ABT Fan

David Hallberg is still on his way to recovery from injuries and will not be dancing at this MET season.

http://nyti.ms/1DV2VNP

From the Times: He will be replaced in some of his 13 scheduled performances by the Mariinsky principal Vladimir Shklyarov, in “Giselle,” and by Leonid Sarafanov, a principal dancer with the Mikhailovsky Ballet, in “La Bayadère” and “The Sleeping Beauty.” It will be Mr. Sarafanov’s debut with Ballet Theater.

So, I believe these 2 replacements make the number of guest artists 10 total who will be at the Met.

I'm quite speechless.

Bad feet - for those of us not on Facebook what does your hashtag link to? If it's a picture can u post it so we can see it?

There is another Lilac Fairy dress (tutu) shown in an earlier post here just as there are longer more formal outfits for the leads.

Yes, the costumes are certainly beautiful! I especially love the Lilac Fairy's.

Boylston is doing Giselle with Hammoudi at the May 23 matinee. She debuted in that role at the Met season last year with Whiteside.

Hopefully, Whiteside recovers from his injury (assuming he is injured) quickly.

From my vantage point, ABT seems determined to make Hammoudi into a principal despite his unimpressive turns in principal parts and his recurring injuries (yes I know dancers get injured, but he seems to be out more than others). Though I'm all for giving folks second chances, I haven't seen any development from him. Maybe he's a late bloomer.

I agree that ABT needs more tall, strong men as principals. I'm a broken record on this point - why haven't they been giving Forster any opportunities? Talk about tall and strong and he's a gorgeous dancer.

I think Shayer has enormous potential. He really stood out in Clear with his enormous jumps and super plush landings so I'm very happy he's been given Bluebird. I think this could be a break out role for him. Copeland is quite petite. I can't recall if Shayer is much taller but he's not slight of build (like Simkin) so their pairing could work really well although I haven't seen him partner much.

Could it be that numbers 6 and 7 a are blue bird and number 5 is something else?

Vipa I think you're right. I looked at the casting again and based on March 6 alone (Shevchenko is 5, Simkin is 6 and Trenary is 7) 6&7 must be Bluebird because Shevchenko is way too tall for Simkin to partner. But then what role is 5?

Casting for Carabosse, Lilac Fairy and the Bluebird PdD in CA is now listed on ABT's site. I can't figure out what role the sixth name is for? Anyone know? Glad to see Trenary and Shayer given soloist roles. But it's a shame how little Part and Lane have been given.

I agree Amour. I saw Martin's version once and have no desire to see it again. His choreography makes no sense and works against the glorious score. Macmillan's version is the ultimate R&J to me.

I'm certainly not Hammoudi's biggest advocate, but I'm wondering why he wasn't cast.

Hallberg has now been replaced by Whiteside in Rodeo during the first week of the Met season. He is still scheduled to dance in Fancy Free during the same time. I expect many more "replacements" for Hallberg to trickle in as we get closer and closer to the season.

Whiteside has certainly become MVP #2. Hopefully he won't get injured with the enormous load he's been/will be carrying. Too bad they couldn't have given the Champion Roper to Forster or Royal. I think Royal would be fabulous in it and it would have been a great opportunity.

Denys Nedak has now filled the TBA spot to dance with Herrera on March 6. I was really expecting Bolle to show up. Maybe he wasn't available.

I'm pretty sure it was Cornejo.

It'll be a challenge for Gorak, but in a good way in my opinion.

Joseph Gorak is now cast to dance T&V with Sarah Lane in DC. How I'd love to see that.

Salstein still dances, but he's usually cast in character parts or contemporary ballets so he dances less often than the "princely" dancers. He has his own company now, Intermezzo, but it's a small company and still rather new so they don't seem to perform too often right now. He also teaches company class at ABT.

I didn't remember that. Hope he's recasted.

Les Sylphides still has TBA listed for the Poet role on May 11 and 14 (Gorak is doing the other two). Wouldn't that be a wonderful role/debut for the gallant Forster? (Hint, hint...) I can dream, can't I?

I just noticed on ABT's site that Copeland will debut as the Cowgirl in Rodeo opposite Salstein at the Kennedy Center in March and at the Met in May. That slot had been TBA until recently.

They are and have given numerous opportunities to Hamoudi, and Gorak is definitely gaining momentum. I just don't like Hamoudi very much, so I tend to avoid his performances.

I think Hammoudi and Copeland will be the next two people promoted to principal, with Gorak also in the mix a little further down the road.

Hammoudi is definitely not principal material to me. Injuries aside, I have not seen any improvement from him and he lacks strength and stamina. Gorak already out-shines him, though he needs more time (to work on partnering) before he's promoted.

