pherank

Alastair Macaulay happened to post a notice about McBride-Lousada on his Instagram page, and there's a photo of Tanaquil Le Clercq and Pat McBride standing together: https://www.instagram.com/p/BtQyJFNALIE/

I look forward to hearing what the PNB audience thinks of Peck's In the Countenance of Kings. I mostly like Sufjan Stevens' exuberant minimalist music. Interesting that the stager is SFB's Ballet Master Felipe Diaz - I guess there's no one from the 'Peck Trust' to act as répétiteur. ;) But that day will come.... What other Peck ballets have been performed at PNB?

SFB has their allotted January to early May 'season' at the opera house (which they must share with SF Opera and any other scheduled events), so it is what it is. Summer is crazy with rehearsals and new ballet creation, Fall is a common time for tour performances and more rehearsals, and then 30+ Nutcracker shows begin in December. Froustey just posted this statement: "Ready to dance my 13[th] show in 12 days" Koto Ishihara: "Performing 5 Grand Pas, 3 Sugarplum, and 3 Snow Queen in two weeks and half was really challenging for me..." Aaron Robison had spoken previously about the intense schedule at SFB, and wished for more time to develop a particular role. So he went to ENB where he got to dance some classical ballet roles [naturally I can't find the link to this interview]. But after one year he returned to SFB. Presumably because ENB couldn't match the diverse repertoire at SFB. If there were 'personality issues' we're not likely to ever know because Robison doesn't seem to have a bad word to say about anyone (good for him). Madison Keesler also left SFB for a period (to Hamburg Ballet, and later to ENB). In her recent Conversations on Dance interview Keesler mentioned performing "about 8 months of Swan Lake shows" at ENB under Tamara Rojo, so that would certainly be less eclectic than what dancers experience at SFB. Keesler then asked to come back, twice, to SFB and it reflects well on Tomasson that he accepted Robison and Keelser back into his good graces. Neither Tomasson nor Lourdes Lopez have a reputation for petty, spiteful or vengeful behavior. Both companies are good places to be associated with, overall. If Messmer eventually wants to return to MCB, that may well be possible.

Or at least its a sign that the dancer has other commitments. When a choreographer returns to work again with a company, they may well have favorite dancers they want to create on. That too is artistic life. Everyone else has to stand up for themselves and push for some kind of role in the production. If the choreographer is being unfair to the dancers in general then it's the A.D.'s job to set things straight. Now there are ways to handle these situations that make it more fair. For SFB's 2018 Unbound Festival, with 12 new ballets to produce and be performed by the company over a 2 week period, it was essential to organize things from the beginning in a reasonable manner. Since everyone had to take part in roughly equal measures or the festival would not come off, the choreographers were assigned to one of 4 programs, and the dancers were assigned to one of 4 groups, and each choreographer got to work with a particular group (the dancers of Group C, for example). Each of the groups contained principals, soloists and Corps members. And the mixes seemed pretty fair to me - it was never a case of a certain choreographer getting to work with all the "heavyweights" and another one being "stuck" with Corps dancers. I'm sure everyone gets your point, Drew - we can be gabbers. But since we're bared from "discussing the discussion" I think it best to leave it here…

She might well be. 😉 But I'm not suggesting that Messmer belongs in a corporation, but that she has voiced a preference (in interviews) for a structured environment with clear hierarchy and a clear path to promotion, and a shared hard work ethic. Which might in fact be a description of what ballet companies are like, but obviously the devil is in the details. I wish I knew where an online version of the Ballet Review interview could be found. That has various Messmer comments about her time at SFB (short as it was). One that stuck with me was her statement, "a choreographer came and a lot of dancers took him out to dinner and that ended up being the casting. That happens more and more these days. I do not do that.". To which some people will respond, "how awful for you, Simone!", but my reply would be: go figure! Visiting choreographers are people, and they've been given a rare opportunity. Failure in this world is very public. If company dancers introduce themselves and say "I love your work and would want to be part of anything you are doing here" then how is the choreographer likely to respond? Enthusiasm is contagious and essential to success. It's just a fact that things get done in the stage and arts world through personal relationships. I don't get the sense from her statements that Messmer respects the networking and "working the room" that can be involved with advancement in the arts world. That doesn't make her bad, or any less an artist, it just means it will be more difficult for her than a person who has no qualms about "making friends". I hope she's going on to better things - it could just turn out that she has issues with family, and it has nothing to do with MCB. 😉

Going back to this Dance Magazine article on Simone Messmer, I do wonder if she sets herself up for disappointment: https://www.dancemagazine.com/the-reinvention-of-simone-messmer-2306997186.html She may have a particular idea of what ballet and life as a ballet dancer should be, and when actual companies don't match her blueprint, she gets unhappy. Anyone who is sociable and appreciative of the people around them is going to have a distinct advantage in the work world over someone who carries a set of expectations around. And life isn't fair - certainly not for everyone all at the same time.

