ABT Fan

30 minutes ago, fondoffouettes said:

I think he might still be out from the injury he suffered onstage in Whipped Cream at the Met in July, so that may be a factor. Has anyone seen him dancing in the fall season? Off the top of my head, I can't recall seeing him in any rehearsal or performance photos from the season. 

If he's not cast in Harlequinade in January due to injury, then I hope he's better soon and is back on stage for Whipped Cream in April (and the Met season).

Sarah Lane has posted on her Instagram that she’s filing in tonight for Seo, dancing Other Dances with Stearns.

43 minutes ago, nysusan said:

We all want to see corps and soloists get chances, and I'm sorry that it looks like the ones scheduled for the second cast won't get their chance with this, however second casts usually get much less rehearsal time than the first. In a piece like this which is so foreign to classical ballet DNA, and without proper rehearsal time I think we have a better chance of getting a good performance from the first cast. And I'm not paying to watch rehearsals.

I agree with this in theory, but Murphy, Stearns and Copeland are principals who were in that second cast and Murphy/Stearns are not new to this piece. So, that makes this quite shocking to me. (I'm not saying that a principal should be in it no matter what, just that to pull three principals is pretty unprecedented.) Perhaps, as you say, they still didn't have the necessary rehearsal time to make this work well.

Seo is still scheduled to dance Garden Blue tonight and Other Dances tomorrow. I wonder if that'll be updated soon.

11 minutes ago, nyc10024 said:

It was announced tonight at the Gala that ABT will do Jane Eyre in June 2019 at the Met as part of their initiative to perform more work of women choreographers

Thanks for that. Any mention of any other ballets? Mussel, you called it.

1 hour ago, fondoffouettes said:

I can't imagine why they wouldn't offer discounted tickets to performances where the orchestra section looks like this. Does TDF regulate how many tickets you can offer and when? 

I wonder if they are considering canceling any of the poorly performing dates, like the Hungarian State Opera/Ballet recently did for their rental of the Koch Theater. I don't see how that would help from a financial standpoint, though. But I also can't imagine what it would feel like for the dancers to perform for a house that's less than half-full. Even when ABT doesn't sell well at the Met, like for the Giselle performances last spring, it's never this bad. 

As you said, I'm sure canceling wouldn't help at all financially, and the bad press it would generate would be detrimental.

This looks like the available seating chart for Sunday, 10/26, the last day of the season (with the Lang piece, Other Dances and AfterRite). Though, there are other dates that look quite similar. 

As someone already stated, the programs with AfterRite are selling the absolute worst, even with Copeland (and Ferri) on the program. I'd hope they get rid of this ballet after this season, purely from a financial perspective (I've never seen it).

8 hours ago, wonderwall said:

In this article on Laracey (which I highly recommend if you are a fan of her's), it says she was out for an entire year after she ripped three ligaments during a 2004 Nutcracker performance, so I imagine that may have detoured her progression at the beginning of her career. The article mentions some of her perceived weaknesses ("mental toughness"), so perhaps that is something that has impeded her. Regardless, based on how she performs on stage, her lack of promotion to principal at this point is astonishing to me. In my opinion, she has been the member of the company most deserving of/in need of a promotion for at least the past couple of years. I feel like age must play some factor as she is ~35 now. I imagine promoting the newer talent is preferred, but I feel as though age shouldn't play a factor in promotions as long as the performances are deserving.

Off my soapbox--congratulations to all the new promotions! I am especially happy for Claire K. and Joseph Gordon.

Thanks for that article. Clearly the author didn't do all of her homework since she stated that attending college "paid off for her career" and got Laracey her promotion to soloist. 

Anyway. I still think about seeing Laracey in her Concerto Barocco debut last Spring and how magnificent she was. She danced like a principal. Has anyone at NYCB ever been promoted to principal at 35+? I know that's rare anywhere, but maybe she'll get "lucky" like Abrera did across the plaza.

11 minutes ago, cobweb said:

I don't understand the new opportunities for her, unless it's that they feel the other soloists are overloaded and want to spread the work around. I find that Pereira doesn't project well and makes very little impact. However, I didn't see her Allegro Brillante. Can anyone report on how that went?

I've only seen Pereira once, in Symphony in C a few weeks ago, and even though I've read a lot of comments here about her I tried to go in with an open mind. That said, based on that one performance, I agree that she doesn't impress and I also don't understand why she's given principal roles. I think she dances like a young teenager, who has great promise, but who hasn't mastered the control and coordination of her arms and legs and who hasn't acquired the overall strength needed for such roles. There was no fluidity or grace. She looked completely out of her element and casting her with Kowroski, Bouder and Woodward made no sense. 

