BalanchineFan

Well, she certainly looks to be pregnant. I hope it goes smoothly.

LaFreniere and Miller both have a few Dewdrops scheduled. There might not be any debuts (maybe the repertory directors are too overworked to put a lot of people in late in the season) but I was glad to see a lot of dancers cast who aren't always seen in leading roles: Sara Adams and Ashley Hod as SPF, Mira Nadon, Ashley Laracey, Baily Jones, LaFreniere and Miriam Miller as Dewdrop. Segin has a Marzipan. I can't go more than once, but the casting looks interesting to me. There is also a lot of variety in the Marzipan and Coffee casting.

Who is the best SPF that you've seen? This year or any year? Balanchine's Nutcracker only. Someone mentioned Jenifer Ringer in another thread. Just wondering... I don't remember who danced it when I first came to NYC in the 70's/80's as I wasn't partial to Balanchine's Nutcracker then. I preferred Gelsey Kirkland as Clara in Baryshnikov's version. I think Sterling Hyltin, Lauren Lovette and Sara Mearns have lead the pack in my opinion, but Maria, Megan and Tiler have also been excellent. It's hard for me to pick one, as you see. I, too, remember the year Martins had 18 corps dancers debut as SPF. It was fascinating, and an interesting choice because, in my experience, not many people go to NYCB's Nutcracker for the casting. It's a big family event, a tradition, and it's about people going to BALLET, not about a particular performer or their interpretation. What do you all think? Tiler posted on IG that she's spending Christmas in California with family. There are bound to be a lot of opportunities for debuts if more principals are being given that kind of schedule.

Absolutely! The Ballerina Mindset is a fun, quick read and Megan has a lot of useful insights to share. The tone is also very considered and appropriate for all ages. In the SPF sweepstakes, I've been following Olivia Mackinnon on IG and she's rehearsing SPF. Look through her IG and you'll see her progress, which is considerable. She's another very lovely dancer who is getting opportunities here and there. I remember her debut in PC2 (2nd role, really nice!) and I think she had a Dewdrop last week. She's also enterprising and sells a line of ballet skirts, accessories and coverups. Laine Habony has never particularly caught my eye, but I'd be excited to see Olivia Mackinnon do more.

I watched nearly all of Megan Fairchild's Conversations with Megan on YouTube over the pandemic, so I was excited to hear that she'd written a book. The book was inspired, at least in part, by a podcast she was doing a few years ago, Ask Megan. This woman doesn't let any grass grow under her feet! Her new book, The Ballerina Mindset: How to Protect Your Mental Health While Striving for Excellence, uses anecdotes from her career to illustrate ten mental health challenges and ways to improve our outlook and deal with these issues. It's a quick read, 160 pages in paperback, and well worth reading, in my opinion. Her sense of humor and her personal growth really come through. The lessons themselves are universal and can be of use to anyone trying to get ahead in a competitive field (Facing Anxiety, Embracing [Your] Uniqueness, Handling Feedback, etc) . There are still a lot of ballet stories, which really satisfied this balletomane.

Did anyone see the Friday night performance with Unity Phelan as SPF and Tiler Peck as Dewdrop. That is my dream line up and I even had tickets, but couldn't go last minute. I'd love to hear anyone's observations. I'll be seeing Nutcracker next weekend. There's so much happening in NYC all of a sudden (seemingly). And then the Covid tests... A friend of mine is producing a show and they had to delay their opening due to several breakthrough covid cases. I hate to see performances canceled, but it's the most responsible course of action and protects everyone. I just bought Megan Fairchild's new book. She has a few Nutcracker stories in there. It's a quick read, but worthwhile. She uses stories from her career to talk about lessons learned to improve our outlook and our mental health.

