liebs

It's too bad that ABT has to cancel anything but I applaud what seems to be a good business decision. I think this cancellation will be unlikely to affect their ticket sales, so there will be little loss of income while achieving some cost savings. On a personal note, the loss of a Glen Tetley ballet hardly seems a tragedy to me.

Just saw the most recent NY Magazine, there are top ten lists from many critics in many art forms but not from Tobi Tobias in Dance. Second class citizens again.

Ashley Tuttle and Malahkov (sp?) in Tsch. Pas at City Center. Peter Boal in Ballo in Parma riding the music and lighting up the stage. Carla Korbes in Divertimento #15, the perfect melding of dancer and role. And the rest of the cast was lovely also. Ringer in just about anything, she's so happy to be dancing it makes me happy. Van Kipnis as Dewdrop, a vivid, musical, glowing performance last Sat. night. Opening night's Serenade - it may not have been the most perfectly danced performance of this ballet but it was THE BALLET I needed to see. Whelan as Odette - she was passionate and lyrical and made me believe every moment. Kathleen Tracey as the stage manager is Variations Serieuse. Also the "mop" quartet. David Gordon's "FamilyDeathArtCom.edy" at Danspace especially the final ppd with Gordon and Setterfield. It was a beautifully simple depiction of a long and loving marriage/relationship.

There are a few other roles for Ulbricht. How about Puck (he'd be more in the Jean Pierre Frolich mode than the Albert Evans one), the Faun in 4 Seasons. And maybe Martins will find a girl for him and maybe he'll grow. Right now, I just enjoy his dancing.

More on Sat. night's performance. Contrary to Michae'ls experience, the second act was great with some wonderful casting. Riggins was scheduled for Marzipan, then replaced by Edge but ultimately the role was danced by Bouder. She did a great job with her springy, effortless jump abd seemed to be enjoying herself but I would have liked to see a little more sweetness and charm in her performance - she was a little dry. Millepied was a terrific Candy Cane, musically incisive with that great jump. Every jump was held in the air for a moment like a flash photo - an exciting performance. Ash danced Coffee with a focus that one rarely sees in that role. She really drew the audience in with her intensity and the lovely shape of her dancing. Sometimes this solo seems long to me but not on Sat. Van Kipnis danced Dew Drop with complete and luxurious confidence, every balance held til the last possible moment but never beyond the bounds of the music or of good taste. She clearly flet the music and her turns and runs were particularly lovely. I wonder what she and Millepied would be like as the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier? This was the first time I had seen Alexander Ritter as Drosselmeyer and I was very impressed. He seemed to inhabit the role, always aware and reacting to what was happening around him unlike some of the dancers who are party guests and seem to just stop paying attention when they don't have a specific action to perform. When Ritter entered he immediately reminded me of some one but I couldn't really put my finger on it. I finally realized that he reminded me of Balanchine in the makeup for Don Quixote. As other posters have said, the Snow scene looked terrific. Your realize the depth a talent at NYCB when in addition to those I've already discussed you see a performance like Saturday's, which has Elizabeth Walker in Snow, Carla Korbes as a party guest, Rachel Rutherford and Stephen Hanna in Spanish, Jennifer Tinsely as a demi in the Waltz of the Flowers and a corp which includes dancers like Abi Stafford and Elena Stein to name just two. I'm lucky to live in NY.

Last night's performance was delightful, marred only by a weak perfomance by Bouree as Sugarplum. I was sitting in the orchestra, which I rarely do, and I could see her shaking with nerves throughout the ppd. Hubbe gave her good support, even providing the complete impetus for the supported pirouettes something one rarely sees at NYCB. But its hard to enjoy the climactic moments of the ballet when the ballerina is so nervous. Got to go - more later.

I certainly wasn't suggesting that any of them retire in the near future but Boal has talked about it and it is clear that Soto's prowess is declining. Unfortunately, NYCB's rep does not have many roles in which one (either male or female) can age gracefully. So the company has to look forward and it is great that Soto and Boal can provide a model through their dancing and teaching. There are also very few male soloists now who look like potential principals. Lyon and Houston have extremly limted reps. Higgins and Ritter just don't seem to interest Martins. Tom Gold is a specialized talent with a limited place in the rep. Angle certainly has potential but it is early to judge his development.

