ABT Fan

Just saw this online myself. I'm pretty shocked:

- Trenary getting opening night. I didn't see her debut, and I'm a big fan of hers, but I'm still very surprised that she got opening night. I thought that would have gone to Boylston or maybe Seo.

- Abrera and Lane only getting one performance, while Trenary gets two. But, at the same time, why am I so surprised re: Abrera/Lane?! McKenzie keeps giving them just enough crumbs for them to hang on.....but, not what they deserve (in my opinion obviously) and certainly not enough for them to further develop in order to progress (but, again, McKenzie isn't interested in seeing either of them develop....)

I doubt Trenary's promotion is assured by this casting. This is the only full-length ballet that she's had the lead in so far. I'm certain more are to follow, no doubt in the Spring (she'd make a wonderful Juliet and Giselle). But, I wouldn't say her promotion is in the bag based on the Paris casting alone.

Lily Wisdom is leaving the corps to start school at Columbia in the fall.

And, there's a bittersweet photo/caption for Baca wishing him well as he embarks for PA Ballet.

Also, note a few of the comments for Baca - a few folks were offended by Kaatsban's "merde" prompting explanations from them and another corps dancer. Obviously they didn't know what it meant but it still made me laugh. Never seen that before.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BH786aAghRE/?taken-by=abtofficial&hl=en

I'm sure she did not have a lot of coaching or prep time for this. It was done at a Competition. Still, she acquitted herself well and for someone who most likely has not danced this pas a lot, I think she was fine, if a bit tentative. Tom Forester also did well and I wish he would get more chances. It's doubtful ABT will give her a promotion after all this time, so perhaps it makes sense to her to begin a family. I've always enjoyed her time on stage and wish her well in her new "role".

Yes, I agree with you, FauxPas, based on this clip her movements seem staccato and studied, not flowing and musical. Just wondering, what would be her chances of making soloist after being in the corps for 12 years? Have other women been promoted after so long in the corps?

Luciana Paris was promoted to soloist last year after 14 years in the corps, so it's possible. But, my feeling is that management doesn't see her on that track. She's been dancing soloist/demi-soloist parts for years (and one of the principal roles in Les Sylphides), so I think if they were going to promote her (or were planning on it) they would have done it by now or at least given her juicier roles to see if she was up for it.

Edited to add: FauxPas, I guess we were typing at the same time!

Nominees were announced yesterday.

Justin Peck's work "Heatscape" received a nom, as did dancers Gillian Murphy of ABT and Parisa Khobdeh of Paul Taylor.

The awards will be presented on October 18 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/07/14/arts/dance/bessie-awards-announce-this-years-nominees.html

I saw Kristi Boone years ago as the Siren and she was really very good.

As I wrote earlier, I can see Boylston and Copeland getting cast (despite their height). Copeland would be great in the role.

Very exciting!

For Prodigal, I imagine it'll be Cornejo, Simkin, Cirio and maybe Scott, with Abrera, Boylston, Copeland and Murphy as the Siren (though I think Shevchenko would be a better fit than Boylston).

2017 will be Marcelo Gomes' 20th anniversary with the company. I wonder what he'll dance for that celebration, and with whom? Onegin (if it comes back) with Vishneva?

Whatever it is, that's one ticket I won't procrastinate on buying.

I agree - that's not Fonteyn. Unfortunately, I don't know who it is though.

Here's a truly wonderful clip of when Hoven found out he was promoted. His colleagues' reactions practically made me tear up:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BHXWYCchs9M/?taken-by=mbhoven

Anyone know how old Hoven is? Just curious.

According to the Times, he's 30:

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/02/arts/dance/american-ballet-theater-jeffrey-cirio-promotion.html?rref=collection/sectioncollection/dance&action=click&contentCollection=dance&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront&_r=0

Hoven is so deserving. Cirio -- really? After only a year with the company? Sure, his rep. at Boston included leading roles, but -- correct me if I'm wrong -- his only true leading role this season was Colas. And his shortcomings in terms of refinement and line were so utterly apparent when he danced side by side with Gorak in Cockerel... I can't think of any other male principal who has been promoted without dancing at least one of the following with the company: Siegfried, Romeo, Albrecht, Basilio, Solor, Prince Desire.

I wonder if this was a "promote me or I'm walking" sort of situation.

When Whiteside was hired, it was trial by fire -- he was given a brutally demanding schedule and thrown into every principal role in ABT's rep. And he had to prove himself as a partner.

Wow. FF I agree completely. Never thought Cirio would be promoted after barely a year and without dancing more lead roles. He's done several secondary roles and I believe he's very talented, but I don't agree with this timing. I'd also want to see him dance an Albrecht or Siegfried first. And what about Gorak???

Hoven on the other hand...I'm very happy for him and he's completely deserving of this after slogging away in the corps for 12 years (and dancing brilliantly the last few years)! But, not Royal too? Perhaps they could only promote one to soloist, but Royal has been churning out soloist/principal roles for years. I hope he doesn't leave but he's been in the corps for 5 years so I wouldn't blame him if that happens.

Tonight was fabulous! I'll have to write more later, but Stella was beautiful, warm and gracious. As Batsuchan commented, she has the most gorgeous port de bras. Her Rose Adagio balances were very brief but her elegance made up for it. I was disappointed that several principals were not there to give her flowers at the end, but Gennadi Saveliev showed up as well as her adorable husband Sascha, of course.

