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Yuan Yuan was invited to a private screening of Yuri Possokhov's RAkU, with YYT in the lead role, naturally, at Lucasfilm (I presume George Lucas was part of the audience). Hopefully this means the ballet is going to be available on DVD soon. Fingers crossed. https://www.instagram.com/p/BTve2_bg6nr/?taken-by=tanyuanyuansf YYT also posted a really great photograph of Davit Karapetyan holding her aloft while performing Possokhov's The Bells for a St. Petersburg audience.

If the Admins could pin this topic at the top of the topic list it will be easier to find in the future. ;) There are many recent 'retirees' who may still be performing, so if anyone has significant news about these ex-SFB dancers, please post the information here. Sometimes, the younger dancers actually return to SF(!) Kristina Lind has left Het Nationale Ballet to be a soloist with Bayerischen Staatsballett in Munich, Germany. Congratulations to Kristina on her promotion to the soloist level. https://www.staatsoper.de/biographien/detail-seite/lind-kristina.html

It's an impressive network nonetheless. And it's pretty obvious that the Suarez school has been a feeder to SFB (though sometimes in a roundabout way). But that makes it even more painful that the top level Cuban dancers are leaving SF. So far, I don't get the sense that there's any bad feelings in these decisions - it's just been a time of change (and maybe a climate of panic in the arts). I would like to see more young Cuban dancers coming to SFB. Hopefully Helgi has some interesting additions in the works...

Marriage proposal - I like that inclusion. Any onstage breakups, or births? A forgot to include this link about Taras' mother: it's an interesting read. http://ticket.heraldtribune.com/2013/08/09/lessons-from-mamicha/ "The list of dancers now in top companies around the country who have passed through her studio and under her watchful eye is long and impressive: Joan Boada, Diego Cruz, Lonnie Weeks and Luke Willis (San Francisco Ballet); Joseph Gatti, Jeffrey Cirio, Adiarys Almeida and Jamie Diaz (Boston Ballet); Xiomara Reyes (American Ballet Theatre), Katie Kadow (State Street Ballet) and Jordan Elizabeth Long (Swedish Ballet). The pupil she is proudest of, her son Taras Domitro, is a principal with the San Francisco Ballet."

An onstage honoring of a dancer is pretty "official" by me. No one has said anything about what comes next for Taras though. His mother is Magaly Suarez of The Art of Classical Ballet school in Florida. So maybe he has plans there.

Thanks, KBarber. Some of the advert isn't appearing in your posting though, so here's this important info: Principal Cast: Roberto Bolle, Nicoletta Manni, Melissa Hamilton, Eric Underwood, Matthew Golding, Jiri and Otto Bubenicek, Anna Tsygankova, Maria Kochetkova, Joan Boada, Alexandre Riabko.

Domitro's status remains a question mark. Maybe we'll hear something in the near future (since the season will be ending soon).

Makes sense, Josette. When you are going that many times to see the same program the idea is usually to see how all the different casts dance the roles. Seeing virtually the same cast over and over would not be too special (I know you have to fly to SF in the first place).

I have a bad feeling she may have a minor injury - probably from the St. Petersburg gala trip. She did just post this photo from an onstage dinner (in SF) for Vanessa and Davit: https://www.instagram.com/p/BTk8O-TgGlA/?taken-by=tanyuanyuansf

Imagine how excited I was to be able to post the copyrighted phrase, "George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker®"! Not only that, but the advertisement is for the new George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker®. "The Music Center brings back a holiday tradition to Los Angeles with a world premiere of the new George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker® by Miami City Ballet. The holiday classic, with Balanchine’s iconic choreography, features all-new sets and costumes by Cuban-American artist/designer power couple Isabel and Ruben Toledo." Chris Wheeldon can only dream of "the new" Christopher Wheeldon’s Cinderella©...

A SEASON THAT MOVES BEYOND! "Welcome to the 15th season of our incredible dance series. Our new season goes far beyond the expected, expanding the limits of dance and even the places we will take it! Celebrate your passion for dance by becoming a part of the Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center family for this incredible season. As a full subscriber, you’ll enjoy access to the best seats at the best prices, free exchanges, special offers at local restaurants and much more! For a full list of all the great perks that come with your full subscription, click here. We look forward to seeing you at all our performances next season!" https://www.musiccenter.org/about/Our-Programs/Glorya-Kaufman-Dance/1718-season/ MATTHEW BOURNE’S THE RED SHOES Co-presentation with Center Theatre Group The Music Center’s Ahmanson Theatre | September 15, 2017 – October 1, 2017 UNTIL THE LIONS Presented by The Music Center On Location The Culver Studios, Culver City, CA | Live Musicians | Performed by Akram Khan Company | October 18 – 21, 2017 GEORGE BALANCHINE’S THE NUTCRACKER® The Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion | Live Orchestra | Performed by Miami City Ballet | December 7- 10, 2017 ROMEO & JULIET The Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion | Live Orchestra | Performed by The Joffrey Ballet | March 9 – 17, 2018 COMPLEXIONS CONTEMPORARY BALLET The Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion | April 20 – 22, 2018 LA BAYADÈRE The Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion |Live Orchestra | Performed by American Ballet Theatre | July 13 – 15, 2018

SVP and Tiit Helimets are currently listed for these remaining dates: Sunday, April 30, 2017 - 2 pm May 4, 2017 - 7:30 pm Sunday, May 7, 2017 - 2 pm Frances Chung and Joseph Walsh were having to dance two nights in a row, so something unplanned for must have occurred.

