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>We have all been to performances in which >wonderful dancers give everything they >have to the performance of poor material -- >I mean, material that is either unimaginative, >derivative, exploitative, pointless, painfully >superficial, or all of the above. And then there are wonderful ballets with poor to mediocre casting..... I avoid both unless there are other, good to wonderful, reasons (ballets and/or dancers) to stay for on the program.

>Boy, I would love to see Sarah in Giselle. If you don't mind my asking, who was >her Albrecht? Let's just say, it wasn't Daniil Simkin... who was in Moscow at the time. Darn! Check him out on his website and just recently on W magazine: http://www.wmagazine.com/society/2009/05/daniil_simkin >I just bought my ticket to see her Theme at the Met (she was the reason I chose the performance). It's a lovely part for Lane, and you'll also get to see Daniil Simkin in Allegro Brilliante(!!), first on the program, if you're going to the matinee (Wed?) when Theme is with Lane and Cornejo. Hopefully Cornejo will be in the mood this time.... to partner well, and dance his solos as beautifully as I know he can.

>Really I think that Veronika probably wanted to throw in the towel and leave ABT so >many times. It really has been two steps forward and four steps back then two steps >forward and three steps back. I think that Julie Kent's age and second maternity leave >and Nina's retirement left a big vacancy at the top. Yes, certainly all of that contributed to Veronika's promotion, and the beautiful reviews she recently received in London for her Swan Lakes. And as for Veronika in second movement of Sym in C, I have do doubt she could turn that role into something extraordinary if/when she is given that opportunity again. I saw her debut with ABT in that ballet at City Center. What are they waiting for?!! The huge Met stage would be the perfect setting for such a grand ballet. Congrats to Veronika!

Last night's show was one of the worst in a long time. You're right, cubanmiamiboy, the Rumba was missing, so was the Jive. Judge Len commented on that several times.... What we got instead was some sort of let's just be amusing choreography.

>TBA on the 19th at ABT could end up being someone very interesting. >I would love to see Sarah Lane in Sylphide, for example. Doubtful they >will train an additional person for the role, though. They will >probably just assign the role to one of the other ballerinas >who is performing that week. I think Sarah Lane would be completely perfect in the Sylphide role as well, but you're right, ABT will probably just move another already cast principal into the TBA evening. Btw, I just got back from seeing Sarah dance her first (both acts) Giselle on a gig. She was breathtaking and heartbreakingly beautiful. Her dancing and acting, from beginning to end, was perfect, and deeply artistic (not just mine, but an ABT ballerina's review). I haven't seen a Giselle this moving in many years. The audience, in tears, jumped to their feet to give her standing ovations. Sarah was warmly humble in response.

Mr. Velazquez performed strongly and securely with ABT II at John Jay last Friday night. I didn't keep my program so I have only my strongest memories to recall from that evening. Velazquez made a very good impression on me. He danced a fine DonQ pas, even though he seemed a bit tired... A long day of rehearsals?... Velazquez has well-trained, polished lines and technique, but I felt he was capable of more energy in his delivery. Velazquez also danced Robbins' Interplay with a strong, warm, at ease, presence on that same Friday night program, right before dancing DonQ pas.

Have you ever seen Osipova at a live performance? I have, at last year's YAGP Gala. Osipova's an amazing dancer, all around, and beautiful just to look at before she starts any dancing. Osipova's Kitri (from watching UTube) is beyond words..... (full of every passionate, joyful description/adjective possible for that role). I hope Osipova will guest at ABT with a Kitri one of these days.

The paso doble was very good for Gilles and Cheryl, but I'd vote to see their Agentine Tango a dozen more times! That was their best dance, and the best dance of this season. Wonderful choreography and great chemistry. I wonder what they'll do next.

>I don't really see Michele as a Balanchine dancer. I believe that the Balanchine ballets you named >require personality, individuality and a very musical attack. These are the qualities that Wiles most lacks. >She is a very accomplished dancer who I can't name a perfect role for. Maybe she will be the all purpose >principal who no one adores but few people avoid. I don't think she's a Balanchine ballerina either... But I'd like to see her take on more of those types of roles, the more American, no dramatic acting required, "just dance" parts. She's not polished enough to be a fine, Classical ballerina, either in technique or acting abilities. I recall seeing Michelle as one of the muses in Apollo awhile ago and she surprised me with her ease in "just dancing" her role while the other more Classical ballerinas looked uncomfortable. Michelle's Ballo was also the best of ABT's last City Center perfs of them. Michelle was quite good actually, not great, but improved from her first debut of Ballo. What I'm saying is that I wish Michelle would take on more Balanchine training...by dancing his ballets and getting some of his training second-hand from those at NYCB who coach Mr. B's ballets. They would polish her where she needs most to be polished. I don't see much evidence of ABT coaching Michelle, ie, improving her performances from one to the next.

