pherank

It sounds like a mess, doesn't it? But the company held together rather well in the performances that I saw, and Chapman, as I mentioned, really impressed me. I would look forward to seeing more of her, and finally, Korbes. There's obvious depth to the company and that bodes well for the future.

I totally understand the need to look after the existing dancers, but this is a rare opportunity, and there seems little sense to just let it slip away with various predictable excuses. Where there's a WILL, there's a way - as you mention with the "guest artist" arrangements. Sounds like they would need to add some extra performances to their schedule to make it workable (so no existing principals lose their performance time).

Little things like the chandelier can make a big difference to the atmosphere of the ballet - I'd love to seem them try for a 'grand' version of Jewels with 1st rate costumes/staging. But I also wish they would put Concerto Barocco and a couple other shorter/rarer Balanchine ballets on DVD. ;)

I'm late to the party, I see, regarding my journey to Seattle to see PNB, so I'll just dash off a few thoughts/impressions that still remain in my head. ;) I couldn't help but notice that the PNB women all seem to be very petite, and seemingly very young - I know that doesn't actually apply to all the ballerinas, but it was my general impression of the company look. A number of the male dancers are quite short as well (while a few of the men appear unusually tall which makes for an odd contrast of heights on stage, in, for example, the Agon Pas de Quatre). Also there is a certain 'compactness' to the dancing style that was interesting to see, though I guess I prefer more 'amplification' from the principals (or I'm just used to seeing that). I'm guessing that is the Peter Boal aesthetic at work. [if I can think of a better way of expressing this I will edit my comment later] Agon Agon was well danced both Thursday and Friday nights, but Friday with Maria Chapman and Joshua Grant was particularly well executed and powerful. Chapman and Grant both seemed supremely confident in their roles and were simply magnetic. The orchestra, under Emil de Cou, played the Stravinsky score very well - right volume, tempo and textures (I was sitting in the Orchestra section both nights and obviously that didn't give me any idea of what the sound was like in the balcony sections). Tide Harmonic (C. Wheeldon, World Premiere) I remain somewhat confused by Wheeldon - I admit that I don't yet 'get' his aesthetic or the visual language he is (presumably) developing. I often feel he's wrestling with too many ideas and is simply unable to omit much of anything he creates. IMO he needs to have his 'Apollo' moment when he discovers how to pare things down to what appears most essential and inevitable - a truly organic whole. In this ballet I see things that are momentarily intriguing, but these are often followed by steps or sequences that are almost gimmicky in nature, or deliberate non sequiturs to poke fun at the proceedings, but the overarching motivation still alludes me (perhaps Tide Harmonic is simply an expression of the energy in water/nature). At its weakest points, the choreography strikes me as having no real relationship to the music. And the Joby Talbot music at times interested me more than the choreography, though I would hardly say it was deep stuff. Talbot's music kept reminding me of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (remember that old TV program?). Submarines and sea monsters. But the choreography didn't seem to have the same focus. So anyway, THE COMPANY danced the piece with much energy and enthusiasm. I think the dancers really enjoyed performing this piece, and that does transmit itself to the audience (there were big ovations for the performance both nights that I was there). Having seen SFB dance a bunch of Wheeldon ballets, I can say that PNB was comparable. So good for them! Diamonds Thursday night the Pas couple was Imler and Bold. And they both met the technical demands, but neither appeared quite as regal, natural and grand as I imagine the roles demand. I know that's just my presumption, but it wasn't a treatment that thrilled me in any way (though Carrie Imler is so solid in her technical performance I feel bad that I couldn't just love it). Bold is not my idea of a 'danseur noble', but I absolutely credit him for working hard and being there for his partner 100%. But the elegance and the seeming ease of movements was not there for him - he looked to be working hard, and isn't the point to be disguising the work? But I've seen enough of Russian danseurs sleepwalking their way through story ballets that I have to appreciate Bold's efforts. I was quite bummed to learn that Carla Korbes and Karel Cruz would not be dancing the Pas leads on Friday night due to Korbes' knee injury (which was mentioned at the pre-performance talk - but was Cruz also injured?). She was replaced by Kaori Nakamura (dancing with Seth Orza). I was impressed by Orza's partnering after not loving Bold's stylistics, but I still felt like I wasn't seeing an ideal Diamonds Pas couple. Nakamura and Orza were technically exacting but I was in no way transported by the Pas dancing to a Russian Imperial ballet world. The Corps, however, made me happy throughout. Didn't love the tutus and headdress designs, and the chandelier hanging over the stage was a little on the feeble side, but, the PNB company moved through their paces like clockwork and that was actually a pleasure for me as I don't appreciate a bored or ragged-looking Corps de Ballet. The Diamonds finale really demands a large stage setting, and I felt that things got a little cramped on the McCaw Hall stage; however, the company appeared to be so well rehearsed in Diamonds (and on that particular stage), that the Corp's performance was virtually problem free: they made it fit. I just want to see them perform Diamonds on a larger stage. The orchestra, not surprisingly really, sounded a little underpowered in the performance of the Tchaikovsky 3rd Symphony, and there was some obvious overcompensation from the timpani/percussionists that I found obnoxious, but still, an excellent ballet orchestra IMO. Sadly, I wasn't able to attend the end of season Encores performance because I had already booked that weekend to be in Victoria B.C. If only the Encores performance had been announced earlier! I've been wanting to see Concerto Barocco live for some time, but, not this year either. I'm going to be angry about this missed opportunity for some time.

http://www.thestar.c...fundraiser.html Isn't that what special donors are for? Kain needs to ask for the additional monies from the wealthy arts supporters, for, say, a 2 year 'trial' period.

