its the mom

Just a few comments. Theme & Variations has been performed by Boston before. Last time was 2010. Coaching at that point was Merrill Ashley. This time around it was done in house with Margaret Tracey and Russell Kaiser. Cirio was the only male to do the Baryshnikov double tour/pirouette combination. All others cut it short. About "fremd," it was not Cirio himself dancing as the soloist. That was Altan Dugaara, who for me was a standout, along with Jensen, and Cirio's sister, Lia, with Paulo Arrais. I thought the pas de deux they danced was stunning. As for "Vertiginous," this is my least favorite Forsythe piece. There was a lot of intermingling of casts. Friday night's cast with Cirio, Akiba, Cirio, Jensen and Elsbree was danced with the most clarity.

You can check out Gorodiskii on youtube. I was not terribly impressed with his Varna performances. I have not seen Maslova. I also think that Elizabeth Mateer is a candidate for promotion at some point. She has been beautiful with Lorin Mathis in a few things. But, with outside hires, I don't know if he will have enough contracts to be able to promote from within.

It should be interesting Kaysta. Hughes and DiPiazza are both more Balanchine-type dancers. DiPiazza was sidelined in the beginning of the year with an injury. With the addition of Maslova and Pineiro as soloists, Arian Molina Soca as a principal guest artist, and what looks like Nicolai Gorodiskii as a soloist for next year, I don't think there will be many promotions from within. I doubt that he would put that on his instagram if it wasn't the truth. http://ink361.com/app/users/ig-560512064/nicolaigorodiski/photos

I know. That makes absolutely no sense and could explain why I see a lack of musicality in some of the new hires. Hope I am not stepping on toes here. I honestly feel that we are just going to get a rehash of Corella Ballet.

It's evident that change is to come. "Corella is one of those responsible for the rising number of Latinos at the Pennsylvania Ballet. So, what is so special about the Hispanic dancer? 'The blood of the Spanish dancer is much hotter. The way of interpreting, the way of moving is much more visceral,' Corella said. 'The American dancer is much more technical: the way in which they count steps, of counting music... And this is one of the things I'm trying to instill in this company, that they don’t need to count, that they need to listen to the music — the technical part they already have. That what they have to do is apply all their passion, because that is how they will connect with the public.' http://aldianews.com/articles/culture/ballet-latino-accent/38921

Although I have not seen it, I have heard from others who have seen it. Many said that it probably needs some fine-tuning. However, one can never fault Ekman for his creative mind. I do not know how he dreams up his ideas, but I find his works fascinating. They are more theatrical than balletic, for sure. Dancers really enjoy working with him, so that tells us something. I do not think he meant it to be "Swan Lake," hence the title "A Swan Lake." And knowing his other works, I would never go thinking I was going to see something remotely traditional. Benois? I believe there is another thread somewhere about the nominations and how they ended up on the list.

For me, the difference has been that none of the other African-American dancers we speak of (and none of the minority dancers I know), use their minority status in the same way as Misty. Yes, Misty has used it for good, and she is a role model to young minority dancers (especially African-American dancers). However, as the mother of minority dancers (and what I consider honorary mom to several other minority dancers), however, I find the rhetoric tiresome. There, I said it. I never want any dancer to get a part or be promoted because of their skin color, but because of their ability and hard work. These other dancers, my own included, have indeed faced racism, and have not been cast in certain roles with little explanation except, "You are not right for the part." But rather than cry "foul," they move forward working even harder, proving they are worthy. Please, do not hear what I am not saying. I do not discount Misty's life and hardships. I welcome more attention to this issue, as well. However, I grow weary. As one ballet mom I know put it, "I am tired of having Misty jammed down my throat, as if she is the only minority dancer who has ever faced hardship." There may be those who do not like what I have to say. Sorry.

Sometimes I wish we had a "like" button on BA. Agreed, ABT Fan. Nonetheless, she did have some great things to say that I would wager many are/were thinking, but too afraid to say.

http://www.mybodymyimage.com/the-misty-rious-case-of-the-vanishing-ballerinas-of-color-where-have-all-the-others-gone/comment-page-1#comment-16983

I also think that along with Brandt, Cassandra Trenary will be on the fast track to soloist. Both, if time were to be invested in them, could dance with Simkin and Cornejo.

