PeggyTulle

From IG, it looks like this is his last season, but not last performance. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CbWBi2vPJPk/?utm_medium=copy_link

"Danielle St. Germain-Gordon, who has served as the San Francisco Ballet's interim executive director since June, has been named to the post permanently. The unanimous decision by the board's executive committee was announced on Thursday, March 17, after a regularly scheduled board meeting."

https://datebook.sfchronicle.com/dance/s-f-ballet-names-new-executive-director-and-shes-a-familiar-face

50 minutes ago, California said:

Alas, looks like Aaron Robison hasn't returned! 

Poor Aaron. I wonder if this means we won't see Mathilde in La Sylphide...?

Sasha had posted to her IG stories that Aaron had gotten injured partway through a performance, and Joe Walsh stepped in partway through. 

Yeah, I had a feeling this was coming, but I was hoping to have another year or two of SVP onstage. 

5 minutes ago, pherank said:

I should mention that Keesler danced at ENB for a while - and then left. Does she feel that she's not a good fit with Rojo leading? Or is it just a case of "been there, done that"?

IIRC, she has mentioned in the past that she left due to experiences with leadership. She was part of that mass exodus years ago.

Madison Keesler has noted on IG that she's looking for opportunities and that her schedule is wide open after May 8, which is the last Swan Lake performance... more details about that to come in another post. I read this to be if you want to see Madison dance in SF, now is the time. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CakTqb_p2ob/?utm_medium=copy_link

Well said, @Tapfan

Thanks, @pherank!

1 hour ago, pherank said:

We'll just have to hope it's nothing worse than a sprain or shin splints. Otherwise...

Agreed, @pherank. Any Frances Chung spotting in Blake Works? I feel like I haven't seen her casted yet this season (post-Nut)...

Nikisha Fogo has posted pics and video to her IG stories in a walking boot😢😢😢

https://instagram.com/stories/nikishafogo/2769307000641463468?utm_medium=share_sheet

4 hours ago, pherank said:

Yes, I read that bit about Hernandez "rejoining" SFB, but it was news to me, and I think to everyone else that follows SFB. There was never any PR announcement of this fact. It's obviously just part of Rojo's package deal.

And Hernandez has been posting quite regularly in the UK and with ENB (recently in class and at rehearsals). There's no evidence that he's started here yet, even. Seems to me to be part of the package, as you said @pherank, but positioned differently. 

20 hours ago, ABT Fan said:

If you received ABT's summer 2022 brochure, which I did today, they list her as a principal for the season with an asterisk "on maternity leave".

That might be the most nonchalant announcement ever! 

7 hours ago, California said:

Just announced: Kochetkova is leaving ENB at the end of this month. No mention of SFB. She did at least one Nutcracker with ENB.

Repost @englishnationalballet
* * *
Today we announce that Maria Kochetkova, Lead Principal Dancer, will be leaving ENB later this month. Maria will be leaving the UK to pursue her wider creative ambitions in dance. We wish Maria every success in the future.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CYtUupENjRr/

Well, that stint was short lived...

Anyone know why Maria Kochetkova hasn't been cast in this run? She was featured in one of the promos, and she posted on IG about it at one point...

[Moved to main season thread] 

3 minutes ago, PeggyR said:

I do think there’s a difference between ‘cleaning house’ - as in not renewing contracts for dancers who don’t fit the new director’s vision for a company - and making life so miserable for remaining dancers that they leave voluntarily to preserve their physical and mental well being.  The first is distressing but understandable; the second is simply unacceptable.

Thank you, @PeggyR. It's the latter that truly worries me.

1 minute ago, Terez said:

Wow. Just wow. Did not see this coming or even consider it. (I'd thought, weirdly, that they'd come up with a two-person team, like Benjamin Millepied and Sofiane Sylve. Guess not!)

Yep. I didn't consider Tamara a real possibility b/c the relationship with Isaac and her history seem so volatile and ripe for COI issues. Guess the SFB board felt otherwise...

7 minutes ago, cobweb said:

I know nothing about what happened at ENB or what the issue is with Tamara Rojo. Within the limits, of course, of what's allowed on this board, can anyone fill me in on why there might be a mass exodus? I have to agree that whatever the reason, that would be very unfortunate. 

https://www.dancemagazine.com/tamara-rojo-isaac-hernandez/

http://www.balletposition.com/blog/the-two-faces-of-english-national-ballet

And if you have a UK Times subscription/access: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/english-national-ballet-director-tamara-rojo-hits-back-over-romance-with-isaac-hernandez-dnx6j3960

Madison Keesler was part of the ENB exodus, IIRC...

This is... shocking. I worry about a mass exodus from SFB (similar to what happened with ENB and the issues she had with former ENB company members). 

2 hours ago, Terez said:

I was there too! It surprised me, but actually, I was half-expecting to learn the run had been cut short and the production closed, so I was very, very happy to see this compromise. It was a lovely performance. Got to see Nikisha Fogo and Julian MacKay perform the Grand Pas de Deux. Thrilling! It was like spying a new, big gift under the Christmas tree when you were sure you'd opened all the gifts. I really, really enjoyed it. Also really enjoyed seeing Dores André perform SPF. It feels like so long since I've seen her dance, particularly in something so dainty and classical. It was gorgeous and nuanced and really showed off her strength and skill as a dancer. (So easy for this role to come across as a little... vanilla.)

So very glad to have seen this performance. Now I'm staying out of San Francisco until the omicron variant subsides! I'm glad the company's repertory season doesn't start until February this year.

Most of the principal roles/dancers (except Clara) were unmasked as they danced, but in the finale, they masked up. 

My friend said that the party scene was masked. She also remembered Arabian being masked, too. 

I have a friend who saw SFB's Nut yesterday and said that the cast was masked for the entire performance. 

Jasmine Jimison is listed as a second soloist with Boston Ballet. She seemed to be a rising star at SFB. Anyone know if this is temporary? She's also been seen in BB dancers Nutcracker IG stories.

https://www.bostonballet.org/Home/Global/Profiles/Artists/Second-Soloists/Jasmine-Jimison.aspx

https://instagram.com/stories/dani_durrett/2721545157342655769?utm_medium=share_sheet

I got something in the mail a few weeks ago about CYO, but I already recycled it...