Kaysta

Just added the Sunday matinee performance to my trip.  Looking forward to seeing Teuscher's debut!

Congrats on the new baby (she's beautiful!) and the new job!

8 hours ago, abatt said:

I have not been a tremendous Kochetkova fan.  I agree that she is blandly efficient.  However, I think her technique is far better than certain other principal ballerinas at ABT.  Also, Kevin McKenzie has a number of short men who need partners - Cornejo, Cirio,,  Simkin.  In order to fully employ them, he needs short ballerinas, and Kochetkova fits that description.  Also, Kochetkova does not cancel her ABT shows because she has to be somewhere else.  She has been reliable, despite her other jobs.   I think, like most other people, Kochetkova is better in certain roles.  I'm particularly looking forward to her Kitri, which I missed a few years ago.

I don't hate Kochetkova, but she's just not my cup of tea for O/O.  I liked her in the Shostakovich trilogy last year.

I think some of the bitterness regarding Kochetkova has to do with the fact that she does partner with the shorter men, and some folks feel they could have used Sarah Lane for those roles.   Although that is on McKenzie, not Kochetkova.

My impatience got the best of me and I just ended up booking my DC SL tickets yesterday, without casting. I'm hoping it doesn't backfire on me, because I really do not want to see Hee Seo or Kochetkova.  I'm going to the Friday night and both Saturday performances.  I'll be super happy if I get to see either Veronica Part, Gillian Murphy, or Devon's debut.  I'd be okay with seeing Boylston or Copeland.

Also booked my subscription for the fall season.  Now I can start the countdown until Sarah Lane's Giselle debut.

One last thing I am excited about.  I finally get to see a Part Swan Lake.  Saturday matinees are the easiest time slot for me to make the trip into NYC, so I'm happy I get to see her in this role.  I hope she gets a good partner.

Abatt, I totally glossed over the fact that Murphy is getting a Giselle!  I am going to be seeing a lot of Giselle that week.  That's 3 performances I definitely want to check out.

I was hoping for a Trenary debut.  She isn't getting any new debuts in the spring, but at least Shevchenko and Teuscher have some.  I also want to check out the Ferri/Bolle Onegin, as I've never seen Ferri live in person (only via YouTube videos).

Oh, and an Abrera/Gomes Giselle is also super awesome.  I think I'm going to ask for the week off at work.  Wish we were getting an Abrera O/O, but I'm looking forward to seeing Teuscher.

A Sarah Lane Giselle!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am so darn excited, I started screeching at work.  

I'll have a full report later, but Baca is a star.  

Sterling Baca's prinicpal debut is tonight in Cinderella.  

I've never seen Stevenson's version, so I'm looking forward to attending.

4 hours ago, apollosmuse said:

Interestingly, she was always on a 1-year contract w/ BRB (http://dancetabs.com/2015/06/birmingham-royal-ballet-promotions-leavers-and-starters-june-2015/). 

 

She's been dealing with an injury as well: 

 

I do wish she'd find a place to settle down and grow as an artist (full disclosure: I used to take open class with her often in the Bay Area and she's a lovely dancer and person). I wonder if the plan is to take this year off and audition in the spring. 

 

Similarly, I'm somewhat confused by Juliet Doherty's remaining in AZ and on the competition/Instagram circuit after her successes w/ SFBS and the Stroman "Little Dancer" show and wonder if these girls are really making a decent living outside the confines of a traditional company through sponsorships etc. 

I didn't know she was injured.  Hope she heals up and gets back to a company soon.  She is so talented, I'd really like to see her progress through a company.  Same with Juliet Doherty.  I didn't realize she was no longer at SFBS.

So Miko is no longer on the Birmingham website.  Anyone know what happened to her?  

I hope I'm wrong but I fear that she is more into being a "celebrity" ballet dancer on instagram/social media, then she is in working her way up a company.  Hope that is not the case because she is very talented.

Just listened to Lauren Fadeley Veyette's podcast on A Fairy's Kiss.  Ratamansky is in Miami right now, choreographing a completely new ballet, so it is a world premiere.  It sounds really interesting, so I think I might try to get down to Miami to see the premiere.

Here is the link to her podcast:  

Rediscovering the Dream-Working with Ratmansky

I'm not a huge Copeland fan, so I can't answer your last question.  I can say that Seo, in general, is much better in more lyrical roles.  I find her Juliet quite lovely, but will never pay money to see her in a classic again.  I really did not enjoy her in La Bayadere, Swan Lake or Sylvia.  To me, she isn't a strong technical dancer and she has a tendency to get swallowed by the stage in the more technical roles.

Thanks for the awesome review though, I really enjoyed reading it.  I love Ratmansky's Sleeping Beauty, so I'm glad to see others appreciate it as well!

