its the mom

From the Boston Globe: http://www.boston.com/ae/theater_arts/arti...r_temperaments/

Casey was with PNB, but has been dancing at Het Nationale for the past year or two.

I know, I know. My problem is that I know I will see a number of the Giselle performances, so I just didn't want to see the Giselle pas in the gala. Would like to have seen another classical pas instead. But that's just me. You should go and see Lorna dance it. I know it will be amazing.

Indeed, she did. I just didn't want to see Giselle on the program since we have two weeks of it coming up.

Christian - She will be dancing Giselle in upcoming performances, along with Paquita and the lead role in Elo's Carmen in Boston's World Passions. I was just sad that we didn't get to see her do a pas. As well, I would like to have seen Larissa do one, too. Both are stunning ballerinas - different and with their own strengths. I have a great respect for both.

Alina and Johann were beautiful. She is just adorable on stage. Sometimes I feel that we live in an age of ballet where audience members value multiple turns, higher jumps, crazy fouettes - more, bigger, better. It is easy to get caught up in that. True, she can balance for ages (and the audience went wild) - but they both proved that none of that is necessary. Their performance was just plain fluid and lovely. As galas go overall, I was a bit disappointed. Larissa Ponomarenko deserved a better piece than a little solo from Humped Back Horse, and although Lorna Feijoo was beautiful in Afternoon of the Faun, I felt she deserved something more also. I also missed seeing Yury Yanowsky.

dave: Here's her website: http://www.sabrinamatthews.ca/ Maybe that will help. She's really a great person. Have met and talked with her. My son had the privilege of working with her and dancing one of her pieces in Boston. He said that her work is amazing.

Natalia: I was wondering what "Diploma" means.

printscess - My son attended the exchange program two years ago (through Boston Ballet) when Andrew Bartee and Emma Love of PNB attended. At that point it was a three-week program, in which the dancers attended classes mostly with the apprentices of RDB. They were able to take class with the company several times, attend performances, and tour Copenhagen. Sounds as though it may have expanded if Ezra is going for the summer.

Thanks, Marga. What an honor for Jeffrey. He is thrilled. He is also very excited to return to Boston with his sister in the fall. Many beautiful competitors here in Helsinki. The USA was well represented. Meaghan is beautiful and strong, Lonnie is elegant, and Brooklyn was exciting, as usual. There were other Americans who didn't medal, but fabulous nonetheless. Leigh, Maxime was one of our favorites. He will be dancing at Royal Ballet of Flanders next season.

Thanks so much for sharing this. I knew that he had been sick. He is a really wonderful young man - danced with my daughter in another company. I am glad that he has such supportive friends in addition to his family. We pray all goes well for him.

Beautiful dancer. I hope all is well with him.

Christian: He was a non-competing partner for Whitney that year. He is not dancing with a company right now, just guesting and teaching. Hoping that he settles somewhere because I believe he still has a lot to give. His ex-wife is one of my son's coaches, and most recently coached Misa Kuranaga and Daniel Sarabia for Jackson 2006, where Misa won the gold medal. I also just wanted to clarify my earlier response about the "somewhat vulgar" comment. I agree that choreography or the dancing of a classical variation incorrectly can be "somewhat vulgar." I really blame the coaches in a situation like that - where these young kids do competitions and bigger, better and more is the goal. But, I think I was speaking semantics here. I just don't think we should call the kids "somewhat vulgar." Maybe their variations or choice of choreography, not them.

Reineris Reyes. Humm...Natalia, by any chance do you have more info on this dancer...? (I just don't want to be mistaken with THE R.R that I know...) Thanks! It is the Reyneris Reyes you know that danced with her that year. Of course he would appear much better than she - he is a professional dancer who most recently danced with Boston Ballet.

Wow, I really want to stay out of this one. But really. Whether you are a fan of competition or not, whether you are a fan of Whitney's or not, isn't it a little too much to be calling a 16-year old girl who has obviously worked very hard "somewhat vulgar?" These are kids we are talking about.

