die for; her artistry continues to improve beyond my imagination.  I really hope she is promoted to Principal next season!

I saw on FB there will be 11 debuts in Red Angels over the run.  Eight are in the opening weekend.  Will be fun to see  who the other three are!

Also, didn’t Seth Orza dance Slingerland Duet with Carla Korbes?  That is my recollection and it looks like him in the trailer.  But there is an asterisk next to his name on the casting section of the website, denoting first time in role.

There’s a new perk for full season subscribers!  Free exchanges between reps!!!  Previously one could only exchange within a rep.  That’s nice if you are traveling, are very sick. or have some other unfortunate circumstance.

I bought a San Francisco Ballet CYO subscription this year and they charge $10 for exchanges.  I find that very annoying in comparison to how subscribers are treated at PNB.

First weekend is posted now!  Same casts for Ezra’s piece, The Perpetual State, and One Flat Thing, Reproduced.  But lots of interesting different pairings for Slingerland Duet and Red Angels!

Has anyone seen casting?  It’s usually posted on the website by now (one week prior to opening).  😩

sandik - thanks for the studio demo info.  I missed that one.  Would you say you have a better appreciation of the piece? Know how to watch it better, as Miles stated?

On 1/25/2018 at 11:25 AM, SandyMcKean said:

Is she the one with a blue top and mid-thigh, black "whatever-they-are's"?

Yes, for most of the video she’s in the second line from the left, and third row from the front.  The top is a pretty kind-of-sky blue with three quarter sleeves or long sleeves pushed up.

I went to the Friday Preview tonight.  What a treat to see Noe and Seth in the Act 3 grand pas and Act 4!  Both of them had such attack on their Act 3 turns.    Act 4 was so tender and exquisite, I had to wipe away a tear.  Can’t imagine a better segue to the weekend.

I found this video on the website.  At first I thought this was an older video, but it is new.  I must have watched it half a dozen times, it’s a great way to see so many dancers and even professional division students.  But my eye keeps getting drawn to Calista Ruat.  She looks so smooth, effortless, and natural.  And proud. And I mean that in the most positive way.

I’m getting excited for the performances!

Ding ding ding!  Very good sandik.  I found a video of Noe made last spring.  She said her first time as O/O was 2003 when she was a baby ballerina.  She also said she was promoted to Principal in 2004, so she must have been a Soloist at the time.  I haven’t listened to the whole interview yet, but so far it sounds like something we should listen to, so we have an understanding (and maybe empathy) of the gals making their debuts.

Helene,

Thank you so much for posting!  I did not expect to hear first weekend casting for another week and a half.  Now I can plan out my weekends.

Does anyone know, has Noe been O/O at PNB before?  I don’t recall seeing her in that role, and I’m really looking forward to the first Saturday.

I did get to see her as the Black Swan in Lac, when BMC toured in NYC, 2012 I believe.  It was very dramatic and so fun!

40 minutes ago, Helene said:

Just a few notes from Opening Night:

 

Extraordinary portrayals by Benjamin Griffiths and Lucien Postlewaite in "Afternoon Ball."  With "Plot Point," I think it's the best I've ever seen Postlewaite dance.

 

Laura Tisserand is back, dancing with Miles Pertl as the Biedermeier couple.

 

Between the exploration of the contrast of the movement quality between the characters and their replicas and its visceral effect and the way it plays with narrative and engages the mind, "Plot Point" is a knockout.  It's a physical, emotional, and mental challenge to navigate between the linear and going along for the ride.

 

Doug Fullington said in the pre-performance Ballet Talk that Lang originally wanted to use Copland, but then learned that Georgia O'Keefe, whose specific series of paintings inspired the work, hated Copland, so she switched.  Copland reminds me often of the outdoors -- even without the beef commercial -- and big vistas.  I love Britten's "Simple Symphony," but it reminds me of nurseries, water colors, and the indoors, and I don't get the impression that that was what Lang was going for choreographically.

