carbro

Thank you miliosr. What's with that "eyebrow" dress?

No pictures of the dancers, alas.

Well, one dancer. Zhong-Jing Fang looks gorgeous here, not that she ever looked otherwise.

Oregon Ballet Theatre is thrilled to announce that the June 9th season finale celebration, Dance United will give Oregon the opportunity to welcome an international ballet legend, NY City Ballet principal dancer Wendy Whelan, and say a fond farewell to hometown legend Artur Sultanov, who will give one final performance at Dance United before retiring this summer.

Details on Artur’s retirement in the media release here.

About Wendy Whelan: Considered one of the defining artists of her generation, Wendy Whelan’s 28 year career with the New York City Ballet has included originating roles for major works by Ratmansky, Wheeldon, Robbins and Forsythe, as well as performing in over 25 Balanchine works. She is often called the “quintessential Balanchine ballerina who has never worked with him.” Whelan arrived at NY City Ballet the year before Balanchine passed away, and began her career steeped in the traditions of the dancers whose careers were defined by his genius. Now, she mentors the younger members of the company, passing on the essential technique that help the work stay alive and fresh for a new generation of artists and audiences. You can read more about Wendy in her official NYCB bio and this recent New York Times feature story about her life and work.

Dance United will be Wendy’s first appearance in Portland, Oregon and we look forward to sharing this very special opportunity to see one of the world’s most respected dancers perform.

____________________

Note: This is an edited version of the press release sent by the company. Text about Mr. Sultanov's retirement was deleted but linked directly (as Helene has already posted the important facts).

We're happy to read your introduction, nicolezly. I hope you'll share some thoughts on the dancing you're seeing.

Welcome to BalletAlert!

Student performances, and junior cos. are meant to give the young dancers experience, and casting is often done with an eye to stretching them.

And during the course of the year, when the Studio Company appears in venues across the country, I'm sure that's the case. At the end of the year, though, these performances are meant to show the dancers as accomplished dancers on the brink of professional careers. And no dancer can get by on one set of skills. The most eloquent adagio dancer must be able to deliver brilliant allegro work, and vice versa.

They also seem to have reinstated the block programming, at least for the Fall Season. Each season also has a night when all tickets are $29. The programs seem to be designed to tell the old-time NYCB audience, "Not for you."

They've never split up Jewels before, to my knowledge. I know many companies only do Rubies. I've never heard of a stand-alone Diamonds, but I'm not complaining because I enjoy that ballet.

On special occasions, Diamonds, for instance, has appeared on an All-Tchaikovsky program or Rubies on an All-Stravinsky. I've never seen Emeralds except within the context of the full Jewels.

They've also posted a notice, "Because we are currently in website redevelopment, subscription orders (renewals and new subscriptions) are not available online at this time." Maybe visitors to the site will find some of those much-discussed, hoped-for features.

I'm eager to hear the fate of Society NYCB , nee Fourth Ring Society.

Welcome to BalletAlert!, and thank you, Jackie1956, for checking in and introducing yourself. We are so proud to boast among our members three members of Ms. LeClercq's family.

Hi, Dancism. Welcome to BalletAlert!

We look forward to getting to know you -- your favorite dancers and ballets, maybe how youfirst got hooked on ballet.

I'd put a bet -- but a small bet -- that it will be live-streamed, Sandi. This seems to be standard operating procedure for the W&P events. I tried to watch Sunday's stream -- or what remained of it -- after I returned from an early bite with friends, and I got no sound and only two or three static images. Nothing of value. I don't know whether the problem lies with UStream's bandwidth or (more likely ) the load in my browser cache, but others were making similar complaints in the chat box.

There's Doug Fullington's "After Petipa" lecture demonstration at the Guggenheim Museum's Works & Process series in New York. The dates (May 15 and 16) are marked "Sold Out," but a Guggenheim staffer told me this evening that they'd just released a block of tickets. So New Yorkers, if you thought you'd missed your opportunity, there's a second chance.

Exactly which dancers will accompany Doug hasn't been announced. When Helene reviewed the program in October for Dance View Times, she listed the participants as

Doug Fullington with Christina Siemens (piano) and Batkhurel Bold, Karel Cruz, Kyle Davis, Rachel Foster, Carrie Imler, Kylee Kitchens, Carla Körbes, William Lin-Yee, Kaori Nakamura, Sarah Ricard Orza, Jonathan Porretta, Lucien Postlewaite, Lesley Raush, Brittany Reid, and Jerome Tisserand

Presumably, most of them will make the trip east. I hope so. There are several names on that list that I'm eager to see again.

