MarzipanShepherdess
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Posts posted by MarzipanShepherdess
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1 hour ago, Fernie M said:
I was very surprised to not see Nadon cast in Firebird.
She was scheduled to dance in the new Tanowitz tonight and Naomi Corti subbed in for her last minute. Hope it’s not an injury.
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On 4/15/2022 at 1:20 PM, California said:
The New York Times has a story today about the NYCB 2022-2023 season. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/15/arts/music/new-york-city-ballet-2022-23-season.html
I don't see an actual schedule with the Times story or on the NYCB site. If anyone finds that, please share the link.
A few more details:
On Sunday, December 4 at 5pm, NYCB Principal Dancer Sterling Hyltin will give her farewell performance with NYCB as the Sugarplum Fairy in George Balanchine's The Nutcracker, a role she first performed in 2006.
The fall season opens Tuesday, September 20. The spring season ends May 28, 2023.
https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/New-York-City-Ballet-Announces-2022-23-Season-20220415
VERY excited for the fall Abraham premiere. Lots of ballets I'm excited to see, especially Vienna Waltzes, La Sonambula, the Ratmansky pieces, and Donizetti Variations.
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On 4/16/2022 at 10:29 AM, nycvillager said:
Ah, I am not ready to see Sterling go! I’ll have to see her as much as possible before. She is one of my favorites and her dancing has not declined. Sad about this one, wonder if others are coming…
Agree, she's really going out on top. I respect her decision to do so, but it does make for a particularly painful retirement from an audience perspective because she's still such a fantastic dancer!
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I'll miss Tess SO much and am so glad I got to see her send off. She gave a beautiful final performance worthy of her legacy: elegance, grace, regal mien, beautiful, beautiful lines, gorgeous jumps and penchees. She was my favorite as Siren and Rubies Tall Girl, and I'll miss her as Titania, Choleric, Sugar Plum Fairy, in Diamonds, and as Coffee. Appreciate that the NYT piece gave credit to all she accomplished on and off-stage via her AGMA work and leadership within the company when they were navigating the revenge porn case. She is definitely a dancer I admire both as a ballerina and as an individual.
Serenade was particularly lovely last night, the corps looked REALLY good all night and it felt like they were giving 110% in honor of Teresa. One of my favorite roles to see Sterling in and she was just glorious, so fleet and full of emotion. And of course her blonde hair looks particularly striking streaming down in the final lift. Emilie Gerrity was a very fine Dark Angel and Erica continues to impress me with how she is evolving as an artist with growing presence and depth.
Agree with Jacqueline that Indiana and Harrison were lovely in Andantino both individually and as a pair, but I didn't find the piece itself as compelling as Sonatine. Would not mind if I don't see it again, whereas Sonatine I hope to see more of. There is something very princely to me about Harrison, I'd love to see him in the future as a Siegfried.
Mixed feelings on Unity in TchaiPas. I sometimes feel like in her port de bras there's too much elbows and wrists angled so as to break up the lines...there's a smooth quality I find missing. But beautiful, elegant footwork and jumps. The final fish dive was really alarming, Jovani seemed to catch her fine but must not have had a secure grip as he almost dropped her out of the pose (but fortunately was able to grab Unity so she didn't actually fall). Lots of gasps from the audience in my section. It was a shame as his solos were quite well done.
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Saw last night's Swan Lake II program. Have appreciated reading everyone's POVs here on the "warp speed" one-act Swan Lake. This seems to be a minority opinion but I do enjoy for what it is even as I miss the character development and opportunity to see a ballerina embody both Odette and Odile that you get in the full-length (and I miss the four Cygnets too). Love the arctic sets, the black swans, and the Ivanov-Balanchine choreography. Teresa was pretty sublime last night, I will really, really miss her but admire her for going out in such exquisite form. Beautiful, beautiful pencheés and arabesques. Very tender partnering with Russell, it felt like they were saying goodbye to one another as dance partners and as Odette/Siegfried at the end of the ballet and that was quite moving.
In 4Ts I enjoyed Emily Kikta (but was haunted by memories of Teresa as Choleric, such a great role for her)...I think she's growing into the role and could bring more attack and confidence, but I'm sure it will come. I thought the corps looked good, many apprentices making debuts. Gonzalo was gripping in Melancholic, it's one of my favorite solos for a man in Balanchine and his expressive port de bras and flexible back shone so beautifully. Turns weren't what they would have been a few years ago, but glad to have seen him in this role for a final time, he did himself credit.
