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Anyone recognize the Repetiteur/Ballet Mistress in this short rehearsal video? https://twitter.com/lapetitefrench_/status/619280925600256005

Maria Kochetkova had mentioned on her Twitter page that she was being filmed in R & J, at the end of the season. So this must be where that footage is going to appear. It wouldn't actually be 'live', but was an actual season performance that was recorded. From May 6: "First performance/filming of R&J is done, one more tomorrow night @ San Francisco War Memorial and"… https://instagram.com/p/2WzPnGEUfX/

Today's Instagram posting from Mathilde Froustey: 1st rehearsal of the principal part of Theme and Variations today after 1 month off ... Ouch !!!!!!!!!

As mentioned elsewhere in the forum -Maria Kochetkova joins ABT - in addition to remaining as SFB Principal: "Excited to announce I'm joining @ABTBallet next season! I'll remain a principal with SF Ballet and will perform with both companies." https://twitter.com/balletrusse https://instagram.com/p/4kBVfpkUef/

This may not effect things at SFB, but Kochetkova announced: "Excited to announce I'm joining @ABTBallet next season! I'll remain a principal with SF Ballet and will perform with both companies." https://twitter.com/balletrusse

Maria Kochetkova joins ABT - in addition to remaining as SFB Principal: "Excited to announce I'm joining @ABTBallet next season! I'll remain a principal with SF Ballet and will perform with both companies." https://twitter.com/balletrusse http://https://instagram.com/p/4kBVfpkUef/

I too will miss Kristina Lind - good luck to her. I felt she would have a difficult time advancing much further though, so the move may prove a smart one. Seeing another dancer from Teatro La Scala interests me - Di Lanno is a great dancer (and I hope he is staying on). Looking forward to seeing Jahna Frantziskonis too. Raymond Tilton never really distinguished himself, and wasn't moving up the ladder, so that doesn't come as a suprise exactly.

SFB does not have a Fall season. What's to stop Millepied from allowing Froustey to guest with POB? The new era has begun and there is certainly some excitement around the coming 'changes'. Interesting that it would be "Theme and Variations" which SFB will dance later in their 2016 season - I don't know that she has danced Themes before, and hasn't been trained yet for the lead roles. What's it all mean? Not much, yet. ;)

Very shocking, and very sad. I was expecting that, as NYCB ballet master, his influence would continue on for some time to come.

BALLETNOW July 10-12 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles, California Guest Artistic Directors and American Ballet Theatre principals Roberto Bolle and Herman Cornejo lead an international ensemble of 19 major dancers from 12 countries in three distinctive programs, with many of the dancers performing in Southern California and together for the first time.

I guess when Marina Harss writes: "Ashly Isaacs, a member of the corps (but not for long, I’d wager) conquered the role of the high-flying Hippolyta, queen of the Amazons, with her usual attack and authority. Already, she presents herself like the principal dancer she may one day become." - you can believe she knows something. ;)

About time. Let's hope she sticks around.

From the above interview gallery...

Mathilde Froustey answers the Gramilano Questionnaire… Dancers’ Edition http://http://www.gramilano.com/2015/06/mathilde-froustey-answers-the-gramilano-questionnaire-dancers-edition/

Congratulations to Dores André - she has certainly worked for it the past few years. Now comes the hard part: to be an artist (beyond dancer) on the level of Tan, Sylve, Van Patten, etc. This is the vacation period for SFB, so I wouldn't worry about Froustey being in France (naturellement). As long as there is no official announcement to the contrary, Ms. Froustey is a principal at SFB. She may be waiting for Millepied to be as good to her as Tomasson, but that may be a wait - he has a lot on his mind.

Yes, that doesn't sound very 'optimal'.

"All the teachers knew this grimace of hers." - Well at least it's not personal. ;) Dupont is hardly the only person to complain about life at the school. And Bessy doesn't exactly refute the accusations that have been made. It seems to be more of a case of, "we do it that way because it works". The Russians have used that excuse at Mariinsky and Bolshoi for ages. As far as who can best institute any needed changes at POB, I think it is now a matter of who is game. And Millepied is willing, for now. Would someone like Legris or Le Riche be as willing?

