apollosmuse

October! It’s a Sunday next month, but hope to see you all there!

The SMAT was quicksilver and Sleeping Beauty Act III

quicksilver was danced by the SF Ballet School Trainees.

You can find the full listing of SF Ballet's classes for this season here: https://www.sfballet.org/season/events. If you're specifically looking for seminar style classes, they live under "Audience Engagement."

The company brought its own conductors as well

The company brought 3 soloists, but not the full orchestra to DC. 

Liam Scarlett did not participate in Unbound, so that at least is a non-Unbound ballet

We've also got a new podcast: To the Pointe (and its mini version Demi-Pointe) both available on the website (sfballet.org/explore/podcasts) and anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Overcast, etc). 

We'd love to see you at any/all of these events this season--we're trying some new things (including our Exploring Serenade class in February) and would love your participation and feedback. 

This is Natasha Sheehan's second year in the corps de ballet and Wona Park's first. 

It’s complicated

But all that also to say that the length of the highlights video is decided well before the livestream occurs and is not up to the video editor nor decided entirely by the company. Rights holders often don’t want full versions up, and many dancers also don’t want unedited rehearsal and class footage online. 

Different companies have different contractual obligations with regard to the period of time that lifestreams can stay up and with the length of the highlights videos. These matters are negotiated with the various unions that work with the companies as well as with the rights holders for the ballets and the music. 

Except for the Dawson and Rhoden rehearsals, all the dancing at SFB was live, including the Ochoa rehearsal. 

For those who are interested: Meet the Artist and Pointes of View Lectures for the past 10 seasons are now up on iTunes. Please listen away! A few more from the 2017 season will hopefully be added soon.

That link will not take you to the feed; going directly to the FB page will and it should be at the top.

In addition, it will be here: https://www.sfballet.org/season/events/unbound-2018/unbound-live

A few notes/corrections

--The next livestream is scheduled for August 18. 

--Liang's music is by Oliver Davis. 

--the rehearsal pianist was Ronny Michael Greenberg. 

Or, if you're up to 2 shows on Saturday, Friday April 27-Sunday April 29 is C, D, A, B and Friday May 4-Sunday May 6 is B, C, D, A. 

Dawson seems to have been in Seattle this week: 

Thanks @PeggyTulle and @pherank! I will be organizing the Meet the Artist, Pointes of View, Ballet 101s etc, alongside longtime adult education coordinator Cecelia Beam, as well as working on a variety of other new projects. Podcasts are high on my list of to-dos, but there likely won't be any changes there until next season--but stay tuned! I have some big ideas for those. And the blog does still exist under "Articles" in the SFB website's "Explore" tab: https://www.sfballet.org/explore/articles-videos. Posts right now are a bit more educational rather than "behind-the-scenes" but there are some dancer blogs from the fall if you scroll back!

Casting for the first two nights is up on the website:

March 7:

STRAVINSKY VIOLIN CONCERTO

Aria I: Sarah Van Patten

Aria I: Luke Ingham*

Aria II: Yuan Yuan Tan

Aria II: Tiit Helimets

PRODIGAL SON

Son: Joseph Walsh*

Siren: Sofiane Sylve*

DIAMONDS

Principal Cast: Vanessa Zahorian

Principal Cast: Carlo Di Lanno

March 9:

STRAVINSKY VIOLIN CONCERTO

Aria I: Sofiane Sylve

Aria I: Aaron Robison

Aria II: Vanessa Zahorian

Aria II: Carlo Di Lanno*

PRODIGAL SON

Son: Angelo Greco*

Siren: Jennifer Stahl

DIAMONDS

Principal Cast: Maria Kochetkova*

Principal Cast: Joseph Walsh*

Also, Maria Kotchetkova says this is her only performance of Diamonds: 

Finally, full disclosure: I recently accepted a role at SFB in Audience Engagement and Education, so will be doing less speculation on this site, but will try to pop in now and then to answer questions as I can! And if anyone has thoughts on SFB's audience education initiatives, please feel free to reach out!

Congratulations to Sasha de Sola who will be a principal effective January 1! I've been waiting for this one for a long time

Ratmansky himself seems to feel like the torch lift has been better this year, writing (publicly on Facebook):

Quote

 

Alexei Ratmansky shared American Ballet Theatre's video.

40 mins · 

 

this year's run was really great. happy to see the most challenging moments that we struggled with before (run & jump into the torch lift in the pas de deux, tossing & catching of the flowers, sisters' en dedans/en dehors pirouettes) done with confidence and precision  big thank you to all the dancers, ballet masters and the crew and the orchestra and the kids who were fantastic. want to hug each of you guys. BRAVO and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

 

https://www.facebook.com/alexei.ratmansky?hc_ref=NEWSFEED 

 

Definitely a clue: a new piece for Gala

For what it's worth, I'd be shocked if Kochetkova is dancing w/ ABT on that tour, as SFB will be in season and that particular rep contains pieces she dances in regularly, so you can probably rule out seeing her  

That's a debut for Doris Andre, which is always exciting!

Personally, I'd probably go for the Kotchetkova/Walsh casting--the ballet premiered on Masha and Joan Boada and I think she's excellent in the role, plus, I adore Joe Walsh-- but as Helene said, all the casts should be great. 

29 minutes ago, PeggyTulle said:

 

Agree to an extent, but she didn't stay at SFBS long. IIRC, she left for Master Ballet Academy (where her mom is now teaching) and Instagram. Perhaps Instagram should start its own ballet company...

She was there 2.5 years and did Clara twice in Nut. Not that long perhaps, but as long (or longer) than many company members train there.