 

Edited to add:  our posts crossed, @seattle_dancer!

Thank you Helene!  I was especially curious how Plot Point came together.  I can't wait to see it Thursday!

Any impressions/thoughts from opening night?

Did anyone watch the livestream today? I couldn't because of work.

I did attend the Friday preview.  It was pretty much a run through of Plot Point except one section Crystal said they hadn't worked on yet.  It's very intriguing, I can't wait to see the final product.  I wish I could have seen Crystal work with the dancers more.  She knows how to tweak one small thing that makes a huge difference.  

I'll be out of town the first weekend, so look forward to reading your posts.  

I went to the dress rehearsal tonight and enjoyed Jewels more than any other time.  The new production is so beautiful!  The skirts in Emeralds and Diamonds have amazing movement quality.  The colors/hues for Diamonds I found particularly fresh and current yet still based on tradition.  I'm excited to see it up close this weekend!

45 minutes ago, sandik said:

 

I'm glad to hear this -- I was wondering what happened to him.  Any idea where he's been since he left PNB?

He went to NYC/Broadway:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/bleepmag.com/2016/01/27/sean-rollofson-from-ballet-to-broadway-and-back-again/amp/

On 7/31/2017 at 7:15 PM, Helene said:

Sippy cups for the ballet .

Thank goodness I can take some coffee in with me for shows on school nights!

Saw both casts on Saturday.  Will write more when I have time.  I enjoyed it a lot but I know that Maillot loosely follows traditional story lines so I knew what to expect.

On 7/12/2017 at 5:33 AM, ballet_n00b said:

Did anyone see La Sylphide yet?

I will see it on Friday. 

Wondering what to expect since I don't know this ballet.

I went opening night July 1.  I was not familiar with this ballet, and after reading the information on the POB website I expected something along the lines of Giselle or Chopiniana.  I like Giselle, but I don't love it like some of my friends.

My expectations were surpassed in every way.  The first act was not primarily mime, I don't want to give too much away but there are a lot more dancers and more choreography than I expected in Act I.  The pas de trois scenes make this story ballet unique.  The choreography in the second act was also much more dense than my expectations.  The first scene was very unique, I've not seen anything like it.  I figured if one wants to see a ballet in the Romantic genre who better to see than POB?  The corp in Act II was fantastic, with a very specific way of holding their upper bodies.  It was also neat to see such an old ballet, in such a historic theater.  And for such an old theater, there's some pretty neat technical tricks in the production.

The fancy program for 12 euros does have a small English section starting on page 22, but it's mostly in French.  In the gift shop there is also a book that tells the story, in French only.

I wanted to see it again before I left Paris, but couldn't fit it in.  So I hope to catch it in NYC next summer.  There really was a lot to see and I felt like I couldn't take it all in.  Enjoy!

Welcome!  I love your name!

Yes there is a ton of information here, it's been really useful for me to stay in touch since I don't live in NYC anymore. 

Some threads and discussions have even piqued  my interest in foreign companies and dancers, resulting in a few trips.  I even made some hard core ballet friends.  BA has been a terrific resource for me.  Enjoy!

It seems like there has been quite a few tall men hired lately:  Miles Pertl, Dammiel Cruz, Dylan Wald, Guillaume Basso.

i had seen Kuu dance and partner company dancers in Symphony and C and at least one other PNB Company piece this past season, so I was hopeful.

if he doesn't find a way to PNB I would also love for Helgi to acquire him at SFB.  He took their summer course last year, so I was hopeful there too.

I am so bummed Kuu Sakuragi did not get a contract with PNB.  As I watched Steven Loch's Next Step piece, I tried to work through my grief.  Kuu puts everything into everything!  Not even one half count is ever wasted.  I can only hope he will come to PNB some day, like Elizabeth Murphy.  I would even pay and drive across a bridge to see him perform in the new Francia Russell Center performance space when he comes home to visit family.