That was my point. I do not agree that the ABT audiences think too little of her. She is amazing. Perhaps there are a few on this board, but it's definitely a minority. I also agree with you, vipa, that this opening presents a good opportunity for someone inside the company.

She comes because she's invited to dance and, I imagine (as most of the guest artists), paid very well. Do her tickets not sell well? How would she know that the part of the ABT audience thinks so little of her?

Both Tanya and Celine do principal roles with their respective companies. Just google their names and you can information, interviews and reviews.

Also, Michaela DePrince, Celine Gittens, Tanya Howard, Kimberly Braylock, Courtney Lavine, along with others who are not African-American, but of different ethnicities and definitely not caucasian.

Oh, that's interesting. So, Freddy Franklin staged a Balanchine version of Act II? This article mentions a completely different couple. I only brought it up to say Misty and Brooklyn are not the first. I don't have a problem with them being the first. I am actually a fan of Brooklyn's and I consider him a friend. I am anxious to hear of his success. http://www.nytimes.com/1981/01/15/arts/dance-harlem-s-one-act-swan-lake.html

Did some research and came across this, so I guess it's not the "first" in terms of couple. I knew it was not first in terms of Odette/Odile. Still very exciting. https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1291&dat=19800110&id=hi1UAAAAIBAJ&sjid=nIwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5834,1670761&hl=en

From Septime's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10153160193075126&pnref=story

And Lauren Anderson from Houston Ballet performed it. I found this article interesting in relation to this subject: http://www.theguardian.com/stage/2012/sep/23/celine-gittens-tyrone-singleton-interview

From The National Ballet of Canada's facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/nationalballet/photos/a.488851312142.265839.13986327142/10152786699512143/?type=1&theater

Boston Ballet probably tops the number of Asian hires, both Asian-American and Asian-born dancers. There are six Asian-American dancers and seven Asian-born dancers. What's equally impressive is that seven of the total are second soloist or above in rank.

Amy Seiwert is the Resident Choreographer at Smuin Ballet and Helen Pickett is the Resident Choreographer at Atlanta Ballet. Here's an interesting article: http://www.pointemagazine.com/issues/december-2012january-2013/seen-not-heard "Several ballet companies have launched choreographic initiatives to give emerging artists a safe space to develop work, and most of them actively seek out women. The New York Choreographic Institute has nurtured over a dozen women—including Adam, Lang, LeCrone and Seiwert—since it began in 2000, for example, and ABT mounted the (sadly short-lived) Voices and Visions: The Altria/ABT Women’s Choreography Project in 2008. Beyond those supportive environments, opportunities for women are limited. “I don’t think there’s any conscious discrimination happening, but this is not a good time financially for ballet, which means there are fewer commissions to begin with,” Seiwert says. “And when companies do commission, they want a Wheeldon, or a Ratmansky, or a McGregor—you’ve got your top four or five safe bets, and they’re all men.” When directors hire women choreographers, they tend to group them on all-women programs, in part because those events get significant press coverage, offsetting the risk factor. But directors aren’t integrating women choreographers into their regular programming." In addition, I know that Joffrey has a choreographic initiative called, "Choreographers of Color," in which, I believe, a few women have participated. And while not a company, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, has a program entitled ChoreoPlan, in which many women over the years have participated. I know of one female choreographer, Heather Maloy, who choreographed there early on, and has since started her own small dance company, Terpsicorps.

No woman choreographer and no minority choreographer.

I truly love her dancing. I was wondering, though, about her age. I think she is about 35. With several other principal women approaching retirement age (I believe there are a few women right around 35-36), it would seem that her hire might be short-sighted? I realize they are doing Maillot's Romeo & Juliet next season, so that's an obvious.

Cacti = amazing! You probably caught that it was Boston in the trailer for that.

I do know the Boston dancers would like to respond in actuality, as what they posted was just a little after class fun. Here's hoping they can get to work with all of the snow! Just realized I hadn't actually posted the Boston mini-response.