Thanks for the video, cinnamonswirl. I agree, I think the tutu is stunning. And I adore the tiara, which, while based on a classic design, looks very modern. I love how it seems to float above the dancer's head.

I think Karinska's designs are wonderful-(MCB has them)-with all those little bows, but...are they going to be replaced with the uber-flat pankace designs...?...I don't like those...

Well, apparently you do (see directly above)! I don't like the pouf. To me, it looks fussy, and worse than that, it tends to obscure the all-important line from the middle of the dancer's back through her hips.

(The earrings will be available for purchase and a portion of the proceeds will go to NYCB.)

This should be interesting -- earrings that are designed to be visible from a stage like the State Theater might be a little out of proportion for street wear.

Well, that depends on the street, doesn't it ... And it could be that they'll be scaled back for everyday use, much as fashion designers adjust their runway designs before they're manufactured and shipped out to department stores.

If you look carefully at cinnamonswirl's video and you can glimpse them. I don't see how they could be scaled back enough for an afternoon at the ballpark or even a nice dinner out. Even at half-size, these are strictly for formal wear.

In the 40-some years I've been a NYCB regular, there have been a few adaptations to the costumes. The video that Quiggin posted (post #6) shows them at their worst, I think. The guys' costumes are half a step above practice clothes, while the tutus are more formal. Mismatch between the sexes. Fortunately, the men's tunics gained a satiny finish and some subtle sparkle. The spats came and went . At one point, the women's bodices were a lovely brocade over a plain, flattish tutu. For some reason, they didn't last long. A shame.

Thank you, bagg, and welcome to BalletAlert!

Daniel Duell was a very popular dancer at NYCB, and many of his fans, self included, will be interested in following his current activities. He seems to have built a promising enterprise in Chicago.

I have no idea who started this World Dance Day, possibly Unesco?

Wow, Pamela! I am impressed!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Dance_Day

I hope so, but probably not while it's still in the theaters. I'd suggest visiting the film's website from time to time to check for an announcement.

Manhattan Movement & Arts Center presents Dance Against Cancer on Monday, May 7, 2012 with cocktails at 6pm, a performance at 7pm, and a reception at 8:30pm at the Manhattan Movement & Arts Center at 248 W. 60th Street, NYC (between Amsterdam and West End Avenues) in the Lincoln Center area.Tickets are $150 for the performance and reception or $50 for the reception only and are available at http://community.acs...gainstcancernyc. Sponsorships are also available for $1,000, which includes: 4 tickets to the performance and reception, all-access pass to the tech rehearsals, and a signed photo with a benefit performer of your choice. All proceeds from this event will benefit research initiatives as well as all patient and family services programs that American Cancer Society funds.

The evening's performance, produced by New York City Ballet's Daniel Ulbricht and Manhattan Movement & Arts Center's Erin Fogarty, will feature dancers from New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Martha Graham Dance Company, and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Performers to include Ailey's Clifton Brown and Matthew Rushing; NYCB's Robert Fairchild, Maria Kowroski, Lauren Lovette, Tiler Peck, Amar Ramasar, Teresa Reichlen, Daniel Ulbricht; American Ballet Theatre's Herman Cornejo; Martha Graham Dance Company's Katherine Crockett; and more to be announced.

The program will include an excerpt of Christopher Wheeldon's DGV: Danse â Grande Vitesse; excerpts of Balanchine's Agon, Who Cares?, Apollo and Square Dance; Alvin Ailey's Song For You; Richard Move's Lamentation Variation, to be danced by Katherine Crockett; and a World Premiere by Herman Cornejo, among other selections to be announced.

Dance Against Cancer is made possible by a generous space donation from Rose Caiola, the Executive Artistic Director of Manhattan Movement & Arts Center. The evening is sponsored by the Brooklyn Brewery and Food Match, Inc.

About Manhattan Movement & Arts Center

Manhattan Movement & Arts Center was developed by Rose Caiola as the home of the Manhattan Youth Ballet, a graded, pre-professional ballet academy and performance company. Ms. Caiola, a former dancer and actress, founded the academy in the fall of 1994 as Studio Maestro at 48 W. 68th Street, and today serves as the youth ballet's executive artistic director.

The school is modeled after the European academies. The Manhattan Youth Ballet has acquired a reputation for excellent teaching in an intimate and individually supportive environment. The school's graduates have danced professionally with American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Nederlands Dans Theater, Ballet de España, San Francisco Ballet and Complexions.

