Lillian

or Heather!

I think Fedorova was in the original cast of Mozartiana. It's in Balanchine's 'Mozartiana': The Making of a Masterpiece by Robert Maiorano. Balanchine was fond of her and in the book there's a nice bit about him complimenting her on her attitude turn and marking her name on the score at that point in the pas de quatre.

I always thought of Fedorova as the blonde Suzanne Farrell. What ever happened to her?

You really have to wonder why dancers like Borree and Kistler are still on stage. It must drive the talented younger dancers nuts.

When you think of the money people dole out for tickets to these performances, it seems irresponsible of Martins to have these ladies in top roles.

Maybe Kistler's name fills the seats, but it sounds like people are attending just to see if she makes it through in one piece. And Borree I've never understood (well maybe just once with the televised Swan Lake pas de trois). She's obviously talented but her stage fright takes everything away from her performance.

I know the feeling on this site is to be aware of people's feelings when posting, BUT these dancers are professionals and admission to the NYCB isn't free. The fact that Martins continues to cast his wife and son in top roles (is Yvonne Borre a niece?) when it sounds like they are fudging their way through ballets, is really quite shocking.

I'm always surprised when they schedule ballets that they don't consider the number of repeat performances people coming in for a week or a long weekend have to put up with.

I used to go to Saratogo, but in the past few years, I just couldn't face sitting through so many of the same ballets. One year I saw three Agons, which was fine. But three performances of the same Peter Martins ballet will hold me back every year.

Wow, I quite enjoyed that.

Hmm...I think you could be right. My English sources seem confused. They mentioned new cartoonish sets and that does sound like the ENB from the articles Brenda posted.

I'm taking along two little girls (one six and one eight-year old) and was hoping the production would be entertaining for them as well as for a die hard balletomane like me . I took one of them to see The Royal's Giselle last year and she held up quite well until the end.

As we only have time for one of these companies, which do you think I should spring for (I'm up against their mother who thinks they should see My Fair Lady instead).

Also, I would probably be smart to purchase tickets ASAP no?

I'm going to be in London over the Christmas holidays and I was wondering if the new RB Nutcracker would be worth checking out?

Has anyone heard anything about this new production? Casting's not up yet on the site.

I always liked Concerto for Two Solo Pianos, but probably only because of Heather Watts' fierce performance. I heard that Wendy Whelan danced it later. Anyone catch that performance?

The worst Martin's ballet I ever saw was Poulenc Sonata, or wait ... was it Ecstatic Orange? Choices, choices...:rolleyes:

I hate to say this, but I was bored stiff most of the time. I found myself more interested in a Martha Stewart segment on how to make a sand box on another channel than the ballet. There's too much partnering in these modern ballets, not enough solo work. I thought Them Twos was the biggest yawn; that section with Borre was such a missed opportunity. I liked the Wheeldon best because of Jennifer Ringer's posture and class. Wendy Whelan is nice to watch because she's such a unique talent. The rest was all legs, elbows and a sweaty Jock Soto. And sorry Peter, but Maria Korowski is no Suzanne Farrell.

Found it!

Wow, wow, wow, what a treat to read all those reviews at once!

Thanks to all who wrote for us.

Has no one been recently?

Please, us poor fans stuck in ballet-starved cities are dying for a review.

Leigh, I'll tell you, that night, exept for an obvious problem with flexibility (similar to Farrell in her last years), she was amazing: quick, sharp, and, as always with Ashley, exquisite pointe work. I had seen Kyra Nichols earlier that week in the same ballet and I far preferred Ashley. Also, she apparently only found out she was dancing late in the afternoon. I believe she was standing in for an injured Nichols.

Leigh, I'll tell you, that night, exept for an obvious problem with flexibility (similar to Farrell in her last years), she was amazing: quick, sharp, and, as always with Ashley, exquisite pointe work. I had seen Kyra Nichols earlier that week in the same ballet and I far preferred Ashley. Also, she apparently only found out she was dancing late in the afternoon. I believe she was standing in for an injured Nichols.

I had another experience, similar to this, seeing Karen Kain dance Juliet two years before she retired. I had never been a Kain fan before but that night she was so beautiful, I found myself weeping more than once. Again, she just poured her heart into it, and, what an actress! I walked away from that performance angry...angry at myself for having ignored this lovely dancer over the years (Kirkland and Makarova were far more glamourous than a fellow Canadian).

Funnily enough, seeing Nureyev at the end of his career did not offer the same impression. He danced Apollo and Flower Festival during one of those Nureyev and Friends tours and it was awful. At times, I actually I hid my eyes.

Ditto for Heather Watts, who I saw in her pre-retirement year on a Stars of New York City Ballet tour. At the end of a little Who Cares number they pasted together, Watts (costumed in a too-small, sparkly black outfit with hair loose) hit the final kneeling pose, and, during the black out, put her head down, both hands flat on the floor and slowly struggled into a standing postion, while the other dancers quickly and gracefully took their places to bow. I had always been a Watts fan, but that night she was just winging it, offering the bare minimum. She's another dancer who hung in there WAY too long.