Sonatine is short and sweet, this was my first time seeing it and I was struck by how gorgeous the music is. Strong debuts from Indiana and Anthony. It felt like the kind of ballet that needs quite compelling dancers to bring it to life, no big bravura choreography or anything showy, and they did it well. Fun to see it followed by the Black Swan PDD which is like night and day. Unity to me has the mien and potential to be an impressive Odile but isn't quite there yet. Some lovely moments (beautiful balances and wonderful in that series of those aggressive jetés towards Siegfried with the legs in front, don't know the proper term), and then others were it felt like she could have embodied the character more fully and just didn't seem to have the complete confidence the Odile characterization demands. She seemed to be reining herself in for the manege jetés, maybe trying to save energy for the big fouetté sequence. She traveled a lot in it, I didn't count but it seemed like she didn't quite make it through. Gordon felt more confident and fully embodying his role to me, though of course it's a much less challenging PDD for Siegfried than Odile!
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Those who miss Lauren onstage will be glad to know that she's dancing in two pieces as part of Tiler Peck's "Artists at the Center" performances at City Center in March:
https://www.nycitycenter.org/pdps/2021-2022/artists-at-the-center--tiler-peck/
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Was so glad to be back at NYCB for my first performance of the winter season. Reasonably full house, maybe 3/4?
Walpurgisnacht: I've read that this is one of Sara Mearns' favorite roles and it shows. She is thrilling in this, particularly the final series of turns which she really threw herself into, gaining glorious speed as she went across the stage. Janzen was debuting as her partner in this role and seemed to struggle in his final solo and just not really be in form. I've been noticing in recent seasons how Erica Peiera is growing as a dancer years after her IMO premature promotion, she had some lovely jumps. The corps was mostly apprentices and junior corps members and they looked a bit under-rehearsed. Someone fell pretty hard (I think Dominika, who I can recognize from On Pointe) and someone else I couldn't recognize had a bit in the finale where she was doing different steps than everyone else (smoothly, just the wrong steps). Still love this ballet even when some of the cast is not at their best.
Unanswered Question: An interesting little oddity. The opening movement in which the ballerina is held aloft by 4 male corps dancers, advancing towards the main male dancer who is both reaching for her and retreating from her is quite striking but I found that even within the six or so minutes the choreography was repetitive. It's not a wholly satisfying ballet to me and I think Balanchine works with some similar choreography and motifs more powerfully elsewhere (Serenade, Agon, etc) But glad to have seen it again after many years.
Moves: So much here to take in with Robbins choreography. I love the references to calisthenics and yoga in the choreography, the pointe percussion, and all the side profile corps arrangements. Emilie Gerrity very strong in the main female solo role.
Slaughter on Tenth Avenue: I always find this fun and they've updated it with a pandemic gag: after the gunman hides his gun under his hat and is about to take his seat, he puts on a KN95. Got the biggest laugh of any of the jokes. Teresa was pitch-perfect as Striptease Girl as always and seemed to be having a lot of fun in one of what's sadly one of her last performances.
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5 hours ago, meunier fan said:
The Royal Opera and Royal Ballet have announced an Autumn/Christmas schedule (including a slightly revised 'Nutcracker') of live events within a socially distanced regime:
Given the tightening restrictions just announced in the UK last week performing to live London audiences in December seems VERY optimistic, but good luck to them!
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At this point I will be shocked if ABT performs at the Met in the spring.
Even if they COULD perform there to a live audience due to gathering restrictions being lifted, I have trouble imagining a large enough percentage of their audience (which like opera’s skews older) would be willing to attend to make it worthwhile. I miss live ballet so much, but can’t envision attending a performance next spring myself with everything we now know about indoor aerosol transmission.
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Very happy to see this crop of promotions! I am not a Lane fan at all, but I do feel sorry for her fans who won’t be able to give her the send-off they surely wish to.
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On 3/21/2020 at 10:40 PM, Helene said:
Does ABT also have a Dancers Emergency Fund? NYCB has had one for decades.
Yes they have had one for at least ten years if not longer. The proceeds from the sale of the dancers’ autographed pointe shoes and slippers fund it. I don’t recall them ever publicly fundraising for it in the past, but recently Isabella Boylston and James Whiteside have been encouraging those watching their live-streamed classes to donate.
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8 hours ago, ABT Fan said:
For what it’s worth, I just checked and Brandt “liked” this post (so did Irina and Max). So, she must not believe it’s about her.
