bobbi

On the question of ID for under 12 year olds, I asked that very question of a security guard (as I will be taking family, including an 11-year-old, to the Nutcracker). He said that an accompanying parent is all that is needed.

Cubanmiamiboy, I too enjoy the lakeside scene the best. Is it any surprise that Martins said it is based on Balanchine's 1951 one-act Swan Lake? If you ever get a chance to see that, I would highly recommend it. I lucked out in my subscription series, as I have tomorrow's night's Peck/Gordon Swan and am very much looking forward to it.

My favorite feature of male dancing was on display at NYCB last night: light landings. Anthony Huxley (along with Sterling Hyltin) was his usual elegant classical self in Scotch Symphony. It was a debut for Harrison Ball (along with Indiana Woodward) in Valse-Fantaisie. After one misstep, they both turned in a lovely performance. The highlight of the evening for me, however, was the eye-opening and stunning performance of Taylor Stanley (along with a glamorous Megan Fairchild) in Sonatine. Taylor Stanley never disappoints but the choreography fit him like a glove and he was mesmerizing. And I don't think it was just my take on the performance as you could hear a pin drop while he was dancing and there was a thunderclap of applause when the curtain came down. I thoroughly enjoyed Aaron Sanz (another debut) in the Stravinsky Violin Concerto. I would like to have seen more intensity from Joseph Gordon here.

For me, the highlight of the festival so far is San Francisco Ballet's rendition of Divertimento No. 15. It was just wonderful dancing of a gorgeous ballet given the deluxe treatment.

Yes, Mira Nadon was in Diamonds last night. I too was so impressed by her Workshop performance in Scotch that I have been on the lookout for her ever since. She is still listed as an apprentice.

Other debuts last night of note were Taylor Stanley in the male lead in Emeralds as well as Joe Gordon in Diamonds. I am happy to report that Taylor was excellent partnering a luminous Tiler Peck. The famed "walking pas" was well done by both Adrian Danchig-Waring and Unity Phelan. Emeralds, my favorite section, was the highlight of the evening for me. In Diamonds, Joseph Gordon brought out aspects of the male solo I had seen in a very long time. He turned in a bravura performance partnering an always riveting Sara Mearns. I was a bit disturbed, however, by how much fudging of the choreography Sara did in her solos. That being said though, she was an audience favorite.

Well said, Royal Blue. Tomorrow night is my Jewels and I'm so looking forward to it.

So glad, Royal Blue, that there is another fan of Goldberg Variations. I remember the days when it was performed on a harpsichord and with a note slipped into the program asking the audience to wait until the end to applaud. And, of course, the audience started to clap at the seeming "false" ending and was quickly hushed. Quite frankly, I was quite amazed that today's audience was able to sit through it at all as well as they did.

Nanushka, although I have no info on video clips on Le Tombeau de Couperin, I hope your seat is in one of the rings where you can clearly see the patterns unfold. I hope you enjoy it.

I totally agree with the accolades about last night's performances and just want to give a shout out about Le Tombeau de Couperin. If I ever doubted the genius of Balanchine, this particular ballet -- where its incredible inventiveness just keeps on coming and coming -- should be counted as one of his masterpieces. And this current crop of NYCB dancers did it justice. As much as I'm looking forward to this same program on Sunday, I especially look forward to this piece. Although it may not be show stopper for newbies, last night's audience seemed very attentive to its charms.

Vipa, this is just to say "ditto" to your post about last night. I just want to add an extra "shout out" to Taylor Stanley who gave some particularly exquisite dancing in the Summer role.

DC Export, I was too thinking about Meditation, which Suzanne also owns. I think its over-the-top display of emotion just might appeal to today's audience. It was met by much squeamishness "back in the day." Glad you enjoyed it, and I also wish it would come to New York as well. And, by the way, I think Means would "eat up the stage" in Tzigane along with Amar as her partner. Alas and alack, it doesn't hurt to fantasize about casting....

Suzanne owns the rights to Tzigane, which was always great fun and I'd love to see it again in New York.

Ivy, I would call Ashly and Sean's effort a nice first effort together. He was an attentive partner. During the first two variations which, post-McBride -- the turns into arabesque penchees -- are now taken so you can see the mechanics -- were taken at an extremely glacial pace. Sean was a bit too far from Ashly, She did not come to grief but it was more on the side of "white knuckle" than "great drama." But Ashly has lots to her dancing that I like, that is, musicality, good attack, and she knows she is performing. At the very end of the entire variation she almost ended up face down but Sean made it right.