Just a few comments. It was indeed sad for the dancers to have Mr. Marks step down. Many of the newer, younger dancers came to Orlando Ballet because of him. I have had the chance to speak to a good number of them, and they are extremely sad that Mr. Marks felt he had to leave. When new directors take over a company, there are always changes. It is a fact of life - we see it happen in every company. Dancers come and go. Dancers are let go and dancers are hired. People can speculate all they want about the why's, the how's, but we don't always know the truth unless we hear both sides. Of course, nobody could fill Bujones' shoes. His dancers loved him. And, yes, dancers stayed with this company because of him. But, on the other hand, dancers came to this company because of Bruce Marks and his expertise. I found it terribly sad to watch the new documentary about Bujones the other day (right after Mr. Marks made his announcement) and hear Mr. Marks discuss offering Fernando a "permanent guest home in Boston" while they were in Denmark together. I hope the company can pull together and go forward. They certainly need some stability.

My son was with Brooklyn Mack this past weekend in Jackson. Brooklyn was leaving Jackson and headed for Varna. Anxious to hear news.

Lucky Ballet West to get Romi Beppu. She's a beautiful dancer!

Nothing in the water supply, Carbro. It's just Marcia and her "boot camp." Christian, glad to hear about Grace Ann. Magaly Suarez has really helped her become a wonderful performer and allowed her to bloom.

Lorna was injured for last weekend (nothing too serious, but enough to cause her not to dance), but DD tells me she is currently rehearsing. DD will stop by today before classes and I'll see if I can confirm line-up. I hope Lorna performs, as she is a beautiful Odette/Odile. Larissa was stunning though, I must say. I was sorry not to see Romi Beppu, who did it last time they did Swan Lake, and I was hoping to see her grow in that role. Oh well.

Amy - Casting was up, but it appears as though they have removed it. I am speculating that due some injuries this past weekend and the numerous principal changes that took place, they are not sure of casting for next weekend. I will see what I can find out and pm you.

A couple of thoughts mostly after talking with my own dancing kids. First, Simkin has had the benefit of coming from a dancing family. From the moment he was born, I am sure he was in the ballet studio and at the theatre. He has had the benefit of one on one coaching with his mother. I believe he has proven himself not only in competitions, but in full-length ballets as well. DS heard that his debut in Don Q with Lithuanian Opera Ballet was amazing. It will remain to be seen how well he does without the benefit of coaching from his parents. I don't know how ABT works, but I do know in many other American companies, there can sometimes be very little rehearsal time for a role. It's essentially - learn it and perform it. I do think he has what it takes to rise to the occasion. DS says that the guys of ABT are very lucky to have someone like Simkin around. He will not only inspire them, he will raise the level of dancing. He is also very willing to share and help others. It's the kind of guy he is. I think McKenzie is wise. Why can't he have both - the hired star and those that come up from within? He is creating another "dream team," in my opinion. He's now got Simkin as a soloist, Joseph Phillips (another extremely hard worker) in the corps, and Gorak and Isaac Hernandez (another born to dance kid) cooking in ABT II and sure to enter the corps soon. Along with several of the other corps members mentioned - Hoven, Tommy Forester, Alex Hammoudi, Stappas etc., he's got the makings of a great principal/soloist line-up. This type of hiring is happening everywhere. Someone mentioned Vilella's hires in Miami. Tomasson does the same thing. As mentioned on these boards recently, he just hired the three Cuban defectors as soloists. One of them, Taras Domitro, is only 21. He hired Nutnaree right out of Royal Ballet School as a soloist. Directors see star potential and they want it. Yes, it does make it hard on those sitting waiting in the corps de ballet waiting their turn. But this is what a dancer must decide. Do I sit in the big company in the corps de ballet or do I go to a smaller company and get the chance to dance bigger roles?

Please keep us posted, Christian. We are anxious to hear of the success of the company and how all the dancers are doing.

Thanks, sandik. I've tried googling him, too. My son has seen him dance and thought he was fabulous. He was wondering where he went.

sandik: I had a question. Did Le Yin retire or go to another company, as I notice he is no longer on the roster?