KrystinW

I just want to echo that I have absolutely loved Megan's interviews on her YouTube channel. It's been such a great mix of interviewees that we might not hear from in typical media interviews, like Anthony Huxley. So insightful - I hope she keeps it going as she really has a talent for it. Such a natural talker.

Just returned to our hotel after the opening night performance of Martins' Sleeping Beauty, and unfortunately it lived up to the sleeping portion of its name. A bit of a snooze! I love these dancers, but it felt like they were not set up for success tonight. The tempo in the fairy variations in particular did not allow the women to fully complete the steps and stretch to the end of their lines. Poor Tess Reichlen as LIlac Fairy looked like she was fighting to catch up the entire time, and it certainly wasn't her fault. Kristen Segin managed the tempo better than others and was a breath of fresh air as Fairy of Eloquence. 

I've been a fan of Sterling Hyltin in other ballets, but she was a big disappointment for us tonight unfortunately. It felt like there was no effort to build her character at all, and it felt like she completely missed the mark on the Rose Adagio. The balances don't have to be perfect, but they should be attempted. That wasn't the case tonight. 

In the third act the shining stars were jewels, especially Megan LeCrone. Little Red Riding Hood was adorable. Another positive note - the sets and costumes were beautiful. Maybe other casts will have better luck as Aurora!

I attended the Nov. 30th evening performance while visiting a friend in Seattle. What a treat, especially knowing that the unique Stowell and Sendak version is in it's last run!

I've never been a fan of the party scene in any Nutcracker as I'm usually anxious to get to the snow scene and second act. I thought this party scene was as charming as any other one. The Masque dance was an unexpected addition, which I thought was very cleanly danced by Amanda Clark, Kyle Davis and Dylan Ward. I felt that the Sword-Dancer doll (Ryan Cardea) could have danced with a little more energy though. It almost felt like the he was marking the choreography.

Moving into the battle scene, I loved the giant grandfather clock that turned into Drosselmeyer and his long, swinging legs. In addition to the giant mouse head and tail, these were some serious pieces of scenery!

Heading into the snow scene, we got our first glimpse of Laura Tisserand and Karel Cruz dancing together. What a tall, beautiful pair they make. Their pas de deux was exquisite. Laura has beautifully arched feet and creates beautiful lines. And Karel was a very strong partner. The snowflakes were in top form, clearly well rehearsed. I liked this version of snow, but how can you really go wrong with this beautiful music?

In Act II, Laura danced her solo variation almost right off the bat. I had really high expectations after her pas in the snow scene, and I'm sorry to say I was a bit let down by her solo. Yes, she has beautiful feet, legs and extension. But - I felt that instead of being in control of the steps, they were in control of her. She managed to land her double pirouettes, but it looked like she lacked the strength to perform on her own that wasn't noticeable when she was being partnered. Karel's solo was technically strong, but not flashy. Kind of a nice change for me - no complaints here! The biggest standout for me in Act II was Waltz of the Flowers, led by Lesley Rausch. Just wow. Lesley knocked this one out of the park. Rock solid technique, beautiful musicality, and such a pleasant demeanor. What a wonderful example for all of the flowers dancing behind her. The Dervishes (Raphael Bouchard, Ryan Cardea, Christian Poppe) needed more rehearsal. I attended with one person who is very new to ballet, and while he can't tell you anything about technique he was very distracted by them not dancing together. Commedia (Sarah Pasch, Eric Hipolito Jr. and Elle Macy) looked beautiful in their variation, but they could use a bit more rehearsal time too. There's a lot of potential there though, and I'm sure they'll grow as a group throughout the run!

Overall, it was a fantastic evening. Those who live in Seattle are lucky to be able to see such a world class troupe on a regular basis!

Wanted to put my two cents in on Peck's ballet. I loved it. I saw it Sunday afternoon, and it was wedged between the latest Millepied and Wheeldon ballets for NYCB, Two Hearts and Les Carillons. I didn't expect it to be better than the other two, but in my opinion it blew them out of the water.

For me, the real excitement in this ballet is the corps. Their formations are inventive and change in the blink of an eye. They really were a force. Sara Adams had a few beautiful moments where she was featured. I really want to see more of her. It was very strange for me to focus more on the corps when people like Tess Reichlen and Ashley Bouder are dancing, but that's where my focus went. Reichlen looked very good in the choreography, much more comfortable than she did in Symphony in C the previous evening.

I loved the music, especially since it wasn't what I would think of for ballet music. I think Justin Peck has a unique talent. It was a huge success in my book.

The Thursday 10/4 performance at NYCB was a good one! All tickets were $29 dollars and the house was absolutely packed. I ended up on the fourth ring, where I have never sat, and loved the vantage point. I was on the side, so I wasn't very far from the dancers. I was almost on top of them, but it was a great way to watch them.

The program started with Sterling Hyltin and Robert Fairchild in Duo Concertant. Their energy was refreshing. Sterling has always appeared almost coltish to me. Her lines are precise, and her footwork was clean. It probably doesn't hurt that she has beautifully arched feet. She really seemed to be having a great time while dancing. Fairchild was good, and I appreciated his attack. I have to say my focus never veered far from Sterling though.

After the Rain was next with Wendy Whelan and Craig Hall, and I felt very lucky to have been there to see it. This has to be one of Wendy's best roles. It fits her like a glove. Craig was a great partner but Wendy and the choreography of this piece just seem to be meant for each other. It was emotional and she came off as vulnerable. Beautiful.

Moves was next, and it's just not really my thing. It seems like there are a number of interesting things you could do in a ballet without music but this had none of them. The dancers were good, but the piece seemed long. Even the leotards worn by the women seemed unflattering and outdated. Just not my favorite!

After intermission the program concluded with Hallelujah Junction. This was the first Martins ballet I have ever seen. I loved the music and it was great to see the dancers moving at such a quick pace. As the lead, Janie Taylor was captivating. There were times when her technique didn't seem as strong as some of the other dancers in the company, but she is a dancer that you want to watch. It's hard to take your eyes off of her. Daniel Ulbricht was a firecracker, plain and simple. He's a small dancer that packs a huge punch. The corps couples seemed to have just as challenging of choreography as the principals. Lauren Lovette stuck out to me for having a truly lovely movement quality. She's musical, and she has beautiful lines. Surely she'll be dancing more soloist roles soon.