It would be necessary to get a hold of the German TV company's tape copies (wherever those may be). What we see on Youtube is a low-res version of a version. But if the original broadcast tapes exist, then we can end up with something that is at least as good (or better) in visual quality as the "Balanchine/NYCB in Montreal" series of DVDs.

Ah yes, Clifford has been able to get away with postings these videos for some time. The pas de deux from Episodes (Concerto Op.24) is actually quite reasonably filmed - and the cut to overhead camera adds momentary interest, without fouling things up. Ricercata suffers from some of the 'dancing camera' syndrome, though. It would be great to see a cleaned-up version of this ballet footage. Even viewing a fuzzy, pixelated little video - Does this look like a tremendous company, or what?!

"Best get your resume ready in case you need to contact Charles Jude or Manuel Legris!" I had that same thought. ;) The sheer size of POB does seem to work against the dancers many times (and Millepied seemed to hint at this fact in his interviews). A smaller company (assuming the same schedule) dances more, and is presumably more exhausted. Of course, once the injuries pile up, suddenly there don't seem to be many etoiles available to dance roles of any type - POB has this issue even with the present company. One thing not mentioned: it is possible that necessity will find Millepied altering his choreographic style to allow for the needs of his dancers (rather than simply imposing his way on them). That's something Balanchine would have done, as necessary. Not that Mr. M is Mr. B, but it would do Millepied some artistic good to try new things himself.

Like you, I don't think Millepied is as optimistic about change as some people think. But he will push for his preferences. And the older dancers will, of course, have their own preferences for programming. But one would expect a professional to perform, and not 'sit on the bench'. The interesting twist is that you don't see this kind of refusal to dance new choreography at a U.S. company - the dancers take all opportunities. And they are expected to. The only place where this kind of 'choosiness' might occur would be ABT, but ABT spends very little time on producing cutting-edge ballets, so I can't say it's an issue there. Froustey has so far embraced her opportunities, and so she has no attitude problem with programming at SFB. If there are etoiles that feel they need to explore "other opportunites" outside of POB, it sounds like they would not be looking for new works to dance, so that is a different situation. And where would they go? ABT? There isn't much eveidence that ABT favors the POB dancers. Other European companies might take a single dancer, if they have the budget.

I think there have been various discussions of the NYCB performances for German TV, but here's one main thread that lists the dances that were filmed: http://balletalert.invisionzone.com/index.php?/topic/24710-1973-nycb-recordings/ I happen to be one of the people that finds the 'cinematography' to be mostly awful - it commits the greatest possible sin: obscuring the artform it purports to be illuminating. I believe Balanchine was really disappointed in the results, and who can blame him? It's often difficult to get a sense of the choreography, or the individual dancer's performances with all the cuts from camera to camera, though I did like some of the overhead shots, just as a novelty, but unless you watch ballets from the ceiling lighting platform, I don't see how this resembles a theatre ballet experience. I haven't seen La Valse specifically, but would like to (and Episodes and Duo Concertant). The Concerto Barocco segment is often found online. Many of these performances may have been great, with wonderful casts, but the camerwork and editing just make a mess of things. What an opportunity missed.

I'm suprised that Dupont was cast in anything besides the Manon farewell - I thought it was understood that she was retired at this point, and only the farewell performance was left to do (and that was placed at the end of the Spring season). "Many of the French dancers with Paris training have a hard time adapting to the speed and angularity of the choreography" My take on this situation is that Millepied definitely plans to alter the POB's training enough that they are able to be more comfortable, more natural, in something like a Balanchine or Robbins ballet. But that doesn't have to mean losing the native POB's aesthetic. But the dancers will have to stretch themselves to dance in more ways than before. The etoiles would be under even more pressure to learn new things.

Mathilde Froustey has just posted these images of Aurelie's farewell performance on her Instagram page: https://instagram.com/p/21170gnrQ0/?taken-by=lapetitefrench_ (a brief video)

Nice article, thanks KBarber.