Side note: I'm sure this will be posted in the links section, but there's an interview with Trenary in the Times that was conducted right after her debut:

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/01/arts/dance/cassandra-trenary-interview-sleeping-beauty-american-ballet-theater.html?smid=tw-nytimesarts&smtyp=cur

Second intermission update: the lovely dancing continues. Wonderful speed and bouyancy from Trenary and great lifts and partnering from Whitedide, who pulls off the red coat very well, by the way. My only criticism is that while Trenary managed to stay in the shell longer than others, it was slightly wobbly. It seems like that device is really hit or miss. It was wonderful to watch Trenary's warm, sensitive expressions throughout act two. She managed to seem sylph-like but never remote. Loving the freshness and freedom of her dancing.

Thank you for the updates. So happy to hear that Trenary is dancing so beautifully! She certainly seems to be on the fast track!

From Calvin Royal's Instagram:

"It's my last week of shows in NYC for the 2016 Spring Season with ABT at the Metropolitan Opera House. Looking back on so many incredible moments onstage and off. I'll carry them with me into the next chapter of performances on new stages in the near future. Exciting things to come!"

I hope those last few sentences aren't a suggestion that he's leaving ABT!

I don't think this means he is leaving. He does a decent amount of guesting (Daniil Simkin's Intensio, Gemma Bond's pick up company, Vail, others) so I think he's alluding to a full summer of performing in new places, including ABT on tour. (I don't know if Intensio and Bond's troupes will be touring this summer and that he'll be with them; I'm just stating the other troupes that he's performed with recently, other than ABT.)

Gorak will be her Romeo at the Wolf Trap performance. Have they done this anywhere else? Simkin won't even appear as Mercutio, undeniably a superb role for him.

Gorak and Copeland did R&J during last year's Met season. I'm guessing Simkin has other performance commitments elsewhere during Wolf Trap.

Boy, do I wish I was there last night. Thanks to everyone for their reviews. Glad to hear the performance was so amazing! Hopefully, the younger generation was taking notes.

Seo did get Semionova's Juliet.

Regarding Ferri, I'll be eagerly awaiting reviews of her performance (I saw Cheri w/ her and Cornejo, and they definitely have great chemistry). I guess we'll never know if her Juliet would have gone to someone else's debut if she wasn't performing. Cornejo would need a short partner obviously; would McKenzie have given it to Lane? Unlikely at this point. I guess it's pointless to speculate, but I think it's likely Copeland would have been cast again. She and Cornejo have danced together before and we all know she's box office gold. Only Copeland's and Ferri's R&J's have sold out.

Nice to see they'll have works by two female choreographers, especially Lovette.

Did anyone attend last night?

And, eager to hear reports following tonight's dream cast of Vishneva and Gomes (and Scott)....

Personally (a lot of people won't agree). Instead of hiring Kochetkova, Sarah Lane should have been promoted or been given more principal roles this year while looking at a promotion soon. Lane's been doing Theme & Variations, with distinction, for years (better than Boylston). IMO her first Sleeping Beauty should have gotten her promoted. She'd be perfect in Romeo and Juliet. Again, I know I am in a minority, but Lane drives me to buy a ticket in a way that Kochetkova just doesn't.

I agree with you completely.

So where are the guys in the corps under 30 besides Gorak who have been developed by McKenzie over the last five to ten years? Now we have a problem - it has been in the making for at least half a decade.

History shows that you need to keep new dancers coming every five years or so. So for every experienced thirty year old principal, there is a freshly promoted twenty five year old debuting in leading roles and a twenty year old in the corps getting solos.

Calvin Royal III and Gabe Stone Shayer have been dancing principal and soloist roles for years now, significantly in Ratmansky's ballets. So, I'm inclined to say they've been more developed by him than by McKenzie. Anyhow....I certainly hope they are promoted this year, especially Royal. Blaine Hoven has been on an upswing over the last year, and has been dancing better than ever (but, he may be over 30 now as he's been in the corps for 12 years). Sterling Baca is another one, but as we all know he's going to PA Ballet. So, leaving out Baca that's only three guys in the corps visibly being developed who have been regularly dancing lead roles (in addition to their corps work). Yeah, I agree. That's a problem.

My perception is that nobody who could get into a well established and highly regarded school like SAB or the San Fran. ballet school would choose the JKO School. It's like the difference between going to an Ivy League school vs. a local college. Thus, the JKO school does not necessarily attract top level talent in the first instance, so there is far less likelihood that any particular graduate of JKO is going to become a major star. Obviously, there will be some exceptions, as there always are. However, I'd be curious to know what others think about this concept.

By the way, I know Paloma Herrera came out of SAB. Does ABT now have any SAB grads in its ranks?

That's been my perception too. SAB has always been the Harvard of ballet schools, but I think the JKO school's reputation is improving.

Patrick Frenette, a second-year corps member, graduated from SAB. Not sure if there are others, but I was reading his bio for another reason and noticed this.

Yes to "On the Dnieper" ! I loved that ballet (and Part was exceptional in it).

I agree Copeland is better suited to Myrtha, but she will get Giselle.

I'm not sure how many Giselle slots there will be. My guess is that Copeland gets a go, before Cassandra. Don't forget that Stella will almost certainly fill one of the slots vacated by recent retirements. Maybe Copeland and Simkin in the Wednesday Afternoon slot

I agree if a choice has to be made, it would certainly be Copeland over Trenary. But, I'm guessing that if they do 8 performances of Giselle (a full week including 2 matinees) and there are 7 female principals who do the role or who would debut (Abrera, Boylston, Copeland, Kochetkova?, Semionova, Seo, Vishneva) then there'd be room for one more debut, unless someone gets to do it twice (Vishneva probably).

I think we should add to the predictions list whether or not David Hallberg will return.