seattle_dancer

Home now and viewed it on the PNB website. From here: https://www.pnb.org/season/16-17/encore/ click "Learn More" under "Watch Season Encore for Free". At the end it says the video will be available on Facebook until July 11. The audience tonight was the loudest we've ever had at a Season Encore, and I'm pretty sure I've been to all of them. It was a super fun evening, and I loved the video Sandy Barrack produced. A great ending to another terrific season!

There's still one more show today, so I figure we're not late. Last weekend was the first time I had seen La Source, so I have not seen the big guns ballerinas dance it back in the day, but I loved Leta Biasucci and Ben Griffiths in it. Their partnering seems the most natural out of the three casts and one example is that enormous fish dive toward the end of the show (when they must be tired) downstage right. Leta really hurls herself out horizontally (vs up and out), and she's not that tall, so she's not that high off the ground, but obviously she has full trust in Ben to catch her. Noone has more sparkle power than Angelica Generosa and I loved how she interpreted the second ballerina role, and pulled it off like it was easy. Towards the end, again, when she must be tired, she did a huge manege with amazing couple jetes, so big for such a small person. As others have mentioned, Rachel Foster really impressed last week in Opus 19, she was as fierce as ever. When Pictures started, I forgot she was in it that night and her role there was completely opposite - charming and playful. I was really impressed she could switch so quickly and pull off the demanding choreography so well. The Pictures pas with Kyle Davis is lightening quick. I also thought it was interesting she had that role. As she rose to principal status, I knew her as one who excelled in contemporary works, and would not have thought of her for Tiler Peck's Pictures role but she was super cute and blasted through the steps. So hopefully she is now 100% recovered and better than ever. Or so it appears. In Pictures, as sandik said, Steven Loch was terrifying in his solo. It seemed edgy and dangerous and went with the music really well. He and Elle Macy are exciting in their pdd, she also has the ability to dance edgy and fierce, as demonstrated in her Empire Noir solo. This past Nutcracker run I saw them as Sugarplum and Cavalier, so it was really fun to see them dance in Pictures together, in such different roles.

I saw Red Giselle many years ago in Seattle and I thought it was fascinating, but more because it was a twist on ballet and presented differently than anything I had ever seen. In NYC around 2010 I also saw Eifman's Onegin, and really enjoyed it as well. I'd put his shows in the same genre as Matthew Bourne's productions. Having met you a couple years ago, I'd say it's not your cup of tea. abatt had good comments. If you have the time free and can get a cheap ticket through Goldstar, maybe check it out but set your expectations accordingly.

"Not sure when I last felt this kind of happiness" - wow, Wendy is so heartfelt and even expressive with words! I'm so happy for her and for all involved with the production. Excited to see it today!