Skylar and Irina and Max could definitely be “liking” it to say “hey you jerk we saw this”. A like is not always a like.
For someone who self-professes to be such a woman of faith and virtue Sarah sure seems to sling a lot of mud at her colleagues and have some pretty hateful heroes.
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13 hours ago, Lena C. said:
Her lack of acknowledgment for Cornejo's anniversary, as well as her cryptic post on today of all days, indeed speaks volumes.
Wow. I don’t follow lane on Instagram but went to look at that post after you referenced it here. Posting a long caption beginning “the greatest examples are those who have the courage to live in humility, who do not need to be puffed up...” on the day of Herman’s big anniversary extravaganza certainly seems like some serious shade directed at her former dance partner. Have to say I don’t think that was very classy or gracious of her, regardless of the current state of her feelings towards Herman.
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Wonderful tribute to Herman tonight.
I know that his physique doesn’t make him an ideal Apollo, but I enjoyed him in the role. I think he performed it adroitly and confidently—for me, it worked. Misty, Skylar, and Cassandra were all good as muses.
The tango with Erica was short, but high on charisma and panache. It was a lot of fun to see Herman dance tango, especially with Erica and especially knowing how sentimental this piece is for him (he first came to ABT to perform it with Erica at an Argentinian cultural event and asked to take class with ABT, this kicking off his connection to the company). He and Erica were both fabulous and full of energy.
I grant that Ghosts is not Tharp’s best work, and I seem to be in the minority here, but I really enjoyed it. It’s a PERFECT vehicle for Herman, with ample opportunity to appreciate his refinement, his charisma, his wit, speed, turns, and leaps. He had a manège that was just breathtaking, and a pirouette series that could truly be described as thrilling. It really felt like a love letter from Twyla, highlighting all Herman’s gifts in a major way. I agree with @ABT Fan that there’s no one else in the current male roster I can imagine pulling it off. I can see different dancers doing bits of it well, but no one doing the whole. What a credit to Herman’s artistry that is.
Royal and Hurlin particularly stood out of a very strong Ghosts cast, Royal for his elegant hands and arms and Hurlin for her strength and speed (aptly named “greased lightning” in the program). Shevchenko also looked great, and Hoven made a strong case for why he should really pick up some of those TBA slots in the spring.
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17 minutes ago, Barbara said:
If very short Copeland can dance with very tall Hallberg I don’t see why Sarah couldn’t be paired with Hoven. I don’t think that would be an extreme height difference. Would you say Hoven and Ahn are similar heights?
Yes, I think Hoven and Ahn are similar heights.
I don't think lack of a suitable partner is what is holding Sarah back. It seems like her problem is more that she isn't a favorite of Kevin's or in demand as a partner (at least from the male principals like Cornejo who have influence on who they dance with). She seems to have similar issues to those Veronika Part had--not broadly liked by her peers or by management, and it certainly seems to impact casting.
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I'm pretty excited for this season! Last season there were no ballets I wanted to see multiple performances of, due to casting, but this season there are several where I'll definitely attend multiple performances.
I'll be heart-broken to see Stella retire, of course, but I'm glad she's going out properly feted and getting to dance some great roles like Giselle and Juliet. Hopefully we'll also be graced with a Lilac Fairy and some appearances in the mixed bills and in Of Love and Rage. I'd have loved to see her one last time in Ashton's Cinderella, but oh well.
Very much looking forward to Shevchenko/Royal/Hurlin's Giselle debuts, and to Hurlin as Aurora and Gamzatti. Also THRILLED Kimin Kim is coming back for Bayadère, a ballet he's phenomenal in. And seeing Osipova as Giselle and Juliet will be a treat. I'm glad to see the guest stars being judiciously balanced with opportunities for soloists and corps dancers.
I echo those lamenting that Blaine Hoven hasn't gotten anything major, though I expect he'll show up in the mixed bills and the new Ratmansky.
I'm glad Jane Eyre is back, but I wish we were seeing some Jane debuts rather than the same dancers from last season.
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1 hour ago, MadameP said:
Vladimir Shklyarov has just announced on Instagram that his wife, Maria Shirinkina, has just been promoted to First Soloist!!! I am so happy for this lovely, lyrical, expressive ballerina!
That’s wonderful news!! Well-deserved. She danced wonderfully this tour.
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Saw the matinee today with the divine Tereshkina! A few last minute changes: Yekaterina Chebykina performed act I as Christina but then Maria Shirinkina subbed in for the last two acts. Maria Illiushkina also subbed for May Nagahisa in the act III pavlova in king candaules variation.