About MCB we don't know yet, but she's talked about previous experiences with ABT and SFB. And as Dreamer stated, "she disappears from companies’ rosters (ABT, SFB and now MCB) without any announcement or wishes of farewell". And these are companies that do celebrate their departing dancers.

I have to agree with the above suggestion to contact KBarber about Tours en L'Air. There is also Travel for the Arts http://www.travelforthearts.com/escorted-tours/ and Martin Randall Travel https://www.martinrandall.com/music-opera-ballet But Tours en L'Air may be best for ballet opportunities.

This is a bummer for the audience, to be sure. But as time goes on, it becomes more clear that Messmer finds reasons to not be happy with her current situation. She has never struck me as a person who "takes things in stride". She may well rub many people the wrong way. Of course, it may simply be a case of a person whose personality does not fit well in the stage arts environment. Maybe she needs a 9 to 5 (or 9 to 10!) corporate job with clear hierarchy in place. Off Topic: it's interesting how small the Principal ranks are at MCB, though they have a Principal Soloist designation too. I wonder what the need for that intermediate step is?

Program 3 (2/19 and 2/20) The Fifth Season 2/19: A great lineup of Froustey, Tan and Park. Froustey was especially 'on fire' this night and danced with great enthusiasm and power. She danced BIG. I loved her attack and finish throughout the piece. Her dancing in the Tango Section was exuberant, outsized and articulate - that's not easy to achieve. I didn't know if I would see her dance this way again after her various injuries, but at least for this night, everything came together. It was interesting to see Wona Park dance beside Tan (center) and Froustey (left) at stage front, and for the most part, hold up her end. However, she has a ways to go to match the older dancer's level of amplitude and finish. And build-wise, she doesn't have their elongated limbs and ultra flexible physiques, so the side-by-side comparison doesn't do her justice. But, in solo and duet dancing (with Angelo Greco, here) she was very pleasing. Wona Park does look like a soloist. I didn't get any sense that she was nervous or overwhelmed, in fact everyone looked so well rehearsed that one of my main memories of Programs 2 and 3 will be how good the company looked in The Fifth Season. Tomasson must be very pleased. 2/20: Lizzie Powell danced the same role as Park - with Aaron Robison partnering - and she looked great. Another new soloist who fortunately has risen to the occasion. Kimberly Marie Olivier danced big in the Tango section - this was good casting and coaching. I find Tomasson's The Fifth Season to be a very good ballet. It's structurally sound - the sections feel balanced, the choreography appropriate and honest. I can appreciate Tomasson's good taste in an age when so much is in poor taste, or simply selfish. He can be proud of this ballet. However, a truly great ballet requires something more. This choreography lacks a truly unique approach, or particular steps and movements of unique charm and character. But most of us will never create a true masterpiece - he's in good company. Snowblind (same cast 2/19 and 2/20: Luke Ingham, Madison Keesler and Dores Andre) For me, repeated viewings of Snowblind will not make it any less confusing. Mixing together a few narrative techniques with a lot of pure dance just doesn't work that well, unless the choreographer and/or stager finds clever visual/aural cues to notify the audience about what's taking place. This is a story without any context, and the characters are given no back story on stage. Sure, the program notes tell us that Marston is referring to Wharton's novella Ethan Frome, but the ballet makes no attempt to retell that story, or create an analogous one - it's more of a visual expression of feelings and sensations. Maybe. The ending is oddly drawn out, and for me, nonsensical: Zeena presumably finds the bodies of Ethan and Mattie, side-by-side in the snow. She appears to revive or reanimate Ethan, who then only shows interest in Mattie lying dead beside him (shocking Zeena). Ethan tries to 'reanimate' the dead Mattie, and with Zeena struggling to raise the two lovers from the ground, everyone eventually rises up and dances - bound together in life and death? Are we now in a purely psychological world? The only possible clue being that the orchestra has stopped playing but the dancers continue to move in relation to one another. What just happened? Why did Marston make a point in interviews of telling us that this is an American story when there is absolutely nothing in the ballet identifying this as a specifically American cultural story? There's nothing stopping this ballet from being a Japanese story, for example - aside from the lack of futon bed. But that's an easy prop change. Kudos go to Madison Keesler for her performance in the SVP role (Zeena Frome). Her acting/mime skills were up to the task. I was very happy for her. But it was a bit startling to then see Keesler right back in the Corps for Etudes…but she did have a smile on her face throughout. The dancers are the real reason to see this