JumpFrog

On 6/26/2022 at 1:16 AM, Helene said:

I happily joined a friend today to watch the Harlequinade stream from Australian Ballet, and it was a delight!  The company is very strong and well-rounded, and I hope Henry Berlin has a great experience there.

I also tuned in with a colleague who is new to dance going and we were both delighted. A very very good company. All the best to Henry Berlin there.

Svetlana embodies the Swan like no other in this particular company. She is making the best of this version as she possibly can. In fact, all the dancers are. Isn’t that all they can do? I was also at the opening and can attest to the tepid applause.

There is a lot riding on this production. There are not many brave enough to admit it doesn’t work.

Kudos and highest admiration for those brave enough to admit it isn’t good enough. Even more respect to those who publicly demand better. 
 

On 1/25/2019 at 4:06 PM, Petra said:

I've heard of her, but I'm embarrassed to say that I did not know she was still a performer. Maria Juncal comes to Israel once or twice a year and my teenage daughter has taken workshops with her. The girls love her classes.

I had the good fortune to interview her years ago for a local Seattle arts bulletin and found her inspiring. How I wish I might be able to take her class as your girls have but with two artificial hips it seems unlikely. 😉

4 minutes ago, Buddy said:

The probable highlight this year will be Olga Smirnova’s Giselle. I’ve been hoping that she’ll become a Festival regular and star as was Alina Cojocaru for many years.  One more lady that I would like to add to this list is the very young, Vaganova/Bolshoi’s Alyona Kovalyova. Another highlight will be Odette/Odile (Swan Lake), not yet announced.

I

Agreed on that. I believe it will be a highlight of the year for many others too.

On 4/18/2018 at 2:16 PM, Blackcurrant said:

Indeed, I was not addressing US law. Since the NBOC is in Canada, I thought Canadian sources would be most relevant to this thread.

Government of Canada's Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety  site also includes a Q and A about what examples are of what's considered bullying in its definition. These examples, designed with occupational health and safety / HR departments in mind, are narrower in scope than some of the ones pertaining to fradulent or intimidating persuasion that Vs1 mentions.

 

 

Holy smokes did I ever miss a lot while on vacation. 

Thank you blackcurrant for your links here. Very interesting to read. And actually kind of nice to know that we are starting to expect more from corporate policy and how it can and must protect employees. It shows just how far behind some sector are from others. Hopefully the arts catch up.

I also find it very interesting vs1 reading through this thread those who appear to be in agreement that any corruption or nepotism is wrong ....but then call about finding out about "snitches". 

In terms of dancers leaving it definitely does not look good. But I have to agree with volcanohunter and say I just can't blame them for wanting better repertoire and a less toxic work environment.

On 4/22/2018 at 6:50 PM, Quiggin said:

I think he meant Joseph Warton. I too liked the Justin Peck piece best. It was clean, had no false rhetoric and fit the company like a glove. I'd really like to see it again – watching three absolutely new pieces fatigues you a bit, especially for the third one. Warton was excellent but so was Blake Kessler – maybe he'll show up in Shostakovitch part one? The subtitles of Wheeldon's piece pointing out the dangers of cell phone use seemed a bit cliched, and there were some quotes from Russian Seasons I'd rather see in the original. The company seemed to be in top form for all three pieces.

Agree about the Peck piece. I thought it was the strongest although the others might have needed just more time and or development. I think it really takes a special choreographer to know what to choreograph for what company. It cant just be good. It has to be fitting. 

On 3/13/2018 at 5:17 PM, mom2 said:

JumpFrog - I have handy the two programmes from March 4 and March 11.  As of March 11 Binet Sr. was still listed under the "Soaring" campaign.  They must have had these printed before things started coming off the website.  I'll see if I can take some time over the next couple of days to compare what's in the programme and what's online.  Last week you'll recall that I did do that and he was still listed on the company website (Binet Sr.).

Excellent mom2. That is very useful. Thank you!! Please keep us updated.

22 hours ago, Blackcurrant said:

The NBoC's French webpages do not seem to be updated as regularly, so the website itself is something of a Wayback Machine. Here's the French version of the Board of Directors, which contains a link to the English.

The incompetency would be funny if it were not so sad.

23 hours ago, kylara7 said:

I also have a .pdf of a programme from fall 2017.