Also as some one pointed out in the spring, a number of NYCB's senior men such as Soto, Neal, Boal and Woetzel are nearing the end of their careers. I think it is wise to start grooming the younger men now. It is hard to say which of the guys in the corp will have the talent, stamina and luck to become principals but you have to start somewhere.

I was fortunate enough to see Sean Lavery recently rehearsing two couple as Sugarplum and her Cavalier. Watching Lavery dissect the ppd made me realize how difficult the partnering is in this deceptively elegant dance. Lavery was teaching the role to Stephen Hanna partnering Korowski. She is an experienced Sugarplum but Hanna is a novice. They made an interesting couple as Hanna is tall and broad enough to partner her comfortably. But he seemed taken aback by the size of her movements, Korowski dances big - deep plies and high legs. Hanna was clearly nervous about working with her. Lavery stopped them frequently to adjust some small detail or make suggestions about how better to support the ballerina and by the end of the session Hanna was clearly more comfortable. He also danced the variation and the coda and was clearly disconcerted by the stamina required to do them well on a big stage. I imagine that at this point in his career, Hanna has not done alot of classical variations. I think they'll be an interesting couple and unlike some men at NYCB, Hanna was clearly interested in getting it right. This rehearsal was followed by Peter Boal with Jennifer Ringer. Ringer seemed a little off her form, making small mistakes or taking extra little steps. I think this may have been the first time this season she danced this with Boal. But no matter what Ringer did Boal was there to support her and he completed the complcated lifts to the shoulder even when her take off was akward. It was as though I was watching a text book on partnering. I know that Soto is considered to be the best partner in the company but Peter is also terrific. One hopes that the younger men study not just his technical skills but that they also imitate his genuine concern for his ballerinas. I'd love to see a performance of Boal and Ringer. I was also fascinated by how different the same steps can look when danced by different dancers. The contrast between Korowski and Ringer was not just one of body types but also of phrasing and emphasis with Korowski more regal and Ringer warmer and more delicate. Both are valid interpretations. I'll be at Saturday nigth's performance and will report on Bouree and Hubbe.

Leigh, my first question is: DOES ANY ONE ELSE WANT A BALLET COMPANY?

Leigh, I am very interested by your definition of provincial. It is certainly different than the way the term is usually used. In most current contexts, provincial is almost perjorative - taken to mean parochial or even small minded. As you define, I would call NYCB a provincial company. It has a distinctive repertoire, although many Balanchine works are danced elsewhere, and a particular style. Even the classical ballets, Beauty, Swan Lake and the Nutcracker, are seen through the lense of the company's own style. Formerly, the Royal Ballet could also have been described as a provincial company. From the lates 60's through probably the 80's, they danced a particular rep - Ashton, McMillan and the classics - in a highly recognizable style. I haven't seen them since they brought Dowell's Beauty to the Met but from what I read they seem to have begun a transition to an international company. Certainly Stretton seems to determined to take them in that direction and his choice as AD seems to indicate that this transition was desired by the Board. ABT has always seemed to me (and I've been attending since the late 60's) to be an international company. And sometimes, it has just seemed to be a company with no artistic point of view. I unfortunately have not and don't see enough of companies like the Kirov, Bolshoi or Paris Opera to have an opinion on their status. Clearly from the discussions on this board, the Cubans are a provincial company par excellance.

Organon, the Duate (sp?)piece to Bach that I saw this summer at NYST, and McKenzie's Nutcracker. I rather liked Mayerling and Isadora, for me McMillan's turkey is Manon, especially as danced by Guillem (this girl was never a virgin). I would also add most or all ballets by Richard Tanner. Gobble, Gobble.

I second most of Kate's comments although I want to add praise for Kistler, Kowroski and the female corp is Serenade. Their is probably no such thing as a truly terrible Serenade, the choreography provides enough interest in every case I've seen but tonight's performance was very moving. Kistler danced with more freedom and power than I've seen from her in a while. Tracey was terrific, one of the nigths when she transcended just being good and glowed with feeling. Somoygi was the disappointment of the evening. Stars should be a good role for her but tonight it wasn't. Too bad but I look forward to her "Dewdrop." Martins spoke well and movingly and the rest of the speeches were mercifully short. All in all a nice evening and I'm glad NYCB is back in NYC.