work, everyone appearing to be fully committed to the task. This is one ballet that won't work as pure dance - the cast needs to have real acting abilities to sell it. Etudes 2/19: Sofiane Sylve, Ulrik Birkkjaer, Aaron Robison and Tit Helimets Sofiane Sylve was the reason I was seeing Program 3 and she did not disappoint this evening (not that I can think of a time when she has danced poorly at the War Memorial). Strong, calm and precise. Sylve gets all the details right. I still love how she uses her arms, hands and shoulders. The only less than perfect moments were two spins that were 'assisted' by Robison and/or Birkkjaer so there may have been a timing issue with the partners. Something that occurred to me during Etudes: many dancers look best when they a have a particular partner to relate to onstage, and some are always better doing their solo tricks. Sofiane interacts will all three male soloists in Etudes, but she seems to require three to balance with her one. There isn't anyone else equal to her on the stage when she dances - that's the kind of energy she radiates, take it or leave it. And Sylve wore a genuine-looking smile throughout - it was no game face. Ulrik Birkkjaer and Aaron Robison looked good together facing off in jumps and spins - as they both have large builds and a similar power movement quality. Tiit Helimets had the more 'partnering' role, which was good because he had already danced in The Fifth Season. Everyone looked well-rehearsed (I think it was Claudia Bauer who wrote that things were somewhat shaky at the 2019 Gala). No sign of troubles this night. 2/20: Mathilde Froustey, Vitor Luiz, Wei Wang, Ben Freemantle Mathilde Froustey debuted. Her approach was somewhat lighter and airier than Sylve's, and ultra feminine - the princess to Sylve's queen. I've seen her dance enough that I know when she's facing nerves, and probably physical exhaustion (the legs always go first). She danced very well overall with only one obvious awkward step sequence that I noticed, but she'll need time to grow into this role and dance it with real confidence. Then we'll see real bravura. Vitor Luiz and Wei Wang were very high energy in their solo turns (Vitor Luiz must have fast-twitch muscles like a sprinter), but what stood out for me was Ben Freemantle's partnering - very smooth & elegant, and nothing out-of-place. Freemantle's assists were always just enough, nothing overworked or fussy. I wonder if he's been extensively coached by Tomasson or Tiit Helimets, because next to Freemantle, everyone else appeared to be working at it. My main memories of Programs 2 and 3 will be how good the dancers looked in The Fifth Season and Etudes, and how committed they were to the ballets. "This is Passion" indeed.

Program 2 (2/21) [I attended the crossover of Programs 2 and 3 last week] Divertimento No. 15 Well danced by everyone involved, thankfully, and Koto Ishihara looked especially strong and radiant. It was wonderful to see her stand out from the group. I like it when the Balanchine pieces are well rehearsed. Appassionata My main impressions: Lizzie Powell very much held her own with the more experienced soloists. She must be on top of the world right now. ;) Pianist Mungunchimeg Buriad was excellent. Appassionata, like Program 3's Snowblind, is a frustration for me because there are worthwhile choreographic elements that get lost in the odd structural choices. I can do without the Robbins-style dramatics as they don't provide any real depth or cleverness. There's 3 couples (and we are instantly reminded of Robbins' In The Night or Dances at a Gathering, both piano ballets as I recall), sort of a central couple (Andre and Birkkjaer), but then there's some re-arrangement of the leads, then back to the same couplings. Why is there a 'central couple' (my term) at all? A chance to focus on the particulars of a relationship? But we don't get any details beside a long staring contest, and an obnoxiously long kiss. Anyway, Millepied's choreography becomes more and more challenging as the piece goes on, so it's a real workout for the dancers. In fact, between Programs 2 and 3 (which overlap) only Snowblind provides any relief from the physical challenges for the dancers (but not much). And many of the soloists are doing double duty in these programs so that worries me a bit. All the dancers were putting out 100% and that's what we hope for, but I don't want to see them worn out and/or injured. Hurry Up, We're Dreaming Another sneaker ballet that feels like a sneaker ballet (that's now a thing). I'm waiting for Peck to transcend his materials (such as sneakers), but that hasn't happened much. For me, he's a very competent Broadway choreographer who provides fun vehicles for the dancers (and they do have a blast), but it's all just cotton candy to me. The M83 electronic music 'score' relegates the ballet to a second-tier for all time. Peck probably isn't worried about that though. Fun, but instantly forgettable. But then, I worry too much about the art side of things. ;) On the plus side, the dancers are fully engaged in this type of dance piece, so there's no worry about anyone "phoning it in". Though I wonder if I could tell if a dancer fudged a step, or three...