It's all public information plus what has come out in the tabloids. It adds insult to injury to keep assuming that people/the public are stupid/too gullible to put the pieces together, especially these days with many journalists and other investigative writers willing to listen and dig for what has been hidden under the rugs in many institutions and organizations.

And if the leadership at NBoC has sunk to reading/reacting to internet discussions, then that speaks volumes about the level of competence.

Thats it! It is all documented publicly already. The company going back and deleting files from the Internet because the public are now asking questions just makes things look ***worse***.

Awesome work on the PDF file. Definitely save everything. As an audience we are going to have to work together to demand this change . These wrongs are unacceptable and need fixed. Karen Kain and Barry Hughson are obviously not up to the task.

A repertoire based on quality, a zero tolerance policy for nepotism, and an organization without harassment (or at the least an impartial process of some kind in the event it does).

These are not unreasonable requests. And we should all be questioning those who actively try to prevent them from happening.

The casting for the company tour to San Francisco has been released.

Evan Mckie is still missing. 

https://national.ballet.ca/Media-Room/News/Just-Announced/Nijinsky-Tours-to-San-Francisco

15 hours ago, sandik said:

Looking at this again, I'm sad that Interplay seems to have dropped out.  But there's much to be grateful for.

Agreed. I was looking forward to this. 

What I would do to see them perform Opus 19: The Dreamer in Paris. Le sigh...

On 3/8/2018 at 7:39 AM, kylara7 said:

I agree that it appears like the company keeps shuffling Binet Sr. around. There are likely requirements (legal ones) on reporting sources of funding, board membership, fundraising structures, etc. that keep this information public.

I also agree that a) the financial backing of Binet Sr. and his companies/professional networks is probably significant and buys influence that comes with many strings, i.e., "golden handcuffs", and that the installation of Binet Jr. is clearly questionable and explains the sub-par work we've been subjected to.

It strikes me that this onion has many layers, and there are likely more to come, sadly. As with other such situations I've witnessed in my personal/professional life, people eventually start connecting the dots, and if public relations handwaving and cover-ups are going on, it's 100 times worse when the details of the situation come to light. I have a continual bad feeling about this whole situation, and I am deeply disappointed with the company leadership.

This keeps getting deeper.

Binet Sr. has now had his quotes and history under the Endowment section of the website removed entirely. He has also been removed entirely from the National Ballet School website.

This means that other than the financial contributions made through his companies (Thomson Reuters, The Globe and Mail, The Woodbridge Company L.L.C.) he will now, at least personally, appear absent from both organizations.

Binet Jr. remains present throughout including under the Soaring - New Productions referenced above.

Obviously, like any company would, they are trying to minimize the unfortunate optics that suggest conflict of interest. It would help them to realize that most everything, once on the internet, is forever, and, that people have been keeping a careful track of this situation for a while now.

Does anyone have access to a recent programme from this season at all? It would be useful to compare the printed material and compare it to the most recent and updated website information. With all the shuffling around it is probably important to keep a record.

I agree mom2. Curiouser and curiouser this is getting.

The rankings aren't really considered in this company. Corps doing Principal roles, Principals doing Bluebird, and some Principals doing nothing at all. 

Siphe November does not appear to fit the aesthetic Karen has mandated for her tenure ie. long and thin. He does not appear to have a traditionally classical line or body at all. At least in the photos online. However the company may be changing in this regard. His jump sounds exciting.

volcanohunter and kbarber you have each referenced Evan McKie as "unavailable". Do you have a source for this? Can anyone verify the reason for his absence? Hopefully if he is injured he will heal quickly.

47 minutes ago, sandik said:

Just got here -- it looks like there are several videos worth exploring, but I'm most intrigued by The Barber of Seville for Toddlers...

I second that. Very much so.

Good find mom2 and i enjoyed reading your thoughts on the mixed too. It appears Karen Kain and Barry Hughson are moving Binet around in order to both keep his and his companies money while also keeping the public outcry at bay. I hadn't heard of either the Soaring Cabinet or Music Circle and Orchestra before so did some reading this afternoon. Of particular note in the Soaring Campaign link above is the promise of "New Work". This heading is seen under a photo of The Dreamers Ever Leave You () and paired with the following quote from Binet Jr.:

"I grew up wanting to be a part of this National Ballet and I'm honoured to be asked to contribute. I'm grateful for the company's commitment to my development and for the opportunity this allows me to take creative risks, which is extremely valuable as an artist." -Robert Binet, Choreographic Associate

