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I think I have my dates correct. Farrell returned to NYCB from Belgium in 1974 and Balanchine dies in 1983. Farrell retired from dancing a few years later. Before Balanchine's death, Robbins and Martins were named co-ballet masters. (I think that is the correct title, don't hav a program handy.) Then Robbins retired and Martins was left as ballet master. Farrell was associated informally with NYCB for a few years after her retirement. Then apparently she and Martins had a falling out. As far as I know, there was never any real possibility that Farrell would be appointed to run the company. Whether this was the right decision is something we can debate for weeks, maybe years.

I'm not really interested in addressing the economic issues but this article certainly raises some interesting questions about that side of the ballet/dance field. For a program of short works to be successful, it certainly would seem to need more variety than the one this article describe. And I personally don't find any of Duato's work interesting enough to warrant a second viewing. But more importantly, it seems to me that ballet (for that matter, opera audiences) are essentially conservative. Most audiences except NYCB's, and perhaps the Joffrey's, seem to prefer full evening, story ballets. So, artistic directors have a dilemma that this article articulated very clearly - do you lead or follow the audience's taste? I certainly don't have an answer but it is one that many companies seem to struggle to solve.

Two years ago in Florence, I was fortunate enough to see an exhibit of Zeferelli's costumes. I haven't seen much of his work for opera but these costumes ranging from things he'd designed for Callas to items from his films (Romeo and Juliet, Brother Sun, Sister Moon and Tea with Mussolini) were dazzling. The exhibit was laid out so that in many cases you could get close enough to see the workmanship. He may be overrated as a director but I think he is underrated as a costume designer.

I attended a new choreography workshop the other day and one of the choreographers stated that he wanted to create a piece with as few steps as possible. And he did, there were pirouettes, some passes a few grand jetes and that was about it except for running and sliding on the floor. He almost seemd to imply that steps were BAD. But aren't steps just a tool? Aren't they just a way to express something? This was the clearest expression I've heard of the current vogue for stepless ballets? And I don't understand it? Any thoughts?

And for the most part, we are talking about high school aged dancers. A dancer from NYCB told me that when she entered the company, shortly after Balanchine's death, the average age of the dancers was 27. Now the average age, she said, is 21. Whether in ballet or the rest of the world there is a big difference between being 21 and 27. I don't think most ballet companies are equipped to make up for the education their dancers didn't get from school ro family.

And for the most part, we are talking about high school aged dancers. A dancer from NYCB told me that when she entered the company, shortly after Balanchine's death, the average age of the dancers was 27. Now the average age, she said, is 21. Whether in ballet or the rest of the world there is a big difference between being 21 and 27. I don't think most ballet companies are equipped to make up for the education their dancers didn't get from school ro family.

If he has the dancers to perform it, I'd like to see At Midnight again. I remember it being a lovely ballet. And Christine Sarry gave a wonderful performance. But the last time, I saw Ballet Tech I didn't see anyone capable of dancing a ballet that used classical technique as At Midnight does. Am I the only one who remembers that once upon a time Feld was considered a possible heir to Robbins?

I couldn't resist picking up this title after seeing the Taylor company in Dandelion Wine. Three of the men have white milkmen outfits and the fourth (Patrick Corbin) looks like a gas station attendent in bright yellow. The ladies have very unflattering white sun dresses. Inspite of the costumes, this is a lovely piece danced to Locatelli. Taylor has an affinity for Baroque composers, see Arden Court and Airs. I didn't find this as interesting as those pieces but perhaps I need to see it again. There is the usual assortment of Taylor archetypes - the short, quick moving woman in this case danced by Julie Tice (I think), Patrick Corbin as the center of the piece is a virtuoso and their are two couples with contrasting ppds. This was followed by Antique Valentine set to familiar pieces (many by Chopin) played by player pianos or old music boxes. The men are dressed like members of a barber shop quartet and the women like china figurines. All of the movement looks like that of mechanical dolls. The best part of the piece is a ppd for Corbin and Lisa Viola complete with a handkerchief that she keeps dropping and he retrieves, and his hat, which keeps falling off and getting away. The musical climax is the Chopin piece that Robbins uses for the pas de six in Dances at a Gathering. The mechanical movement is an interesting conceit by it wears thin quickly. I don't have to see this one again.