The dress rehearsal lecture last night was best I've ever attended. Peter Boal and Wendy Whelan have such history and know each other so well, it was really special. For at least 30 minutes it was non stop fascinating content, with room for a few questions at the end. So much ground covered! It started with the standard, how did you start dancing, what was your training, etc. They both have recounted the first day Wendy danced a Balanchine ballet, although they laughed about some differences between their stories. Wendy's was published recently: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/23/arts/dance/wendy-whelan-the-first-time-i-danced-a-balanchine-ballet-the-day-he-died.html?_r=0. She recalled that the Stravinsky ballets were her first loves, then she had a second phase, classical, I believe, and her last phase was romantic. Peter asked what it was like working with Wheeldon and Ratmansky and it was interesting to hear how her being in her 30's and 40's affected the choreography. I think she said she was able to contribute some. She had funny little tidbits such as wondering if her and Wheeldon would be in trouble because After the Rain did not use pointe shoes. Wendy also said both of those choreographers are younger than her, and she found a resurgence of energy working with them and dancing their ballets. Another funny tidbit was how Alexei choreographed Wendy touching the floor in Pictures, as sort of a good bye to that theater. Both Peter and Wendy said they were shocked because that's in Dances at a Gathering. Apparently when Wendy told Alexei that he didn't have any problem with keeping it in. Peter segued into her NYCB retirement by starting with her Restless Creature project/show. She described how it came about and that the thought of retiring from the only world you know and the one thing you've trained for all your life is "terrifying". Wendy described how she chose each of the choreographers and how they were all shocked when she asked them to create something so different than her ballerina choreography. And then, as you all know, it went on a huge tour, and then she had a similar project with Ed Watson that ran at the Royal Opera House. They spent quite a lot of time talking about her film "Restless Creature, Wendy Whelan", which sounds phenomenal. She described how it came about, how she was hesitant, then they filmed a little at a time. Her husband has a background in cinematography so when they finally reviewed some footage, she agreed to the rest of the project. Her husband said the director/creator was really good, and it doesn't get much better than him. Like Wendy, the film sounds quite candid. She said it was not scripted, the storyline is really how events unfolded as she retired, including her hip surgery, some of which is apparently shown in the film. In Seattle it will be shown at the NW Film Forum late July - early August. It doesn't look like tickets are for sale yet (I looked today). She talked about staging Pictures and how she was not confident she could do it and it took her a long time to commit to it. She used video to painstakingly write out movements for the other dancers parts and made up names for Ratmansky's unique movements. There was a funny story about how she ran into Gonzalo Garcia on Amsterdam Avenue and asked for help on his choreography. His friend filmed it and you can see it on her Instagram site. Look for the video with a bike. It's so cute at the beginning she is wearing a backpack and dancing around with it and he is on his bike. You can tell some time elapsed because then her backpack is on the sidewalk alongside his bike. Wendy spent two weeks staging and readying two full casts. Then she left and Alexei came for a couple days of coaching, and then Wendy has returned for final rehearsals and the opening night. I'm sure I've left out a bunch of stuff, but was hoping to provide a few highlights for those who could not attend. These lectures are such a great deal for $15 ($30 including dress rehearsal) and for some donors they receive comp tickets as a donor benefit. PNB is the best!

vipa, here's your chance to see Carrie Imler!

Second weekend casting finally on the PNB website. Looks like Lindsi Dec debuts in Whelan's Pictures role Thursday, with Miles Pertl, although it is not denoted with a symbol.

Just got back in town and back to real life. Second weekend casting not posted yet? Helene, have you received anything? The Seattle Times article had some clues, but in Pictures they might be able to swap out couples, similar to New Suite.

I haven't used any ABT benefits since the 2015 season, so my experience is a little dated. At the company class I attended, we saw the whole class through grand allegro, but sounds like things have changed since then. nana, I would contact the Membership office and see what the remaining dates are for this for this season. There are some events in the fall also, but that might depend on your donation level. Two words of caution - the first time I donated it was with my subscription and somehow that didn't count for the dress rehearsal benefits directly. I contacted the Membership office and they did graciously fix everything. Also, the development folks are very aggressive on the phone. So if you donate one year, and not the next, they will follow up with you, even at these lower levels.

Yes, ABT Fan's answer is the only way I know. California taught me about this benefit a few years ago and I really enjoyed it. Unfortunately you don't have your dates way in advance, like at PNB, so if you have to make airfare and hotel arrangements, it's a bit tricky. A surprising benefit is that you may see multiple casts of principal pairs rehearse at the same rehearsal. Once I saw three couples run the Don Q wedding pas de deux. It introduced me to some new dancers, and also on a trip I don't usually have time to catch three Don Qs and see multiple casts. The seats were in the rear of the orchestra, so short people like me could see fine, might just need opera glasses or binocs to see the finer details. One year I also saw the company class onstage. I loved that benefit. We sat in the front of the orchestra, and you get a chance to see pretty much all the dancers.

What a terrific video. I heard Wendy speak once before after her Restless Creature show at The Joyce. She seems so heartfelt and genuine. I don't know who structures the content of the videos, but there's so many themes: her personal experience with this ballet, the staging and rehearsal process, and how everyone can access this ballet and find a piece of themselves. The footage is outstanding also: Noe running and jumping on Jerome's shoulder, Seth holding Sara up by his neck, the "ascension" where Karel walks with Liz standing on his chest, Carrie and those amazing turns with Jonathon, and a fascinating bit of Leta's solo. And of course seeing Ratmansky in action, is always a treat, plus the little cameo by Laura Tisserand watching the action. Great job by Lindsey Thomas! I didn't realize until this video this is Wendy's first staging, and hopefully the first of many to come to PNB. I'm really looking forward to hearing her speak at the dress rehearsal lecture on Thursday and of course the program itself.