Article in the Times today about Lang's new piece:

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/16/arts/dance/american-ballet-theater-jessica-lang-garden-blue.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Farts&action=click&contentCollection=arts&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=9&pgtype=sectionfront

2 hours ago, FPF said:

Macaulay's overview of the fall season and De Luz's retirement is here: 

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/16/arts/dance/joaqin-de-luz-farewell-new-york-city-ballet.html?action=click&module=Well&pgtype=Homepage&section=Dance

 Do people actually call De Luz the "Tom Cruise of ballet"?

Uh, not that I've ever heard. I think De Luz deserves a better comparison, if any need to be made....

21 minutes ago, canbelto said:

NYCB also has a much, much longer season where everyone is together. I think it's the longest season for an American ballet company. Fall season, the craziness of Nutcracker season, winter season, spring season, touring in the summer. So whether you like these people or not, you have to find a way to be in the same space as them because guess what, you're stuck with them. 

Also, they don't have guest artists who take precious opportunities away from homegrown dancers or principals who also dance with other companies thus only performing with their "home" company a few times a year, much unlike ABT (though the later has done away with their heavy guest artist policy for now it seems). They are all together all year long.

7 minutes ago, nanushka said:

Gosh, why even mention de Luz in that post? It's almost offensive, tagging it on there after going on about all his own recent accomplishments. (Does that even count as a humble-brag?)

It's also kind of hilarious that he writes "I keep my personal life as personal as possible" — now he does, after having his straight marriage trumpeted in various media? Oh brother.

That's full-on no-holds-barred brag (nothin' humble about it). 

And, I found that part about his "personal life" hilarious too.

Casting change for three performances, with Murphy replaced. I'm guessing she has had another obligation come up. She's still scheduled to dance in the Nutcracker and Pierrette in DC the week after LA.

Thursday, January 17 at 7:30 p.m.
Isabella Boylston
James Whiteside
**Stella Abrera (replaces Murphy)
Thomas Forster

Friday, January 18 at 7:30 p.m.
Sarah Lane
Alban Lendorf
**Misty Copeland (replaces Abrera)
Calvin Royal III

Sunday, January 20 at 1 p.m.
Isabella Boylston
James Whiteside
**Stella Abrera (replaces Murphy)
Thomas Forster

canbelto, thank you for posting that video. Wish I could have been there. So glad I got to see him and Peck in Tschai Pas a few weeks ago. What a career. He's obviously much loved. Apparently, he's going to be teaching at ABT's school and at the Studio Company. I'll be looking forward to seeing what else he does next.

Cornejo was recently interviewed for a podcast with the NEA.

He tells a great story on how he came to be promoted from an apprentice to the corps.

https://www.arts.gov/audio/herman-cornejo

On 10/9/2018 at 1:48 PM, Helene said:

Rebecca Ferraro and Michael Breeded did a long interview with Stella Abrera for their podcast, "Conversations on Dance":

https://conversationsondancepod.com/2018/10/08/stella-abrera/

Thanks for the head's up. That was a great listen.

17 hours ago, miliosr said:

What I find bizarre about all of this is the Gatsby-esque implication to these posts. It's as if Clifford thinks he can recreate that moment in time (which clearly meant so much to him) exactly as it was. But just as Nick Carraway told Jay Gatsby that, "You can't repeat the past," Clifford (if by some miracle found himself as artistic director) wouldn't be able to repeat the past either. And Balanchine recognized as much at the end of his life.

This is a really good point and a great analogy.

I have to say that reading these comments and Clifford's Instagram is some kind of strange entertainment. He is so tone deaf it's mind-boggling and he takes social media self-promotion to a completely different level ("I was the youngest...." "I was the only one who...."). I find it hilarious that he's tagging Sarah Jessica Parker is some of his posts, I suppose assuming that she's on the hiring committee.

7 hours ago, ClaraFan said:

Betsy McBride of ABT (formerly a star at Texas Ballet Theater) is somebody I'd love to see in real life. I love her social media. She seems very talented and happy where she is.

Boy, I didn't even know this thread existed.

McBride is one of my new favorite dancers at ABT. I saw her perform a lot this past Met season, and she is indeed very talented with a wonderful onstage persona. I really hope to see her continually given bigger parts. I can definitely picture her as a soloist someday soon.

