BalanchineFan

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.

Are you only considering women? Because Jules Mabie deserves to be promoted now, imo, after seeing him in Symph in 3 and 4T. Just on the basis of those two performances. David Gabriel was also good in Bourree Fantasque last fall, throwing Alexa Maxwell all over kingdom come. In terms of promotions, I don't see any of those women being promoted in the immediate future. Talent aside, NYCB has 20 principals and 20 soloists, they don't need to promote dancers. They need to develop them. Still, following your question, I look for corps members who are cast in, and KILLING, their principal role assignments. I enjoy all the dancers you mentioned above, but none of them has yet had as many principal roles as Alexa Maxwell did before her promotion to soloist (The Cage, Copland, Voices, Fancy Free, and I think I'm still forgetting something major). I agree, I thought they could have promoted her and Kikta to soloist a year earlier. I don't mind the prudence with promotions, it's just how it is. What roles would people want to see India Bradley, MT MacKinnon, Domenika Afanasenkov or Ava Sautter tackle pre-promotion? Or roles for ANY upcoming woman to prove herself? As Midsummer is approaching, Sautter and Afanasenkov seem like Titania types, but I would cast Kikta before either of them. Generally, I'd want to see success in a variety of Balanchine and Robbins leading roles before promotion to principal. Paradigm shifting success. I've only seen MT MacKinnon in demi roles, not even true soloist parts. Did I miss them? Olivia MacKinnon had done the 2nd lead in PC2 and Walpurgisnacht (I think?) along with Rondo before getting promoted. Or was Rondo after?

I’m really not following your point. It seems to me that if there are two people, then you have two oppositional forces. We’ve seen the duet in TTAR as male/female, male/male and non-binary/nonbinary. It’s still two people doing the steps, doing their best to dance together. How do dialectics and binaries come into it?

I SO wish I'd seen them dance it.

Thanks for the chart! I added last week's cast.

I loved the difference in their heights. All of the duets have such a depth and mystery to the relationship, who has the power, who is chasing whom, I think it gives Chamblee and Woodward a lot to play with. I will say, and I've seen both casts this year: no one dips as low as Patricia McBride in Nein Geliebter where she does that forward leg gesture. The man, standing behind her, clasps his hands around her pelvis and takes her forward. I was watching the film on youtube and she's practically right hip on the ground, and still (McBride) manages to gesture her leg forward without it really touching the floor. All the couples I've ever seen (past 5-7 years) could work on that, if they deemed it important to their interpretation. I believe this role was choreographed on Melissa Hayden. And kudos to Tyler Angle, partnering both Tiler Peck and Isabelle LaFreniere in the role created by Violette Verdy.

I thought last night’s 4T was electric! So many fine debuts, so many dancers who performed with a single driving purpose, bringing out all the colors and dynamics in the choreography. Jules Mabie… DEFINITELY among them. What a long limbed, broad shouldered hunk of burgeoning artistry. Davide Riccardo, equally so, perhaps more languid and “beautiful” as one might expect from his role. I loved Ashley Hod’s crispness and drive as Sanguinic. Positively stunning in the devil’s backbone pizzicato section, too. (What is that part called? It’s in Choleric when the three Theme women and Sanguinic gather around Choleric for a lot of fast footwork). All three themes solid, though I particularly enjoyed Nieve Corrigan & Andres Zuniga and Megan Dutton OHara & Alex Knight. Knight has matured and is “giving prince” as a younger generation might say. I almost didn’t mention Mira Nadon’s bright, sharp Choleric. She is an amazing stage animal. I sat closer than my usual seats and, though you could see her working things out to end with the music on the various crashes in her first variation, it was seamless. Alston MacGill seems to have fully recovered from whatever injury/setback she had awhile back. She dances like a predator; no dainty poses for her. She’s seen what she wants and she’ll hunt it down and shake it out of a tree. That energy and attack, that appetite for movement are what I love most about NYCB. The whole cast had it. And then, Liebeslieder!

I’m on my way home from the ballet. A lot of luminaries were there, Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos, James Whiteside, Suki Schorer, Susan Pilarre, Heather Watts The new Ratmansky, Solitude, is quite moving, masterfully composed. He really knows what he’s doing. What a great evening. (KJ Takahashi partners Indiana Woodward in it. He’d be great with Emma Von Enck) Joseph Gordon is amazing. He opens Solitide in stillness, he has an extended solo later. Both Mira Nadon and Sara Mearns are beautiful and moving. It deals with death and the war in Ukraine, it’s quiet and powerful, with bursts of activity, lifts and partnering. The juxtapositions (stillness vs sharp, tense movement, or swooping dancing) work very well. This isn’t a review, just a reaction. I recommend it HIGHLY. People should see it. I think it will be in the rep for a long time Opus 19 began the evening. Lovely dancing by Taylor Stanley and Unity Phelan, though this atmospheric ballet has never spoken to me. Symphony in 3 closed the evening. The women danced well, but I’m hoping to write about them more at length. David Gabriel and Adrian Danchig-Waring were stand outs for me. Adrian, in particular is killing it every time I see him. So clear and dynamic. Jules Mabie is also making his mark as a partner of tall ballerinas and capable soloist in the making. The more often I see NYCB the more I am struck by the depth and variety of the rep. Next I’ll be back for 4T and Liebeslieder. They are churning these ballets out. In the best way.

They currently keep the lights low. I think it’s clear it’s not an intermission. There are just certain people who need to use the restrooms.

Preston Chamblee has a commanding stage presence. I remember him partnering Taylor Stanley in Not Our Fate, how great they were together, and thought he could probably partner anyone. I thought he had a strong debut in 4T, big, clear, rhythmic. He looked a touch nervous. I wasn’t sure if he exhaled the entire section, but my friends who sat in the orchestra were sure they saw him breathing. 😜

Sterling didn’t hint. She said Enck’s Ballo debut was coming up, she just didn’t mention a date. I so enjoyed the performance tonight! I have lots of thoughts on it. You could tell there were a lot of debuts. I agree, Adrian Danchi-Waring was a highlight in 4T (he really moves his back!) , along with Kikta. I also loved India Bradley eating up space, and MT MacKinnon matching her. So much promise onstage. I have tickets for next week, too. I love the 4T Liebeslieder program.