As the ballet academy grew, the search for a larger space inspired in Ms. Caiola a highly personal vision of a studio and theater complex that would encompass all aspects of dance education and performance.

mmac opened its doors in June 2008, occupying a dramatic bi-level space within The Element, a luxury high-rise condominium. In addition to the Manhattan Youth Ballet, mmac's studios and theater host daily adult dance and fitness classes, the mmac Kids program, summer intensive programs, as well as an array of performances and special events.

For more information about mmac, visit www.manhattanmovement.com.

About The American Cancer Society

The American Cancer Society combines an unyielding passion with nearly a century of experience to save live and end suffering from cancer. As a global grassroots force of more than three million volunteers, we fight for every birthday threatened by every cancer in every community. We save lives by helping people stay well by preventing cancer or detecting it early; helping people get well by being there for them during and after a cancer diagnosis; by finding cures through investment in groundbreaking discovery; and by fighting back by rallying lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and by rallying communities worldwide to join the fight. As the nation's largest non-governmental investor in cancer research, contributing more than $3.4 billion, we turn what we know about cancer into what we do. As a result, more than 11 million people in America who have had cancer and countless more who have avoided it will be celebrating birthdays this year. To learn more about us or to get help, call us any time, day or night at 1.800.227.2345 or visit www.cancer.org.

Here is the link, ViolinConcerto, to the obituary from The Martha's Vineyard Times. It's easy to source articles by googling a unique sequence of words, such as (in this case) "Ballet Orchestra, of Southport,".

Manhattan Movement & Arts Center, in association with sundance SELECTS, presents the opening screening of First Position on Friday, May 4, 2012 at 6:45pm at the Elinor Bunin Munroe Theater at Lincoln Center, 144 West 65th Street (between Amsterdam and Broadway), NYC. Tickets are $13 ($9 for Seniors/Students/Children; $8 for Members) and are available for purchase at http://www.filmlinc....irst-position1. First Position is distributed nationally by IFC Films.

Follow in the inspirational footsteps of six talented ballet dancers (ages nine to nineteen) as they struggle to maintain form in the face of injury and personal sacrifice on their way to one of the most prestigious youth ballet competitions in the world. First Position is a feature length documentary about a love of dance and a drive to succeed that trumps money, politics and even war.

With unprecedented (and exclusive) access to the Youth America Grand Prix, the largest competition that awards full scholarships to top ballet schools, First Position takes audiences on a yearlong journey around the world. At a time when art, music and dance for children are severely under-funded, the film reveals the struggles and success, the pain and extraordinary beauty of an art form so many children across the globe are determined to dedicate their lives to...despite the odds.

First Position had its World Premiere at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival and was named the audience choice's first runner up for Best Documentary. It also won the Jury Prize at the San Francisco Documentary Festival and the audience award at DOCNYC.

ROSE CAIOLA

Executive Producer

With a love of ballet since childhood, Rose Caiola is the Founder and Executive Artistic Director of the Manhattan Movement and Arts Center (MMAC). MMAC is an 18,000 sq. ft. performing arts center that houses a 199 seat Off Broadway theater venue, as well as providing all genres of dance instruction including her own not-for-profit pre-professional ballet school, the Manhattan Youth Ballet. Caiola is currently a producer of Godspell on Broadway at the Circle in the Square Theater and the co-author and producer of the long running Off-Broadway musical Freckleface Strawberry, which will soon begin a national tour and can be licensed through MTI.

Caiola's goal through all her projects has been to provide equal educational, cultural and artistic opportunities for inner city youth. She is a graduate of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and is a member of The Broadway League of Theatres and Producers, and the Screen Actors Guild.

BESS KARGMAN

Director / Producer / Editor

Bess Kargman has produced timely, socially and politically relevant stories for numerous media outlets including National Public Radio, The Washington Post and NBC Olympics. She holds degrees from Columbia Graduate School of Journalism and Amherst College. Long before entering the world of film and radio, Kargman trained at Boston Ballet School (and has the bruised feet to prove it). First Position is her first movie and premiered at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival (where it took People's Choice runner-up for best documentary). When she's not living out of a suitcase, Kargman divides her time between New York and Los Angeles.

About Manhattan Movement & Arts Center

Manhattan Movement & Arts Center was developed by Rose Caiola as the home of the Manhattan Youth Ballet, a graded, pre-professional ballet academy and performance company. Ms. Caiola, a former dancer and actress, founded the academy in the fall of 1994 as Studio Maestro at 48 W. 68th Street, and today serves as the youth ballet's executive artistic director.

The school is modeled after the European academies. The Manhattan Youth Ballet has acquired a reputation for excellent teaching in an intimate and individually supportive environment. The school's graduates have danced professionally with American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Nederlands Dans Theater, Ballet de España, San Francisco Ballet and Complexions.

