BalanchineFan

You're welcome, though, your mileage may vary. While I am a huge Balanchine fan, I had a career in modern dance.

Read Merrill Ashley's book, Dancing for Balanchine. Her husband's comments about her facial expression completely changed her performances, adding a great deal of depth. Whether NYCB gives dancers this kind of coaching, who knows? I doubt it. I'm sure Balanchine expected dancers would find it on their own, or he gave them cryptic comments which they struggled to understand, as Ashley also recounts. I would tell dancers to relax and let their experience of dancing show in their face. Generally, it's not an everlasting smile.

It's not a book, but, for me, the recent documentary In Balanchine's Classroom has tried to address some of these issues regarding Balanchine's teaching (in class), how it helped performers who danced for him, and how they are passing it on. A lot of "non-star" ballet dancers are interviewed. Has anyone read John Clifford's book, Balanchine's Apprentice: From Hollywood to New York and Back? It is IN NO WAY a biography as you describe, but a chatty, readable memoir.

I'm surprised to hear that you didn't find the ballet stories positive. Could you give an example? Or do you mean you wanted more ballet stories, period?

This time of year is typically slow for theater going. NYCB used to offer subscribers a 2 for 1 deal ("bring a friend for free") and they didn't do that this year. I'm not certain the pandemic is the reason for the smaller houses. I was at the theater last night (Thursday) for the Jamar Roberts premiere, Emanon, Tanowicz's Bartok Ballet (MUCH improved) and Kyle Abraham's The Runaway. The audience was wowed; three contemporary ballets using pointe work. I wasn't sure what to expect of Roberts' ballet. It is very pretty and dance-y. A nice, expansive solo for Unity Phelan followed by a duet for Peter Walker and Emily Kikta, a solo for Indiana Woodward followed by a duet for Jonathan Fahoury (I believe) and Emma von Enck. All nice and pretty, dresses in shades of lavender for the women with cut outs to show their backs. Emma von Enck made quite an impression on me. I still love my old favorites; Phelan and Woodward. Kikta looks great, and makes everyone else look smaller. E. von Enck seems daring and full of zest, really fun to watch. The ballet also has a lot of unison passages, unison for the group of women, unison for the group of men, finishing with everyone in... (wait for it) unison. The unison made it a bit blah, but it was a very pretty opener (maybe too pretty) and hopefully Roberts will develop more of a relationship with the dancers and take more risks. He didn't seem to have any issue dealing with pointe work. I also thought Wayne Shorter was an interesting choice for music, and new for NYCB, but some of that veered too far towards Kenny G for my particular tastes. The ballet is pretty, but safe. Bartok Ballet gets better and better. I don't know if there's an official word, but I heard that the piece wasn't finished last time it went and that Tanowicz had time to finish it this time. Whether that's true or maybe my memory is just faulty (I've seen the ballet at least three times, now), there are sections where the women do pique arabesque and fouetté turns that I don't remember being there previously. The dancers all seem more relaxed and they interact more like people and less like insects. It's more dance-y. Miriam Miller has a beautiful bit downstage doing penché arabesque literally on the proscenium. Many of the dancers change from bronze costumes to gold, and the proscenium itself is lit by the end. Indiana Woodward is obviously the leader of this little tribe, dancing with great attack, clarity and authority. At one point she seems to be giving the dancers hand signals The evening ends with Abraham's The Runaway. This ballet, for me, remains the ne plus ultra of new works for NYCB. It opens a new movement language, it builds on classical technique, it brings in Black culture and music and plays with all its many elements in a deep and satisfying way. The audience was more full than the Partita, Summerspace, DGV performance I saw, but I was still able to slip into a better seat. I ended up next to two older, white women with canes. We got to talking and when it became clear I could identify all the dancers, their only question at the end of The Runaway was "WHO WAS THAT??" The answer, as always, was TAYLOR STANLEY. A woman in the row behind us also got in on that conversation. He got a well deserved solo bow. I see more and more in The Runaway, too, however. Roman Mejia's "Kanye" solo. I can't remember exactly what Kanye is saying in the music, but he repeats his name every sentence while Roman brisé volés and gargouillades into break dance-club moves. Mejia is spectacular. There's also a duet between Mejia and Sebastian Villarini-Velez. Amazing, with the same cross cultural virtuosity. In the section where Kanye is saying "I thought about killing you... I thought about killing myself, and I love myself... so, of course, I thought about killing you" Peter Walker has that crazy, face obscuring feather headpiece on and, to me, it really changes how one experiences that duet for Walker and Christopher Grant. I have a friend who was offended by the lyric ("I've never had anyone threaten my life in THIS theater!!" he said), but the fact that Kanye is talking about mental illness (that's what it is when you're thinking about killing yourself) while someone is dancing with their face ridiculously obscured... it both lightens the mood and makes a comment on the lyric. Megan LeCrone took over Ashley Bouder's role, and I think LeCrone has finally found a vehicle for all of her angular, badass bitchiness. She never seems like a "sweet" dancer to me, and here that's really not a drawback. At one point she and Mearns, who had been doing different things, hit an arabesque on pointe in unison and just hang there for a moment. The vernacular does not, in any way, prevent the classical movements from shining through. The contrast heightens both. Mearns and Georgina Pazcoquin were also great. The Runaway melds so many cultures, touches on so many aspects of contemporary life that we NEVER see in classical ballet. It works those costumes. It opens a door to a new world. It is masterfully put together and suggests a new direction, whether NYCB can (or wants to) continue in this vein, who knows? But just think, they can do this kind of work and then turn around do 4Ts the next night and Symphony in C the following. I am electrified, and so was the audience. With new choreography, one should see the dancers revealed in new ways. You want to see new possibilities, new affinities, artistic growth. You want the impression that they've shared their souls onstage. For me The Runaway does all that like a home run bouncing into the parking lot outside the stadium.