For posterity: https://balletalert.invisionzone.com/topic/43446-2018-19-season-joffrey-ballet/

"Tweaking" a production as large as The Sleeping Beauty is no simple task. Martins has both choreographer and staging credits for this version, so it's really a matter of replacing the production entirely with say, the Ratmansky version, or whatever.

That would be great, Birdsall - good or bad, we'd love to hear about it.

The ballet is based upon a popular Chinese film of the same name, starring Gong Li (among others). And the film was based on a best selling book - sound familiar? 😉 There's nothing new under the cinematic and stage sun.

Yuri Possokhov's full-length Anna Karenina has debuted at the Joffrey (a co-production with Australian Ballet), and the local reviews have been quite positive. I wonder what the chances are that SFB performs this ballet in the future? Or Possokhov's Nijinsky, for that matter? https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/theater/dance/ct-ent-joffrey-anna-karenina-dance-review-0215-story.html https://chicago.suntimes.com/entertainment/joffrey-ballet-anna-karenina-review-masterful-homage-to-epic-novel/

Davit Karapetyan choreographed this piece for one of his students at the Pennsylvania Ballet Academy (a 2018 Prix de Lausanne participant). I believe the film has been entered into the 2019 SF Dance Film Festival (though I don't have any details on that). https://www.instagram.com/p/BtyccIYgnHH/ Davit was at the 2019 SFB Gala, and he posted some nice pictures: https://www.instagram.com/p/BtM217YlJuH/

Nice to see that Frantziskonis is performing again.

Joan Acocella's current New Yorker article is a powerful summation of the NYCB situation. I have to praise the inclusion of an audio narration (just below the main image) for both the visually impaired and the computer multi-taskers. 😉 >> Note that there is very strong adult language used (quotes from the perpetrator's e-mail conversations), so the New Yorker really should include a warning with the audio (not for listening to out-loud at work!). I'm hoping these audio narrations will become the new normal. What Went Wrong at New York City Ballet https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/02/18/what-went-wrong-at-new-york-city-ballet

Thanks for the reports, everyone. Quiggin, have you read the James Panero analysis of Peck's choreography? I thought it was a rather interesting take. https://www.newcriterion.com/issues/2019/2/hunt-peck

Rachel Howard's Don Q review is worth a read - most dancers only get so many of these in their career (if at all): https://www.fjordreview.com/don-quixote-san-francisco-ballet/

It was good to hear a bit about Walsh and Park's preparations for their Don Q debuts (seems like it's probably time to have an interview with Park as well). Off subject: It's worth noting that in Walsh's interview he mentions that both he and Lauren Strongin are dancing a duet in the new Liam Scarlett ballet, so Strongin can't be out for much longer. ;)

Good for Madison Keesler! Toi toi toi. I think Etudes will be good fun with that cast.

Special mention goes to NYCB's entertaining advert for Sleeping Beauty: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukRrSLkUYDs Better than the Super Bowl commercials that I've seen.

Kochetkova, who has been guesting at Norwegian Ballet this 2019 winter, is scheduled now to guest in La Sylphide with Staatsballetberlin and Danil Simkin. FR 01.03.2019, 7.30 PM TU 12.03.2019, 7.30 PM MO 22.04.2019, 4.00 PM https://www.staatsballett-berlin.de/en/spielplan/la-sylphide-napoli-3-akt/01-03-2019/827