ABT Fan

2 hours ago, sjmiller said:

The video is also on the Kennedy Center's youtube channel. I wonder how many tambourines they go through whenever they perform/rehearse Tarantella?

 

I am excited to see both performances on Saturday!

Thanks for the heads up. What a terrific clip! De Luz is such a charismatic performer. Hope someone found him a bandaid. ?

Unless it's a typo (but he should spell-check), I don't like how he keeps shortening Teuscher's last name to "Teusch". I find it disrespectful.

3 minutes ago, Fleurfairy said:

The NYT has neglected to review any of the exciting soloist debuts at ABT in the last few weeks when the ballet world has absolutely been buzzing about them. My question is why? What is their agenda? This is troubling to me.

 

As far as Misty goes, her reviews are clickbait for readers who know little about ballet but will fill the seats for her performances. I guess it's a win-win for ABT and the NYT in that regard, but the integrity of the critics suffers for it. 

I couldn't agree more. I've been checking the dance section religiously hoping to see a review, but obviously by now it's not coming. It's extremely disappointing.

As much as I'd like to go, there's no way I'd pay $150 for the cheapest orchestra seat that's in the last few rows. Guess I'm not the only one.

But, would they really drop the prices and infuriate the folks who already paid through the nose?

I'm sure they'll do a farewell tribute to her after her last performance on the 10th. (Well, maybe since she's not retiring it'll be a more subdued spectacle.) I always liked her dancing though I haven't seen her in years. Wonder what prompted her move? 

How fantastic! Congratulations to Ms Barker!

50 minutes ago, Victura said:

I'll be seeing Shevchenko and Lendorf tomorrow! What a season for unexpected injuries, but also quite exciting to see the soloists' debuts!

 

If Murphy has to pull out of Swan Lake, who could replace her? I would've said Teuscher since she and Gomes partnered at the Kennedy Center, but she's doing the matinee that afternoon, so it seems doubtful they would have her do two performances in one day. Part, if she's recovered? 

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!

6 minutes ago, angelica said:

 

Hi ABT Fan, the reason I included Sarah in the list, although ITA she has been spectacular for some time, is that she's on the short list for promotion--and she did move to another level in her Giselle performances. I agree that Christine is another incredible soloist. I think my omission was an oversight because I didn't see her in DonQ, alas.

That makes sense!

I cannot wait to see le petite cast on Thursday!

20 minutes ago, angelica said:

What are we going to do about this sudden outburst of spectacular ABT women--Sarah, Skylar, Cassie, Devon? Can we promote them en masse to Principal?

 

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

25 minutes ago, Natalia said:

 

Juliet & Lise, for sure. Not so sure about Medora, Kitri, Odette/Odile or Nikiya. Don't care for her pocket Aurora with shaky Rose Adagio. As mentioned earlier, Sarah is, to me, a perfect Romantic specialist, with some sweet soubrettes thrown in (Lise, Columbine, Praline, Swanilda).

 

Different strokes for different folks! I still hope for her promotion to Principal soon. It's not as if Kevin MacKenzie is tallying up our "votes" on BA, LOL!

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.

15 minutes ago, nanushka said:

 

That's really what it comes down to, though, isn't it? How much more interesting would it be to see Trenary, Lane, Brandt, etc getting shots and second shots at all those roles?

Just like last night for Lane!

25 minutes ago, angelica said:

 

I couldn't agree more, after over six decades of watching wondrous Giselles.

 

I, too, am holding my breath for a promotion for Sarah. With Theme and Variations, Sleeping Beauty (old and new versions), and now Giselle, she has certainly earned her place in the principal roster.

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