stuben

His social media sites are still quiet; no postings in months. I hope I'll get to see him dance again.

So funny you should mention this as I was just thinking the same after looking at the casting, it is strangely quiet with no news anywhere about him, I had wondered if he has chosen to return to Russia?

The "pick your own subscription" package is weird. Certain dates seem blocked off (particularly weekends). They still want you to buy specific day-of-the-week subscriptions. This is like dinosaur-era policy.

I do so agree canbelto! Things have never changed with these issues as far as I can remember and I wish they would, personally my issue with their exchange policy and have had so much trouble in the past that I have purchased the week of and taken chances. I am wondering if this is a Met issue with ABT or if this is something decided by the company. It is a good thing I don't live far and can get down to the theater to get the seats I wanted, and in my age and issues with walking I can't help but think of those who are like me and have to venture far or they can't get the shows or dancers they want to see, for the sake of technicality! In this fast pace and digital age, there has to be a better way!

I just noticed that Gisele Bethea has been appointed as an apprentice at abt, since January 2016.

This is probably one of the most exciting recent news for the company.

Considering the current quality of the principal ballerinas, which to me is probably in an all time low (with few exceptions), having Gisele in the company as an apprentice when she is only 15yo, gives me hopes for better times, sighhh.....

Just thought to question about her age as it doesn't seem to be showing on her ABT posted bio, and it seems this Dance Spirit article stated her birthday as 1999? Which makes her 17, still very young but no match to Herrara: <http://www.dancespirit.com/uncategorized/gisele-bethea-shines-as-an-abt-apprentice/>

Not to be of disrespect to your thoughts Classic_Ballet, but Paloma did truly joined at 15 and I don't believe any have met that age since, and IMO may be a good idea to let these girls mature mentally too! Watching Misty's documentary, it seems the animosity from the older dancers towards younger dancer may be a factor too, and perhaps a consideration by the artistic?

Thus far, I believe, Waski has been the only one who has joined at 16 to be the closest to that age, as stated on her bio page? This was also something ABT presented recently the LA gala: <

With this said, I do agree seeing home grown dancers hopefully being nurtured to grow in the company vs imports is a pleasant change!

I agree, and I told that to the ABT telemarketers when they tried to convince me to subscribe. I am very very picky about what seat I sit in, so I like to see what is available and pick online. NYCB allows this with their choose your own subscriptions, so I don't understand why ABT can't do the same. I suppose I could call to get my seats, and I may end up doing that, but I'm not a phone person. I much prefer online.

I agree Kaysta, especially with bad eyes I need to pick my own to be sure I can see I might be wrong at this, but I am guessing the ease of seat choices is part of a permanent arrangement with the State Theatre? Due to the fact that NYCB has them as a permanent home vs the ABT considered more of a touring company renting space from the Met?

I have been wondering since last Met season about Hallberg, but learned of his injury on another thread and wish him well, we do miss his stage presence in the US! I wonder what they are planning for Ms. Paris as well, I don't seem to see her name pop up since her promotion either?! She has done quite a bit of principal roles mentioned on her bio and I wonder why she doesn't seem to have been placed in any this year? She is quite a beautiful dancer IMO, more emotions than Shevchenko and hope to see her given the chances.

This probably should be on the DC thread, but I thought quite interesting since we are tossing our hats in for "in waitings"; a few friends of mine was able to see one of the DC performances with Waski as the Candide fairy and had this to report back: Waski is very impressive; her musicality, fluid use of arms, and delicate footwork as Candide left the other dancers a bit in the dust! Another whom I .... and my granddaughter hope to see more of this coming season

Yes, I know about Bolle and Vishneva dancing at the Met. But why are they off the complete permanent roster as published in the Kennedy Center list which, after all, includes several "semi permanents" like Kochetkova and Semionova

Shouldn't Bolle & Vishneva (& Hallberg?) be on the Guest Principals list? I find the charade of naming them permanent Principals a tad curious...especially as the very latest printing of the full roster (Kennedy Center) omits them. Again, the KC printing is NOT a reflection of just those who are performing in the KC run of BEAUTY, since Lendorf, Kochetkova and Semionova are named & they aren't performing in DC

It is very interesting to hear that DC separated the principals as such since I just went to the ABT site and they are all together on one page, except the Guest Artist page with just Ferri?!

The printed playbill for the current DC tour lists the entire company, from Principals to Apprentices, including several Principals not cast for the tour's SB performances. Principals listed, in alpha order:

Abrera, Boylston, Copeland, Cornejo, Gomes, Kochetkova, Lendorf, Murphy, Part, Semionova, Seo, Simkin, Stearns, Whiteside

When one compares this list against the one on the ABT web, one sees that three supposedly "permanent" Principals are missing: Bolle, Hallberg & Vishneva.