Good to hear! I would have expected that instead of what a person's harsher comments stated earlier.

I imagine a lady would be pretty shaken, too, perhaps too concerned with her own nerves to tend to her partner's, especially if they were near strangers, and extra especially if they didn't share a language in which they were both perfectly fluent. It's a different language, not talking, while being on stage. It's about sending one's physical energy to the partner struggling to stay afloat by giving one's self extra calmness, humor, as much as is possible, and communicating that to the partner. Not easy to do, but totally necessary, often... unless you are dancing with a partner you've comfortably worked with for many years.

1. Does anyone agree with any of my opinions? Yes Have you seen what I've seen? Yes, too often 2. Has she gotten better since then? Not really.... but then I think she is miscast for almost everything at ABT. She'd be a wonderful ballerina in Stars and Stripes, Who Cares?, Rubies 2nd lead girl, Western Symphony..... Balanchine's more American-ish ballets... and those are just off the top of my head. Oh, even the Siren in Prodigal, I hope Michelle will get cast for that this Spring at ABT. Michelle is very strong, technically, but not a beautiful, classical ballerina type. I think she is needed at ABT because they must have those reliable, strong types, who can get through extremely demanding ballets, like Sylvia.... Gillian is better at it... but she's also tough for me to watch... Every company needs their strong, most reliable dancers, same way that The Mariinsky needs a Gonchar. 3. Does anyone think that perhaps the bureaucracy at ABT has failed her? No, I think the ballets ABT gives her have failed Michelle, as well as lack of coaching. 5. Am I being too harsh? NO 7. Should I bother seeing her again? I think she's dancing "Sylvia" with Roberto Bolle this summer. While I'd love to see him, I'm not sure I want to take the chance at her disappointing me again. Michelle's going to give you a strong, technical, performance.... Gillian is better.... again SO strong..... but I have yet to see an ABT lead female give Sylvia an outstanding performance, all around. Then again, the choreography for the lead female is unnecessarily difficult... As a former dancer, I clench my teeth watching so much of this ballet. It's only the gorgeous music that saves the day (perf) for me.

>Corella is generally a very exciting dancer who is known for his bravura >turning skills. Known for his high-energy, intense performing skills too! And his jumps! Who knows how long they had to rehearse this pas before the performance..... That situation too often leads to small and big disasters... >However,sometimes he takes too much risk and then ends up paying >the price by falling out of a turn. Most of the time he can pull off the excessive >speed he so loves, but once in a while it backfires. I've seen this happen to >him during his performances at ABT numerous times. It's unfortunate that he >had an off night, but I'd rather see Corella than someone who always plays it safe. Off nights, bad nights, partnering mishaps happen.... especially when there is little rehearsal time. And it is a professional female's job to conquer the freak-out nerves that come about, as quickly as possible, when her partner messes up the partnering... unless she is injured having to leave the stage....

>....from Week 3: Gilles/Cheryl (samba) -- That was one *hot* samba -- best dance of the night Melissa/Tony (foxtrot) -- beautiful, but the choreography was too simple, basic , giving them no chance against the very flashy and unusual samba number.

>Concerto Barocco... >....When I watch a ballet and imagine what's going through the dancers' minds it's usually things like >the pleasure of the movement, the mechanics of a difficult step, checking radar to make sure they're >aligned right in relation to the other dancers. Never did I imagine ribbon misbehavior! >But of course it's all part of the performance, and it makes perfect sense. Sometimes there was sufficient time to sew the ribbons where they should be/stay, ideally, but at other times, eg, a quick change for the following ballet was needed.... then ribbon risk had to be taken... It's multi-tasking for sure! And as a perfectionist....as many dancers are.... one focuses on so many details constantly... I didn't think Barocco was very difficult for the corps, just a strong focus on cleanliness, pure (not showy) joy of movement is needed for most of it. Still, one got a bit winded by the end of the 3rd movement when the most difficult choreography was demanded. Today, the dancers don't really do the sissones to pointe (arabesque) and jump back to tendu fourth as exaggerated as Balanchine demanded of us. Other bits of Barocco are done less dangerously today as well... But it is a beautiful ballet, one of my favorites to watch.... Btw, yes, the 2nd movement is heaven listening to while on stage!

