balletforme

The "Faces" piece shows great depth for a young dancer. Clear potential.

She is lovely and smart. I worry a little about her.

We know several students who attend SAB and DD did the summer program 2 years. It could impact students in the Advanced Divisions who travel to board in NYC. Ironically, this was a very "low" year at SAB as there were not a lot of spaces available for "Winter Term." It could impact the School but not likely. I mean Martins himself had a DUI. Although Martins is chairman of the faculty he is more the face of the COMPANY. Mazzo (Co-chairman) is the face of the SCHOOL. A difference. Honestly, Kistler does not have a reputation as a "caregiver" at all. Great teacher, but not her vibe. Her primary identity is an ex NYCB principal. SAB recently kicked out kids for drug use. Along with several other infractions, there's near 0 tolerance unless Martins REALLY wants you. It's there like it is in most American high schools.

I've watched a lot of her vlogs and honestly, she seems fragile I don't think that Russia has been kind to her, honestly, and I just don't think she knows how to handle it all. She seems very isolated.

Elisabeth has pristine technique!

Has anyone seen her perform and does anyone have an opinion about Peter Martin's ideas that she needs to retire?

HA! I think that the girl's name is Corrigan. . .Neve Corrigan? I looked it up. Sorry.

I think that about 5 women are being taken as apprentices (India Bradley, Gabriella D., Neve Campbell, Mary Thomas???).

I saw the Sat night performance and really enjoyed Gabriella as well. I thought that she was the standout girl. Very poised. I also loved Andres Zuniga (male lead Scotch) and Amara Hong as red girl in Scotch. Scotch was very polished and showed all the dancers well. Hallelujah Junction that I saw was good but felt like a bit of a struggle on all counts. It just didn't feel like a good student piece. The partnering is so challenging and there were several "hold-your-breath-moments" both with the partnering and the stamina of the female lead. I felt like they all just felt like "I got through it," and it felt that way as an audience member.

I watched that clip and well, it didn't inspire me to see the ballet. It looked a bit out of sync in some corps parts and it appeared "heavy" to me???? Weighted down by costumes, bobble heads, and large props with a rather bizarre plot (hospitals, large syringes) I love the idea of a grand ballet. I'll be in NYC so perhaps I can see it.

Here and Now. . . is proving to be Hurt and Injured. They are dropping like flies.

I saw LeCrone in Thou Swell and she seemed out of place then. Looked down a great deal. (I was in the orchestra.)

I knew someone would see Amar's Broadway potential! Saw him dance in Feb (Slaughter, Carousel, Thou Swell) . .one of the few males to connect with the Broadway style. . .he will flourish, like Robbie Fairchild.

Balletfreak. . It appears that what both appear to want to do is be the center of attention, whether that be in a pre professional co or on Instagram.

I saw this Wed night performance as well. I loved Carousel. Just perfection and the most clever choreography I have seen. Peck was perfect. Thou Swell was also lovely. I liked Hylton and Mearns (stole the show IMO) and Amar. Felt like Krohn was tentative and held back. She was looking down a great deal. Just didn't "sell" it to me. Those maid costumes must be changed. The girls looked fat and the black ribbons on the legs further accentuated that. Afterward I watched the 2003 debut and the maid costumes were far more flattering. (Silk skirts that hit mid thigh). Also, the boys in the black turtlenecks didn't work either. Again, I found the white tux shirt in the 2003 far better. Slaughter. . .just didn't do it for me. The corps parts just look weak, under rehearsed and silly. I kept mentally contrasting the dancing with what a polished Broadway ensemble girl would do and that's the genre here. NYCB dancers could do it, the steps were so simple. Just not given proper preparation IMO. Vagansmom. . SO AGREE with your analysis of Amar. I kept thinking, "When is someone going to pluck him away and drop him in a Broadway leading man role. . . It would be magnificent." I think that the blond girl was one of the Von Ecks.

A member of my family has worked for MSG in the Christmas show and it's definitely an "old style" company. Their PR department needs work, clearly a big botch. The Rockettes are members of AGVA (American Guild of Variety Artists) and the leadership consists of former MSG employees and Rockettes. That said, as a performing artist, do you really get say about the audience? I abhor Trump and all he stands for.

The link is dead?

I saw the Oct 27th program and enjoyed Prodigal the most. I have never seen it before but I found Part awkward and Simpkin dazzling, emotional and amazing. Maybe I just don't like the Siren's choreography but it looked very odd to me and she did not seem comfortable. . .but I am clearly outvoted here (and not an expert by any stretch.) The closing scene where the son comes back and the father picks him up brought me to tears, so riveting. After Alastair's review I was expecting for the Ratmansky to blow me away. I wish I had read Plato's works. I might have had more appreciation for it.

Juliet actually left SFBS, after her Little Dancer stint, and kind of in a mad dash. She is with the Master Ballet Academy teachers and has done some guesting. She went to Varna (and maybe made it to the 2nd round.) I think that there *may* be a lack of depth in the training of these two young women. I think that something happens when you flit from studio to studio, as they both did and then run around to galas and competitions. If your training is focusing constantly on the next performance, which I believe they both did, then you really can be sacrificing technique. . . at least you might be sacrificing the extra time that your peers are spending in the studio. And those fine differences may be distinguishing dancers at the professional ranks. In addition, these people tend to focus so much on their promotion scheme (pictures, galas, competitions, modeling, contests) that they forget to invest time in what they are promoting--their dance skills. If it's good enough to render a stunning picture or quad pirouette on a video, then they think that they are good enough for a company. But the company doesn't want a picture or a quad pirouette. They want you to stay in line with the corps. . At 16 they kind of view themselves as finished products, when they aren't.

They recorded it. FYI the ballet classes were kind of unremarkable. A few plies in girls D and and Adagio in Adv Mens.

Thanks Helene for you analysis of the Gala. I read the review but it's nice to hear from someone else.

Did anyone see the Premieres last night?

Just a thought..... but I hope that this owner can clean up the Teen-Themed Dance Spirit. My daughter took it for years and it was so light in content that it was almost silly. It's mostly a PR tool for every competition kid with a publicist, momager, and Instagram account. The content appears to be informed by a network of people in NYC and competition owners. It's mostly an ad-rag. If what they are trying to be is a magazine for people who want to be on SYTYCD, then they have accomplished their goal but somehow I thought it was for a wider audience of teen dancers in local studios. In my opinion Dance Spirit is not an all authoritative.

I agree that it seems a strange content. .. I am kind of new to ballet but why would Bolshoi come to NYC and do a signature Balanchine piece?

Hope that Washington Ballet cultivates and attracts its own talent under Kent.