Are those three gone from the permanent Principals list but the ABT web has not caught up with reality, reflected in this week's printed playbill of the full roster? If they are not full Principals and they are not in the category "Guest Principals," what are they?

I'm saddest about Hallberg no longer being on the printed list in my playbill.

Wow! This is interesting news Natalia! And second the saddest about Halberg, it is interesting you brought this up as I have been wondering about the lack of news on him of late too! You must be right about the "permanent" part since I have seen news on Bolle in Italy more than here, even though he has one foot in each continent and therefore I didn't have any query, but very interesting observation! Thank you!

On a side note and not sure if this is the thread to post, but while I was on the ABT site looking for Natalia's list I noticed too that the March program isn't listing Turkey performances? Wondering if that has been removed due to lack of ticket sales?

Sorry, they are listed on the printed playbill...I just noticed that the above 'newbies' were sprinkled throughout the run. I don't have the playbill with me...in office gathering things for trip (for legit work...not just Zurich..haha).

RG, yes, that explains that. Thanks. It's not as if Hudson could have dressed the ogre as one of the Three Ivans (who were in the 1921 version & later in Sadlers Wells)!

I'd still like to clean-up those crazy boots...hard to ignore. At least the La-Z Boys were fixed.

Safe travels! Enjoy the show in Zurich Have to agree about the ogre as I was not a big fan from the Met performance and thought that was a bit over the top myself

ABT followers may be interested in noting who, among the younger/newer female corps, will be dancing several solos or featured roles in the coming days, who weren't featured (or not featured so much) during the 2015 summer at the Met...at least not in the casts that I attended in late May/early June. These are being featured several times in DC...the favored up-and-comers:

Betsy McBride

Rachel Richardson

Catherine Hurlin (Violente, Red Hood, Cinderella)

Brittany DeGrofft

Jin Zhang

Lily Wisdom

As in NY, a DC audiences will have several chances to admire Waski, Fang, Lavine, Post, and other corps ladies in solo fairy roles.

On my way to Europe, including the Swan Lake premiere in Zurich the following weekend, so I'm sorry to be missing the rest of this ABT run in DC and these solo-role debuts. Hope that other BAers can report.

Thank you Natalia for your detailed review and excited to hear about the SL premiere in Zurich! Bon Voyage ! I am just wondering where these ladies are listed as I can't seem to find any on the ABT site? My grand-daughter is a fan of Waski and only showed this to me so far: <https://www.instagram.com/p/BBD5zF2Pfk5/?taken-by=powi295>

Wish I was able to get down there but I am lucky I wasn't buried in the blizzard! NYC is no better than DC with some areas, but I have to say thankfully the warm sun is melting it all away!!

It may be more cost effective for La Scala Ballet to be filmed for a DVD (unions and such). If it is La Scala, then the Aurora may be Svetlana Zakharova.

Would be wonderful to see La Scala in DVD or at the cinema!

Stella was my favorite in the Bluebird pas de deux last Spring (I saw three casts). I'm very excited for her Aurora. I also thought the choreography really suited Sarah Lane.

I do dream of a DVD, foundoffouettes. I wouldn't be surprised, however, if another company like Teatro alla Scalla gets to it first.

In the meantime, have you seen the excerpts from the Guggenheim series? It's more rehearsal style, with piano and a small stage, but they do wear the costumes. Precious Stone Fairies are at the beginning. Bluebird with Trennary and Shayer is at 1:15, followed by the Puss-n-Boots and Cinderella variations.

I believe this video was a combined from a three day event, if my memory serves me right, I was there for the interviews and enjoyed seeing the Jewels danced by Brandt, Waski, DeGroft and Post. Glad to see Works & Process on Youtube so I can catch up on missed programs!

Part & Annanishvilli both danced it in NY. I think I also remember Murphy in it. Even though it was definitely Raymonda Lite and the program notes did their best to downplay the cultural/religious aspect of the story (the insipid "its about a girl who has to choose between 2 suitors" - like any production anywhere ever showed Raymonda considering running off with the Saracen) it had all of the set pieces and I really enjoyed it. I doubt that we'll ever see it again - its too politically incorrect for today's NY.

It is too bad, IMO, that politics has played into the arts yet again!

