ABT Fan

How fantastic! Congratulations to Ms Barker!

I think Hee Seo is likely since she's done SL with Gomes before and her own show is a few days later so she'd have time to recover.

They did seem caught off guard for the short cast, but with Part and Murphy also out that makes it pretty unavoidable for someone new to step in unexpectedly. Murphy just posted that she needs more time to heal and that Shevchenko was also given only a few days notice to learn the part. She included a little clip of Shevchenko and Simkin rehearsing below. I wonder if Boylston was understudying one of the roles, since she's the only female principal who wasn't scheduled to dance in this ballet, but with her own injury she couldn't step in.

Casting Update....Shevchenko is now replacing Murphy as Medora at the matinee tomorrow! Murphy is still scheduled to dance Friday night (though that'll probably change as well, I suspect). http://www.abt.org/calendar.aspx **I see rg and I were typing simultaneously. ABT's site only lists Shevchenko for tomorrow, so I guess that's still being updated. Wow - three performances for her!! In light of these injuries, what is going to happen next week for Swan Lake???? (I have a feeling that Teuscher is going to get a second performance, at least!)

Brandt has done the Medora pas on tour before with Bolle's touring group. That's not the same thing as the full-length ballet of course, but at least she's performed the pas before. I am also thrilled to see ABT pushing their own dancers this season. What a wonderful time for the company!

That makes sense! I cannot wait to see le petite cast on Thursday!

What a wonderful problem to have with so much talent! Though I'd remove Sarah from that list as she's been spectacular for awhile (her long-awaited Giselle propelled her forward even more). And, I'd add Christine Shevchenko to the list of incredible soloists.

Boy, do I wish I could have been there! Thanks for the great reviews. And, how about this - she was asked to learn the role last Friday!

Oh my goodness! What a brave thing to do. Glad everyone is ok.

Wow! I'm thrilled for Brandt. This is definitely proving to be a season for the female soloists to step up. If Kochetkova pulls out of SL as well, I doubt they'd put Copeland in because she has two shows already and that would be too grueling. I think it would be Boylston if she herself has healed (I know some folks think she's too tall for Simkin, and that may be true, but they have done SL together before). If not Boylston, I don't have any other guesses. I really doubt it would be Lane. Who could they import for Simkin? They're not going to take away his Siegfried for an entirely new couple. Now, if both Boylston and Kochetkova cannot do SL, that will be quite a pickle. Is Lendorf tall enough for Teuscher? Then she can take one more.

It looks like Patrick Ogle will be leaving the corps after this season ends, given what he and his wife, Brittany DeGrofft, have written on their Instagram's (seems she is staying though): https://www.instagram.com/p/BUssXC5j0Q9/?hl=en&taken-by=brittles1152 https://www.instagram.com/p/BUHlnXoBgCS/?taken-by=okie_ogre&hl=en

I wonder if you saw Lane on an off night during SB, because she's turned in beautiful and non-shaky Aurora's before. I agree she'd be wonderful as Juliet and Lise. I'd also add Cinderella and La Sylphide. Also agree that I don't see her as Kitri. I'm on the fence about the others, but I think she could be a surprise as Medora. In fact, I thought if Kochetkova pulled out of Le Corsaire next week, Lane could be bumped up to Medora and Brandt could replace Lane as Gulnare.

Just like last night for Lane!

We can also add Whipped Cream and Coppelia to that list. And, even though it isn't a full-length, she performed Miranda, the female lead in Ratmansky's The Tempest and was first cast.

I don't see the value Kochetkova adds and she hardly dances at the Met. Regarding the short principal men needing partners (Cornejo, Simkin, Cirio), they already have them. Cornejo dances regularly with Lane, Copeland and Trenary, all in principal roles. Simkin with Lane, Boylston, Copeland. Cirio with Boylston, Copeland, Brandt (and he's danced with Trenary during outside guest appearances). Brandt has demonstrated her capability to take on more and more senior roles, as she showed by filing in for Copeland in Whipped Cream. I imagine she would be tapped to sub in Corsaire if one of the above women had to drop out. If for some reason Kochetkova has to cancel her SL with Simkin, I suspect Boylston will fill in for her as she's done that role with him before (assuming she's recovered from her own injury; and her own SL is scheduled 3 days before Kochetkova's so enough time to recover). Edited to Add: I see DeCoster and I were writing basically the same thing at the same time!

Hallberg is now collaborating with Nike and OUT OF ORDER magazine:

Also, I wouldn't be surprised if we see a new male soloist added from an outside company (a la Whiteside and Cirio who has been a principal at another company). Although the female soloist roster is bursting with talent and potential for principal status, the same cannot be said for the men. Gorak has stalled for some reason. Hammoudi gets principal roles, but he delivers lackluster performances. I'd be shocked if he's promoted. Zhurbin (especially) and Salstein are terrific actors and fine dancers but not lead dancer material. The others are good soloists but not Albrecht or Siegfried material. (Possibly Royal, but let's get him to soloist first!) They need the next generation of male principals and I don't see any current possibilities so I think some new hires may be coming.

I also think (perhaps more wishing and hoping than really believing...) that Lane will be promoted. How can McKenzie ignore her now after her Giselle triumph? I agree that Teuscher and Shevchenko are principal material, but I think it'll happen next season for them. Only Vishneva is leaving this year, so in my mind that opens one spot, though I have no idea how many "spots" there are if that's even a set number anyway. Royal better be promoted this year. He's everything that morningside wrote above and he's been cast in more and more principal roles. I also think that maybe Hurlin will be promoted this year too. She, like Royal, always captures my eye and she's been getting more and more soloist roles since last year.

