pherank

For me, Pita ballets are over-the-top, but ultimately forgettable. Marston's Snowblind was one of the hits of SFB's 2018 Unbound Festival. It is both dramatic and abstract (the leads are all very effective in their roles). The Wheeldon is abstract and yet very topical (that's right, it's about people's obsession with smart phones/social media). Yuan Yuan Tan was a nominee for the Best Dancer (ballerina) category at this year's Prix Benois de la Danse for her role in Wheeldon's Bound To. Trey McIntyre has a very personal, poetic approach - it is partly a vehicle for Benjamin Freemantle (who was just promoted to principal this season) although the Corps dancers take over for a good portion of the piece. Freemantle is wonderful. Here is some background about the ballet. The Dawson work went over well at the festival, and it's worth seeing a ballet created on Sofiane Sylve (as well as Maria Kochetkova, but she has moved on as you may have heard) performed by Sofiane Sylve. Video about the Wheeldon, Dawson and McIntyre works: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iibHh1j4m4I Here's one of the better written reviews about the Shostakovitch Trilogy https://www.fjordreview.com/san-francisco-ballet-shostakovich-trilogy/

You may need to go Thursday as well to compare and contrast. ;) Shostokovich Trilogy has so much going on it requires multiple viewings. I'm going to go out on a limb and recommend Program D as well, if you find you have the time (not that the other mixed rep programs don't have points of interest too).

The last time SFB was at Sadler Wells was 2013, and the Royal Opera House in 2001. There may have been another appearance in there somewhere but I can't remember exactly when. The two Shostakovitch Trilogy casts are an even smattering of available principals and soloists so I don't know if one cast is truly "better" than another. Some audience members have particular dancers they want to see. The European audience often maintains an interest in dancers that have had a Euro-connection at some point in their career, like Yuan Yuan Tan, Sofiane Sylve, Mathilde Froustey, etc. This tour will feature plenty of the young, up-and-coming dancers in the company. Male dancers who are in their prime and well worth seeing: Aaron Robison, Joseph Walsh, Ulrik Birkkjer, Angelo Greco and Carlo Di Lanno. As noted previously, three female principals who are not available: Sarah Van Patten, Frances Chung and Ana Sophia Scheller.

I couldn't resist: Natasha Sheehan enjoying high tea at the Ritz: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx-A7TFAcDZ/ Mathilde Froustey dancing inside a kaleidoscope at the Saatchi Gallery: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx-2pNznEea/

Your phrase, "integrated program", is the key here. Requiring that students of dance not only replicate movements to music, but invent movements to music (and consider what types of music to move to), will hopefully inform their dancing and make for better developed artists. I would like to see some dramatic training 'integrated' into the program as well. And specifically, mime acting skills should be revived and developed further in ballet, imo - that approach would be an interesting addition to many contemporary works. Cathy Marston's piece from last year's Unbound Festival flirted with 'drama' without actually involving clear mime gestures (that I recall). I wouldn't have minded the addition of some mime to provide more structure to the narrative.

This SFB Blog article talks about the choreography program now in place at the school: Developing the Next Generation of Dancemakers https://sfballet.blog/2019/04/25/developing-the-next-generation-of-dancemakers/ "The School’s choreography program has blossomed from early roots as a component of the Trainee program and then a partnership with the Crowden School, an academic and music school in Berkeley. For several years, students from the two arts schools have teamed up, with Crowden students writing music and SF Ballet School students creating choreography..."

Posted 3 days ago to the SF Ballet Blog: Sofiane Sylve, Principal Dancer, on Shostakovich Trilogy "Principal Dancer Sofiane Sylve discusses her career as a dancer and teacher and gives insight into that evening’s performance of Shostakovich Trilogy." https://sfballet.blog/2019/05/22/sofiane-sylve-principal-dancer-on-shostakovich-trilogy/ And in addition, "Join Carrie Gaiser Casey, PhD for an in-depth analysis of Alexei Ratmansky’s Chamber Symphony, the centerpiece of his stunning Shostakovich Trilogy" https://sfballet.blog/2019/05/10/carrie-gaiser-casey-phd-on-alexei-ratmanskys-chamber-symphony/

WanTing Zhao is on the plane: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx3nFw8l9vV/

Quite unbeknownst to most of us, Yuan Yuan Tan was a nominee for the Best Dancer (ballerina) category at this year's Prix Benois de la Danse: YUAN YUAN TAN – Duet Take a Deep Breath, Bound to, K.Henson/Ch.Wheeldon. San Francisco Ballet. The eventual two winners were: ASHLEY BOUDER – Swanilda, Coppelia, L.Delibes/G.Balanchine. New York City Ballet ELISA CARRILLO CABRERA –Juliet, Romeo and Juliet, S.Prokofiev/N.Duato. State Ballet Berlin https://www.instagram.com/p/BxxHHnxhXgU/ The nominees for the various categories: https://www.bolshoi.ru/en/performances/90111/

Re: the performance of Classical ballets - the company really has to be fully prepared (as in many weeks of rehearsals, and of course years of the appropriate training) to pull these off, or the critics and balletomanes will be merciless. ;) The problem is, there's no way to disguise a lack of technique/proper training. Good or bad, putting on Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, etc. is a huge undertaking for any company - it's so demoralizing for the dancers to put 100% into their roles and then hear form the audience that things just didn't look good, because the company wasn't up to the task. I think Nedvigin is sensitive to this issue (but also eager to get AB to the proper level of execution). A programming approach that I think works pretty well (for both small and large companies) is to present a single act of a classical ballet, and get the dancers to learn that section inside and out: La Bayadere Act II, or divertissements from The Sleeping Beauty, etc. That way the season can be peppered with classical dance along with Neo-classical and contemporary programs. A full length Swan Lake, Giselle, and Nutcracker, as AB is going to attempt next season, is about as much as they are likely to be able to handle (hopefully). The company will have to be bigger and more used to classical roles before it can dream of more.