Funny that you would mention this. .. I was at a YAGP regional recently and talking to a school director who has produced a few winners. . .And this person made a point of saying that a big competition win gets you into an audition and captures the eye of an AD but will NOT get you a job. You have to get in class and you have to have the technique to back up your performance. . . . It's almost as if a big competition win incites both attention and a bit of caution from ADs and if you look really closely at some of the more recently celebrated "winners" you will actually notice that many are not going to the most high paying, big companies.

Interesting observation and comments as I have often wondered what happens after these competitions, and mainly why I never recommended my granddaughter to pursue. I just feel there is so much pressure on these young children already in school, let's hope I did the right thing! I have read some of the bios on ABT site and seems that even if you don't win in the YAGP, with talent you can get a nice contract as in the case of Waski who seems to have joined at a very young age? :

<http://abt.org/dancers/detail.asp?Dancer_ID=276>

At age 12, Waski placed in the top twelve at the 2008 Youth American Grand Prix, junior division in Philadelphia.

I always rather thought that the Studio Company was designed to give possible ABT dancers a safe way to learn to command the stage in prominent roles in front of large groups (and for the artistic staff to see if they have any real potential in that way).

NYCB's repertory of mixed bills allows Martins to cast younger dancers in principal roles with greater freedom than he would if NYCB's repertory were only short runs of classical warhorses. At the Mariinsky and Bolshoi there are far longer runs of the classics (whether at home or on tour), so casting a young dancer in a prominent role is less fraught.

I imagine the Studio Company is meant as a corrective.

I believe you are correct choriamb as I feel that the ABT Studio Company seems more of an individual entity since they do announce on their web page that they supply dancers to all companies including the Main Company:

Alumni

More than half of the dancers in ABT’s main Company started their career in ABT Studio Company, including Principal Dancers Isabella Boylston, Herman Cornejo, David Hallberg, Hee Seo and Cory Stearns and Soloists Misty Copeland, Joseph Gorak, Alexandre Hammoudi, Christine Shevchenko, Devon Teuscher and Roman Zhurbin. Dancers from ABT Studio Company have also gone on to join such notable companies as Boston Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, Houston Ballet, Staatsballet Berlin, The Washington Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, Orlando Ballet, Alberta Ballet and The Royal Ballet.

The apprenticeship, I feel, is different since that is part of the Main Company and listed on the Main Company website?! I am guessing there is still that possibility that if an apprentice doesn't meet whatever standard they need to remain, the corps contract may not be a sure thing?

Just saw this announcement on NYTimes and excited to hear this part below of Ms. Barnett's comment when questioned by NY Times: <http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/13/arts/dance/american-ballet-theater-names-kara-medoff-barnett-executive-director.html?smid=tw-nytimesarts&smtyp=cur&_r=0>

.....She said it was too soon to discuss plans for the company. But when asked if Ballet Theater might join troupes, like the Bolshoi Ballet and the Royal Ballet, that have expanded their reach through live simulcasts to cinemas, she said that it was worth considering.

“I think that the digital space, in general, is one of those growth areas that A.B.T. should be actively exploring,” she said. “Dance in cinema, dance in movie theaters, is part of a larger exploration that needs to happen as we think about growing audiences, diversifying audiences in this century, and I think that’s just one of many, many opportunities for A.B.T.’s brand, A.B.T.’s dancers, A.B.T.’s repertoire to be exposed to and reach more people.”..

Thank you both vrsfanatic & Natalia for your clarifications, my apologies and probably should have phrased my comment differently as I grouped the Studio Company & Summer Intensives under the JKO umbrella. Nonetheless, I still believe, as in any business, the gratitude to Mr. De Vita for his years of service, and wishing Ms. Harvey all the best in this new adventure.

While I think JKO has produced some talented dancers, I feel that it has lacked artistically. I think Harvey's appointment might correct that. IMO, a lot of the current JKO alumni in the company seem to be more technically interesting than artistically. I'm sure this is also worsened by the lack of rehearsal time and limited coaching in the company. To me, I think of JKO as more of a finishing school than a complete "school". They seem to take talented students in their last few years of training, as opposed to producing dancers from the ground up. I hope Harvey also balances the more revenue driving aspects of the school (summer programs, national training curriculum, etc.) with actually training employable dancers. All American schools seem to face this problem. I think Rachel Moore might have helped contribute to the constant use of the school to bring in money. It will be interesting to see if Harvey makes any changes within the National Training Curriculum. I find her appointment very promising. It seems that McKenize is taking back control of the company, with this appointment, this past summer's promotions and the lack of guest artists in the Met season. Amen for that! Not to say that De Vito was a creature of Moore, but more so in McKenize's pick of his replacement.