McKenzie said: "What exactly is so bad about being a flagship soloist....." That interview is burned into my brain: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/17/arts/dance/american-ballet-theaters-director-kevin-mckenzie.html I agree that Copeland has a lot to do with others getting opportunities now. How many of the previous guest stars had sold out shows, and regularly? But, I also think that McKenzie (and the board) had to hear the complaints about said guest stars and it wasn't just Dvorovenko and her husband from the company who went public with their criticism of the home team being ignored. (Not to mention more and more balletomanes like us posting about it.) When Abrera was promoted to principal two years ago, a few current dancers (and if I remember correctly at least two principal dancers) posted on social media not only their joy at her finally being promoted, but they made a point to say that she was a "homegrown" ballerina who was finally getting the recognition and opportunities that a regular company member should get. When your own dancers start criticizing you on social media and in interviews, that shines a very bad light on the company.

Kochetkova is a principal, not a guest. Though I think she should be since I agree she hardly dances with them. http://www.abt.org/dancers/detail.asp?Dancer_ID=315 Ferri is the only guest artist right now. http://www.abt.org/dancers/default.asp?section=guestartist

Another astonishing performance by Sarah Lane tonight. Her mad scene was just as devastating as before, her port de bras alone can break my heart they're so beautiful. The hops on pointe in Act I were perfect. Luxurious developpes and incredible control rolling through her feet. Amazing speed and gorgeous jumps. She showed such love, joy and forgiveness and she never broke character. What an actress! But tonight there was one moment I wish I could have videotaped because it was off the charts: in Act II at the end of the main pas when Albrecht kneels and Giselle bourrees over to arabesque against his back, their synchrony was so on and then after the picture-perfect moment happened, Lane kept reaching her arm up and extending her arabesque to come out of it which most ballerinas don't do. Usually they just let the arabesque and arm go, but Lane kept the arc going which was breathtaking. THAT is something only a very special dancer does. Cornejo had some gorgeous moments and beautiful jumps (he did the brisses) but I sensed that he was holding back just a little. I wonder if he was concerned about his calf that he injured during DQ. There was one big partnering flub: in the first horizontal lift Lane was wobbling in the air and she had to bring her legs down to maintain balance but the rest of her body stayed in position so she was akwardly stuck for a second or two with her butt sticking out. But they recovered well and the second lift went well. Cornejo had a tough act to follow after Gomes last night, but at the very end when he walks away from Giselle's grave I could see tears in his eyes (I was in the 3rd row) and it was impossible not to be moved by his tenderness. I think I like Lane more with Simkin in Giselle, but her partnership with Cornejo is a very close second. After I left the theater I saw Cassandra Trenary on the sidewalk with her husband, I think, and I had to stop to tell her how beautiful she was in the peasant pas again tonight. She was utterly charming and gracious. Unlike others on this site I usually don't go to several performances of the same ballet; my wallet and schedule gets in the way. But how could I not go back tonight after Lane was scheduled to replace Maria? How could I not see a performance for all time, again?

I haven't noticed that. I actually thought they looked great last night in Act II. But, you're right that there are several new dancers. I saw in the program for the Sat matinee that all of the female apprentices were dancing Wilis. I don't know about last night as I didn't go over the corps casting yet and I don't have the program in front of me. But, it's still ABT so there's no excuse for sloppiness.

Batsuchan, I agree completely. Gomes' theatricality, musicality, and partnering skills are unparalleled. I don't think I've ever giggled during the "he loves me, he loves me not" scene, but Gomes has a way of finding nuance and humor where others don't. The horizontal lifts in Act II were to die for (never a smitch of shakiness with him). I was certain he would do the brisses, but he went for the entrechat six, and though I didn't count them they were very high and tight. His grief at the end was overwhelming and authentic but not melodramatic and he made me tear up. Outstanding! He and Abrera were an older couple than Lane/Simkin with a more mature love. This was the first Giselle of hers I've seen and I thought she was better in the second act. Some of her steps were too quick and not luxurious enough. I agree with nana, as much as I adore Abrera her mad scene didn't do much for me. She came across more ditsy than crazed and grief-stricken. But, parts of her Act II were simply gorgeous: her arms and upper back, wow! Shevchenko gave another stellar performance of Myrta. Thomas Forster as Hilarion was disappointing. Whereas Salstein on Saturday was believable as a guy who works for the court, who passionately loves Giselle, and who becomes consumed by jealousy, Forster was an "everyman" and a bit of a doofus who didn't show Giselle how much he loved her nor his disgust with Albrecht. I imagine he wooed Giselle by saying "hey, why don't you come over to my shack and we can drink Cokes and watch Netflix, and you bring the Cokes". No wonder she wasn't interested! His dancing also didn't have the crispness and immediacy that Salstein had in spades. Hoven and Trenary did the pas again, and Hoven was much improved from Saturday. Trenary is simply lovely. There's a future Giselle. Bravo Gomes!! And, it was great to meet a fellow Ballet Alerter seated next to me!

Ahead of Gomes' 20th anniversary performance tonight as Albrecht, some dancers are posting tributes to him on their Instagrams. Here's two of my favorites. First one is of an itty bitty Skylar Brandt with Sascha Radetsky and Gomes (no idea who the little boy is). The second one is, of course, with Stella.

My goodness, you're right! I even remember seeing a brief clip of her performance (or maybe a dress rehearsal) online somewhere. Corella was her Siegfried. But, this would be her ABT debut, if and when she's cast.