Kaysta

I just wanted to add two things: 1. The music doesn’t need to be world class, but the choreography and the dancing have to “fit” it. Plisetskaya is a perfect example of this above. 2. The story ballets, like Don Quixote, require a different type of musicality than Balanchine because to be memorable they also have to be able to act. When you watch Plisetskaya, she is in the music even when she isn’t dancing; the way she moves her head, her hands, her feet, and her face. I’m trying to think of anyone I’ve seen who comes close to this (in the story ballets) and I can’t think of anyone right now.

Yes!!!!! This is exactly it! She is so with the music, that’s it like her body is the instrument that is playing it. It’s inspiring and amazing to watch. I’m sad I never got a chance to see her perform live. The only other dancer I’ve seen who can “play” with the music to this degree is Tiler Peck in Balanchine and Robbins works. Others have come close, and for me it is what makes the performance memorable in my mind.

She looks gorgeous!

I completely agree with you, although I do think the best Kitri’s have an inherent sense of musicality, albeit a different “kind” than what I would associate with Balanchine. When a dancer is comfortable in a role and with the music, the two blend for me, to the point I can’t hear or watch one without the other playing in my head. ( sorry I’m getting cheesy) I think it’s a rare and extraordinary dancer that can do this with any choreography. Most can do it with their style (like Mariinsky with La Bayadere or Bouder in S/S), but will struggle outside that particular style of dancing ( so no shame that Boylston struggled, many fantastic dancers would). But as someone who can’t regularly get into NY anymore, I sure am happy to see companies attempt styles outside of their comfort zone. It might not always work, but that’s ok, I don’t mind watching it. On an unrelated note, that Bouder/Gatti video is the first time I’ve seen Gatti dance and he was amazing.

I’m sure Canbelto will have a far better interpretation to what she meant than I could ever have. But for me, disappearing into the choreography is when I can’t decipher the choreography without the music or the music without the choreography. They become one., which is what I see when I watch the Peck and Bouder videos. I also see that intense musicality with Ratmansky’s video, so you don’t have to be trained in the Balanchine technique to get “it.” With Boylston’s video, it’s not just that there were technical issues, but that the musicality of the steps with the music was absent to the point her movement looked jarring.

I am a Boylston fan, but that was horrible. Not surprised it has been yanked from YouTube now. I it’s especially bad when you watch Tiler’s first, who is amazing. NYCB also posted a small snippet of Megan Fairchild today, which was also fantastic. As as I don’t get to see as much NYCB as I would like, I’m not picky about seeing other companies perform Balanchine. And while I agree that the Boylston/Simkin Stars and Stripes wasn’t very good, their performance helps highlight just how difficult the choreography is.

Cirio confirmed he is leaving ABT on Instagram

Bethea was injured last season as well, wasn’t she?

I completely disagree. Lane got one Nikiya this year. One. Who knows when she’ll get to dance it again. If you bring in guest artists 2-3 performances a week, she likely would have gotten 0. And dancers like Brandt and Trenary would get no opportunities as the principals above them would get all of them. I have no problem with ABT bringing in outside talent as full company members. They’ve tried to do this and it’s failed as of late-Lendorf, Kochetkova did not boost much whether due to injuries or lack of audience excitement. But it has worked in the past.

I mostly enjoy Boylston and Lane and certainly will not avoid either’s performances. i do think social media is (unfortunately) super important for today’s dancer to get noticed by the public, at least in the US. I think using it in the right way gives that dancer an edge over an equally talented dancer who does not use it. It seems like most companies are about the money, which is understandable, because they need to stay afloat and try to prosper

Uh oh. I hope she does, but I'm placing my bets on her withdrawing if Hallberg is pulled. Unless they bring in someone else to dance with her.

Also to add, that both Siegfreids are young. Jack Thomas, who is partnering Maslova, is only a second year corps member. Zecheng Liang was at Houston ballet previously (corps from 2012- this year), but it is only his first year at PAB and he is also in the corps. I've seen some instagram videos of Liang, and he looks amazing, though I haven't seen him partner.

So it looks like the Odettes are Oksana Maslova (3/10) and Mayara Pineiro (3/11). I enjoy both of these dancers, though I think they have very different strengths. If you are going with more soulful, I would choose Maslova, with the caveat that she has very Russian technique and if over-extensions bother you, you might be disappointed. I don't mind the over-extension, but my eyes are less trained than the vast majority on this board. I love her dancing. She has a beautiful port de bras, and very flexible back. Sometimes her technique makes me a little nervous, but she surprised me in the fall by doing a great job with the Rose Adagio. I think her acting/characterization are great though, so I'm pretty sure she'll give a moving Odette. Mayara Pineiro is my favorite dancer at PAB currently. She will bring the house down in Act 3 with Odile, and she is an amazing technical dancer. I think her artistry has grown since she's been at PA, but I don't think her Odette will have quite the soulfulness that Maslova's will have. In the setting of both O/O, I actually think Lillian DiPiazza is the best suited for both roles. Her and Baca perform on Friday night, and the following weekend.

Interesting that you mention this, because NBC aired a documentary about the 1988 Calgary Olympics and talked specifically about the battles between Brian Orser and Brian Boitano, and Katarina Witt vs Debi Thomas, and they talked about how the compulsory round (where they were responsibile for skating figures in the ice) often played a huge part in deciding who medaled. In fact, they mentioned at the World Championships the previous year (I guess it would be '87) that Scott Hamilton beat out Orser because he placed first in the compulsory round, even though Orser placed first in the short and long programs (but 7th in the compulsory). They got rid of the compulsory round soon after that.

Just watched the free skate. I agree with many who have already posted, Medvedeva should have won. It bothers me (though I realize it’s within the rules) that Zagitova beat her because she put all of her jumps in the second half of the program. Had she not done that, I think Yevgenia would have won. I just thought Medvedeva’s artistry was head and tails better than Zagitova’s, though both are obviously amazing.