No matter what our own opinion may be I just feel that after years of service to any company, ballet or otherwise, the person deserves a gratitude from whom they spend their life and energy at. Good or bad the school did produce such names as Boylston and Hallberg and many others who have gone onto wonderful companies around the world. The part I like is the hope that this will continue to product more "homegrown" dancers for us. I am sure many have seen this video I found about the school, and another recent interview about one such homegrown:

<

I believe and hope that you are correct of this to be a move in the right direction

Just saw the same article I do wish Mr. De Vita the best in his retirement and Ms. Harvey a successful career with the school. Many wonderful dancers have come out of this school and hope they will have a nice farewell event!

Not sure if anyone on BA has seen this but it was nice to see some old familiar faces in these lovely photos taken through the years, would be nice to see a few more of these revivals! <https://www.google.com/culturalinstitute/exhibit/on-american-american-ballet-theatre/QAIC9jcVr8ZbKg?position=21%3A0>

That is incorrect. If you open the link, you will see that although Part's picture appears, she will not dance her scheduled performance in Connecticut. Part is replaced by Lauren Lovette as Ask La Cour's partner. The website states that Part is unable to appear due to injury. That should be interesting. One of the shortest members of NYCB dancing with one of the tallest. Actually, I'm very glad I opened that link because I had no idea Stella was dancing on Sunday in Connecticut. Will have to see if I can convince Mr. Abatt, who is a big Stella fan, to schlep out to Connecticut to see this.

I stand corrected abatt Thanks for correcting and I am learning to scroll down as I saw the picture and completely missed the bottom half of the link! My eyes saw the price list and never even thought to look further. My apologies to ksk04 for misinformation! Thanks for catching this abatt

I'm just home from opening night and will write more tomorrow; however, Veronika Part was replaced by (a truly divine) Gillian Murphy tonight and I was hoping that if anyone has info on whether she is injured, they could let me know publicly or privately--I'd really like to see her during the run, but I don't want to buy tickets to her second show if she's got a injury, only to be surprised again. They had enough time to print the cast slip with Murphy on it, so it doesn't seem so last minute (though ABT posted this morning on their Facebook that Part/Gomes were the opening cast).

PS. Glad you NYCers didn't like this one so much--glad to have it out here for awhile. Really lovely overall!

ksk04 I thought you might be interested to see this, but we will never know why Veronika pulled out of her commitments for the shows in Segerstrom. It is interesting though to know she will be dancing on the east coast in CT: <http://connecticutballet.org/index.php/performances>.Glad that you got Gillian as a resplacement

I'm just home from opening night and will write more tomorrow; however, Veronika Part was replaced by (a truly divine) Gillian Murphy tonight and I was hoping that if anyone has info on whether she is injured, they could let me know publicly or privately--I'd really like to see her during the run, but I don't want to buy tickets to her second show if she's got a injury, only to be surprised again. They had enough time to print the cast slip with Murphy on it, so it doesn't seem so last minute (though ABT posted this morning on their Facebook that Part/Gomes were the opening cast).

PS. Glad you NYCers didn't like this one so much--glad to have it out here for awhile. Really lovely overall!

I saw this change to Gillian at least a day ago if not more, I thought it was a bit odd myself that she would be doing back to back two days, but then again it didn't surprise me since it is of course Gillian Guess I haven't been paying much attention since I am sitting here on the east coast. On the ABT website Veronica is only in one show now Sat. evening. Good luck ksk04! Either way if you have never seen this ballet it was fun for my family and hope it is fun for everyone in CA.

Will miss this at BAM this year, just when a dear friend from England plans to visit and see this here on the east coast Guess she will have to chase this down in CA next year, assuming this remains the future home for this Nutcracker.

Thought Herrera retired and had her final performance back in her home country? But so glad to her still dancing ... it seems with these posts... Giselle no less! Not sure if this was her last Giselle though, either way I'm happy that she has found her way back home, wouldn't it be funny though if part of the tour is the US!? Looks like perhaps they're just retired from ABT?

<https://instagram.com/p/-NdrashSaQ/>

<https://instagram.com/p/-S4f-ZhSQN/>

The photos in the ad are horrible and obviously not taken by someone familiar with dance.

I am not their consumer but loved the photos myself and thought they are very much the Vogue look. IMO, the objection of "not taken by someone familiar with dance" isn't an issue especially since it is a fashion house and not a ballet studio. The idea they used ballet dancers is nice since I think this brings attention to the ballet world. I see so many dancers do worse things to show themselves off, this is at least a nice upscale company. Actually just saw this of Royal lll and McCune they posted and thought these two nice looking dancers are well represented in fashion <https://instagram.com/p/-PM9xpAszz/?taken-by=clubmonaco>.