ABT Fan

We were discussing Aran Bell upthread and trying to figure out how tall he is. ABT posted a photo from last night's cast of Thirteen Diversions on their Instagram which clearly shows Bell as the tallest one of the bunch, taller than Stearns (though Stearns looks to be slouching just a little). So, he's got to be over 6', much taller than I thought, which is great! 

1 hour ago, vipa said:

If I remember correctly Peter Martins wanted very young dancers in the role, as close to Juliet's age as possible.

That's correct. He gave a TV interview (I believe it was during PBS' presentation of the premiere) where he said he wanted the dancers to be able to portray innocence and young love naturally, without having to act.

1 hour ago, canbelto said:

For some more samples of Chase's talent as a dancer he does fouettes that would certainly make some ABT ballerinas green with envy:

Uh, no kidding!

And, the dancer who plays Siegfried here - what legs and feet! What jumps!

My favorite clip is of Chase's white swan posted earlier. Such great comedic timing and not overly done. Brilliant!

Cornejo did WC last year but wasn't cast this year. Could have been his choice.

5 hours ago, nanushka said:

My perhaps ridiculously optimistic hope is that this is a temporary blip, that they're reeling from the loss of Gomes and now, to some extent, of Hallberg, and so they're falling back into old habits in order to play it safe. I do hope the recent trend you describe will continue in the future.

It's interesting that no one has really mentioned Joey Gorak. What the heck happened there? He had some long-standing problems (e.g. partnering) but I do think that overall he was growing, and in so many ways he was a beautiful dancer. And for awhile there he was getting some great opportunities — e.g. the Prince in Cinderella. My initial read was that Cirio came in and took the principal spot that might have otherwise gone to Gorak — but then Cirio's principal status is basically a joke. 

I hope you're right regarding your first comment.

I once thought that Gorak was a principal-in-the-making. But, then he was given opportunities that he didn't seem to measure up to and that have since been withdrawn, like Romeo, Nutcracker Prince, and a few others that I can't recall. (Though, Hammoudi continues to get opportunities that he's not measuring up to....) Last season I saw him in one of the peasant pas and I commented that his dancing was pretty yet bland. He was hitting all of the marks, but it looked like he was dialing it in. He also had a big, fake smile plastered on (had never seen that on him before). Physically, he has everything he needs. Perhaps he's lost his motivation for whatever reason. Or, didn't/isn't receiving the coaching he needs (esp for Romeo). But, I was seeing a stagnancy in his dancing before Cirio was promoted. He's definitely in no-man's-land now.

Simkin has posted that he's working on Harlequinade (no surprise there) and the new AFTERRITE.

(Side note: he may want to update his post to read MacMillan's R&J instead of Cranko's....oops.)

According to Lane's Instagram yesterday, no settlement has been reached. Scroll down to a comment she posted in response to someone's question.

1 hour ago, angelica said:

I would love to see Thomas Forster getting more opportunities in principal roles. I've seen him do wonderfully in roles that require acting skills, e.g., in Onegin. He has a beautiful line. I don't know how he is technically (turns, jumps, etc.) because HE ISN'T BEING GIVEN A CHANCE. I would vote for him in a heartbeat over Gabe Stone Shayer, who has an awesome jump but seems to be simpering to the audience, at least in my eyes.

I agree with all of this. I really disliked his Hilarion last year but I've seen him do beautifully in many other roles.

They have a perfect opportunity next month on tour when they're doing the white and black swan pas from SL in Nebraska. Instead of having Stearns taking one of each, of course, (they're doing two of each), Hoven and/or Forster should be given a trial run. They're both good partners, esp Hoven, so I don't think they'd be in over their heads. Stearns' white pas is with Boylston; Hoven would do well with her. And his black pas is with Murphy, who pretty much partners herself anyway, but Forster would be a good fit there. Hoven even did the white pas last year with Abrera in Alabama for an event he organized.

Just when I thought this company had started to come to its senses (giving long overdue opportunities and promotions to certain dancers; ceasing, at least for now, the excessive guest artist contingent and using the talent within instead) they do what I view as nonsensical. A big leap forward last year, and now a few steps backwards.

Hallberg is only performing in three full lengths - 1 Giselle and 2 R&J's. That's it.

So, we have.....

- Bolle: dancing in one Giselle and nothing else. (What is that, one less than last year?)

- Cirio: underutilized and barely dancing. Three full lengths incl. one DQ and two in W.C.

- Cornejo: brilliant but quite injury-prone. Scheduled for 5 full lengths. Fingers crossed for no injuries.

- Lendorf: a good addition to the roster but also quite injury-prone. Also scheduled for 5 full lengths.

- Simkin: also underutilized and heading to Berlin after this season, so future # of perf's w/ ABT is unknown. Scheduled for 5 full lengths (incl two in W.C.).

- Stearns: new MVP, scheduled for 10 full lengths, but not well liked by balletomanes.

- Whiteside: Scheduled for 5 shows; ditto not being well liked...

The principal male roster situation just keeps getting more and more depressing.

I wonder if Hallberg's cancellations are because he will be dancing with the Australian Ballet's Sleeping Beauty July 6-12 (no casting has been announced yet). He performed that ballet with them last season and is a resident guest artist. He's also indebted to that company for his rehab. 

8 minutes ago, nanushka said:

I wouldn't count on it. It's ABT. Remember what they did with Hee Seo for a few years, a few years back? At least Stearns can probably handle it, mostly, in terms of technique, which she could not. But he's sadly lacking in terms of artistry.

Wishful thinking it was a mistake. And, who could forget Seo in every other performance that year.

