ABT Fan

Thanks for your thoughts. No surprise to hear this about Bell. He is indeed a rare talent, from what I've seen, with a maturity way beyond his years. Very surprised about Hurlin. I wonder if any of these limitations you saw were due to nerves. She's done the leads in Nutcracker and Love & Rage, but this is her first major principal role in a full length. This makes wonder what her O/O debut will be like. She was supposed to debut Aurora at the Met in 2020, so if she cannot hold unsupported balances or do any hops on pointe, it makes me wonder why Ratmansky would cast her. Misseldine posted a clip of her performance as Flower Girl on her IG, and from that short video she demonstrated everything you said. She was featured a lot on their tours last year. I have a feeling she's going to be a star sooner rather than later. And, re: your comments on Stearns - he's always been blah, and yes, serviceable at best. I've never understood his promotion to principal - 10 years ago maybe the thinking/hope was that he'd improve or maybe they needed a tall principal. He is very handsome and "princely" looking - perhaps that's another reason. The only thing I saw that he was good in was The Moor's Pavane, opposite Roman Zhurbin. I think Zhurbin's extraordinary dramatic abilities must have pulled something out of Stearns, because he electric.

I’m sure the fans wanted selfies…

Wow, 5! Please share your reports after, especially for any debuts like Hurlin and Brandt.

Gosh, I didn’t realize she was still living. An end of an era.

This, and also much of the tour and Met casting has already been determined (subject to change of course). If a 10-year corp dancer wasn’t cast in any soloist roles following Myrta from last year that would give them pause as well. Of course, I don’t know if that happened, just providing another angle.

Wasn’t it? I can’t imagine anyone else in that role. Certainly there could be another dancer who would also do an extraordinary job. But, it’s hard to picture anyone else coming close to what Cirio did with it.

Great news that Simkin will also join them on tour. Im not familiar with Camargo. Has anyone seen him dance?

Wow! Helene, I agree. His Hilarion in Akram Khan’s Giselle is one of the most amazing performances I’ve ever seen. Lucky Boston to get him back.

Thank you for this, I missed that article. She’s so classy.

Is it a NYCB retirement thing to only give the dancer a single rose? Or is that a pandemic thing? A flower shortage thing (which is a real thing right now)? I’m so used to ABT retirements where each person coming out gives a bouquet. I suppose that is wasteful but this looks so skimpy to me, especially for a dancer of Reichlen’s caliber.

Wow. I too hope this means Simkin will appear at the Met.

Wow, that’s big news, especially for Sisk. I remember her well from Breaking Pointe (gosh, that was 10 years ago?!). A gorgeous dancer. Congrats to them both!

Agree. I'd also add Forster to that list. Shevchenko was promoted in 2017, so she is a more seasoned principal. Definitely see Cornejo in whatever you can, as his days are really numbered and his talent is incomparable (despite being past his prime). In addition, since principal James Whiteside is recovering from a serious knee injury (check out his IG), it's doubtful he'll make it to the Met Season, so his roles will have to be recast (and he's usually heavily cast - 5 principal roles so far but casting wasn't completed for all ballets before he was injured). That shuffling could very easily impact other performances/couples (least likely Cornejo/Brandt and Cornejo/Trenary due to height differences, but dates can always be moved). Casting is always shuffled around for the Met season, but, an in-demand principal out with a major injury could cause more than usual - so if you have your heart set on a particular couple/ballet, perhaps wait as long as possible to buy those tickets, if you can. It could be months before they announce any casting changes.

I don’t think they did that for Murphy, but I remember a maternity asterisk for Julie Kent way back when.

If you received ABT's summer 2022 brochure, which I did today, they list her as a principal for the season with an asterisk "on maternity leave".

ABT released this 24 minute tribute to Stella today, acknowledging her 24 years in the company (I guess the 24 min mark was intentional) and cancelled farewell performance at the Met in 2020. I found it so sad. It features interviews with her, her husband Sascha and McKenzie (but, why no other interviews?? Gillian? Irina? other company members?). I had read an interview with her where she seemed to have made peace with her farewell having been cancelled (and her Giselle in DC actually being her last Giselle), but here she is definitely regretful, sad, melancholy and definitely not at peace with it. Not that I fault her for having had those feelings, and still having those feelings. For such a beloved and extremely classy artist, it's incredibly unfair (esp considering her career trajectory and how long she remained stuck in soloist purgatory...) for her to not get a final performance. It's just interesting how that print article (I can't remember which publication) and this video gave me anyway, two conflicting impressions. The editing for either/both could be to blame as well. Regardless, this video absolutely hit me in the feels, as the kids say these days, and fills me with longing once again to see the farewell performance that we'll never get. 🥲

😂🤣😂🤣

Same here. It's way too frustrating, so I haven't used them in years. If I can't get a great seat close enough to see faces with just my glasses, I pass.

Thank you!

I wouldn't be surprised if I end up renting it anyways, after I watch the free 2011 version per the links above! I'm 3/4 of the way through Akram Khan's Giselle for ENB - I've wanted to see that for years, so getting the free trial is worth it just for that.

Thanks for this link! I just started a one week free trial with Marquee TV, but you have to pay extra ($20!) to rent NYCB’s Nut from 2 years ago. Which I didn’t realize before subscribing, which was the whole point! 😕

I see your point. I would agree that he danced with ego, however, besides the tricks I believe he possesses great charisma and stage presence, had terrific chemistry with Seo, and was very fluid and even luxurious in his phrasing. So, IMO I witnessed more than just tricks. Guest stars rarely integrate into the company, they usually just fly in/fly out for their one or two Met performances, which is kind of the point. They almost never go on tour with them. I see your point here as well, but I’m not sure how they could become more of a company member when as a guest they are scheduled for a very limited number of performances.

I agree with everything you wrote here. Yes, Han did the pas with Hurlin this summer, but I think that was a necessary choice; I don't see him carrying a lead at all. Cornejo won't be able to sub in; his current allotment is a lot for him now IMO. I saw Forster as Espada, and he was terrific, but I don't see him as Basilio. He could be surprising though. Royal doesn't have the technique. Would also love to see Simkin and Mack guest star. Kim would make an amazing guest star for DQ. His Solor at the Met a few years ago was astonishing.

I've always enjoyed his voice as well - did you ever listen to his podcast? I'm not sure if he does that anymore, but he's also a good commentator and host. They can absolutely give Ahn more to do - he only has 2 Basilio's and one Siegfried. He could take Romeo for one (that would be a debut) and be cast with Boylston. They have some male corps dancers, whom they've given some opportunities to in the past, who could use greater challenges and I believe would rise to the occasion. I saw Gonzalez with Lane in Harlequinade and he was excellent. He has virtuoso technique and is a great partner - he would make a great, and natural, Basilio. They could shuffle that casting to make it work for height purposes: replace Whiteside who is with Seo and pair Ahn/Seo. And, then replace Ahn with Boylston and cast Gonzalez. There, I fixed DQ. 😉 Ahn only has one Siegfried, so they give him one more with Boylston. I could see them giving Bell a 3rd one, as they love to load him up. I think the ship has sailed on Hoven, as management has made clear, so I'd be surprised if they gave him any leads. They need to start developing more male corps dancers by giving them some principal roles - their 4 male soloists, for various reasons, aren't principal material. Best wishes to Whiteside for a speedy recovery! Maybe he'll be able to return next Fall.

Poor James. His sense of humor is still intact! Hope he has a speedy recovery.