I think Emilie Gerrity is taller than Joaquin DeLuz. That sidewalk must be slanted or something. Pictures can be deceiving. I do believe they were once engaged, though. I've seen her onstage with Unity Phelan and they seem to be about the same height. Roughly the same as Sara Mearns.

I was there that day. Got to the theater in all my snow regalia, only to find the place deserted except for snow plows and a few hearty teenagers playing in the drifts. 25" of snowfall over night. Over two feet! I wish they would do something to commemorate Balanchine's birthday again. Those programs were special. Glad you got to see some NYCB before heading home.

Adrian looks GOOD in Summerspace. Merce who? (lol)

I was at the Saturday Matinee. So glad the snowstorm didn't impede things! I am just loving Justin Peck's work. Partita has beautiful music from Roomful of Teeth, eight acapella voices. (Maybe that's where they blew the budget for Liebeslieder! Ha!). I'm looking forward to seeing the piece again. It seems pensive, or reflective, though there is some dynamic dancing. In addition to the duet between Kretschmar and Bradley, there is also a lovely duet for Taylor Stanley and Harrison Coll that I enjoyed. There are a lot of themes running through it; these duets (kind of twinning, intertwined) and group shapes around center, figures standing, walking, and looking at the larger group. Tiler Peck also has a gorgeous solo, and a duet with Chun Wai Chan, who looks right at home wherever you find him. He is a keeper! Strong, subtle, detailed, dynamic, the physique for traditional white tights ballets and great in modern ballets as well. Cunninghams's Summerspace was well danced, but I still miss Abi Stafford. I kept thinking about how the Cunningham (and other great) dancers perform this piece. I was struck by Ashley Laracey, but not in a good way. Yes, she performed the crazy balances quite well. She looked secure, physically. When I watch Adrian D-W in the piece he seems totally present, charismatic (without "doing" anything extra). He looks directly at the audience, or his fellow performers, he projects his presence with his movement and his stillness. If I was in their studios, I would ask Ms. Laracey to work on her eyes, to look out at the audience, rather than hooding her eyes, to project with her face and entire body whatever movement or dynamic she is performing. To me, she didn't make much impact. Maybe she doesn't like Cunningham, maybe she was nervous. She's got good reason, it is incredibly difficult choreography, (big, quick movemement, land, pause on demi-pointe) like you're naked. I don't know what it is, but she seems to retreat from being onstage in the piece rather than putting her full self out there. Emilie Gerrity was gorgeous and assured as always (she seems to have deepened in this piece) and Meghan Dutton-Ohara looked good in the role Lydia Wellington performed so clearly. I have a few notes for Dutton-Ohara, too, though. My ballet mistress is really coming out. DGV was pure joy. I could tell some in the audience were happy to see pointe shoes at last. Isabelle LaFreniere looked fabulous in the opening duet. Looking at really good dancers, it often seems like they're managing a huge engine inside and they're choosing when to hit the gas, when to hit the brakes and they're determined to surprise you, possibly themselves, with each change in speed or dynamic. The engine is their thirst for movement, their hunger, their curiosity, their artistry . They don’t seem to be worried about failure, and failure isn’t a real option because they are so committed to (the movement of) the moment that it will be exciting for us, the audience, whether things go as planned or not. That Megan Fairchild and Sara Mearns are brimming over with this quality is not surprising. Principals for at least a decade they have made it their standard. Isabelle LaFreniere and Mira Nadon joined them in Dances à Grande Vitesse on Saturday and it was spectacular. NYCB is BACK! Nadon was like a force of nature, energetic, surprising phrasing, fully committed. FWIW, I didn't notice any partnering fumbles with Jovani Furlan. He's gorgeous, I love his dancing, but he did seem to recede a bit in his duet with LaFreniere. Maybe he had his hands full?