As the ballet academy grew, the search for a larger space inspired in Ms. Caiola a highly personal vision of a studio and theater complex that would encompass all aspects of dance education and performance.

mmac opened its doors in June 2008, occupying a dramatic bi-level space within The Element, a luxury high-rise condominium. In addition to the Manhattan Youth Ballet, mmac's studios and theater host daily adult dance and fitness classes, the mmac Kids program, summer intensive programs, as well as an array of performances and special events.

For more information about mmac, visit www.manhattanmovement.com.

It was a delightful interview in anticipation of the YAGP gala in Ms. Makarova's honor this Saturday Night.

Here's a link directly to the interview: http://www.wnyc.org/shows/lopate/2012/apr/24/dancer-natalia-makarova/

Dont know if this will count as a variation, but as it is four dancers all doing the same thing - rather like a revue line up - I think it might qualify.

I just cant stand the pas de quatre of the little swans. Jumpy music, dismal choreography, everything is awful.

Me, too, although I appreciate it when it is done well, i.e., with unison and as much lyricism as the choreography and music allow (not much).

Veeery close runner up: Odile's variation. ... Then, its choreography is so mathematically technical...it almost looks like a series of class exercises.

Really? Interesting. I've only rarely seen it that way, and then from dancers who are generally mechanical and academic. Also, I find it hard to dislike any variation with renverses.

If you watch closely you can see Angel Corella in the corps.

I think that's Angel Corella in the light blue tunic. He's named in the opening credits so I don't think he is in the corps.

Angel joined ABT as a soloist. He was never in the corps there.

Thank you, Pamela. That is good news!

Most surprising: "I don't go to Russia." Wow! Sad!

I missed Pt. 1, so thanks for linking, California!

On my own behalf now, it is a characteristic moment at the beginning of the Doll dance in Coppelia, Act II. I can't identify the production or the dancers, though.

I'm posting this on behalf of Paul Parish:

A friend who teaches dance history is puzzled by this intriguing picture and wants to know who they are, who did the costumes, even what's the ballet?

To me it looks like the ballerina's legs look modern, but the style of everything else looks like hte Cabinet of Dr Caligari. Coppellius, if it's Coppellius, looks a lot like Balanchine.-- or Eric Bruhn.

What do you all think?

Does anyone know?

Thank you, Paul.

The dynamic pricing will be in effect on April 16, if you have tickets you want to buy, do so before then. I'd seen prices went up more than 50% last year.

Important info! Thank you, mussel!

I also especially loved her in the Mozart, and Stravinsky's Symphony in 3 Movements, more than in the Violin Concerto, obviously my favorite ballet.

Ha-ha! I thought that throughout her career, Violin Concerto (her very first principle role, and one in which she shone from the start) was her best role.

But I can't completely concur with those of you who have said that a dancer's style will be transmitted to a Company when they become director. I don't think that Peter's style of dancing (perfect, cold, icy) has predominated NYCB these past nearly 30 years.

No, not now, but do you remember the late '80s-early '90s? So cold and clinical. I cut down my attendance then from several times a week to two, three, four times a season. That thing that transforms movement into dance had been drilled out of them. They were merely executing steps. It was painful. I'm glad that Peter Martins (or someone) saw the problem and fixed it. Although I think "fixed" is the wrong word. The corps was over-regimented, and I think the ballet masters just stopped demanding a little less mechanical precision and a lot more humanity.

It also helps that (contrary to what some stories say) she wasn't so much a 'prodigy' as a dancer as she was smart, hard-working, and of course talented. In terms of "teaching" certain qualities, I think it's easier to learn from someone who had to fight to figure things out for herself than from someone to whom they came naturally. It's like trying to work with a math tutor - I'd rather work with someone who had to grind it through and can show me several ways to attack the same problem than with someone who instantly sees one way to get it done but has trouble doing it other ways.

I agree -- I've seen this play out over and over again, in many different situations. Someone that we describe as a "natural" (facility comes easily) may be a pleasure to watch and a challenge to analyze, but they don't necessarily have the objective understanding of "how" they do what they do.

I also agree, both that Lourdes probably had to work hard and figure her way through challenges, and that this kind of person will usually have a depth of understanding that the one with the knack can't have.

(Quiggin)

I always wonder how different Balanchine's works must have looked when they moved from City Center to the voracious stage of State Theater.

In the video biography of Balanchine, he says that he always envisioned a large theater and large stage and had composed with that in mind.

That line is often quoted, but over the years, I've come to feel that Concerto Ballet needs a smaller stage than the one where NYCB usually performs it.

Editing to add: I was composing this post when dirac posted above.