BalanchineFan

Roman Mejia also rose through the ranks quickly. I think it's good that NYCB has their own criteria for promotions. Peter Martins also promoted Erica Pereira to soloist fairly quickly. It's not true that it-always-worked-well-in-the-past-and-now-it-doesn't. There’s also a difference because Balanchine could promote an inexperienced youngster knowing he was interested in choreographing many different ballets on them. If a non-choreographer AD promotes a dancer, they don’t have the assurance of what will be created on that dancer.

Kikta is gettings some attention here, at Pointe Magazine. there's a pay wall, but they offer 8 days free trial. https://pointemagazine.com/emily-kikta-has-found-her-power-onstage-and-off/

I was in the audience when Elaine Stritch and Bernadette Peters took over the lead roles in A Little Night Music. Stritch went up on her lines a few times until Peters said, "didn't you mean to say....." and fed her the line. The audience loved it, and loved Bernadette for saving the moment. I love live theater for the high wire-never gonna happen again aspect of it. Mann spoke about it the next day at the patrons breakfast. If you want it all to be perfect, imo, watch a movie. They get to do multiple takes. Performers are human, like the rest of us.

Have you looked at videos of the piece to see how it matches up with the choreography? I was watching Patricia McBride and there are several steps that could be construed as "shuffling her feet."

Wendy Whelan spoke at a donor breakfast before the last performance of the recent winter season. Someone asked if she felt inclined to put toe shoes on again, and she responded with an emphatic no. Christine Redpath was also there, speaking about creating the role of the Swan/grandmother in his Carnival of the Animals, and Wendy didn't cast herself into that one either. Sara Mearns was just lovely and moving in the role. I'm not sure what might entice Wendy Whelan to perform again, but I tend to think that she's changed her mind and her dancing now is a private matter.

Thanks for the link! I was wondering who was shown in The Cage. Dominika Afanasenkov!

It looks like Isabella LaFreniere and Gilbert Bolden have two performances of Sanguinic in 4T. Wish I could see it.

I thought what Ratmansky did with the boy was spectacular, though. Not just him lying there, but the moment when the boy appears with the two women and then disappears before the father gets there. the boy being lifted, and then echoing the man's movement the boy walking upstage amid the rubble, followed by the man's jetés circling the stage the boy and the man being reunited and the man sheltering the boy as the lights flash brightly And it's never the only thing happening in the ballet. I felt moved and not manipulated.

I always appreciate your charts. Thank you for putting it together. I think Kikta was just unlucky in the rep that was offered this season. I don't see a lot of ballets that they "could" have put her into. Or maybe she wasn't able to perform that often. She was great as Choleric in 4T when I saw it.

My favorite Peck duet. this is the original Sufjan Stevens music https://m.facebook.com/nycballet/videos/flash-footage-russell-janzen-and-maria-kowroski-in-justin-pecks-everywhere-we-go/501067244130489/

I LOVED Sterling Hyltin in Symphony in Three Movements! I think she's the first dancer I saw in that role.

It's NYCB, they always need understudies! About 30 (is it 32?) dancers, six performances. Quick in and out. The rest of Sadler's Wells programs look like they are slanted towards contemporary, Crystal Pite, James Kudelka and Emma Portner doing work for London City Ballet. Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake with the male swans. I can see why this is the program. Or programme, as the case may be. And ok, Kenneth MacMillan is in there somewhere. If NYCB had been performing Year of the Rabbit (or another chamber cast Justin Peck ballet), I might have substituted that for Rotunda, but it all seems in keeping with SW's 2024 offerings. If you had to choose a program for roughly 30 dancers, newer ballets, not too many musicians (is it just two?), what would you program? What would you want to see? If it had already been made a year ago when this was planned, I'd probably choose Solitude. Ratmansky's Voices is another option, but NYCB hasn't been rehearsing it.

I’m not saying the music plays no part, but I don’t get that. Different strokes, indeed. I found the visual images rich and so evocative of what our minds do after death and loss. Not to mention the wonderfully inventive dancing.