Alexandra, of course, you're right. The Taylor dancers use the floor and really go down into their plie rather than skimming across the floor as the ABT dancers did. And this is the Taylor company's home ground, so it would be surprising if they did not give a stronger performance. But I did like the piece at ABT - it is just more strongly danced and characterized by Taylor's dancers. Viola did the "big, bad wolf" number and was terrific. But for me the best performances were by the pimp (I think it was Duckstein) who was much more obscene and evil than the ABT dancer who played the role more humorously and Corbin in "Brother, can you spare a dime?" Not only is Corbin the Taylor dancer par excellence (no one else in the company comes close to his style and precision, IMO) but he brought an anger and poignancy to the role that was missing at ABT. I was also impressed with Manzzini (sp?) in "Blvd of Broken Dreams." She was a women who had been around and whose spirit was almost broken, at ABT the dancer was less angry. From what I have read Taylor made the parts on his dancers than Susan McGuire taught the piece to ABT. At ABT, there are several casts, even last fall at City Center Stiefel was no longer dancing "Brother, can you spare a dime?". But in the Taylor company, there is a single cast so the dancers have more opportunities to develop their roles.

And we think the plot of Raymonda is silly?

I too saw only the ABT version, one 4th of July at the State Theater with D' Antuno and Kivitt in the leads. The production never came to life until the final act when Ruth Mayer and Bill Carter did one of the Hungarian divertissements.

I saw Don Q at least once, with Luders and Farrell and possibly twice between 74 and 78. I think twice because the second version featured a jota (I think) danced in red and black costumes by Merrill Ashley. I'm obviously in the minority but I loved the ballet for its theatrical effects - the book, the little princess in the puppet show, the well mannered horror of the court scenes - for Farrell's dancing, Luder's performance and the scenery. The dances for Farrell were extraordinary, you can see some of it on the Farrell documentary. I've heard rumors that NYCB wants to revive it but, of course, Farrell holds the rights, so who knows? It would certainly be possible there are enough people who were in it such as Schorer, who I think was the original dancer in Pas Mauresque, Luders, Ashley, Dunleavy and Mazzo and Leland who also danced Dulcinea.

I don' t think I saw last year's season, so many of the dancers were new to me but like Leigh I miss some of the former company members who were more individual. I especially felt that way in Arden Court, a ballet I know well. This was one of the first pieces in which Taylor introduced an astounding group of men including David Parsons but the current group was bland and muscle bound. Only Patrick Corbin had a flow of movement rather than a jerky step by step execution. In the duet that features a slow moving man with a quickly darting woman, the casting was all wrong I think. Egvedt was heavy and her partner was a light weight, oh where was Kate Johnson. I had never seen Counterswarm, reminded me of The Cage, sex and death in the insect world. There was one fabulous ppd and Lisa Viola was terrific as the Queen Been but I got tired to the insecty movement long before it was over. The company did look terrific though. The highlight of the evening was Black Tuesday, danced with more weight and personaliy than ABT gave it this fall. I particularly liked Oren Duckstein as the pimp, much more obscene than at ABT. Mazzini was terrific in Boulevard of Broken Dreams and Corbin was brilliant in the closing movement.

Memorable moments, the opening night Serenade - I needed to see that ballet. Margaret Tracey's final performance in Scotch. The advent of Asanelli, after the winter season I believe she is a ballerina. The season's biggest surprise - how much I missed Miranda Weese. I've always admired her but never warmed to her. Now, I realize she is one of the backbones of the Balanchine rep. Peter Boal in Dances at a Gathering and everything else. The continued development of James Fayette, and Alex Ritter as Drosselmeyer - I loved his performance. The way in which Wendy Whelan brings an individual intelligence to each of her roles, even those like Mozartiana in which she is less than ideally cast, and convinces us that this is the way the part should be danced. I'm sure there's more but it is too early in the morning to look for my programs.

Mussel, just for the record, the Roundabout Theatre's new building is nmaed the American Airlines Theatre. It is on Broadway but is owned or perhaps controlled on a long term lease by a not-for-profit theatre co.

We hardly saw her this season and her "Faust" in the final week was taken by Somoygi. I'm happy to see Somoygi getting these roles but does any one know what's up with Meunier?

I didn't read the article, it would be too depressing. But, even the title proves that we all assume things about our audiences that are nto true. There is only one way to really know who fills the seats - research. I know it is expensive but it is worth it.

