Kaysta

I think it's clear, and ABT knows it, that they are in rebuild mode.  I wouldn't be surprised if there are a few more casualties.

I can't wait to see Calvin tackle some "princely" roles.  He has such beautiful lines and charisma on stage.

6 minutes ago, canbelto said:

Sarah - Juliet, Lise, Cinderella, Colombine (in the new Harlequinade next year)

 

Yes, yes, yes and yes!

I second the Shevchenko as O/O.  I think she has the potential to be a fantastic Odile!

I'd like to see Teuscher as Giselle.  

8 minutes ago, aurora said:

 

Don't do that. Go and be vocal in your enthusiastic support for Veronika. That's my plan. Be positive and enthusiastic. She deserves it, no?

She definitely does.  I just don't want to deal with crazy protesters, as I'm allergic to big, rowdy crowds.    I'm fine with them booing McKenzie if he goes on stage.  I'm fine with showering Veronika with flowers and applause.   

But what bothers me is when folks put down other dancers because they are angry about Veronika.  If you read some of the postings on that petition, some have a tendency to belittle ABT's other dancers because they are upset with the Part situation.  I have no problem with people stating they think Veronika is the best female principal at ABT, I just don't like when some have to put down others to try and raise Veronika up.

This craziness is making me reconsider even attending the performance.  

Great news, I'm happy for all four of them and I look forward to seeing them cast in more roles next year.

This is getting crazy.  I like Veronika Part, and will miss seeing her O/O and Nikiya, but I don't think this is doing her any favors.  And I don't find Ratmansky's comments rude or demeaning to Veronika at all.  

Glad I have tickets for the 8th, if this is indeed her last performance.  

The works and process video is up, with lots of performances and interviews for Whipped Cream.

That was pretty cool.  Calvin looked amazing!

I agree, they didn't do a good job implementing it.  I still think the front page looks better than it did, but I don't understand what they were thinking with just doing the front page and having it revert to the old website when you click on any links.

Wow, they are amazing!

3 hours ago, DeCoster said:

I haven't seen Gisele Bethea on stage this season at all, and between her height and her feet she's hard to miss.  Has anyone noticed her?

I haven't either, and I've been looking for her every time I go.  I wonder if she is injured?

Might have to make a trip down 95 to see R&J.  I've never seen the Cranko version.

I'm excited to see the new Ratmansky work.  I have enjoyed all of his works set to Desyatnikov.

I don't disagree that the current ABT principal roster has its weaknesses, and I completely understand how people who have been following this company for many years (especially those that lived through the golden era of the 80's to early 2000's) feel those weaknesses much more than I would.   But the way out of this is not through short term one night only guest artists every night, as a few folks on this board seem to yearn for (though I'm not against having one or two per season.)

Why would any young talent want to go to a company where they know the chances of promotion are so slim and that outside artists will dance all of the coveted roles? Think of how much ABT has lost from this policy (Jared Matthews, Simone Messmer, Yuriko Kajiya, Sterling Baca, Maria Riccetto to name a few).  No other company in the world operates in such a manner (with guest artists dancing almost more than their own dancers).  And while I understand, as a balletomane, why it was awesome to see these world superstars in NY on a nightly basis, I strongly believe it is one of the reasons why some might see the company as "struggling" right now.  ABT needs to go through some growing pains to get back on track.  

I believe I have made my opinion known, so I'll stop posting about it and let it go.  Besides, I'm veering us off topic.

10 minutes ago, nana said:

Not only 3 or 4, i saw almost 70% of the shows this season and several over the years. I misunderstoond that abt and nycb are the best companies then or they just choose to cast dancers who are not the best even though there are many good ones. I don't want to see dancers who can't even execute original choreography anymore. Great for them to have people who love them whatever they do  

I'm not trying to be disrespectful here, just trying to understand...

If you've been going for many years and have not liked what you've seen, why do you still attend?  Wouldn't it be better to not give money to companies that you think are putting on subpar work?  

33 minutes ago, nana said:

 

Yes, I was hasty to say that but I thought ABT is one of the best companies in the US. I attended Sara Mearns' NYCB swan lake and she didn't finish fouette and did some awkward thing.. many of ABT performances and that nycb experience made me think that way and should i think that it's just a coincidence? I've attended many ballet shows in the world and was surprised at these sequences actually given that I thought abt and nycb are world level companies. I don't want to blame any but wanted to raise a constructive discussion.

 

So you've seen 3 maybe 4 bad fouetté sequences and that's enough to dismiss all US dancers as lacking technique?  Ok, then. Not sure what else to add, except perhaps a recommendation to skip the US companies and wait for the European companies to come touring. 