It's not a criticism of Solitute, but is definitely a ballet where the few corps couples fade into the background. They do beautiful movement, they make fabulous shapes on the floor, in canon, in the air, etc, (inventive, angular shapes and partnering) but really the drama is with the three or four main characters and the boy. There is a lot to decipher with those four people so Ratmanksy uses the other dancers more as a unit. I didn't notice Hod, Laracey or Woodward much as individuals. Plus it's darkly lit. It's a great choice, actually, quite bold. I bet all the dancers wanted to be in the studio with him. Though, IIRC, Tiler Peck said she bowed out of this ballet to focus on her own choreography.

Do you realize that you can exchange subscription tickets for other dates? I believe we have up until 24 hour prior to the original performance. You could even choose a spring performance or take a credit for next year. NYCB subscriptions have excellent perks. Any additional single ticket purchases are also cheaper and you avoid a fee of $8/ticket. While I was overjoyed to see the 4T-Liebeslieder program three times this winter, I know that approach is not favored by some.

I love that ballet. I got tickets to see it a second time this winter. Is there any indication why Joseph Gordon isn't doing more performances? I think he and Adrian Danchig-Waring were always sharing the leading role, but now I think Adrian has all the remaining performances. [Thank you @abatt for the correction. I'm wrong about the casting.]

I'd be happy to see that program, as well. I wonder if Daniel Ulbricht will do Rotunda. He was so fabulous! Seeing his performance deepened the way I experienced the ballet. Londoners should get a chance to see him. And I wonder who'll do Duo Concertante. Will they get a debut before NYC?

Thank you so much @meunier fan for your insight into the programming. I'm glad there is someone in London who wants to see these ballets, someone who (doubtless) chose this program as what they wanted to present. I hope Sadler's Wells recoups its money this time. They certainly have a chance bringing fewer than 20 dancers and just a handful of musicians.

How many dancers is that? You only need about 15 people. Less than 1/6 of NYCB.

Hey, at least the costumes weren’t this: Gorgeous Anthony Huxley, extraordinarily poignant music… and a clown costume. 🤡 I loved what Sara Mearns did with that same costume! No red shirt. No tights. The vest parted a bit as she danced to reveal her midriff. Elegant and in keeping with the ballet. *And thanks, @Helene for the laugh!

Honestly, it's NYCB anything could happen with casting. (Not wishing bad juju on anyone)

I have noticed the differences you mention; in identity, presentation and choice of pronouns. Though there may be other occasions, currently and in the future, The Times Are Racing, imo, is the perfect ballet for this representation.

Maxwell was blazing in Bourree Fantasque last fall. She lead one of the movements. She’s getting a bunch of debuts now, but in Robbins ballets, The Concert and Opus 19. Maybe they need her acting skills there more than in the Balanchine. She’s ASTOUNDING in Robbins’ work. Worth the price of admission all on her own. I included Alexa Maxwell in the discussion as an example of a dancer who had success in multiple principal roles while in the corps. I’m not arguing that she should be a principal tomorrow (though she’d be worthy, imo, I just don’t think management is ready to do that) What have you seen Alston MacGill perform lately? I’ve only seen her as Demi in 4T. I know she has a solo in Ballo. Has she done more?

Or the dancers themselves all want to stay to enjoy the 75th. I saw LeCrone onstage in a suit at one of the public events (company class onstage? Or maybe something more recent). She looked very businesslike. I thought she must be injured to show up like that. And on height, we just disagree. Megan Fairchild may have gotten opportunities because she was a good partner for de Luz. She got promoted because of what she did with those opportunities.

I don't see height as EVER being the reason someone is kept in the corps or as a soloist. If they're not too tall to hire, they're not too tall to be promoted. I don't think dancers are ever hired with someone thinking, "oh, corps for life, no matter how well they start dancing.' Alexa Maxwell has had notable debuts in Alexei Ratmansky and Jerome Robbins work as well.