This was my first time seeing Paquita and I was nervous I’d be really disappointed I’d made the trip down to DC after reading people’s reactions here! Though it’s not my new favorite ballet, I really enjoyed it for what it was. Would I rather have seen La Bayadère? Yes. But opportunities to see the Mariinsky are rare for me sadly and I’m glad I came.
Tereshkina brought fireworks, as expected, but I also really enjoyed two new-to-me corps dancers. First, Maria iliushkina who did the best of the act III variations after Tereshkina in the pavlova in king candaules one. She has a lovely, lyrical, floating quality and her balances were beautiful. I also really enjoyed lira khuslamova as the widow. It’s a small role, but she made a lot of it with her gorgeous poet de bras and the air of stately grief she brought to it.
Though Paquita has a silly plot and no real emotional weight, I did appreciate all the substantial solos that gave me the opportunity to see soloists shine, particularly Shirinkina and Shakirova.
Was just reading above that this was the first time the Mariinsky has toured here with kids and I’m glad they did—they were a highlight for me. I was so impressed by their refinement and coordination with one another, doing MUCH harder choreography than I’ve ever seen similarly aged kids from ABT or NYCB or the Royal Ballet do. They were really great.
I wish I had the chance to see Tereshkina more often. She just sparkled. She always radiates this strength and absolute technical security.
So, even though Paquita may not be a fabulous ballet in its own right, more than happy I got to see this performance.
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On 9/15/2019 at 2:02 PM, Inge said:
This description makes it sound like the child of Le Corsaire & The Tempest.
Please no.
Ugh, it absolutely does! Do we really need another ballet about a woman hundreds of years ago being abducted and rescued by her dashing hero? I appreciate that Ratmansky is passionate about ballet history and unearthing overlooked pieces of Petipa archive, but why pick such a musty, well-worn narrative when he's working on an entirely new ballet?
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Saw Saturday's Jewels matinee, what a great start to the season!
I felt Abi was really miscast in Emeralds. She doesn't have the exceptional port de bras or lush quality to her dancing that Emeralds requires. I didn't enjoy watching her and Amar at all and couldn't wait for them to get off stage and make room for Unity and Ask, who were great. I also really enjoyed Georgina. And a shout out is due to India Bradley, who has much refined her dancing since the spring.
In the 15 years I've been attending City Ballet performances I've never seen someone do Rubies better than Sterling. She just crackles with energy, managing to be both playful and utterly in control. She perfectly punctuates each step yet is so fleet and quick, and Veyette was a great foil to her. Lots of spark between them. I thought Emily Kikta gave a good performance; I haven't followed her closely and was surprised to see she's still in the corps. But to me she lacked some of the sharpness and definition that the strongest interpreters of the role have (I'm thinking of Teresa Reichlen, for example). At times she looked rushed and the steps didn't have the crispness of Sterling's.
Diamonds was what I was most looking forward to seeing, and Maria and Jared did not disappoint. Maria's dancing has such a beautiful, crystalline quality: every step is so clear, so fully articulated. She seemed totally in command of time, as though she was the axis of her own world. Her performance really reminded me of how Farrell describes the diamonds ballerina as "the most powerful woman in the world". She was really regal, but there was also vulnerability in those slowly unfurling supported backbends. I've always felt Maria was regal in this role, but in this performance she felt not just queenly but actually powerful, and to have independence and authority rather than the romantic, Swan-Queen quality that some dancers bring to the role. It was just a gorgeous, totally entrancing performance where I was hanging on every little movement. It amazes me that this far into her career Maria is still uncovering new facets to some of her most-performed roles.
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59 minutes ago, LadyBubbles said:
I wish Ogawa weren't leaving, but either she's found better opportunities elsewhere or perhaps she has other dreams to pursue.
Ogawa has shared on Instagram that she’s had three ankle surgeries, the most recent of which was in February. Seems that her ABT career, like Waski’s, has been negatively impacted by injury. I’m sad to see Paulina leave ABT too but I agree she didn’t seem to be on the same soloist promotion track after injury, as @LadyBubbles noted. Hopefully she will get more opportunities with Boston Ballet. It could be a great move for her.
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12 hours ago, Barbara said:
But I think Stella is in a much more secure position than Part was. Much more in the fabric of the company and with Sascha’s position with the Studio Company, I don’t think Kevin would force a retirement. Not that I agree with the treatment of Part. It was unforgivable for her career to end like that.