'From grand spectacles to poignant close-ups, experience Helgi Tomasson's bravura interpretation of Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet like you've never seen it before. With passionate choreography, spine-tingling swordsmansip, and a celebrated score by Sergei Prokofiev, San Francisco Ballet's passionate retelling of the Bard's greatest tragedy has packed houses around the world. Romeo & Juliet is one of the Company's most popular and widely toured ballets and has been seen by more than 200,000 people since it premiered in 1994. Choreographed by Helgi Tomasson, with sets and costumes by Jens-Jacob Worsaae, this visually stunning production and the brilliant dancers of San Francisco Ballet bring this powerful and touching tragedy - and Renaissance-era Verona - vivdly to life. "Tomasson lifts Shakespeare's complex and familiar language off the gilded pages and translates it into lucid classical choreography that is visceral, fresh, and ultimately sublime"' (Huffington Post). This is the same production that was shown in U.S. theaters more than once (Lincoln Center at the Movies). Maria Kochetkova and Davit Karapetyan are the leads. Please use the Amazon search box on this forum (upper right area of the home page) to help support this website. Note that if you use ad blocking in your browser the search box may not appear.

I'm sure you're right, Sandik. ;)

New video from SFB about the costumes for Wheeldon's Cinderella - "Hear from Julian Crouch and Oliver Haller about the challenges of designing Christopher Wheeldon’s Cinderella©." I'm not sure how it is possible to copyright the name "Cinderella", in fact, I have to think it would not hold up in court. Perhaps the copywriter was being overzealous. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkLvsa7ygnw

SFB Sleeping Beauty from 2007: YYT and Tiit Helimets

I believe you've answered your own comment, Helene. ;) It's not about having enough bodies, but how the A.D. can find exceptional talents (not already snatched up by other companies). One thing I wonder about: SFB is dancing so much contemporary ballet - are the young Cuban dancers as interested in that repertoire as the North Americans?

L.A. Dance Project has acquired a 5 year lease on a rehearsal and performance space. No simple task in Los Angeles. It's a big step for the company. https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/04/25/arts/dance/la-dance-project-benjamin-millepied-space-of-its-own.html '[Millepied] said that the raw space would be equipped with a full lighting plot and modular seating. “We’ll be able to create work and rehearse with lighting, which is a major luxury,” he said. He added that he planned to program multidisciplinary performances and events year-round, have classes and workshops, and offer the space to other artists and ensembles when the troupe is on tour. “There is an amazing amount of talent in Los Angeles, but a lack of infrastructure, and rehearsal space is at a premium,” he said. “I’ve seen firsthand how expensive it is to self-produce, so I want to offer local artists residencies and performance opportunities.”'

"On Saturday, April 29, observe the dancers of SF Ballet in action in a Company class, led by one of the Company's Ballet Masters, on stage at the War Memorial Opera House. Guests will enjoy open seating in the Opera House auditorium." https://www.sfballet.org/season/community/2017-bay-area-dance-week You must RSVP the company to attend - fill out this short form: http://bayareadance.org/free-event-signup/?e_id=503 Saturday, April 29 Doors Open: 11:30 amClass Viewing: 11:45–1 pm P.S. Please note that no audio/visual recording of any kind is allowed during this event.

Interesting that YYT and Masha plan to be back for this. Right now they're both with Davit in St. Petersburg: I do hope SVP gets her chance to dance the lead in Cinderella - fingers crossed.

Dores André comment: "I don't really feel sorry for Cinderella anymore." https://www.instagram.com/p/BTPzCOkhSWW/?taken-by=doresandre

A rather amazing maneuver by Masha Kochetkova and Sebastian Kloborg in rehearsal for Saint Petersburg gala: https://www.instagram.com/p/BTOzykCh0K5/?taken-by=balletrusse

The Future:

I would think parenthood could a make big difference in a dancer's career choices, and longevity. Of course it depends upon the individual to some degree. Lorena Feijoo returned to dancing after her daughter was born, but it has to be very stressful looking after a young child and maintaining a career that demands peak physical conditioning. YYT and Sofiane have avoided that 'pitfall' thus far, and continue to dance at a high level. It has to be a tough decision to make. I think Vanessa and Davit may be thinking of starting a family - and time is running out - so they made the career change. That's just my guess though - I don't know that for certain. ;)

Yes, I think it needs to be brought back either for next year or the following year.