carbro

Ah, so you were seated in the orchestra and saw "almost no connection." Interesting, Sneds, because from my perch in the Fourth Ring, I saw a connection. Not continuous nor in mutual measure, but I felt a sweet rapport between them. Maybe we should note our seat locations when posting, to account for some of our different perspectives (both literal and figurative) of the performances! Also, with Michael, I noticed how Nilas was marking much of his dancing and even left out a step or two. It could be due to the sadness of the day, but this was unusual for Nilas only as a matter of degree. (Wasn't this also characteristic of Heather's post-Balanchine career?) Is it a fault of management that we are left these days to discuss the appearance of widespread fatigue among the dancers?

Demi-caractere by definition, as it deviates from pure classicism.

I happened to notice today, in the demis' big section in 3rd Movement Bizet, a sort of quick curtsy by the ladies with turned-knees, as a showgirl kind of gesture. Martins used the same motion in 8 More, for the Peter Boal role, as I recall (not having seen it since its earliest days). It came across as very effeminate in that context. Just an observation.

Very favorably impressed by female leads in Kammermusik. Frankly, the best thing I've seen Kowroski do. It fit Sylve like a glove -- or she it. Overall, however, the piece has lost its edge. Wonder if that's due to the fact that the "future" suggested in earlier stagings is now the past. Huh? Ballade is a piece I've always found insipid and trite, with a few inventive moments thrown in. But Whelan knew how to keep my interest, looked fine with a properly romantic, if slightly tentative, Tewsley. Haiku: I enthusiastically join BW, Dancermom and Farrell Fan's praise for this piece. Most impressive is Evans' ability to deliver the big moment without drawing attention to himself. There is no "Oh, look how smart and creative I am to have thought of this!" It all develops organically, and suddenly you find yourself startled, amused, satisfied. Unusually acute devotion to craft. (So that's where it's been hiding all these years! ;)) I DEMAND more Evans ballets! And yes, the simple costumes are very beautiful. The best moments of Symphony in C were delivered in 2nd Movement by Whelan with Neal. I loved how, after the grand jete en tournant, she walked toward the other side of the stage, not letting the third arabesque arms quite hit their position. It was so in keeping with the music's mood. Overall, however, the Bizet was (shockingly! :eek: ) the afternoon's low point. You see good performances here and there, a dancer standing out in the corps, but the company as a whole looked dreary. You don't want to leave the theater in that mood. (Just noticed I've become a Senior Member! Yay!)

At NYCB's Feb. 1 matinee, the leading couple's third entrance in the Third Movement, began with a simple pas de chat. I remember casts going back to the early or mid-70s, with Merrill Ashley, and then Debra Austin and J-P Frohlich, but remember (though I may [possibly] be mistaken) this moment always with a pas de chat vole. I assume that Balanchine developed the leading leg when Violette was dancing the role (her pas de chat vole being something of a trademark). The indelible image I have is of Lindy Roy exploding onto the stage -- so exciting! I was dismayed this afternoon to see the reversion to the earlier, less brilliant version of the step. Can any of you smart folks trace the evolution of this moment for me? And can anyone justify the change back? :confused: When did they start doing it the old way again at City? Many thanks!

My guess -- without knowing you, Juliet -- is that Spring is when they do Midsummer Night's Dream. I noticed, too, that there are two other full-lengths this Spring: Coppelia and Swan. Looks like they've chosen rep to meet ABT's competition head-to-head on ABT's terms. Maybe next Spring will include Beauty and Jewels, as well.;)

Compulsory daily ballet class for all members of the uniformed services. This would not only keep dancers in relatively rehabilitatable (if not quite performance ready) shape, but it would be a great way to discover new dancers whose talent had heretofore been untapped. Actually, a dancing friend who had enlisted many years ago told me of conflicts in boot camp: Other soldiers did jumping jacks, while she did echappes.

:eek: Or maybe, just maybe, the photo is a composite.

In a perverse way, I'm glad to hear that. Tombeau is such a gem when it's well danced -- when it's been rehearsed, all the accents are hit as appropriate, the wit behind the original inspiration can be seen. The deciding factor in my not attending the Saturday matinee was fear of a perfunctory Tombeau. Hoping that Ansanelli does the late season Tarantellas, giving me the chance to see her then.

I can't help but remember an ABT Bayadere of about 2-3 years ago. The pas d'action was one of the sloppiest things I'd seen ABT do in a long time; I spent intermission dreading the Kingdom of the Shades. :eek: :)Happy to report that it was not only fine, but it was perfect. Yes, perfect. The precision was there, the unison was impeccable, and beyond that, the entire corps seemed to float. No one struggled for balance. It was musical. And that singular underlying impulse described by Victoria was evident. Every value expressed in Petipa's choreography was on display. I guess rehearsal time was simply allotted where it was most important.