BalanchineFan, I was at yesterday's matinee with my family and am happy to report that Roman Mejia did indeed "kill" it as Tea. His jumps were spectacular and garnered a hearty round of applause. We have much to look forward to in his future performances. And Teresa Reichlen was a lovely Dewdrop.

All of the dancers in last night's program were just fabulous and a joy to watch. The program was Wheeldon's Carousel; Binet's The Blue of Distance; Martins' The Infernal Machine; Ratmansky's Pictures at an Exhibition; and Peck's Year of the Rabbit. All of these ballets had the same thing in common: in addition to using some of the standard ballet canon, all the ballets had the dancers on the floor and/or using gymnastics moves. In Peck's piece, there were even yoga's one-legged chaturangas (gorgeously executed by the way). In Carousel, dancers were used as pieces of furniture. Dancers were often used as props. Tastes change of course. Story ballets were the norm in pre-Balanchine days. Tudor's angst ballets were the "in" thing in the last mid-century. Is the future of ballet the mix of genres? I have to say I missed dancers soaring through the air last night. Looking forward to any comments.

I'm hoping to see Robbins' Piano Pieces which he did for the Tschaikovsky Festival. It hasn't been done in years and is, IMO, a delightful ballet.

Yes, over the decades, NYCB has seen lots of family members dancing at the same time. Many of you long-time NYCB goers can probably add to my list: Neary sisters D'Anboise (father and son) Frame brothers Borne sisters Otto brothers Stafford siblings (brother now at SAB) Any others you can remember?

Any comments on the new (refurbished?) Vienna Waltzes costumes? The pink dresses in the first Tales of the Vienna Woods are shorter (you can now easily see the shoes) and have a fuller cut and seem to swirl more; the Voices of Spring tutus seem to me to be darker than the originals; the Polka costumes seem much brighter; and, finally, the white gowns in Rosenkavalier are really, really white (as opposed to a light cream originally). I too thoroughly enjoyed Huxley's dancing. Brought back memories of that pure classic dancing of Helgi. And Tiler was just wonderful in Ballo. Those pique turns ending in arabesque were right on the money musically. And, yes, what a company this is that it can field two completely different casts (both principals and soloists) for such a virtuoso work.

Interesting point, Abatt. "Back in the day" Allegra Kent and Kay Mazzo did second movement Bizet.

Last night's All-Balanchine program (Ballo della Regina, Kammermusik No. 2 and Tchaikovsky Suite No. 3) was the perfect antidote to the very disappointing Tuesday evening. And I agree with the Times' review with the exception of the costumes. I actually liked them; I thought they were creative and beautifully executed. Anyway, about last night.... Megan and Joaquin were fabulous in two killer roles, as were Ashly Isaacs (doing Debra Austin's great jumping part), Erica Pereira (doing crystalline diamond pas de chats in Sheryl Ware's part), Lauren King (in Stephanie Saland's part) and Ashley Laracey (in Bonnie Borne's soaring part). It was pure joy from start to finish. I'm a big fan of Kammermusik and it was just terrifically done by Mearns, Reichlen, Jared Angle and Amar Ramasar. The mens' corps was also spot on. Tiler Peck and Andy Veyette turned in an exquisite T&V performance.

Thank you so much, Canbelto, for unearthing that video. To my eyes, Diana Adams -- probably dancing on a concrete floor -- does do that pique turn into a lunge much more quickly than any of today's Sugar Plums. And I do remember that McBride, Verdy and Farrell also did that turn quickly. I guess I just like dancing where you don't see the mechanics -- just the magic.

Kaysta, I can report that Georgina Pazcoguin's Dewdrop was terrific this afternoon. She was technically secure and had lots of flair. Also, the debuts of Claire Kretzschmar and Silas Farley in the Sugar Plum variation went very well indeed. Silas was a very good partner and did his own variations with confidence and style. You would never have guessed that this was Claire's debut as Sugar Plum; she was both radiant and gracious. Bravo to all.

Yes, Canbelto, that is definitely one of the "hazard spots." And I remember with great pleasure and awe that when Patricia McBride did that very sequence you mention she did it with the speed of summer lightening so you never saw the mechanics. A Magical Sugar Plum indeed.

Natalia, I'm so glad you posted that you too enjoyed Boylston's Aurora. For me, she was everything an Aurora should be: spot-on technically, charming and -- most of all -- totally in sync with the music. And Gorak was a delight in his wedding pas variation. I really like this "less is more" variation, as it's so perfect for the music. And, yes, Gomes was the best Carabosse I've ever seen -- definitely a must-see. All in all, a very nice evening at the ballet.