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nana

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  • Connection to/interest in ballet** (Please describe. Examples: fan, teacher, dancer, writer, avid balletgoer)
    fan
  • City**
    New York
  • State (US only)**, Country (Outside US only)**
    NY

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  1. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/05/arts/dance/review-harlequinade-american-ballet-theater.html Very well-written
  2. Oh, no problem, I should've known that 2001 is too back then! Regardless of the math, my main message remains: Hoven was a great Lensky
  3. Interesting that Hoven said Lensky as his dream role almost more than 15 years ago. I found him excellent in the role this season.
  4. Good point, I don't plan to attend current in-house principal's performances any more. I was at least trying (actually quite hard this season) given that Vishneva is leaving and I live in NYC.
  5. Not only 3 or 4, i saw almost 70% of the shows this season and several over the years. I misunderstoond that abt and nycb are the best companies then or they just choose to cast dancers who are not the best even though there are many good ones. I don't want to see dancers who can't even execute original choreography anymore. Great for them to have people who love them whatever they do
  6. Yes, I was hasty to say that but I thought ABT is one of the best companies in the US. I attended Sara Mearns' NYCB swan lake and she didn't finish fouette and did some awkward thing.. many of ABT performances and that nycb experience made me think that way and should i think that it's just a coincidence? I've attended many ballet shows in the world and was surprised at these sequences actually given that I thought abt and nycb are world level companies. I don't want to blame any but wanted to raise a constructive discussion. also i didn't say dancers can't grow artistically. Of course they can and do and I love to see them too. What I wanted to say is that i have doubt on it was merely due to lack of opportunities. And even for a not great of performance Seo, i saw people gave standing ovations - it doesn't necessarily mean that the show was successful. But I understand that different people can have different opinion.
  7. I'm not sure it's because she didn't have chances earlier. And principal is not where people develop their skills and practice in front of audiences - they should be fully developed and ready when they are in principal roles. Probably they can be more mature as they age but I don't think it's because she didn't have chances. I agree that AD has responsibility but now I'd rather think if there's a larger issue in ballet education system in the US. We don't see many world level dancers with strong technicality (e.g. Swan lake fouette) or strong acting skills. Is it because dancers didn't have chance to get very organized education on acting or high techniques from early on?
  8. I also attended Saturday matinee with the hope to find my favorite ABT in-house ballerina. This forum loves Abrera so I'll be most likely a minority, but i still don't see what's so special about her (i was very much disappointed by her giselle earlier this season). For Onegin, largely, it was fine, but it wasn't great or memorable. I liked some parts in 2nd act, but 1st act was so so. Same as Strearns. It was ok, but i couldn't understand some of his course of emotions (like big smile during the first pas de deux (not dream one) with Abrera). Probably it's unfair to compare this couple to Vishneva/Gomes or Ferri/Bolle given that it was first time for Abrera but i still think her characteriziation is not attractive enough. But I thought Trenary was lovely and Hammoudi was the best among the Gremins I saw (Zhurbin, Whiteside). Alas, I don't see any female principal dancer in ABT who I'll choose without heistation now. I like solists more. I enjoyed Shevshenko very much in DQ and Le Corsaire and saw her potential as an actor - hope to see her more in principal roles. I think Trenary also goes well with Tatiana too, but I don't know if she'll manage this level of acting.
  9. I really liked Tuesday's performance, so attended again last night and it was even better. Especially, Simkin and Lane were much better yesterday so the whole performance was higher level. I sat quite close to the stage and could see the facial expressions of Bolle and Ferri, and their actings were sublime and in the end Act 3 made me tear up. I felt so fortunate to see the moment.
  10. I can't agree with you more, Abatt. Being cold at first made a lot of sense (she's seeing a man who insulted her and killed her sister's fiancee after all). I wasn't emotionally that intense when Vishneva started the last pas de deux in act 3 but it became a killer at the end. But for Ferri's, it was more powerful from the start (but less intense at the end). They interpreted the role differently, but I must say both are the real experts, and I enjoyed both. I liked Ferri's introverted act 1 too, but overall Vishneva was more strong in act 1. Bolle was excellent. He was more like a bad guy style who already experienced many women and was bored with an unexperienced peasant girl in the first act. But then it seemed like he became genuinely interested in Tatiana once he saw a beautiful and seemingly unachievable woman in act 3. It wasn't like regret over His acting in act 2 (flirting with Olga) was very detailed so I was totally into the drama. His physique is just so exceptional that I ended up understanding why Olga was also into Onegin over Lensky once Onegin showed some interest. I thought Simkin's solo in 2nd act was emotional and dancing was great as always, but agree that he has a partnering issue so the couple wasn't as secure as Boylston-Hoven couple. And for Olga, I found Boylston more lovely than Lane. I'm curious about two young couples too and debating which one I would choose. I'd lean towards Hallberg though. Any thoughts?
  11. I was a bit worried about that before I went to today's performance because I knew that some people talked about it and I didn't want to be disappointed. But I didn't find that she's mannered in the role (probably I would say she's a bit mannered when she did the final bows?). Actually I still loved her because she's natural and her acting is just so seamless. Of course, Gomes was wonderful as always. Sad that it's the last season at the MET to see them together.
  12. Can't make it... Orchestra J rows selling at the price I bought ($387 = $185*2 + fees). PM me if you're interested. Currently all orchestra section is sold out.
  13. I agree that Seo was shining when she was in the corps and when she was a soloist. I also thought that she's a star material and had had hopes for a long time but now I'm tired of seeing her falling off/stumbles. It's OK not to be very technical (we don't request triple turns), but I want to see "clean" variations at least after 8 years of her debut of principal role. Also as mentioned by vipa, I don't see her uniqueness either in terms of artistry. Agree that although Ali variation didn't go super well, Ahn seems to have potential to grow as a prince; will need to see him in other roles. Trenary was gorgeous and lovely. I saw Cirio as Ali and Lankendem and I thought he's well equipped with acting and clean techniques.
  14. Today technical deficiency of Seo was obvious.
  15. I think what Waelsung said has a point. I don't think the problem is because of guest star policy of ABT, but because there haven't been many comparable level of stars from home-grown in ABT so far. I also do not care the dancer is home-grown or from anywhere else. What I care is the quality of performance. Honestly, people here are very excited about Abrera, but after seeing her giselle, I didn't want to see her anymore, so I don't think she's that level of dancer (and one of the reviews of Le Corsaire said she simplified its step too, such a disappointment!). But agree with most people that soloists (Shevshenko, Trenary, Lane, Brandt... ) seem to have a good potential to be the stars and loved them so far. Hope ABT can get their old name back.
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