As always ABT not developing dancers is tied to its rep being so loaded with full length story ballets. You don't develop as an artist or even a technician doing the corps of big ballets night after night. Soloists doing peasant pas & Swan Lake pas de trois, year after year don't develop either. Even principal dancers like Boylston - how good is your Swan Lake going to get, if you do 1 or 2 a year? They import guest artists who have been giving opportunities for growth in other companies.

At NYCB they have the advantage of rep in which lots of soloist and principal roles are danced in an evening's performance, and there are a lot of challenging corps parts. Peter Martins can take a chance throwing a corps member into a bigger role here and there, because that dancer doesn't have to carry the entire evening.

Absolutely. Very good points.

But, KM not giving dancers new roles in those full-length ballets is the second big piece of that problem. Someone up thread suggested giving Forster Solor at the Met. I would LOVE to see that and think he's more than earned that chance. He's been in the corps for seven years. Someone else also mentioned Royal III. I think he has loads of potential and has done some principal/soloist roles in some contemporary work and has performed beautifully. Scott has been in the corps for more than ten years. Yeah, how much can you grow if you're a peasant in the background night after night.

At least he's mentioned as appearing in some footage, but not to be interviewed is indeed a big omission (unless Baryshnikov declined to participate):

"Combined with hundreds of carefully curated stills from archives across the country and rare footage of ballet icons Jerome Robbins, George Balanchine, Agnes de Mille, Twyla Tharp and Mikhail Baryshnikov, American Masters: American Ballet Theatre at 75provides a comprehensive inside look at American Ballet Theatre and the world of professional ballet."

Another thing - when you look at the performance calendar the weeks of work for dancers is embarrassing. They used to have long tours.

Long tours are a thing of the past now. The new (new-er) economic reality makes it very, very expensive and difficult to have long tours.

Regarding KM, I'm having a hard time being optimistic about an AD change anytime soon. He's only 60/61 though he's been directing the co. for 23 years. Hopefully I'm wrong, but I can't see him letting go of such a "prestigious" job anytime soon while he's still relatively young. It's not like he's a choreographer and would want to leave to focus on that. What else would he do?

My picks for 2015 . . .

And, I liked how J.Lo's display of her "assets" was like two middle fingers up at gravity!

I think a plastic surgeon might very well have something to do with JLO's gravity defying assets. Not judging. It's part of the Hollywood scene.

Whatever the reason, JLo looked (and to me always does) amazing!

Rosamund Pike's dress: I am amazed we didn't see at least one wardrobe malfunction.

David Hallberg doesn't make that list? I'm also a fan of Part though I realize not everyone is. But surely Hallberg is without dispute.

No, of course Hallberg makes the list. I just forgot him (he's been injured so much lately I've hardly seen him dance) But his was also a promotion that was made about 15 years ago, I believe.

Hallberg was promoted to principal 8 years ago in 2006.

I'd also add Gillian Murphy to the list of good (with no hesitation) promotions. She was promoted to principal in 2002, the same year Gomes was promoted. And, Part. But, in my opintion that's it.

I personally feel that the company is in big trouble and I don't have the same level of respect for them as I did 5-8+ years ago (perhaps I should change my screen name). I think the retirements of Kent, Herrera and Reyes this year will have a huge impact. Whatever a person's individual feelings are about any one of them, they are beloved by many, they carry the full-length ballets, and they have been at the company for most (Reyes) if not their entire careers, rising through the ranks (Kent, Herrera), which is becoming rarer these days as many of us have discussed. If McKenzie plans on solving these vacancies with bringing in principals-for-hire, that will again send a very bad message to the company and to the many balletomanes who care and who are tired of seeing guest artists (or part-time principals) fill the many important principal roles. I would expect a mass exodus if that happens (haven't enough left already in the past year?).

Really - Luis is no longer at ABT? I didn't know that. That is interesting in terms of Sarah's career. Also, I too would be very surprised if Kochetkova joined ABT. A others have said her rep at SFB is more interesting and she has a big guesting career.

As far as guesting goes, why should Kochetkova have to limit those if she joins ABT? Hallberg is not only a principal at the Bolshoi but he also guests all over the world (Australian Ballet, La Scala to name two). Bolle only dances at the Met (usually) because he too performs with other companies. Gomes, Simkim, Whiteside and Boylston also do a lot of guesting (just read their Twitter feeds). Kochetkova could become a principal (or maybe I should say "principal") and just dance during the Met season. I'm not advocating that arrangement, but look at how many others do it and are members of the company. If that happens, of course the company will still be short handed during their tours.