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sz

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  • Connection to/interest in ballet** (Please describe. Examples: fan, teacher, dancer, writer, avid balletgoer)
    former NYCB dancer, B'way // currently teacher/coach/mentor, fan, balletgoer
  • City**
    New York
  • State (US only)**, Country (Outside US only)**
    NY

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  1. I have not seen any mention of Sarah Lane's Juliet that was to be her ABT debut on May 28....
  2. I was at this matinee too. Tiler was amazing as Black Swan, and, yes, even in White Swan, Tiler loosened up a lot since I last saw her in Allegro Brilliante to allow her neck's and back's flexibility. Heard that she was less fearful and comfortable at Saturday's matinee than in her first performance of this season's SL. Tiler's musicality is unquestionably exceptional, though I missed the extreme lines I hoped for from a White Swan. Otherwise, I loved her. Joe Gordon was the beyond what I had sort of expected. Joe was everything I would have wanted to see in this SL's Prince role: Lines(!), elegance, soulful, dramatic without losing the aloof, confused nature of the Prince character, beautiful, strong technique, a fine partner. I was very impressed! Needless to say, I am a strong member of the rah-rah club! Bravo!
  3. nysusan: “I did not see problems with Lane's performance last night, except for poor partnering from Gorak. She seemed relaxed and danced well. There were a few areas where she could have done better - I thought her phrasing was a little brittle at the beginning of the pdd and she did not radiate the joy that you see from Peck or Bouder. ……ABT has always taken the music at a funereal pace and the orchestra just stops and waits for the dancers to position themselves for each new movement - which sucks all the life out of T&V.” No pressure! After Kevin’s clumsy speech announcing Alicia Alonso passed, and that Alica had originated the T&V ballerina role that Sarah with Joe Gorak were about to perform honoring her. laurel: “Her major issue came at the end of the slow woodwinds sequence, when she joins hands with all the corps women as they support her through the arabesque penchee, all the while twisting in and around themselves……. Near the end, however, she has to perform a series of pique turns moving downstage right, in preparation for her exit. The turns were far too slow, and she completed them after the music had ended.” Actually those turns are not pique turns. The ballerina starts out moving across the stage (stage left to right) with pas de chat jumps into a spin into a double pirouette from fifth position plie, repeating several times before she continues moving with spinning in fifth position turns on pointe alternating feet in a tight fifth position concluding with step up double pirouette landing in a big fourth position. Got that?! Whew! A hairy sequence for any ballerina I’ve seen. But, conductor Charles Barker decided to erratically change to a very fast tempi just as Sarah was in the middle of her last pirouette. Ugh! Sarah could not have predicted that or the many other erratic moments of Barker’s conducting last night….whether too slow or too fast. I find him awfully unpredictable in all the wrong places. On that note, I do not believe he caters to any dancers, but he certainly lacks sensitivity. Conductor David LaMarche is far better working with dancers and creates a much finer atmosphere for ballets and their dancers. Joe Gorak I hope will find more confidence in this ballet. He does have the princely look and beautiful lines, style, I love to see. He lacks strength, but btw, Daniil and Herman, in the past, have had a hard time with that last shoulder lift, actually failing it completely. Gorak held Sarah on his chest as long as he could……Her legs were in a fish, fifth position at a sideways angle. Kind of pretty, but not the choreography. Finally, yes, I too am very disappointed that Sarah is not dancing Apollo with Herman. I had hoped it would be Herman, Sarah, Skylar and Cassandra. Ah, when will Kevin listen to us??!! HaHa!
  4. Adrian Danchig-Waring and his perceived body shaming from The NYTimes. Bravo to the responder re strong, healthy, awe-inspiring dancers who are not stick thin such as Adrian. I do not have an Instagram account, but if any of you here at Ballet Alert do, please send Adrian your grateful appreciation for his wonderful, beautiful dancing and body.
  5. Peter was excellent in Theme. My recollections go back more to loving Gelsey and Misha. I’d love to see Harrison Ball in Theme!
  6. I was there too. Joseph Gordon handled the very difficult T&V beautifully. IMO, it’s not really the best role for him. Gordon shines far more in big movement ballets showing off his gorgeous lines, expansive elegance and technique. The double tour, pirouette, repeat and repeat part of the men’s solo looks far better on men like DeLuz or Huxley – both very compact and move tightly. Gordon is definitely my MVP of the season! I too can't wait to see his and Huxley’s Oberons next week. They both are excelling in the most difficult male roles in the rep at NYCB right now. I think soon, and excellently, T&V would be a great fit for Roman Mejia though I will still prefer Gordon’s handsome, princely style.
  7. I think you will love Shevchenko. Her Swan Lake last spring season was extraordinary.
  8. I just checked the calendar and it seems Hoven replaces Cornejo for all Nutcracker perfs.
  9. sz

    Alexandra Ansanelli

    Sad news, but there are films of Alexandra's dancing I have no doubt in the Lincoln Center Dance Library.
  10. Emma: "And for some corps dancer shout outs: Ashely Hod looked particularly lovely in Concerto Barocco." Ashley Hod is one of my very favorites. I'm hoping to see her more often and in soloist and principal roles. If you ever see Ashley Hod cast for Dewdrop, don't miss her. She not only has gorgeous lines, but her jumps are big and spring with such lightness and sparkle. She has danced this role in Nutcracker at least a couple of times now, also Sugar Plum. In Barocco, I'd have loved to see her paired with Laracey in the leads..... I can dream....
  11. Finally! This is a perfect cast for Other Dances, imo. Yes, it's a Wednesday, yes, it's in the dead of Winter and an expensive trip from NYC..... but I may need to take a couple of days off from the job and go!
  12. A wonderful, generous evening. I was there too and was very thankful to Yuriko, Jared, and Alvin Ailey for bringing this fund raising event to us in NYC. In spite of the hurricane's destruction to Houston Ballet's home, Yuriko and Jared looked in great shape and ready to face the future's challenges. Yuriko was especially touching in the Coppelia Prayer Solo, bringing tears to I think everyone's eyes. In addition to the above mentioned dancers by ABT fan, I ran to see Mayara Pineiro and Arian Molina Soca dance the DonQ Act 3 Pas de Deux. They had just performed their full-length Sleeping Beauty in Philly, not an easy ballet especially stamina wise -- made it to NYC to deliver a DonQ full of Cuban fireworks. His leaps were stunning, with the look of a sleek but powerful panther in the air. She did every third fouette as a triple for the first 16....with such ease.... and finished with a smile and sparkling eyes to the audience. I was happy and sad to see Daniil with his killer technique and charm in what might be his last gala here before leaving ABT for Germany. Wishing him all the best. What an exquisitely talented dancer. Bravi to all the dancers who gave such heartfelt performances.
  13. Anybody else notice that Other Dances is cast now for all of its ABT Fall perfs except for the one on Oct. 27?
  14. I loved canbelto's review! Thank you. So much detail and deep thought, experienced thought, went into this. I'll be seeing the Saturday matinee, and perhaps the evening too. Can't wait to see this great ballet with all the different tributes to its brilliance.
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