Off the top of my memories: I especially loved (NYCB): Square Dance (hard, fast, very rewarding) Emeralds, Diamonds (each one a diff beauty and joy to dance) Symphony in C (corps or demis, another joy all around especially the 4th movement as it builds to a conclusion) Brahms Schoenberg Quartet (gorgeous music and a joy to dance -- demis or corps) Cortege (gorgeous music and choreography, tough stamina wise, the demi tutu'd girls, but rewarding) Sym in 3 movements (corps or demis) -- fun! Ballet Imperial (corps or demis -- difficult but gorgeous to dance and to listen to) Suite #3 (ditto with the gorgeous music and choreography) Stravinsky Violin concerto (ditto the above) Valse-Fantasie (ditto the above) Actually, most ballets were favorites except: Concerto Barocco -- only because I was constantly afraid a toe shoe ribbon or skirt ribbon might pop out of the hidden knot tied, and I'd be stuck the entire time on stage unable to put that end of the ribbon back under the knot. In Barocco, as you know, the corps is on stage from beginning to end, all three movements. A stray ribbon never happened, but it was on my mind, often. Coppelia -- Balanchine's - just toooooo cute - gave me toothaches.

Thank you - reading the fairly recent vote was indeed comforting. I've always been the biggest NYCB fan, but in recent years I've grown to love ABT more and more. Yes, there are a few less than wonderful females at the top, as compared to the abundance of ABT's fantastic male dancers (all levels), but.... ABT has been improving, and I think it will continue to improve, while adding Balanchine to its rep, and giving its younger dancers opportunities. Rebecca's comment made me stop and think about how differently the rest of the world (esp Europe) might select a top 5 list of best ballet companies. I'm hoping she'll give us her picks soon. In what order, I don't care.

Gilles and Melissa!

Thank you Leonid for your comments. I was actually responding to Rebeccadb who said she'd hesitate to put ABT in the top 5 of the world's best companies. I was assuming she meant ballet companies... I'd have no problem putting ABT on that top 5 list.

> I'd hesitate to put them (ABT) in the top 5 of the world's best companies Off topic, but who are your solid top 5?

Osipova's Giselle -- I love her port de bras, the way she uses her arms, so I'm also excited to see what she does with them in Act 2.

If Osipova at ABT this Summer had been cast for a Kitri, I think the lines would have begun at Christmas (just to buy standing room)!!! I'm planning to see her Giselle.... I can already almost envision that 2nd Act diagonal of stag leaps where I'm sure she will make the audience gasp with disbelief!

Marga, Thank you so much for giving us your reviews/character interpretations -- all the way from Ottawa! This has been such fun! FYI, peasant pas de deux was not a debut for either Blaine Hoven or Sarah Lane. Hoven and Lane danced the pas once or twice, together, I recall in a thrown-on situation (a Sat, mat & eve), during ABT's last season at the Met (in July '08). Maybe ABT doesn't count that sort of situation as a debut.... whatever.... Then Daniil Simkin joined ABT!!

Yes, I was there too for the YAGP Gala when Osipova (primarily) and Vasiliev stole the show with their dancing. They were fantastic!!! I'd have rather seen them dance Tchai pas or DonQ pas or Black Swan, or, well, just about any other pas de deux that shows some tricks but is also artistically interesting. Gillian and Sarah are very different dancers. I wouldn't want to see Gillian in Sleeping Beauty... but her tricks are VERY strong. Yes!! I'm not at all interested in seeing Gillian in R&J or Giselle, or Mozartiana either.... See Sarah Kaufman's review for her in Allegro's opening night. I agreed completely. So, ABT should have cast Gillian in Flames, and given Sarah and Daniil something else!! p.s. You saw one performance.... I've seen three now of Sarah and Daniil in Flames.... Not one was identical. And one was technically perfect, and then some... ABT would not have cast Sarah in the role otherwise. I agree with you that it's not the best part for her, but that's what Kevin wanted.... at this time...

Ashley B. and Andrew V. are both very strong dancers, but neither looked right for the leads of Theme. Ashley was too punchy, tomboyish, hardselling, and overbaked for the female role -- T&V is not Stars and Stripes(!). Andrew doesn't have the prince, elegant, beautiful lines needed for the male role either. The partnering however, overall, was quite good. Today, it will be Bouder with DeLuz per the Theater's casting sheet... I'm happy to see Bouder back, but she's far better suited for a role like Kitri or anything else with lots of jumps and firey energy. One day soon, I hope to see Erica Pereira and David Prottas in the leads of T&V. Now that would be something amazing and *beautiful.* And what about the lead's tutu in T&V this season?!! A droopy, dingy little skirt???!!! Shameful.