Male dancers who ignore their partners in ppd and appear to care only about their variations are vulgar.

Male dancers who ignore their partners in ppd and appear to care only about their variations are vulgar.

Kate, I think Leigh is exactly right. Leigh, look for me before the perf or at intermission on the promenade. I want to hear about PA.

I'll be there also. I hear Serenade is on the program.

Interesting topic. I think that the choreographers that followed Limon, Graham, Humphrey, etc. were not only working with smaller themes but that in general they were much less interested in creating works with narrative or themes at all. Judson and post-modernism made narrative and emotion suspect and many choreographers such as Cunningham, Trisha Brown, Lucinda Childs and Laura Dean were more interested in a kind of abstract choreographic formalism - movement for movement's sake. There are certainly exceptions to this trend like Taylor whose works frequently seem to tell a story or at least convey an explicit mood or theme. Others who come to mind are David Gordon, Senta Driver, some of Doug Varone's work, Mark Dendy and some pieces by David Dorfman. For me, some of Limon's work and Graham's as well looks dated. Perhaps because the dancers technique is more attenuated, thinned by their ballet training as they move further from the founder's physicality and because many of the dancers seem to lack conviction. They don't really believe in these people (Othello, Iago, Clytemnestra), so we don't either.

Of the three companies, I only saw ABT at City Center and was struck by the dilution of Rodeo, much like what you describe, Leigh, in Dim Lustre. The ballet still works but almost inspite of the performances. I wonder whether ABT feels that plotless, abstract one act ballets are more important, better than narrative ones and hence has abandonded the comittment to that wing of their repertoire. It was certainly that repertoire that put them on the map in the first place. But we are certainly lucky to live in a city that offers both provincial and international companies.

Of the three companies, I only saw ABT at City Center and was struck by the dilution of Rodeo, much like what you describe, Leigh, in Dim Lustre. The ballet still works but almost inspite of the performances. I wonder whether ABT feels that plotless, abstract one act ballets are more important, better than narrative ones and hence has abandonded the comittment to that wing of their repertoire. It was certainly that repertoire that put them on the map in the first place. But we are certainly lucky to live in a city that offers both provincial and international companies.

Of the three companies, I only saw ABT at City Center and was struck by the dilution of Rodeo, much like what you describe, Leigh, in Dim Lustre. The ballet still works but almost inspite of the performances. I wonder whether ABT feels that plotless, abstract one act ballets are more important, better than narrative ones and hence has abandonded the comittment to that wing of their repertoire. It was certainly that repertoire that put them on the map in the first place. But we are certainly lucky to live in a city that offers both provincial and international companies.

Of the three companies, I only saw ABT at City Center and was struck by the dilution of Rodeo, much like what you describe, Leigh, in Dim Lustre. The ballet still works but almost inspite of the performances. I wonder whether ABT feels that plotless, abstract one act ballets are more important, better than narrative ones and hence has abandonded the comittment to that wing of their repertoire. It was certainly that repertoire that put them on the map in the first place. But we are certainly lucky to live in a city that offers both provincial and international companies.

I think Ashlee Knapp and Savanah Lowry were both made apprentices.

I only saw him the role once but vividly remember Ivan Nagy. He was so handsome and noble and gave deluxe support to Kirkland as Aurora. And like Dowell and Nureyev, always dancing.

The live performance I remember most was Gelsey Kirkland at the Met. It was a very unfinished performance, I imagine she had not been dancing the role long. She looked charming in the Messel designs for Act I and was a spontaneous, young princess. Her performance was marred by trying, mostly unsuccessfully, for triples on her pirouettes. I think that over time she could have been one of the great Auroras. I must have seen Fonteyn on video but not in the full length ballet. The perfect Aurora for me was Sizova. The production on the video I saw was an unusual one, lots of dancing on pointe by Carbosse (danced by a woman). Sizova's style was perfect and she is utterly believable in all three acts. I would have loved to see her in a live performance.