its the mom

There are several Korean ballerinas in Boston, Seo Hye Han and Ji Young Chae, not yet principals, but soloists. Misa Kuranaga (Japan) and Lia Cirio (Filipino American) are both principals. Rie Ichikawa (Japan) is a soloist. There are numerous other half Asian women and a number of Asian men.

Glad to see that someone recognized and emphasized Stella's promotion: http://thefilam.net/archives/18842

Cirio is a lot younger than Whiteside was when Whiteside left Boston for ABT. Whiteside was in his late twenties at that point. Although he has danced a good amount of principal roles, Cirio is more the age of Trenary and Brandt. He was made a principal at a very young age.

Cirio has done numerous principal roles at Boston which are not listed in his bio in the press release. He has done bravura as well as princely roles, and has danced with Kotchetkova in Vail, as well as Brandt in a gala. He will definitely be missed in Boston.

Yes, sorry. I meant Baca.

Yes, that's what I thought. Is he younger than Trenary and Brandt?

Is Baca younger than the others, perhaps?

Pointe Magazine indicates that he will: http://pointemagazine.com/blogs/jeffrey-cirio/misty-copeland-and-stella-abrera-promoted-principal-dancer-abt

Wondering if Lendorf is doing the same thing - splitting time between ABT and Royal Danish.

Link: https://www.facebook.com/AmericanBalletTheatre/photos/a.122834101857.133692.15817871857/10153316901056858/?type=1&theater

I noticed that it was not in his Royal bio, but I remembered that he had left ABT for Corella. At the time, I remember wondering if he should have just waited another year or two to be promoted at ABT. It is mentioned in this bio: http://www.operaballet.nl/en/node/2264

When Golding first left ABT, I believe he went to Corella Ballet, and then left there to go to Het.

I don't know what the current business model is at ABT, but I agree with you, abatt, that it seems the whole "guest star model" became more popular at ABT after Ms. Moore's arrival. I would love to see this company return to a cohesive group of artists, and a concentration on grooming the talent within.

Wow! Here's the article: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/la-et-cm-music-center-president-20150618-story.html#page=1

Boston does McGregor (Chroma) and PA Ballet is doing it this fall. He just created a new piece for Royal (they also do Infra), and I believe that Het is doing one of his pieces in their Cool Britannia rep. Also, San Fran did Borderlands in 2013.

Amy - I was going to say something along these lines. I would love to see ABT take on something more contemporary than Tharp. Dawson or McGregor. I mean, even Royal Ballet does some of that. Paquita would be nice, as would Coppelia and La Fille.

abatt - I noticed that Macauley mentioned Skylar in his review of the two retirement performances: "It’s heartening therefore to report on the exceptional luster shown by the young Skylar Brandt in the peasant pas de deux on Saturday and Wednesday afternoons. She and her partner, Arron Scott, were new to this piece on Saturday; his innocence and skill (double air turns to the right and the left) are perfect for it. Ms. Brandt, beautiful in features, feet and technical execution, has an elegance that, amid the village scene of “Giselle,” startles." My question is this - he mentions Scott's "double air turns to the right and the left" as if this skill is something special. Double tours to both sides are a pretty basic requisite for a male dancer. I realize that most men have a stronger side, but they should be able to tour and pirouette both ways. Why the mention?

I believe it is. The school is only a few years old. The Rock School was established as the school for PA Ballet, but they became their own institution in 1992. http://www.therockschool.org/about-us/history

A Glorious Beginning! First performance of the school dedicated to Barbara Weisberger. http://www.annenbergcenter.org/event/the-school-of-pennsylvania-ballet

I am glad to see Steven Loch getting some opportunity here. Knew him as a young dancer and always liked him on stage.

Wish I could have seen either of the aforementioned performances - Gomes/Vishneva or Shklyarov/Abrera. I think that Teuscher is just young and gathering that much authority is probably a little ways off. In terms of Myrtha, I found this interesting when I read it a few years ago: "There are many interpretations of her story, as well as of her role in Act 2 ofGiselle. I believe she is angry at her fate of having to roam the woods every night as a zombie. Her ingrained evil shines through in her delight of killing men. She shows wrath mixed with jealously when Albrecht’s devotion to Giselle brings him to the forest, and ultimately their love is stronger than her power and she cannot separate them. Myrtha’s display of bitter hatred is also a cover-up for her own broken heart." I believe it's very easy to play Myrtha very "one note" and evil through and through. In talking with several I have known to dance the role, one said to me, "I believe that Giselle and Albrecht's love is so powerful, that not only can she not separate them, but Myrtha falters. For a sheer moment, she wants to relent. After all, she knows what love is. She, too, was heartbroken." Perhaps there is just more than one way to approach the roles, just as we see in those who dance the role of Albrecht. Again, I did not see Teuscher dance. Here's the blog from which the quote above was taken: http://www.sfballetblog.org/2011/02/myrtha-unveiled/

I think I have posted this elsewhere on BA. Below is an article by Evan McKie discussing "breathtaking" ballets. He mentioned Vertiginous. I also loved this quote from Hallberg on Theme & Variations: Interesting that both Theme & Vertiginous were on the same bill, and four out of the six principals who danced the leads in Theme, also danced Vertiginous, some in the same shows. http://www.dancemagazine.com/issues/June-2010/Literally-Breathtaking

Yes, I don't believe it is uncommon for a choreographer to change things to suit a particular dancer. But I do believe it has to be difficult after you have learned the ballet and been rehearsing it, to have it suddenly changed. But I am sure the dancers are used to those things. I, too, was glad to see it more than once, as I enjoyed it a bit better with further casts. Yes, very true. I feel the same way about the "handbag scene" in Robbins' Fancy Free.

I'll have to ask a few of the dancers I know who were in the piece. Swanilda - thank you for mentioning what you did about "The Concert." I always hesitate to say anything about it. It's such an iconic piece, and very representative of 1956 when it was choreographed. The audience loved it. However, I did find it somewhat disturbing in places, and I felt in the minority feeling the way I did.

For me, it has a tendency to be danced sloppily because it is so fast. Also, Forsythe choreographed it in a week or so, apparently, and I feel that when I see it danced. (He did a Skype rehearsal with Boston and was changing things as they rehearsed. Yikes!) The dancers who seemed to fare the best in this piece were those who were either versed in Balanchine (ability to articulate even in fast movement) and those who were natural turners. There are just other pieces of his that I feel have more depth and end up being more visually pleasing. I agree about his approach. I just dislike this one, although I have to say, as I did above that certain casts fared better. Love this little write-up on him. I have never seen, "one flat thing reproduced," but hope to at some point. I know that PNB has done that one. http://www.contemporary-dance.org/william-forsythe.html