Emma

I'll bite -- I enjoy Martins' one act works much more than that of the new "star" choreographers (from what I've seen). I've enjoyed Ash, Infernal Machine, and Hallelujah Junction. They were fast paced and fun. I also loved his Swan Lake Pas de Quatre.

Ninafan, which other R&J did you see this week? I'm out of NY for the year and it's ballet starvation out here.

5 hours ago, abatt said:

I'm hoping that the relentless flood of  new works  will be reduced somewhat going forward.  People come out to see new Wheeldon, new Ratmansky and new Peck.  I was there on the night of the Walker premiere.  There were substantial numbers  of empty seats that night.  People are not buying tickets to see new Schumacher, new Walker, new [fill in the name]-.

 

 

It must be hard though. Wheeldon and Ratmansky did not become star choreographers over night. New choreographers need opportunities to develop. I just wish the new choreography were sprinkled in with Balanchine.

Amplitude -- great description! Nanuska, that's a really interesting observation about the shape of her shoulders. Conversely, I've thought Mearns always looks like a queen on her stage in part because of her shoulders.

4 hours ago, nanushka said:

To me she comes across the same way, but my initial read was that it was more due to body type than stage presence — i.e. her instrument, not what she was doing with it. I'll be curious to see her again with your comment in mind, though, to judge whether you may in fact be right. She is certainly talented, regardless.

I don't think it's her body type -- NYCB is stacked with talented shorter dances. Erica tends not to project or expand her limbs through space. Her arms are wispy rather than strong and lively. I saw her and Ashly Isaacs in the Thrid Movement of Symphony in C within a week: Erica blended in with the corps; Ashly, I knew a star was on stage.

The Washington Ballet does not typically publicly announce casting in advance although their playbills include the casting for each performance in that program. Sandi K suggests a great idea--I wish I had thought that of when I was in DC!

I didn't mean to imply I don't think it's awful for the dancers. But I don't have much more to say than that -- the state of the arts is depressing -- but that adds nothing to the conversation. I have no insights. I do expect journalists to do a better job covering the dispute.

Neither here nor there but why does the Times have a photo of SAB students in an article about ABT ...

Is it a relatively new development for Martins to cast shorter women as Dew Drop? Megan Fairchild immediately comes to mind but I imagine Ashley Bouder and Tiler Peck are on the shorter side for City Ballet dancers, if not "short." To be fair in the real world, Fairchild is definitely average height.

I really loved Lowery in Tharp's 50th Anniversary Tour. She brought a lovely energy and excitement. I haven't seen much of her at City Ballet.

I believe corps members are salaried based on their class year with the company and paid regardless of the number of performances danced.

I found Scheller to dance rather stiff and uninspired. She has beautiful technique and turns but I prefer dancers to dance with passion. She didn't seem to make an effort in that regard, unlike Megan Fairchild, who I find blossomed beautifully in the last few years.

21 minutes ago, FITTB85 said:

These dancers need some actual PR training to know that you keep silent or you give a form statement, ex: “I have only ever had professional and supportive interactions with PM.  I applaud the women who have the strength to publicly discuss their experiences, I hope this comes to a quick and justifiable conclusion, congratulations and good luck to interim team.”  

To be fair to Kathryn, she essentially said that in her video. That's what I got out of it anyway (well and some messiness re: what it means to have a consensual relationship with one's superior)

45 minutes ago, meliodori said:

i believe she might have asked to be taken out of the role due to frequent injury from performing it. I remember reading that somewhere - maybe her Instagram - last year.

I remember the same Instagram post. Definitely seemed to be her decision.

Heather Watts, in her interview with Conversations on Dance, mentioned that she's coaching Peck to be even more daring (since Tiler is just too good, her words). Peck might be reaching an even higher level of artistry if that's even possible.

It seems like so many young principal dancers leave Boston. I guess this helps to explain why.