Notably, included under "Soaring Achievements to Date" is the actual creation of Binet Jr.'s position, Choreographic Associate. Further, under the "Endowment" portion of the Soaring Campaign description is the following quote from Binet. Sr.:

"With a strong Endowment, the National Ballet represents an organization that is both innovative and stable, and a place where new ideas can flourish because they find the right talent and support. Artistic risks are taken within an environment of financial stability, both of which ensure a bright and prosperous future." -David Binet, Chair, Board of Directors

There are then a collection of quotes offered from a variety of presumably donors, each offering their own insight into how "extraordinary" everything is. However, it does not appear any of them actually serve on the Soaring Cabinet.

Those who do in fact serve on the cabinet are:

• David W. Binet
• Sandra and Jim Pitblado
• Gail Appel
• Judi Conacher
• The Honourable Nicole Eaton (Senator)
• Sandra Faire
• Krista Kerr
• Genevieve McKillon
• Julie Medland
• Jessica Ray
• Gretchen Ross
• Liam Sobey
• Michele Symons

It really raises more questions than answers. Kylara/mom2, what are your thoughts?

1 hour ago, Gnossie said:

A disgrace and disrespect to all the dancers competing for the Premier Danseuse spot that the inept jury "couldn't" decide. All the sacrifice and effort put on those variations but obviously the jury doesn't care. 

I don't care for Héloïse Bourdon, I find her to be an extremely weak technician although her fan base is very big. 

Charline Giezendanner, a born Etoile, and Eléonore Guerineau with her delicious Black Swan deserved to be promoted. 

 

Among the boys, it was obvious who was going to be promoted, I'm gutted for Révillion, Moreau and Loup Quer, they better be looking for new projects....

 

Other than that, POB doesn't seem like a national company anymore. What a heartbreaking tragedy. 

I agree with this. I also wonder if this situation may cause all involved to begin reconsidering the process itself. Perhaps there is a better way. 

3 hours ago, rg said:

the English translation long used for the Russian language title of La Fille Mal Gardée is VAIN PRECAUTIONS.

I did not know this. Made me truly "lol".  Thank you!

So getting back to the subject..

Anyone else see the mixed program? I found the following review.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/theatre-and-performance/theatre-reviews/review-made-in-canada-gives-a-panoramic-view-of-the-national-ballet/article38170873/?utm_medium=Referrer:+Social+Network+/+Media&utm_campaign=Shared+Web+Article+Links

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts from this afternoon mom2.

4 hours ago, kylara7 said:

Was it really because Pite was too busy? How do we know that is the reason? Or was the announcement of Pite's new work a scramble to respond to public critique about the lack of woman choreographers (e.g., Martha Schabas' Twitter, the NBoC social media accounts, among other places) and the lack of diversity in general? I mean, Emergence was 2009....that's a long time and the programming has been less than exciting over the past decade...I (and others) have a lot of questions.

So busy that a decade goes by without follow up? I doubt it.. 

Saw the performance last night and since no one else appears to have gone thought i will share some thoughts.

The Dreamers Ever Leave You was painful. There is no way around it. It did not seem to say anything, take you anywhere, and at points I was uncertain if it would ever end. When the curtain finally came down the overwhelming sense was "thank goodness". More than anyone I felt sad for the dancers. Here are some wonderfully talented artists in the prime of their careers and doing what? Stomping their feet...trying to make the best of a situation that everyone is absolutely sick of. Had it not been for my work colleauge who attended with me I would not have noticed just how many people appear to have skipped this piece entirely. The house was not nearly full, but it was certainly more full for the second two ballets. If i choose to go again i will definitely do the same and show up late and I would recommend the same. I would not wish the experience on anybody.

The Four Seasons was like this tsunami of dance that arrived at the best time. After the torture of the first piece we got to see what real, wonderful dancing/choreography can do. The audiences was invigorated and it was palpable. Hodgkinson/Cote were breathtaking and the company looked so engaged and present. The corps was not as together as they should have been and I still don't understand why each female dancer season was in a wedding dress at the end but even that aside - this was DANCING and the standing ovation was deserved entirely.