Thank you! It's a short clip, but well worth watching.

OK. It ... IS .... really exciting to see the debuts. Unity Phelan in Walpurghisnacht!!!!! I'm so happy just thinking about it. And I am quite curious to see Ashley Laracey's Sonatine. Step up, ladies.

I've got my fingers crossed for you. May I suggest you try to plan longer trips? They perform A LOT, probably more than any other non-commercial, performing arts company in NYC. That one cancellation you mentioned was the only cancellation in NYCB's entire existence... until Covid as far as I know. -A longtime fan

Wow! Congratulations all around. I think I remember all but Anna Snellgrove.

Emilie Gerrity is a fabulous Sanguinic in 4T. I may look to see if she's on the schedule. Sorry to hear about Teresa Reichlen. I'll miss her. I wish I could see her PC#2. I think I saw everyone else who was doing it at the time, everyone except her... Maybe her retirement was another nail in the coffin for seeing Diamonds this winter.

I see Gerrity as on the road to being next. Lots could happen, of course, but I love her dancing and she already seems like a principal to me. I think she gets cast a lot. What are you referring to?

Yay, Ruby! They don't usually announce new corps members with promotions. At first I thought maybe it was because she was in On Pointe on Disney +, but maybe this is just the first time it's happened at the same time.

Good for her! Not surprising. Ruby Lister is gorgeous. She was in the corps of Serenade on the fall 2021 opening night. Not sure she was even listed, but I picked her out with my opera glasses. Ruby has a Q&A about the On Pointe series on her instagram, very charming. https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17855315012367569/

Also, while Wendy Whelan and Maria Kowroski danced until late in their careers, they were in their twenties when they BECAME principals. I think that is more the issue here. Maria Kowroski was 21 or 22 when she was promoted to principal. I think Wendy Whelan was about 24. One would expect they easily had a decade of dancing to look forward to as principals, maybe two decades. Those decades won't be possible with a dancer who is approaching 40 as a soloist. I think promotions often have more to do with promise for the future than anything else.

The following dancers have been promoted to soloist: Preston Chamblee, Ashley Hod, Emily Kikta, Isabelle LaFreniere, Mira Nadon, Miriam Miller and Emma von Enck. All well deserved I would say! https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/24/arts/dance/city-ballet-promotions.html

Here's the link to the NY Times article quoting many ballet luminaries on why there is a dearth of women choreographers in ballet. From 2016, it quotes Peter Martins and Lauren Lovette as well. https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/26/arts/dance/ballet-luminaries-weigh-in-on-a-conspicuous-absence.html?searchResultPosition=5

Lourdez Lopez talked about this phenomenon to the NY Times. She said that the women in the corps of any ballet company are busier than the men. Women are all needed for Swan Lake, for Serenade (in Balanchine based companies) for Snow and Flowers (in Nutcracker) all pieces that use the men's corps much less. Men have time to choreograph, she said. Women don't.

Lauren Lovette is just so interesting. I enjoyed the interview. I'm not sure I've ever heard a ballerina say she wanted to choreograph equally with dancing. That seems unusual to me. Even that she ever thought of choreography. Perhaps it's my own prejudice or ignorance showing. My image is of young women in ballet being much too tired and obsessed with dancing to think about choreography. I also tend to think of them as unaware of the possibility of choreography, https://fjordreview.com/lauren-lovette-moving-forward/ I also think it's an interesting comment on mental health, or confidence. It would be difficult to rehearse a new role and not know that you'd be cast until 2 weeks prior. That is typical NYCB procedure, but as a performer I would have to talk myself through that one. At a certain point I think it's best to decide that you don't care about the outcome. You're rehearsing because you love the role, the music, choreography, the opportunity (whatever it is for you). You're rehearsing for yourself, for your own pleasure and growth and to see for yourself what you can do with it. Then let the chips fall where they may. It sounds like something for Megan Fairchild's book, Ballerina Mindset. Have any of you ever been through a similar situation? How did you deal with it?

Then the livestream has ended. I keep clicking on the link and it says "there's nothing found" or something like that.

I can't find the livestream. Do you have to become a member?

Much as I love Liebeslieder, it also requires additional expenditures. The singers have to be paid. Most ballets rehearse with a rehearsal pianist, but I don't think that's possible with the vocal music in Liebeslieder, or at least not possible to the extent that NYCB usually rehearses with piano. IIRC, they typically do only one run-through onstage with orchestra for each ballet. They have an orchestra on salary. They don't have singers on salary. Small cast, but not cheap. Still, if they manage to put Liebeslider on, I, too, will be at every performance. I still remember Unity Phelan sailing through a double pirouette in attitude upstage left. So many beautiful performances. Sterling, Maria.. Tiler. I remember Rebecca Krohn killing it, too.