pherank

I'd like to hear how Jahna Frantziskonis and Lizzy Powell look in Chamber Symphony, PeggyR.

Wednesday, May 8, 2019 – 7:30 pm Choreography: Alexei Ratmansky Music: Dmitri Shostakovich Conductor: Martin West Symphony #9 Jennifer Stahl, Aaron Robison Dores Andre, Joseph Walsh Wei Wang Chamber Symphony Ulrik Birkkjaer Sasha De Sola Mathilde Froustey Yuan Yuan Tan Piano Concerto #1 Sofiane Sylve, Carlo Di Lanno Wona Park, Angelo Greco

Video capture of final bows for the Little Mermaid program: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bw0l1LkD43P/

Remez got good reviews for the Don Quixote role - he seems to excel at 'older man' depictions. ;) It kind of boggles the mind how many young SFB dancers have unexpected talents.

Time-lapse video of Froustey being made up for the LM role. https://www.instagram.com/p/BwyGcLhgCu7/ A very happy Madison Keesler ready to be the Princess: https://www.instagram.com/p/BwxBpdHFlzL/ and then a mermaid: https://www.instagram.com/p/BwyFXD-Frz8/

Here's the link to Fogarty's TED Talk online: https://thetravelingballerina.com/miko-fogarty-a-ballerinas-second-act/

Once upon a time there was a renowned beauty, and Paris Opera Ballet-trained dancer, Cléopatra "Cléo" de Mérode. She was most famous during the period known as La Belle Époque. In some ways Mérode was an early super model - she was photographed many, many times and her image appeared on photo cards/post cards (often in theater costumes) and in advertising. Some photos of Mérode show her wearing Victorian/Edwardian era garb, but others have her in dance costumes. Anyway, I happened upon an archive of Mérode photo cards that includes her posing as Terpsichore (though I doubt Mr. Balanchine would have seen any of these images as a young man). Here's a link to the archive for anyone with an interest: https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b84322392.r=Cleo De Merode?rk=42918;4 The Terpsichore images begin here (but things are a bit disorganized in the archive so a few may appear elsewhere): https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b84322392/f557.item

There's a part of Froustey's personality that IS the Little Mermaid. Fortunately there is also a more goofy and buoyant side to her as well.

I almost forgot, there's the Museum of Performance and Design, Performing Arts Library https://www.mpdsf.org/ 2200 Jerrold Ave, ste. T San Francisco, CA 94124 info@mpdsf.org or call 415.741.3531 "More than sixty years ago, Russell Hartley started a private collection in his home with the purpose of collecting and preserving material documenting the history of dance. Mr. Hartley, who was both a dancer and costume designer for the San Francisco Ballet in the 1940s and 1950s, searched second-hand shops, traveled to Europe to purchase dance artifacts, and in 1947, established the San Francisco Dance Archives..." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Museum_of_Performance_%26_Design Side note: Muriel Maffre, former principal dancer for the San Francisco Ballet was recently executive director of the Museum of Performance and Design (she is now Chief Executive Officer of Alonzo King Lines Ballet).

A very good question - I confess I haven't read the Steinberg or Ross books, which may be available on Amazon. There is also: Striving For Beauty: A Memoir of the Christensen Brothers' San Francisco Ballet by Sally Bailey https://www.amazon.com/Striving-Beauty-Christensen-Brothers-Francisco/dp/1401096034/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=san+francisco+ballet&qid=1556225214&s=books&sr=1-5 If any dance aficionados are looking for dissertation material, it strikes me that the history of ballet on the West Coast would be fertile ground. New York will never be conscious of anything outside of New York, but obviously things continue to happen elsewhere. For better or worse, Los Angeles was able to supplant NYC as a fashion and pop music capital, so things change. Then they change back. Then they change again...

SFB sent out an email with links to a couple of Little Mermaid-related TV interviews (so don't expect great questions): YYT https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2019/04/06/meet-yuan-yuan-tan-san-francisco-ballets-principal-dancer/ WanTing Zhao https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/the-little-mermaid-returns-to-the-sf-ballet/1943013763

A surprising turn of events - I wish her much success at MCB.