Not such a crazy idea, given that this is the WWII era: American know-how at work! But I think the filming actually occured before the attack on Pearl Harbor - though war was in the air, and well underway in Europe and Asia.

You can see why they bothered to record the techniques used - amazing stuff. I have to wonder if it wouldn't have been easier to do in pieces rather than in one continuous performance.

I'm not sure if this has been linked to before, but this sequence from That's Entertainment III is "fascinating" not only for the tremendous dancing, but also for the camera and stage choreography (you will see what I mean). A split-screen view of Eleanore Powell in Fascinating Rhythm: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x24qw4_eleanor-powell-exclusive-behind-the_music

I presume you both have heard that SF Ballet is traveling to NY Koch Theatre later this year? October 16-27, 2013. Kochetkova should be in a number of those ballets. ;) http://www.sfballetb...witterclickthru

Excellent! Thanks Sandik, that looks like a good choice for breakfast.

I like. I'd forgotten about this film actually. One of RD's better efforts.

Both Red Fish Blue Fish and White Heather Tea Room have their appeal - I do like fish, and I want to have some decent fresh fish while I'm in "fish central".

Yes I fully expect my 2 days in B.C. to be pricey, but that's to be expected. As you say, it looks like I will luck out with the weather at least. Hopefully there will be no problems and everything goes swimmingly. And I'll add my impressions of the performance to the group...

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. I don't know how adventurous I can be this trip, as my funds are limited, and I'll be spending a couple of days in Victoria B.C. where I'll have to eat restaurant food the entire time. I'll have use of a fridge and microwave at the hotel in Seattle, so Metropolitan Market may be my good friend. ;)

Tanny Le Clercq and the Ballet Cookbook - recipes currently being tested by Ryan Wenzel and friends: http://rpwenzel.com/...quil-le-clercq/ And, there's video!

Maria Tallchief talking about Le Clercq in the Balanchine documentary:

That IS good news, and I'll wager it has something to do with Ric Burns being onboard - the Burns brothers know all the powers that be, and how to get projects made.

And thanks to you, Helene, for the restaurant suggestions. I was already thinking about trying Shiki, and possibly Ten Mercer (especially if I go to the pre-performance talk). I'll just have to play things by ear though.

Thank you, Jayne - I'll definitely take your advice regarding the RapidRide bus.

On the last page of Jacques d'Amboise's book he mentions Le Clercq one last time:

I think you've misread the date: SFB is going to Paris next year, 2014. So it's likely this year's Stern Grove performance won't be suffering from jet lag! Thanks for pointing out it's next year - I only saw the July part. Maybe I should start planning that trip to Paris.... Yes indeed - now I can start dreaming about a trip to Paris! Maybe, just maybe.

Different people react differently to intense sutuations, and Le Clercq was exasperated and furious over Balanchine's protracted, awful illness and death (as depicted by d'Amboise). I have to think that she still felt bound to Balanchine's fate. She barely survived her own polio onset, and was spending every moment of every day crippled, in a wheelchair. Balanchine's demise must have struck her as too unfair - in a sense she was still living through him as he continued to create for the ballet, and she had to struggle to relearn how to do everything for herself, or manipulate others to help her with those things she simply couldn't do. Jacques d'Amboise relates how she orders him about when she leaves the burial ceremony, but the important thing to notice is that Le Clercq often calls upon d'Amboise for help, and they are often together at events (literally side-by-side), not because he was her flunky, or a stooge, but because they were 'family', and had been so for years.

Hear, Hear! With amateur video of some of the performances leaking to YouTube, please. ;)

Thanks for the additional information, Helene! I wanted to mention that the Jacques d'Amboise autobiography, I Was A Dancer, contains details of the final days of Balanchine, and the funeral and reception, and Tanny figures into all of this, but there's a lot of text, and it is very emotional reading. (d'Amboise also works into the narrative the deaths of other acquaintances, and he clearly relates these various occurances together in his mind.) So it is a harrowing segment of the book. Not surprisingly, Le Clercq isn't at her best at the graveside. My advice is to READ THE BOOK, as it is definitely worthwhile for all the 'insider' information on life at NYCB during its golden era.

From Richard Buckle: writing on the year 1968 at NYCB - Richard Buckle writing on Balanchine's will -