A very cute article about the two girls playing Marie: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/23/arts/dance/nutcracker-young-dancers-new-york-city-ballet.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fdance&action=click&contentCollection=dance&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront

Fairchild has 26,900 followers on instagram. If he did not want certain information to be public, he should not have posted and commented on a public facing medium.

As did ABT studio company this fall.

Lovette said in a recent interview (perhaps the one linked in her instagram bio) that she has been cast less in recent seasons to make time for her choreography. From her instagram stories, she is learning dewdrop.

Thanks for the clarification!  I miswrote when I said roles -- I forgot how many roles a dancer can play in a single ballet!

4 hours ago, yukionna4869 said:

Roman Mejia has also received his corps contract, per the NYCB website.

Was there a change to how apprentices become corps members? I thought that once you hit nine performances you automatically get promoted to corps de ballet. I checked my playbills and there were a few other apprentices who had nine shows under their belt. Maybe the Swan Lake courtiers/villagers don’t count?

I've always wondered-- does the nine shows refer to actual performances performed or the number of roles performed across the rep, regardless of the number of performances? It just seems like they would all get corps contracts so quickly if the former, but I never attended frequently enough during a single season to confirm.

In my rough count, this makes 14 male principals and 9 female principals.  So interesting.  Congratulations to Catazaro!

The balconies of the last two WB programs I attended in March and April respectively were similarly not well sold.  I recently moved from DC so I don't know whether or not this is still the case, but in past years while every other company successfully sold excess tickets to young professionals through the Kennedy Center's MyTix program, the WB never offered discounted rates at the Kennedy Center through MyTix.  They did have young professional rates for the shows at the Shakespeare theater and ... a fancy theater on 13th & E ... I forget the name, but they only advertised those rates in one single email.  As a student at the time, affordability was essential -- if I can see world class troupes for a discounted rate -- even cheaper than that of a regional troupe -- that's where I'd spend my money.  Anyways, my impression is that WB needs to completely revamp its advertising and especially that targeting young professionals.

12 minutes ago, Kathleen O'Connell said:

 

Given that the company in all likelihood couldn't cover the cost of its KC run through ticket sales alone even, if it sold out the house, I'm not sure programming inferior, non-representative ballets just to put a few more butts in seats would be worth the trade-off. 

 

No disrespect, but given the kind of talent currently in the ranks, nobody needs to an NYCB Swan Lake the way they need to see NYCB in its core Balanchine and Robbins rep, perhaps with a dollop of their signature Ratmansky and Peck ballets to round out the program. If KC needs to see Ashley Bouder or Tiler Peck do fouéttes, then program Robbins' Four Seasons.  Martins' Swan is an eyesore; NYCB at full strength in Symphony in C or Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2 is an eyeful. 

I also think City Ballet has a marketing problem in DC.  It's marketing in NYC is incredible but I never see any type of ads in DC beyond KC mailings - and I only get these because I see ballet at the KC frequently.  In NY we have targeted subway ads, videos, art nights, the works.  Moreover, the Balanchine Trust's restrictions on student performances also hinder the Balanchine market beyond the NY metro area (in my opinion).  If ballet students had more familiarity with Symphony in C or Tchai Concerto No. 2, I'm sure they would clamor to see NYCB ballerinas perform these roles.  

1 hour ago, AB'sMom said:

I didn't necessarily interpret her comment as saying that they owed her something for her decision not to have a baby. I thought she was speaking more to her own intense focus on achieving her ballet goals. It really struck me when she was talking about ballet and dancing and then she said she sounded like an excited 12-year-old. I don't think it was just that her identity was wrapped up in being a principal with NYCB, she was also still as passionate about dancing and growing as she was when she was a young girl hoping to become a professional. I think that's part of the reason, along with her previous lack of any major injuries, that she was almost caught off guard when the reality of aging hit her. I also think being able to take that passion for dancing to more contemporary opportunities really helped her accept the end of her career at NYCB. 

 

 

I agree.  I didn't thinking she was blaming anyone, just acknowledging her own personal priorities and devotion to dance.