Sadly, budget plays a huge role in every aspect of a ballet company. It's a shame AB isn't able to use a live orchestra more often. Audience members that aren't used to seeing live orchestras often don't realize that a good orchestra can play a wide range of musics/sounds for all manner of effects. Prerecorded music just doesn't have the same impact - it also doesn't give one the impression of "getting your money's worth". Not revealing the choreographer behind Giselle gives the impression that Nedvigin very much had someone in mind (and a particular approach), but didn't know if he could convince the board to find money for the high-profile production. The young audience, and the young dancers, are mostly oriented towards contemporary dance. Those are the times we're living in. Classical ballet often seems like something most Americans have to be "tricked" into appreciating. That said, I know AB would like to see you at some of their performances - they may win you over. If people don't show up, it's guaranteed that there will never be any money to put on evening length classical ballets.

Not surprisingly, Lorena Feijóo is now listed with the Feijóo Ballet School (founded by her sister Lorna) as Ballet Mistress and Director of the Pre-Professional Program: https://www.feijooballetschool.com/lorenafeijoo "Ms. Feijóo is thrilled to join her sister Lorna as Ballet Mistress and Director of the Pre-Professional Ballet Program at Feijóo Ballet School. Lorena resides with her adorable daughter Luciana in League City, Texas near her sister and their mom."

OK, it is a little weird that there is still no mention of which Giselle production will be presented. I wonder if this is just an oversight on the website. Do printed materials say the same thing as on the website? EDIT: I just noticed that the individual Giselle webpage states, "Choreography after Marius Petipa, ‎Jean Coralli‎ & ‎Jules Perrot". But no mention of who will be the main choreographer. Is there anything in particular people are looking forward to? Or not?

There may be something else going on here: I ran a test - clearing my browser's cache completely and quitting, then logging into my VPN service and then reopening the browser and accessing the links. I got a message that the page had been removed (or the like). Doesn't work using VPN. When I shut off VPN and re-accessed the Internet, the links worked...

The Return of the Nutcracker Skit (2 parts, so click forward arrow to advance to the next part): On Jahna's Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/p/Br_tVBsgqZF/ On Myles' Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/p/Br8P128A6Sj/ Maybe it will remain for a day or so. ;)

Sadly, the Nutcracker skit has been pulled (perhaps someone complained?) from both Frantziskonis and Thatcher's Instagram pages. I hope it reappears as a single complete video on YouTube. ;)

Jahna Frantziskonis, Myles Thatcher, Dores Andre and ??? created this great little Nutcracker skit: https://www.instagram.com/p/Br_tVBsgqZF/ [2 part video] And more dancing fun with Frantziskonis and Isabella DeVivo : https://www.instagram.com/p/BxYdx8Yg8sP/

The New Yorker's daily cartoon: Grumpy Cat in Heaven https://www.newyorker.com/cartoons/daily-cartoon/friday-may-17th-rip-grumpy-cat

Thanks PeggyTulle - looks like the 'usual suspects' will be performing.

Allow me to be the first: Grumpy Cat, Who Entertained Millions Online, Dies at Age 7 https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2019/05/17/us/ap-us-grumpy-cat-death.html Was Grumpy Cat (whose actual name was Tardar Sauce) actually a "performer", or just a plaything of her human owner? You decide.

A couple of pertinent quotes: '“Lots of women have tried to use the collective bargaining process in male-dominated industries and found that when they tried to grieve the conduct of a fellow union member they were labeled as traitors, as betraying the union or solidarity,” said Ana Avendaño, a former assistant general counsel at the A.F.L.-C.I.O. who now works as a consultant.' No surprises there... "One union, the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, recently changed its publications to make it clear that its members not only have the right to a safe, healthy workplace, but also the responsibility to foster one." You think?

You can file this under "Where does the money come from?" One of the NEA grants for Spring of 2019 was awarded to: San Francisco Ballet Association (aka San Francisco Ballet) $40,000 San Francisco, CA Art Works - Dance To support the creation and presentation of a new work by choreographer Cathy Marston. Just one of the many, many sources that must be cobbled together to pay for a season of dance.

As explained by Brian Seibert of the New York Times, Valdés is essentially the acting director of Ballet Nacional de Cuba: "Viengsay Valdés, the deputy artistic director of the Ballet Nacional de Cuba, said she is now responsible for all artistic decisions: programming, casting and promotions." https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/15/arts/dance/ballet-nacional-de-cuba-viensgay-valdes.html

"Surprised not more was mentioned in the obituaries of the moment in the early eighties when Rock Hudson appeared on Doris Day's tv show and in effect broke the story about AIDS to the American public – and to the Reagans. It sort of put an end to the 1950s Hollywood age of innocence. It was a huge news story at the time. The Times Monday sequestered it in a gentle parenthetical note." I agree that Doris Day should be commended for bringing attention to AIDS and animal rights at a time when the establishment was far from sympathetic. No one was expecting that from America's Sweetheart. And she managed to do all that without seeming to have "an agenda".

"by that time the formula was wearing thin and material that’s okay for Rock Hudson just embarrasses Cary Grant." By the 1960s Grant had a difficult time not showing his dislike for certain roles and situations. But it was oh-so-hard to stop being Cary Grant and just become a dramatic actor (the studios and audience had no interest in that anyway). A total side-note, but I was never interested in Betty Hutton's singing or acting - her sister Marion though, was fun: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mchrCJN_BhM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQQfK8Bqkw0