Emergence I had actually already seen in Seattle so I knew that it was a very strong piece from probably one of the top couple choreographers working today. The piece is still phenominal. What stood out to me  this time was the sound design. I am unsure if it is actually changed since the last time but it was so so cool this time and even if the dancers weren't as together as they were in Seattle in the unison sections I didnt mind because they commited fully. I had hoped to see James/Lunkina in the duet but it it was again Hodgkinson/Cote, who were, again sublime. Perhaps Lunkina/James is (are) injured? Also where is Evan Mckie? 

Overall I would say this program really showed the dancers off well. And it was also I think great for the audience because (despite Karen Kain's determination to put Binet on the "same level" as Pite/Kudelka) you just can't fake good dance. It was so crystal clear, so obvious, that the works were on a different level entirely... And I think that even the most uneducated audience can tell the difference. Perhaps that is where the company really misstepped. You can't help but wonder if they still think it was all really worth it.

Looking forward to Sleeping  Beauty next week. This production sounds/looks sumptuous!!

12 hours ago, volcanohunter said:

But not in Toronto. It's irrelevant that the Royal Winnipeg Ballet has also performed The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude, or that Les Grands Ballets Canadiens have done Approximate Sonata, if they don't take them on tour to Toronto. 

1

That is an important point volcano, thank you. Perhaps not much consideration is taken at NBoC with regard to these things. Perhpas it just isn't relevant.

I have actually been to more ballet performances then usual in the last twelve months in Toronto, London, New York, Moscow, San Francisco, Seattle. Vancouver, Melbourne, Singapore, Paris, Munich, Berlin, Copenhagen, Stuttgart, Stockholm, Oslo and even Portland, Oregon.

One pre performance talk we attended that stands out was at the Australian Ballet where artistic director David McAllister spoke about how important it is for all companies to be aware of each others program choices, even generally - and especially when in close geographic quarters - as it ensures audiences always have a reason to go. If what is on offer is limited to repeats or programs that do not generate sufficient interest from the public then the whole art form suffers.

Yet what an interesting point you propose - that if it didn't happen in Toronto it may as well not have happened at all. This kind of thinking would certainly explain alot.

Is anyone here aware of other creations made by Pite or Forsythe since Emergence and The Second Detail? I would think particularly for PIte being Canadian and celebrated so unanimously internationally they would be eager to have her create more for the Canadian company.

Out of all the wonderful William Forsythe work to choose from they choose two that have been widely seen already and one that they themselves have already done to death. The artistic choices at this company do not seem to make any sense.

I can't help but wonder if Kain (through audience research?) was made to think the public no longer wants full length classical work anymore? Or if this is simply her own..unique... taste? 

The Being and Nothingness/The Dream program seems short. Pehaps they will do what they did last time and make a last minute turkey addition. I would LOVE to see Hawes in The Dream.

I have only ever seen pictures of Sphinx but have found even they to be quite something. I would love to see more of Glen Tetley's work but (as you have discussed above) the current NBoC will likely not program this kind of thing at least under the current reign. 

If they had hoped to get the subscriptions back on track I doubt this is going to do it. Sigh.

18 minutes ago, SandyMcKean said:

I saw One Flat Thing 5 times when it was first done in 2008.  The first time, I didn't like it at all.  I wasn't of the mood, like some, that I should be angry and leave the hall.....I just didn't get it.....but I've learned over the years, that when I don't like something, it's usually me, and not the piece.  Second time,  it grew on me just enough such that I became neutral.  Then in one of his lectures, Doug Fullington mentioned this technique where the dancers must key off each other instead of depending on the music.  WOW.....the third time, I got it, and found the piece fascinating and exciting. The fourth time I started to see Balanchine here and there and every where (that's not surprising since those who know way more than I often talk about the connection between these two choreographers).  All of this came into sharp focus the fifth time.  Oh, am I glad I stuck it out!  One Flat Thing is now one of my absolute favorite piece of all time.....right up there with Agon and Square Dance.

In this season I've been looking forward to One Flat Thing more than any other ballet......except perhaps Ezra Thompson's new work. Ezra grabbed my eye years ago, and he keeps blowing me away with his talent, commitment, and his invention.  Now to see all of that mature into a 22 minute statement is about as exciting as it gets for me.

Imagine all of this is ONE program........yipee!

I concur with what you say here SandyMcKean. Although I prefer William Forsythe when he is working in a more ballet style (Artifact, In the middle) One Flat Thing grew on me after repeat viewings. The range of his creations is to me pretty spellbinding. He has made work so vastly different in style to a point I don't think many others could ever match. I am also excited for Ezra Thompson. Here is to the future!!