The Raymonda soloists, except Abi Stafford, were bland and insecure. The three debutantes (Arthurs, Mandradjieff, Dronova) all looked terribly underrehearsed. The corps frequently was sloppy in the groupings, and a new stiffness through the arms and shoulders is evident on many. Boal danced with his customary elegance, although he apparently omitted steps from the second variation. Given his recent schedule, it's forgivable. Ringer was magical. Her adage with Boal was wonderful, but she entered another realm in the variations. She was able to find so much room to play with the music, and it really appeared that she was discovering it as she danced. Such spontenaiety, wit, joy. It was hard to reconcile that she and her Raymondamates were part of the same production. I hadn't seen Davidsbundler in several years. Not knowing what to expect from Kistler, I was pleasantly surprised by flashes of the old (i.e., young) Kistler. Paired with Soto and dancing the role originated by Farrell, she was just beautiful in the pas -- very attentive to her phrasing and the emotional content of her role. Unfortunately, she fell apart in the allegros, fudging both feet and arms. I was just grateful that she refrained from her frequent tendency to resort to laid-on emotionalism. Nichols was pitch-perfect, dancing with Askegard, who captured much of the torment. Very satisfying dancing from Somogyi with Martins. Weese and Hubbe failed to make much of an impression. In Western, Somogyi gave the assured, witty performance we've learned to expect from her. Martins showed a few (fleeting) moments of engagement. But untakeyoureyesoffable in the First Movement corps was the exquisite Korbes. Tewsley in a role debut needed more rehearsal -- missed a few cues, did not project much confidence. Needs to settle into the role. Ansanelli danced consistently with reports from last week. The great joy of Western was Zelensky, who dove into the 3rd Movement role with irrepressible gusto. What fun! So wonderful to see him again! His partner, Kowroski, seemed to have caught some of his energy, and if she had trouble in her turns, I preferred that over her usual blankness.

Merrill Ashley and others have noted Balanchine's effectiveness in this technique. By giving indirect, perhaps cryptic descriptions, the dancer must figure out what the teacher's desired result is. Sometimes it takes a few days to understand, but the impact of the "aha!" moment and the depth of understanding gained in this process make it a lasting lesson.

"Oh, but the performance you missed was so much better." As balletos, we will always hear thus. It's probably not always true (although given the reports on that first "Serenade," in this case it probably was). I'm sorry, rkoretzky. Wish I had a crystal ball for both of us!

That is exactly why I will not see NYCB dance Barocco. It breaks my heart, then makes me angry. It was the first, but I suspect not the last, that I will boycott. Part of what is missing is the musicality -- the response to what the music is saying. I suspect, too, that there is no joy in the studio work that the dancers can then naturally carry with them onto the stage.

Congratulations, rkoretzky, on capturing Vespro so accurately! I did not want to relive it in my head in order to write about it, so thank you for the fortitude it took to do that.

Extending the vocabulary!

You contrived that word, right? I took the "amb" root right away as pertaining to walking, but then it occurred to me that you meant preserved in amber. Okay.

I would call it the main problem; it casts a pervasive grayness over the works. It is not the fault of the dancers, who enter the company looking so promising. Something happens -- :eek: --after they've been there a while. Now let me go look up "inambered.";)

Wouldn't the difficulty of codifying the Balanchine technique/style lie in his relentless experimentation? I don't think he ever saw it as "set" but rather as something that would and should continue develop. If that is your point, Mel, I agree.

The Mixed Bills for the Met season have been fleshed out, with partial casting listed for newly announced ballets: Program I: Offenbach in the Underworld, Clear, pas de deux, Within You Without You (George Harrison Tribute). Program 2: Artemis, pdd, pdd, The Dream http://www.abt.org/performances/met_subs.html

Is not Prokofiev's slow dance at the Capulet ball a sarabande? Does MacMillan's resemble what it actually would have looked like?

Interpretation. Understanding. (I looked it up.;) )

Not to discount the design value of contrasting skin tones, but I was once told that Adams' having been something of a Southern Belle played a part in the casting, that Balanchine was deliberately tweaking segregationists, even if in ways they may not have realized. (I intend no implication that Adams herself held racist views.)

That definition is so fitting. Thank you!

What a stimulating thread! I am enjoying this so much! Not knowing Greek, I wonder if the meaning of "agon" could pertain as well to a struggle to overcome an obstacle (eg., paralysis) as to an athletic striving. I did see Allegra -- once, late -- in Agon. It might be noted that she was around when LeClerc was stricken, and would likely be more directly aware of its source of inspiration. Leigh, where would you place Farrell's pdd on the scale between the Watts-Whelan sense of it and the Kent sense? (In how many roles did we not get some feeling of conflict from Heather?) The opening section does resemble pedestrians dodging traffic -- and each other -- but it also reminds me of those little, plastic, slide-y puzzles with the numbers that you try to arrange in sequence.