Wow, from the trailer it looks amazing! I might have to return from my trip early to catch the Monday showing. Thanks so much for posting!!!

Sorry for the late reply, I was out of commission this week. Peter didn't say specifically, but it sounded like they took it upon themselves to sit in the "gangster box" even though there was a sign on the box door not to. After Peter told what happened he looked out at us and said "Please behave!", which I feel is funny because the people who attend the after-talks are usually very supportive and respective of PNB. So maybe that's whey he then said he hoped they weren't there (at the after-talk). I assume the house manager reseated them, I didn't mean to infer they were kicked out of the opera house.

I don't know why either. I don't belong to FB and can usually watch a few videos "for free". It always asks me to Log in and I always say "Not Now".

A couple brief notes from the second Saturday show: Ezra Thomson's debut as Riff was fantastic! In "Cool" his singing was very clear, confident, and I could hear every word. Sometimes, the singing can be somewhat breath-y, understandably since the performer was/is dancing as well. He said his only singing experience is in the shower. In the post -performance Q&A, Peter Boal asked if we knew there was a problem with the audience that night. Noone knew what he was talking about. Apparently, even though there is a "Please Do Not Sit Here" type sign on the box door, someone decided to sit in the first tier box where Jordan Pacitti sits as the Gangster in Slaughter on Tenth Avenue. A PD student took note and called the stage manager, who then had the house manager remove the "patrons". They had even removed the temporary table where Jordan places the gun and put it under the seat, so Jordan had to put it back. Then Peter said he hoped those people weren't in the room for the Q&A, but it would be better if they were IMO, because shame on them! How rude! Toward the end Peter brought up Carrie and Bold's last season coming to an end. He said Carrie was not in the Broadway rep and that she is already preparing for the next rep. He then asked Ezra and Ben Grifftiths how the mood is with Bold backstage these days. Ezra said he is usually all about work, but now he is almost "giddy". I wouldn't normally think of that word to describe Bold (not that I know him or anything about his personality) but there is a recent PNB FB post showing Bold backstage showing off his unique handshakes with many dancers that is really fun, so now I can see it. That is a special video to watch, since we normally wouldn't see that type of dancer to dancer interaction.

Thank you California! I will put it on my calendar for a weekend trip! I don't know Denver very well so it'd be great to have an event at the museum and the opera house or university. Hope to to see you in Seattle this June!

Thank you Helene for all your well-written comments! I am missing this weekend so it's great to hear a report. I am especially looking forward to the first four dancers you mentioned. I didn't recall the Orzas dancing in Carousel together, thanks for confirming. I haven't seen any footage of Lindsi Dec as Striptease Girl but judging by her performance in the Red Dress in Take Five More or Less, I know she'll be oozing with a special charm, so to speak. I've watched the video of Steven Loch hoofing in PNB's FB a bunch of times. I can't wait for Thursday I'm sure he'll pull out all the stops. In some ways he reminds me of Jeff Stanton even before he got this Hoofer role, in terms of height, coloring, and ability to partner many ballerinas, but he is definitely a different spirit. Also on FB the video of Noe in WSSS is amazing, I can't wait to see her in stage also. Her singing is great, but what I really loved were her funny facial expressions! She continues to amaze me with the breadth of her talents! I don't have any recollections of Bold as Bernardo, but looking forward to seeing and savoring him in this role, as the clock is sadly ticking. Regarding the singing in WSSS, I totally agree with you.

Wow, pretty neat there are two ladies up for best Choreographer. I'm personally rooting for Crystal Pite. And how fantastic for Stella Abrera to be recognized in this manner, and for old partners Misa K and Jeffrey Cirio to be nominated the same year! I can't tell what the second night's program will be. Last year it was an all Shakespeare theme. If anyone attends, please report back.