How will she find the time? 😉 I'm curious to see what she creates, of course. Dana Genshaft has been choreographing small works for a while now - I wonder if SVP has worked with her at all. Is Morgan looking for contemporary choreography or more classically styled choreography?

Madison Keesler post talking about how Neumeier has created character motivations for even the smallest roles: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bwi-jURF0zS/

A few images of the opening night cast courtesy of SFB:

Posted by Ben Freemantle: time-lapse of the Sea Witch makeup process https://www.instagram.com/p/Bwf4k0bA34Q/ Finished costume: https://www.instagram.com/p/BwdTN7Hgin5/ Bridesmaid costumes (posted by Dores Andre): https://www.instagram.com/p/BwdG6vynXCY/ Natasha Sheehan in Bridesmaid makeup and hair bob: https://www.instagram.com/p/BwfXYxjA5b1/ Edit: YYT posted this clip of the opening night bows: https://www.instagram.com/p/BwfP1L1DGHj/

It can't help that SFB has to keep reminding the audience that LM is not for children. Romeo & Juliet is equally intense, but I can't remember if there was ever a warning about children attending that ballet. Helimets was excellent as the Prince. Earlier in the season, Tiit complained about not being given enough to do, and we've certainly been seeing that. It's hard not to wonder what's going on. Tomasson has been giving lots of opportunities to the younger dancers, and that's great, but appearances by some of the principals/soloists has been more spotty. If SVP, Chung, Scheller, and Strongin were not out for the season, the opportunities to see any particular female principal/soloist in a lead role would have been relatively few. Except of course for The Little Mermaid, which we knew would likely be all about Yuan Yuan. As things have worked out, the season has been great for De Sola and Froustey fans. Now it seems clear that the mixed rep programs are essential for providing lead opportunities to all the dancers who will not be Aurora/Kitri/The Little Mermaid, etc. I personally love all the different cast opportunities with the mixed rep ballets.

??? We're not talking about people working in separate cubicles or offices, with next to no direct interaction. it's all 'interaction' at a large dance company. How individual dancers conduct themselves in class/rehearsals/backstage/at special events, etc. all counts towards making the company environment a positive one, or a poisonous one. And then there's all the time spent around company members outside of work. For the majority of dancers at a large company, there isn't much escape from the world of dance. Problems do get magnified in that kind of environment precisely because there are few opportunities (or much time) for escape.

Whichever way it goes, it won't be a happy night.

Josette do you mean Saturday the 27th? It doesn't look like there is anything scheduled for Friday the 26th - which is kind of interesting, actually. The SFB calendar shows that day as being an OFF day.

I agree about Greco for the Rubies pdd. It would be disappointing if that didn't happen. I'd also like to see Frantziskonis and Powell given lead roles in a story ballet to see how they fare. Juliet in R & J? Cinderella?

Random thoughts... We don't know if SVP, Chung and Scheller will be taking part in some or all of next season. That makes the Cinderella casting a big question mark, but there may be great opportunities for the young Corps dancers. I can see De Sola dancing the Titania role in MND. I haven't really decided who else I would like to see as Titania. Birkkjaer and/or Robison as Oberon, and maybe Greco and Hernandez as Puck. Assuming she's still performing, I'd like to see Sofiane take on the Rubies Pas De Deux (rather than the Tall Girl), if she can summon the manic energy. And Froustey as well for the pdd (it would be fun to compare her approach to Dupont's performance on video). Jen Stahl for the Tall Girl. I'd like to see De Sola and WanTing Zhao perform the lead in Diamonds.

Thanks, Helene. Makes sense - they will need to cut costs somehow.

You're right that Australian Ballet would need to perform AK first before anyone else gets a chance. I had forgotten about that.

My reaction is pretty much the same as your, sf_herminator - I'd rather see Die Toteninsel return than Hummingbird, myself. It feels like time for either a new Myles Thatcher work, or the return of one of Yuri's favorites. I'm actually a little disappointed that Anna Karenina or Nureyev is not being planned for. And of course Tomasson hasn't worked on a new piece in a long while, but he's explained why that is difficult to do given the demands from other choreographers for time with the dancers. (The audience won't be weeping over this though.)