According to IMDb, Ansel Elgort has been tapped to play Tony.

How many (former or current) ballet dancers will we see join the dancing cast? Robbie Fairchild, David Prottas, Craig Salstein, Patricia Delgado....?

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3581652/fullcredits?ref_=tt_cl_sm#cast

4 hours ago, mussel said:

Just a prediction:

Corsaire

Harlequinade

Sleeping Beauty

Manon

Whipped Cream

Swan Lake

Jane Eyre, a full length import from Northern Ballet

A mixed reps

 

Realizing that this list is only a prediction, still, I can imagine some principal-level movement with these ballets.

If, and I'm not wishing it, Murphy and/or Abrera are going to retire this year, it would make sense for Murphy to go out with SL (one of her signature roles). And, I could see Abrera going out with SB (though Giselle is more likely I think...).

And, Brandt/Trenary could be set up nicely with a slew of principal roles/debuts foreshadowing their promotions (would need Abrera/Murphy to retire to make room, though):

We all remember the very-last-minute and extraordinary debut that Brandt gave in Corsaire a few years ago. So she would of course dance Medora again, along with Columbine and Princess Praline. And, maybe she'd get a debut as Aurora.

Trenary, who got rave reviews for her Aurora, would reprise that role along with Columbine and Princess Praline as well. Perhaps she'd get a debut as Medora or Gulnare (preferably).

And, I want to see Lane get an O/O this year (with appropriate rehearsal time this go around), though I'm sure that's just very wishful thinking since she didn't get it this past season.

For the guys, I suspect we'll see more big debuts for Bell. I could see SB.

Hoping for a major role for Forster. I'd have preferred Albrecht, but I'll take Siegfried.

I'd also like to see a big debut for Royal. Looking at his rep, I guess he hasn't taken any of the leads in Corsaire. How about Conrad (which I thought he'd done) or Lankendem. And, would love a SL with Hurlin some day (ongoing wish list).

I wonder if Shayer will get Harlequin again, since Maloney is doing it on tour instead of him. He better be promoted this year, otherwise he should leave, IMO.

1 hour ago, NinaFan said:

I'd love to see Shevchenko and/or Teuscher get a Manon with Hallberg as well. 

A Hallberg/Abrera Manon is my preference. I'd be there in a hot minute. Shevchenko/Teuscher can wait.

A Hallberg/Boylston SL could be interesting (though I did not like their R&J this past summer). I saw Boylston's SL several years ago with Simkin, and though it was a bit rough in several places, she was new to the role and also showed a lot of promise. From what else I've seen of her she's improved a lot since then so I imagine (hope) her O/O has grown considerably. 

2 minutes ago, Rick said:

Macaulay seems to be giving Finlay, Ramasar, and Catazaro the benefit of the doubt. In fact he seems to be implying that the furor over Waterbury's lawsuit is overblown. I wonder what the female dance critics are thinking.

I had the same thought.

From the Times today:

At the Koch Theatre's stage door, "a very different sort of message was posted there anonymously in September as the company was preparing to open its fall season. It demanded “justice for the accused men of City Ballet,” called for a boycott of the company and urged people to “stop believing the word of jilted whores,” along with even cruder insults."

And:

"But as more details of the texting allegations emerged in a lawsuit, a number of women in the company made it clear to management that they would not feel comfortable dancing with those men again, and some expressed dismay that their labor union was contesting their removal."

Also, the article states that Finlay was actually suspended over the summer after showing up to a matinee in Paris hung over. And, before that he had been given a warning after damaging a pipe in a hotel in D.C. which caused flooding (that explains the large fine).

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/03/arts/dance/new-york-city-ballet-metoo.html?action=click&module=Top Stories&pgtype=Homepage

3 hours ago, Mirseng1 said:

Yesterday during his meeting with Moscow spectators at the Bakhrushin Museum David Hallberg was asked about his ABT spring season.  He replied that he will be doing only two ballets: “Manon” with Isabella Boylston and “Swan Lake”.   I think it is safe to assume that “Manon” is returning... 

Well, he certainly deserves the distinction of "guest artist" as opposed to "principal dancer" now more than ever. (Along with Bolle....)

So, he's returning to Swan Lake with ABT; I wonder with whom? And, I wonder if this means that Giselle will be retired for a season or two, since he didn't mention it, or if he's simply not doing it this time around.