I had another experience, similar to this, seeing Karen Kain dance Juliet two years before she retired. I had never been a Kain fan before but that night she was so beautiful, I found myself weeping more than once. Again, she just poured her heart into it, and, what an actress! I walked away from that performance angry...angry at myself for having ignored this lovely dancer over the years (Kirkland and Makarova were far more glamourous than a fellow Canadian).

Funnily enough, seeing Nureyev at the end of his career did not offer the same impression. He danced Apollo and Flower Festival during one of those Nureyev and Friends tours and it was awful. At times, I actually I hid my eyes.

Ditto for Heather Watts, who I saw in her pre-retirement year on a Stars of New York City Ballet tour. At the end of a little Who Cares number they pasted together, Watts (costumed in a too-small, sparkly black outfit with hair loose) hit the final kneeling pose, and, during the black out, put her head down, both hands flat on the floor and slowly struggled into a standing postion, while the other dancers quickly and gracefully took their places to bow. I had always been a Watts fan, but that night she was just winging it, offering the bare minimum. She's another dancer who hung in there WAY too long.

I saw Merrill Ashley dance Allegro Brillante at SPAC the year before she retired. It was amazing. She obviously was in bad shape BUT she gave it her all; the lightning speed and star power were still there. I cherish the memories of that performance above all others. I had spotted her with her husband the day before limping badly down the main street in Saratoga and it I broke my heart (I adore Merrill Ashley). But when I saw her dance the next night, I was elated -- one last chance to witness her brilliance. What a gift.

I saw Merrill Ashley dance Allegro Brillante at SPAC the year before she retired. It was amazing. She obviously was in bad shape BUT she gave it her all; the lightning speed and star power were still there. I cherish the memories of that performance above all others. I had spotted her with her husband the day before limping badly down the main street in Saratoga and it I broke my heart (I adore Merrill Ashley). But when I saw her dance the next night, I was elated -- one last chance to witness her brilliance. What a gift.

Iwas happy to hear him name Kirkland as one of his favourite partners. I wonder if there's been some sort of "raprochement" over the years.

I also thought he looked so sad and serious. But the dance clips were great, especially -- to my surprise -- the modern dance pieces. They made me fall in love with his dancing all over again.

The Harlequin exerpt was quite impressive as well.

Ah Baryshnikov...will there ever be any dancer like him again?

Sorry for the gossipy nature of this post, but am I the only one who read that Volochkova is now dating Jim Carrey?

Why do I get the impression this would have played out differently -- and these comments might not be as cutting -- if this had happened to a couple of American skaters?

I think Sale and Pelletier handled this VERY graciously. If they were just whining about nothing, they wouldn't have handed them a gold medal today. And by the way, I agree with a bunch of American journalists on CNN today who think the Russians should get the silver. Can there really be two gold medals? This must be a first.

Shame on the French judge, the back-room Russians and all those corrupt Olympic officials who take bribes right left and center. It's increasingly apparent, from the host city bribe scandal to this, that the whole Olympic enterprise is rotting at the core.

I'm totally with Jeannie on this one!

OK, but let's not blame the athletes here. They are now just puppets in a huge media game. This is a STORY and the media is milking it to the hilt. And if there is proof of corrupt judging, I agree with Scott Hamilton who said it would throw all results, past and present, into question. These kids -- all of them -- work too hard to be treated this way. There's a rumor now that those “whiners” Shae-Lynn Bourne and Victor Kraatz will place fifth in the ice dance competition and that it has all been decided behind closed doors a week before they've even set foot on the ice. This sport is turning into a joke! Give me speed skating any day, where the winner is the person with the fastest time, not a judged mark.

And Mr. Waffle, if you now are unhappy with the CBC's Olympic coverage (which you praised to the hilt before this fiasco) may I kindly suggest you switch channels to Mr. Costas at NBC. CBC is heavily funded by Canadian taxpayers who are probably very interested in this controversy. At least until the hockey games get going…

~Lillian (who is suddenly feeling extremely patriotic)

I have always been a fan of the Russian team and I think they skated beautifully, but there's no denying they made mistakes (the fall out of the jump was a big mistake) and the Canadians did not (I don't think Jaimie two-footed that landing).

The gold should go to the couple that skated a clean program. Three of the judges awarded the same technical marks to both teams and that's just plain wrong.

And BTW, I think the comment about adverbs is mean-spirited and below the belt.

None of these reviews mention Carla Korbes? Is she injured?

I heard from some of Arova's students that -- as strange as it may sound -- she not only was the frequent partner of, but also was engaged to Bruhn. Anybody hear this one? It sounded like more than gossip.