On 2/15/2018 at 9:55 AM, kylara7 said:

David Binet has been removed from the NBoC Endowment Foundation Board, or at least his name no longer appears on the list of board members that JumpFrog linked above.

 

According to Media at the National Ballet the website is correct. David Binet has been removed from the NBoC Endowment Foundation Board effective immediately. 

6 hours ago, silvermash said:

I think what Nureyev brought from what he learnt from his time at Kirov is just fine, it's his own additions and reworked of choreographical aspects which are debatable... The third act of Raymonda is indeed beautiful, Bayadère as well and it's his most achieved ballet IMO... Swan Lake has some issues, Romeo and Juliet and Cinderella, well.... Staging is often questioned but the choreography is really unrealistic...

I have heard although not seen personally Nureyev choreography and the thing that stuck with me was a performer saying he felt it was almost "hard for the sake of being hard". I can't help  but wonder if the prodigy type talent Nureyev had made certain technical ablilities seem more attainable than they really are for even the most accomplished of dancers and that is why his stagings are known to be "so hard".

It looks like the articles are just getting started. To release them in stages is both super smart for their viewership but also gives the feeling they have more where that came from. If the ballet company have people going to the press it suggests people are really angry and probably won't stop any time soon.

The lack of Kain actually directing makes sense Kylara as that would have give ample opportunity for people to get their own agendas into play relatively unnoticed and unpunished and the articles presentation of both the Binet situation and the Fischer situation side by side is particularly damning as it clarifies that it isnt all just coincidence as they hope all will believe but rather how they do business there. 

On the company website itself it shows all they have done since Binet Sr. resigned (and was replaced by his friend and colleague from Tory) is shift him to the Endowment Board. Do they not think that people research this? 

https://national.ballet.ca/Meet/Board-of-Directors

Something that will shock literally no one is that the upcoming mixed program is entirely sponsored by Thomson Reuters Deputy Chairman Binet Sr.

https://national.ballet.ca/Productions/2017-18-Season/Made-in-Canada

The good thing with this all happening as public as it is is that it puts pressure on leaders to right wrongs sooner rather than later. So far it appears Kain and co. are confident they will get away with this okay, but with the way other places like Soulpepper/Miramax are reorganizing (and because of the same issues) it appears the ballet leadership here gravely miscalculated.

If their actions since the publications started are any indication Kain probably has yet to realize what just what she has done.

It seems to be a recurring issue in alot of places, the fact that many are becoming frustrated with the reviewing of ballet. I think it is hard to have to separate your own opinion from fact but isnt that their job? On the other hand it can be frustrating to read reviews where they say a whole lot of nothing. 

I think the question you pose pherank is really important- Is a reviewers impression generally matched by the rest of the audience? I think it is not much of the time but it of course depends on who is doing the reviewing.

The entire premise of reviewing art is shifting. I think for the better because people are questioning if they really care what the reviewing says. And they are also questioning the agenda of the writer as well.

In Canada for instance the young choreographer they keep trying to make happen is the son the owner of the national newspaper. It is almost farcical. Is what we read at all unbiased anymore? Great writing in this regard is dying.

Thank you for your intelligent thoughts kylara7. This is a subject that I am very interested in (nerd alert, lol) and I think that the entire movement of people calling out injustice happening right now is going to be encouraging for the kind of systemic change we all agree is needed at Canada’s National Ballet. I think you bring up some excellent points.
One part of this I think is interesting is that the arts (or maybe it’s non-profits I’m not sure) seem to be very late to the party on this.
It seems like all other fields have internal policy to prevent fraud, corruption, nepotism, conflict of interest, etc. But it doesn’t appear they have that here. At least they don’t have it under Karen Kain. And if they do it’s not being enforced. The Binet/Fischer situation would never be allowed in any other field. 
So maybe the arts have allowed the inherent subjectivity of what they do to become a kind of an excuse for not having stricter rules. 
As in, no, sir, you may not write a check for one million dollars and get your son hired... or no - you may not run this department with your wife and then hire and promote your daughter. It’s funny to think of this in the context of a government office or science lab. It would be considered, at the very least, terribly bad taste - and at the most, actually against the law.
So ultimately, the lack of any rules here was taken advantage of. 
I think everyone can agree that not having policies in place to protect employees from this kind of corruption is poor leadership. It reflects very badly on Karen Kain and her tenure of running the ship.