Those short clips of Trenary look fantastic.  She certainly looks the part.  Really hope I get to see her in this role at some point, though SB might not be back for the Met season with it having gone two years in a row already, right?  

If it doesn't come back this spring, I hope they give her other opportunities.  Would love to see her in Giselle.

I'm a little disappointed that I'm seeing Seo in Prodigal Son.  She doesn't seem to fit the role of the Siren to me.  Too bad I can't get to NY on the days Part is doing the Siren.

On Saturday afternoon it was Meghan Pugh with Jack Bertinshaw, and you're right, she always really sparkles on stage. On Friday evening it had been Tina Pereira with Robert Stephen, and on Saturday evening is was Jordana Daumec with Dylan Tedaldi.

Also, because of the apparent indisposition of Donald Thom, Harrison James was dancing the Steward of Polixenes' household whenever he wasn't dancing Polixenes himself.

Thanks! Bertinshaw was also very good.

I'm so jealous of those who got to see Lobsanova. She is one of my favorites. I am still haunted by her Juliet last year.

I went to the matinee and I really enjoyed it. I thought the whole cast was fantastic.

Guillame Cote and Sonia Rodriguez were Leontes and Hermione. While Cote didn't quite reach the same level of craziness (especially in the eyes) as Watson, I still thought he gave a haunting performance. This was my first time seeing Rodriguez and she was beautiful. The program says it was her debut, which is surprising to me because I thought she gave a very nuanced performance.

Rui Huang and Skylar Campbell were Perdita and Florizel. Again, I thought they were both fantastic.

I'm not sure who the young shepardess who danced with Brother Clown was, but she has a very lovely stage presence. Every time she was on the stage, my eyes went to her.

From what I remember from the 3 fall galas I've attended is there are opening remarks, but the rest of the show continues just like a normal rep night. It's not full of speeches, video montages, and tributes like spring gala.

Great, thank you so much!

Just got my tickets for the fall.

Quick question regarding the fall gala: Do they get through the performances pretty quickly, and then move on to the dinner, or is there a lot of talking/breaks during the performances and then the dinner.

The reason I ask is I have to work the next day and want to know how soon the performance aspect will be over, as I will not be going to the dinner/dancing part of the evening (just the performance). That night is my only opportunity to see symphonic variations.

Thanks, Mussel!!!! These videos are the perfect post-wisdom surgery activity!

Every time I see Theresa Reichlen, I'm blown away. She's gorgeous in Symphony in C.

Sounds great. Too bad they will be excelling in that elusive style of their own in an empty theater. Nobody to appreciate it except for a few dozens aficionados and close friends/family of the home-grown 'stars'

And who exactly are they developing while their audience longs for really good dancers? Forgive my bluntness, but there's no Ulanova, no Guillem, no Maximova, no Fonteyn, not even Makarova in sight. ABT will end up raising another bunch of Boylstons and Seos that nobody wants to see, especially in Ratmansky productions. Probably the whole thing will be eventually relocated to LA where the culture-starved audiences will lap up anything for a couple of years, before the last trip to total oblivion in a storage dump somewhere in Nevada desert.

Boylston's Swan Lake was basically sold out, so I think plenty of people wanted to see it. Her Ratmansky Sleeping Beauty was almost sold out as well even though according to you that should have been empty, what with a Boylston and Ratmansky pairing.

Yes to this, Olga! You can't read an interview with an ABT dancer without their mentioning how exacting and detailed Ratmansky is in rehearsals, or how they are so motivated to achieve his high standards. I always envied those who were around to attend NYCB during the Balanchine years, and I feel fortunate to be witnessing this.

It's really illogical to blame low ticket sales on Ratmansky. The Firebird and Shostakovich performances I attended sold quite well, in contrast with the Ashtons, and Sleeping Beauty seemed mostly sold-out, even in standing-room. Ratmansky is the most sought-after choreographer in ballet currently (despite what Vogue magazine said recently), and I think the most historically important. It's quite the coup that ABT landed him, considering the offers he likely had. It's almost hilarious to me that folks are complaining about him. Perhaps they have short memories, or maybe they'd prefer a revival of Snow Maiden.

Ratmansky premieres actually feel like happenings, and you see not only big-money types but many dancers from other companies in attendance. I hope he stays with us for the remainder of the career.

So I agree with Mr. Macaulay's season review. (I too skipped Corsaire) And I can't wait to see what is in store for the Fall.

Also agree with both you and Olga.

It might not be true, but sometimes it seems like Ratmansky is the only one coaching the dancers. From the outside, it appears he is more hands on with his work and gives more direction to them. Obviously this is a complete outsiders perspective, so I may be off base.

I hope parts of the Shostakovich trilogy come back for the fall. As well as Plato's symposium.