DanielBenton

Amen.  Acocella's is a very meaningful review that touches on the essence of Homan's endeavour.

Excellent critique, thanks!

I just read the book.  Having observed and enjoyed Gina in performance many times, and having observed the entire company including coaches and ballet masters in rehearsals, I can say the book rings true. 

Hello,

Can you tell me where the casting is posted?  Thanks

NYCB is looking more and more like a criminal enterprise run from the top

It will be very interesting to see how Smirnova "ages".  As she discussed somewhere (DanceWorld interview?), [paraphrased] she has to rethink and adapt her various iconic roles (Tatiana, Aurora, Nikiya, Giselle, Swan Lake) as she gets older.  I have not seen anyone else who commands the stage as she does,  (along with Allegra Kent in her "modern" roles, e.g., Agon, Episodes, which are storyless music and dance).   I'd love to see Smirnova in Anna Karenina and La Dame Aux Camellias.  As her coach says in the Bolshoi "biopic" on YouTube, you can't help but be moved when you watch her.

Smirnova's website indicates she is dancing Nikiya on Jan.20.  Perhaps this is the same performance as the live broadcast?

Here is a clip of Garrett Smith and Olga S dancing Smith's Solace.  The entire piece used to be up on YouTube but now I find just the excerpt.

Pherank said it.  For example, in Iowa City there are several K-12 dance schools (two of which have sent students to SAB, NYCB and Boston Ballet) and a university with a "major" dance program.  Yet when the Bolshoi (or rarely the Royal) comes to the local cinema, none of the students show up, because their teachers did not tell them about them.

Her discussion about Tchaikovsky's importance is definitely worth reading.

As Mr. Balanchine said in Solomon Volkov's book Balanchine's Tchaikovsky:  "Sleeping Beauty...is the best of the old ballets, second only to Giselle."

I was also thinking of Merce Cunningham and how sometimes he is reminiscent of Balanchine (and Picasso/cubism).

The lines and angles in Balanchine's modern works remind me of Picasso

Thanks to both for the seating suggestions.

Does anyone have tips for best seating at City Center? Thanks

The programs and performing companies are posted on the New York City Center website

https://www.nycitycenter.org/pdps/2018-2019/Balanchine/

My first goal was to see the Brahms-Schoenberg; and Tchaikovsky Suite No.3 is good too, so I am not bereft.

Too bad since i already ordered a ticket for it on May 23!

This is good news.  We need to see Balanchine danced by many different companies rooted in different traditions. 

I vote for Smirnova because she answered a question I have had ever since doing research on Balanchine:  what happens when a great Russian ballerina dances Balanchine?  She answered the question in "Diamonds" thereby showing a depth to Balanchine's works not available from (most) other dancers   She reminds me of Allegra Kent in having a certain nobility, and also not being particularly suited to "pretty girl" roles.  

Thank you Jack!  I imagine Mr. B. would have enjoyed seeing dance his ballets with a new slant that he had not en visioned but  liked.  Examples:  Elisabeth Platel dancing Ravel Sonatine; Olga Smirnova (from several years ago) dancing the pas de deux from Diamonds.

There are law firms that specialize in representing employers, and there are law firms that specialize in representing employees.  They rarely do both.  Kelley Drye is the former.  

ballet_n00b thanks for pointing me to Beatrice Rana.

I credit the New Yorker profile with bringing her to my attention; highly amused and not surprised by Janet Malcolm's fixation on Wang's clothing choices.  As Mr.B. is said to have said, if you don't like what you see, just close your eyes and listen.

Wang's Chopin is especially interesting.  Here is what may have been her graduation recital from Curtis, and she has gotten better since then.  Possibly because she is part of the Curtis Lineage (Graffman/Hoffman/Godowsky) she plays with the sensibility of one of those old-timers, and without musical distortion.