Personally, I've seen some amazing and some not-so-great performances from dancers trained all over the world.  Not going to pigeonhole an entire system over some fouettés.

Unrelated to Swan Lake, but i will be quite sad if i cant see her Nikiya one more time.  Glad i got to see her O/O twice this year (DC and NY)

42 minutes ago, nana said:

 

I'm not sure it's because she didn't have chances earlier. And principal is not where people develop their skills and practice in front of audiences - they should be fully developed and ready when they are in principal roles. Probably they can be more mature as they age but I don't think it's because she didn't have chances. 

 

 

 I don't think the majority of yesterday's audience would agree with you regarding Stella's performance yesterday, as she received a loud standing ovation from the crowd.  And while I agree that one is unlikely to grow from a pure technique standpoint once they have reached principal status, I completely disagree with your viewpoint that one can't grow artistically as they perform a role repeatedly.    Many of ABT's dancers have gone on the record (and it has been discussed and published) that one of the downfalls of ABT's guest and scheduling policy, is that they only get to perform a role once a year (if that) and that it hinders their artistic growth.  

Quote

I agree that AD has responsibility but now I'd rather think if there's a larger issue in ballet education system in the US. We don't see many world level dancers with strong technicality (e.g. Swan lake fouette) or strong acting skills. Is it because dancers didn't have chance to get very organized education on acting or high techniques from early on?  

This is your opinion and I'm not really sure what it has to do with Stella or this topic.  Just because ABTs principals had a rought time with the fouettes during the Swan Lake run doesn't mean that US dancers lack technical ability.  You can't judge an entire group by one company run.   I don't know if the US system is the best way to train a ballet dancer or not, but I know there are plenty of technically secure US trained dancers out there.

2 hours ago, Olga said:

 

I'm one person who agrees with you (but I don't post much on this board). For some time now I have been trying to understand the attachment and raves about Abrera. I think she is competent and lovely (if a bit stiff) but I wouldn't go out of my way to see her, or for that matter any other of ABT's female principal roster. Not a single one takes the breath away. Count me as one person who thinks relying solely on the in house dancers is a mistake for ABT.   As for the soloists, there are some intersting dancers coming up but time will tell if they can hold my interest. 

Maybe the ABT principals are not "star material" because they lost all of their developmental years while guest artists were coming in and taking their opportunities.  Stella was lovely yesterday (personally she blew me away, but to each their own), but she debuted in this role at the age of 39, when she should have debuted in her 20's.  That is on Kevin McKenzie.  

And for those who say they don't know who will dance Tatiana next year without Vishneva and Ferri, how about ABT continues to fix past mistakes and gives some of the opportunities to their soloists?  So they don't have to go back to bringing in tons of guest artists???  I know this disappoints those who only want to see Russian artists on ABT's stage, but honestly, what company in the world relies entirely on guest artists?  

1 hour ago, Mazurka said:

1.  Oh Stella! Oh Cory! Oh Gorak! Oh Cassandra,  Act 1 sheer delight
2.  

Oh my, I am a sobbing heaving wreck right now.  Stella was amazing and heartbreaking.  And for the first time, I saw real passion from Cory Stearns, he blew me away!  And I don't even have the words for Gorak and Trenary.  Honestly, that's the best I've ever seen Stearns or Gorak.   Will write more when I get back to Philly, but BRAVOOOO!!!!

Count me in the minority, but I still like Onegin and Manon (and R&J), especially when they are danced by dancers who can handle the acting/characterizations.  I will forever remember Vishneva's and Gomes' Manon performance (Vishneva's 10th anniversary performance).  

Plus, as a relative newb to the ballet world (about 5 years now), I think that something like R&J or Manon may be more accessible to the public who has not seen a lot of classical ballet versus something like...Sleeping Beauty.  While I completely adore Sleeping Beauty now, five years ago I couldn't say that.

I am super happy to hear the Stearns/Abera pairing went well! 

3 hours ago, abatt said:

Here is a clip of Trenary performing the fiendishly difficult solo variation for Princess Praline.

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/21/arts/dance/watch-a-ballerinas-fleet-footed-solo-in-whipped-cream.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Farts&action=click&contentCollection=arts&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=8&pgtype=sectionfront

I love that solo.  And Cassandra does it beautifully.

I only saw Semionova once, but like others have posted, I didn't really find her performance to be inspiring.  Though I remember her being a technical marvel (she held Odile's balance for a very long time, without wobbling, and had no trouble with her fouettes) I didn't see two distinct characters emerge with Odette and Odile.  Basically I felt nothing emotionally.  Some would be aghast at the thought, but I would prefer to see Boylston (even though I agree with the criticism about her arms and hands) over Semionova.  But that is what makes this site, and art in general, great.  We all have different tastes!