In the third act, who was the lady in the black suit? I thought I saw her briefly toward the end when Vera made her entrance through a door stage left. And then at the very end she was in the middle, back on an elevated platform and exited through a door. I especially liked the choreography for the men, both solos and corp dancing. For me the music was very complex and didn't work with having three stories. It's like I needed more time to get to the darkness, but maybe that's just me. The composer looked so young, didn't he? I loved how certain musicians and vocal soloists were on stage. My favorite music and presentation was Mary's dance near the end, with the pianist playing on an antique sounding piano.

Yes Sasark, thanks so much for all the details. I don't feel as bad that I missed it now. Next year PNB is showing SL and I do like our Kent Stowell version quite a lot. I look forward to more of your SFB reports now that you're in SFO. I hope your move has gone well.

California, thanks so much for the write-up! I was supposed to go to Swan Lake Thursday and Friday but had to cancel last minute. Did the feathered swim caps work with the production? I think they are hideous and sf_herminator brought me a poster as a joke a few weeks ago, since he knows how much I despise them. I was disappointed when I heard Masha was cast for Friday. I like her and all, but I have seen her in SL at ABT, so it was interesting to hear your comparison between NYC and SFO performances. I then bought a ticket for Thursday and changed my flight to see YY but it wasn't meant to be. I'd love to hear from anybody else who went Thursday or Friday.

Second weekend casting is posted already! https://www.pnb.org/season/16-17/broadway/. It seems unusually early but I'm glad since I can't go opening weekend. Second Friday Leah Merchant debuts as Striptease Girl, Miles Pertl debuts as Hoofer in "Slaughter on Tenth Avenue" Second Saturday in "West Side Story Suite" Ezra Thomson debuts as Riff and Amanda Morgan as Rosalia Sunday Price Suddarth debuts as Tony in "West Side Story Suite" Sorry my formatting is not as fancy as Helene's but I thought I would give her a break. She'll probably do the spreadsheet thing though.

Oh it will be so nice to have Lucien back!!! I wonder if we'll see any new partnerships with the likes of Leta, Maggie, or Angelica? With whom would you like to see Lucien paired?

I was pleasantly surprised there were a lot of good seats left for Taming of the Shrew. I'm glad I didn't waste money on a Lincoln Center Friendship. I agree with Dreamer's comments, but my friend's daughter is finishing SAB summer intensive that weekend and I hope to attend watch day. At least that's how I justify the trip to myself.

I know the run is over (sniff, sniff) but I went to the Sunday matinee and it was a terrific ending for the rep. I thought you might enjoy some tidbits. Empire Noir: all the opening night cast was back and Miles Pertl seamlessly debuted in Bold's role. Everyone seemed to pull out the stops for the last show, especially Elle Macy in her solo. I swear she was like a storm! New Suite: It was so nice to see some dancers in their original roles - Lindi Dec in Berio 3, Steven Loch in Berio 2, Sara Ricard Orza and Karel Cruz in Bach, and a delightful surprise in that Carrie Imler and Jonathon Poretta danced Handel 4. Most of these were not listed online so it was really fun. Her Door to the Sky: Sara Ricard Orza was so perfect in the leading lady role. Leta, Miles and Jerome all danced in EN and this ballet, what troopers! Post- performance Q&A: It was so nice for Lindsi Dec to stay for this talk even though she didn't dance in the Lang and had a Pagliacci pizza waiting for her (and her son at home). This session was one of the funnier ones. Someone asked how the little EN leotards stay in place and Lindsi said they often use a product called "Butt Glue" but it wasn't actually needed for EN. Someone asked why this glue is needed and Lindsi said there's a lot of partnering and sometimes body parts come out. Another funny comment was a lady who said she was taken by Karel's performance and his "sexual energy". We all had a good laugh at that one. Goes right up there with the guy who said Bold and Carla's Don Q kiss looked too real, and Carla's then fiancé was in the audience! Toward the end a lady commented that right after the Cendrillon run she saw NYCB on PBS and she thinks PNB is a lot better and that NYC has nothing on us!