I still can't believe this decision. Can they really not give Hoven a SL, which he definitely deserves and is more than ready for? It's January and they've only just started Met rehearsals. Plenty of time for Hoven, and/or another soloist, to rehearse a new role. And, is getting a guest artist (which I'm normally not in favor of) not an option either? (Or, maybe there were no takers.) And, so much for having Bolle take another role or two, which further implies that this may be his last season.

9 minutes ago, LadyBubbles said:

Some cast updates.

Hallberg has been pulled from La Bayadere and Whipped Cream. Replacement still TBA.

Stearn replaces Gomes in Giselle, R&J, and Swan Lake. Whiteside will take Stearn's original SL show with Hee Seo.

Still no news on Harlequinade or any of the unfilled roles previously mentioned.

I just saw this. I can't believe they're having Stearns take on so many replacements. That's ludicrous. Maybe it's a mistake. Why don't they just give him the TBA's now vacated by Hallberg. No debuts for a deserving soloist? No guest artist(s)?

4 hours ago, nanushka said:

I completely share your feelings, and I truly hope it emerges that Marcelo is completely innocent.

And beyond that disappointment, the nearly total lack of publicly available information is a big part of what makes this situation so difficult and unsettling for me and I think many others.

Same here.

I've been checking ABT's site ("ABT News" for a press release) and Gomes' Instagram and personal website nearly everyday hoping for a statement of some kind. I'm dumbfounded that nothing else has been said and at this point I have a feeling nothing ever will be.

13 hours ago, vipa said:

At the moment there are too few opportunities to see Lane IMO

 

Agreed. I'll be taking the day off from work to see her Giselle, which is a must-see. I enjoyed Whipped Cream, but didn't love it, so I highly doubt I'll be going to that again, when she's cast twice.

I can't remember if she was paired w/ Lendorf either.

How long is Lendorf out for? I don't even recall what kind of injury he has.

On 1/15/2018 at 1:39 AM, Josette said:

Fred Astaire

Oooooo.....that's a good one! I'll second that.

While the TBA's left by Gomes' resignation are the most anticipated casting news yet to come, I'm also very much interested in some of the other TBA's that are left to be filled, hoping that we'll see some more debuts by up-and-coming corps and soloist dancers.

- Two Lead Maiden TBA's in Firebird, but that seems like they'll both go to Brandt since according to several Instagram accounts she was photographed along w/ Trenary (already cast) in that costume for the upcoming Spring ads.

- Two Mercutio's. Perhaps Scott and Shayer (each already cast in one) will get a second.

- Two Mercedes/Queen of the Dryads. I don't know if Paris will be back from maternity in time for the Met season, or perhaps Brandt/Trenary will get a debut (or Waski, Hurlin?).

Gomes was also (I suppose, arguably) their best Purple von Rothbart (*sigh*), so while that role isn't a TBA since they take forever to announce that casting, that role is another possible opening. Or, they may just spread it out amongst the current 6 guys who perform that role (four of them - Lendorf, Stearns, Whiteside and Hammoudi are also cast as Siegfried, so they'll probably only do one PR; the other two - Forster and Royal - could take two each, which would complete the casting for 8 shows).

And, of course, Harlequinade has not been cast at all. Eagerly awaiting that.

On 1/14/2018 at 10:08 PM, Rosa said:

Teuscher is replaced by Abrera on the 2/10 matinee (ABT's calendar has not been updated).

  http://ums.org/performance/american-ballet-theatre/

ABT's calendar has now been updated with Abrera. While we don't know the reason for this change (maybe Teuscher is no longer available due to personal reasons, though she's dancing both the week before and the week after), I'm glad to see Abrera getting it as she is a far more senior dancer and with limited years and opportunities left. With no disrepect to Teuscher, whom I like very much, Abrera should have been cast all along.

http://www.abt.org/calendar.aspx?startdate=2/1/2018

What a great idea for a discussion!

I'm sure I'll have to add onto this as I think more about it, but first I'd say I wish I could have seen Nureyev while he was still in his prime. I saw him dance in the 80's, when he has quite past his prime, but of course the house was sold out anyway and somehow I lucked out with a very-close-to-the-front seat (I could see the sweat on his face). I still remember how labored his entrechet six were, but he was still magnetic. I was awe struck.

Also, I wish I could have seen Plisetkaya's Dying Swan live.

Those are the first two that come to mind, but I'm sure I'll think of others.

I think the ballet gods must have read this thread, because Bell is now cast in the Leaves of Fading pas (replacing Gomes) with Abrera on Feb 24 in Chicago!

http://www.abt.org/calendar.aspx?startdate=2/1/2018

I don't think Bell is too tall as he's seen in clips partnering Lane and Brandt (who are both very short) and he's a good fit for both (not hovering over them when they're on pointe, but just enough of a height difference). I'd say he's no more than 5'9 ish. He'd be great as Bluebird and I'd like to see him to take on a peasant pas or the equivalent. He's not ready for a princely role yet (his first "big" role is coming up in Thirteen Diversions in D.C.).

Same for Whiteley: he's talented but he's yet to even take on a demi-soloist role, so in no way would they give him a leading role yet. His upper body is gorgeous but his feet are frequently sloppy. He has a lot of potential. But, he needs to tackle a demi- or soloist role before diving into Siegfried, etc.

Thank you, fondoffouettes. That first photo is to die for!

Wow, R&J? I don't know how to view "stories". Do you have to have an Instagram account to view those? I can view regular posts but I don't understand how to see the stories.....

I agree, though. Hallberg/Abrera would be lovely in R&J.

fondoffouettes: what ballet were you referencing in your post? It looks like an image or two didn't copy well.

I guess by "culture editor" they really mean POP culture editor. So, we can expect stories on the likes of the Kardashian's and the latest Hollywood romance. I'll pass.