I'm going to Amsterdam at the end of March and want to see the Dutch National Ballet. For any Dutch posters, should I order tickets online or can I wait til I get there? Also, any one where I could take open, adult ballet classes in Amsterdam. Other suggestions on dance events would be most welcome as well.

I think there are two crucial elements needed by companies to dance most of Balanchine. First is speed, Balanchine's choreography was meant to be danced at almost concert hall tempi - although it need not be at Andrea Quinn racing tempo. The slow drawn out "Swan Lake" tempi of Makarova or Dovrenko just won't work. Second, the company needs to understand the syncopation and jazzy elements that Balanchine brought to even the most classical works such as Bizet, Divert, Theme and Barocco. If you flatten out the accents as the Bolshoi did in Bizet a few summers ago, it's not what Balanchine intended. I also have trouble with the "ballerina" mannerisms we've seen in Nina A and Irina.

Alexandra, I think the choice of roles is left very much up to the dancers. At Farrell's final performance, Martins choreographed a ppd for the two of them and then she danced Viennna Waltzes. I remember reading that Von Arnoldigen's farwell performance was in Violin Concerto. Does any one remember more recent retirements? It seems to me that it has been some time since we've seen one.

Tracey's Scotch showed off all her virtues, clean technique, great charm and daintiness, and something we didn't always see from her - daring. Askegard partnered wonderfully. After Walpurgisnacht and a lovely Romeo and Juliet by Bouree and Boal and Zazouski, the festivities began. Hubbe left Tracey alone onstage and then returned with a large bouquet of roses. Flowers were thrown from the audience and rained down from the flies. Then Kathleen Tracey came out with a bouquet and got a big kiss and hug. She was followed by an emotional Russell Kaiser, Tracey's husband and an NYCB ballet master. He was follwed by Whelan, her dressing room mate, and then Martins came out. By then, we could scarcely see Tracey for the flowers and Martins helped her set them on the floor. Tracey kept gesturing to the wings and finally her 2 year old son toddled out with a bouquet of balloons. Adorable! Then everyone came out along with a number of the dancers. A very touching tribute to some one who epitomizes the virtues of a "house ballerina." Tracey always gave a good performance and sometimes like last night in Scotch and her recent performances in Baiser, she gave a great one. I'll miss her.

Many of Shakespeare's comedies have "pants parts" including Viola in Twelfth Night, Rosalind and I believe Celia in As You Like It and Portia in Merchant of Venice. There are probably others but it is late and I'm just working off memory. In drama school, we were taught that these parts were prevalent because all the women were played by men. Hence, it was easier for the actor. He was a man playing a woman who was pretending to be a man and spent most of his time onstage as a man. That always seemed too simple to me. I like to think that in all these roles, Shakespeare was saying something about illusion and reality and the confusion we all find in love. Shakespeare's characters are among the most fully rounded we see onstage and maybe having woman pretend to be men was one way of showing the full range of human possibilities, so he did not have to limit female experience to the societal norm of his time. In Marriage of Figaro, we see the reverse - a woman playing a man pretending to be a woman. Is that true of other "pants parts" in opera?

The idea that a ballerina is some one who must carry a full length ballet even works for some of Balanchine's best loved ballerinas. For example, McBride in Coppelia and Farrell in Don Quixote. But it would be an interesting topic to discuss - can you only be a ballerina if you carry full length, classical roles. I'd have to disagree given my love for the many NYCB ballerinas who don't fit that mold but still an interesting topic.

I also saw the perf on 1/31. I was impressed again by Whelan. She is not everyone's idea of Odette but has found a way to make this Balanchine version of the role work for her even with a partner as stolid as Martins. Whelan is more creaturely than human, it seems to me and within that framework brought great passion to the role. I love the corp of 32 swans in their black tutus. Their lines may not be straight but they generate so much physical power and excitement that I am swept away every time. Was that Bouder as the first swan? I was disappointed in Somoygi in Allegro, well danced certainly but lacking in warmth or aura or something. I'm not sure what I thought was missing, only that I expected more from her than I got. But the small corp of Van Kipnis, Tinsley, McBreaty, Ritter et al was divine.

I've frequently found the first killing in Robbins' The Cage to be terrifying, especially in Whelan's performance. Dowell as Carabosse in his production of Sleeping Beauty is extemely malevolent. The moment when he pulls off Catalbutte's wig and plucks at his hair is awful.