I agree. In addition, Stella is obviously favored by Ratmansky, more so than Veronika was. She seems like one of the most beloved dancers within the company while Veronika was candid about how ABT was not the easiest place for her socially: I think Veronika’s relative distance from the company in that way made it easier for management to treat her as badly as they did. We were denied so many years of seeing Stella as a principal, it would a travesty to force her out when she is obviously still capable of performing with such great artistry.
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Saw Lane and Cornejo tonight with a surprise Lilac Fairy sub from Stella!
Stella just owns that role. Stunning execution of her tricky prologue solo and the most exquisite port de bras all throughout. Crystal clear mime that was by turns funny, tender, and regal. I want her as my good fairy!
Cornejo also shone—obviously the Prince doesn’t have much to do in this version until his Act III solos but he was stunning when it counted, such perfect batterie and princely mien.
Lane was excellent with Aurora’s intricate footwork and her turns. Beautiful elevation, particularly in her first Act I variation which was gorgeous. Good balances though not the most assured tonight at least. As strong as she is technically, I feel like she is still developing as an actress/artist, though. Her Aurora is pretty one-note: you don’t see the progression from young girl in Act I to regal bride in Act III that great interpreters of the role like Alina Cojacaru or Diana Vishneva showed. To my taste, Lane’s Act I Aurora lacks girlish high spirits: she seems too mature and serious already (though I recognize this could be a considered interpretation of the role that just doesn’t resonate with me). I found her facial expressions to be strained at times and there are moments she seems to miss in terms of dramatic/character impact: like interacting with the suitors, or delivering the roses to her parents. I would see her in this role again, though.
Catherine Hurlin was an Act III standout as Florine and I hope we get to see her Aurora someday! She certainly seems to be developing the technical chops yet also is so strong dramatically. Isadora Loyola subbed as White Cat and was super-charming and perfectly slinky. Diamond Fairy substitute was very good as well but didn’t catch her name as it was announced just before the program.
Don’t miss the fish dives in Act III. Aurora’s arms en courounne repeat the ballet’s solar motif in a satisfying way and to me make more sense in terms of the ballet’s symbolism than the angular, almost to the ground fish dives. I do find the reconstruction really interesting and rewarding to watch. I’m glad this isn’t the only version of SB we have, but I’m also glad we have this window into the Petipa style as it was in the 1890s. To me it’s a much more compelling look into the past than Harlequinade and I do find it really beautiful. I feel like the restraint of the choreography (by contemporary standards) helps me to notice the beauty of every step more, because it’s more subtle.
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I have a single orchestra prime ticket for Swan Lake tonight (with Shevchenko) that I won’t be able to use. Does anyone want the ticket? TBC, am not selling the ticket, happy to give it to anyone who wants to see what promises to be an exciting performance! Any takers, message me directly please. I will update this post if/when the ticket is claimed.
EDIT: TICKET HAS BEEN CLAIMED.
New York City Ballet 2021-2022 season
in New York City Ballet
Posted · Edited by MarzipanShepherdess
Yes! Would love to see it again. A lot to take in and engage with. I really enjoy how Tanowitz continues to twist and subvert classical ballet conventions (for example, doing a lot with flexed instead of pointed feet, doing these movements that are kind of burlesques on pliés, etc). Throughout Law of Mosaics, I kept seeing things I hadn't seen before in ballet, like arabesques that then fracture into off-kilter backbends. Sara Mearns has an unusual solo which closes the piece, very emotional and heavy, weighted down, slow and constrained movements...it made me think of some comments Sara made during a talk following her evening at the Joyce this spring about being interested in exploring "small" in her dancing now after years of striving to dance really big. Tanowitz definitely gave her an opportunity to do that and challenge herself artistically, hard to imagine anyone else doing that solo. I hope they bring Law of Mosaics back for future seasons.
Gustave Le Gray, Tanowitz's other piece on the program, is not brand-new like Law of Mosaics but is new to City Ballet and I also found it fresh and engaging. Four dancers and an on-stage pianist, who towards the end of the ballet gets recruited into movement and continues to play the piano in a crouch as the dancers slowly move the piano across the stage--again, something unexpected that was exciting and impactful. Naomi Corti subbed in for Anthony Huxley--she also subbed in for Mira Nadon in Law of Mosaics, quite a night for her. The costumes have these strips of fabric that attach at the ankle and shoulder, which create an orb effect when the dancers are turning; one of the more successful creative costume choices I've seen in a while, which felt like it enhanced the choreography rather than distracting.