There's a picture of Melissa Hayden, Tanaquil LeClerq, Maria Tallchief, Diana Adams and Patricia Wilde dancing together in a ballet called Divertimento. They are all on pointe and lined up so that you can see their heights and proportions in relation to each other. Somehow I can't manage to link it here, but google it. You can make interesting comparisons (if you are so inclined). Diana Adams is clearly the tallest. Patricia Wilde the shortest. The differences in thigh length, torso length and overall proportions also fit well into this discussion. But really, imagine having a company where you could cast them all TOGETHER!

Dewdrop was choreographed on Tanaquil LeClerq. I never saw her dance, but she was pretty tall and leggy, they say. She danced Choleric in 4T as well, and I've always thought that role needed long legs.

I saw that very same performance and I just don't agree. I thought Phelan was a lovely Dewdrop. Not my all time favorite, but quite lovely.

You might try some of the books about Balanchine. I Remember Balanchine, an "oral biography" by Francis Mason, has interviews with 86 Balanchine dancers and associates going back to when he left Russia. It's not a complete listing of names, but can give you an idea of the principal dancers working with him during most periods of his career. Marie-Jeanne and Mary Ellen Moylan are both included.

I never saw her dance live (not sure I was alive when she was still dancing) but I've always respected her place in Balanchine history and just LOVED the films, photos and accounts of her dancing that are available. What a towering career and an articulate artist she was! RIP Mary Ellen Moylan.

Cornbread is a bravura delight. Upbeat dancing to the Carolina Chocolate Drops. They sound like bluegrass, but I'm not up on my musical genres. Both Tiler Peck and Roman Mejia look fabulous and I think Twyla should let them do the piece until their legs drop off from old age. Oh, and Mejia takes his shirt off. My hormones haven't calmed down yet. Really nice, playful dancing, bravura displays, tender at times. A brilliant opener. Second Duet, is a world premiere. The music is live piano and cello, though it sounds like electronic music at times. It's a compelling duet, with a few additional dancers walking and sitting upstage behind a scrim at one point. The dancers are stellar, it's the only duet for modern dancers, with spectacular lifts and partnering. The mood is more subdued, though, less showy and more intimate. James Gilmer has his shirt off, as well. My companion is hoping he never puts it back on. The entire evening's cast is like a dream team, physical beauty, technical aplomb, artistry, everything you might want, and these two, Jacqueline Harris and Gilmer, are prime examples in every way. She's a little spark of energy and style. The piece runs a touch long, but one can easily imagine Twyla getting carried away working with them. Pergolesi, Fairchild and Mearns dressed in white. I honestly couldn't tell Mearns gender when she first appeared. I've seen her in a tutu, in a leotard, in a pink unitard dancing Cunningham, or silk robes doing Isadora Duncan, but now in a sleeveless T and pants she seems almost mannish, brilliantly appropriate for the Baryshnikov role. The dancing is great, a few quotes from Baryshnikov's oeuvre and from Twyla's. Fairchild is a revelation, I so wish he was performing more often where everyone could see him. All In unites all the previous casts with the couple from ABT and the young ensemble. The Peck-Mejia pair, the Harris-Gilmer pair, Bell-Trenary and the ensemble have a section where they dance independently and then all together, changing partners every so often as the ensemble moves through and around them from time to time. (IF you were concerned about ex marrieds dancing together, they don't). The youngsters are spectacular, sliding around on the floor and doing their show stopping moves. Bell and Trenary look great, but I kept wondering if they were late additions or if there was something in ABT's schedule that kept them from doing a separate duet, like the other couples. The "main" duet here was for Fairchild and Mearns, dancing on pointe now, the two of them alone onstage. The whole group comes together for the finale. It was an entirely enjoyable, often thrilling evening of dance from a master using her All-Stars. Hard to believe that Twyla, the woman who turned ballet on its head, is now 80 years old. May we all have an 80th birthday like this.

I'm so jazzed by seeing Twyla Now last night. For those who didn't go it is all Twyla Tharp choreography: Cornbread with Tiler Peck and Roman Mejia Second Duet with Jacqueline Harris and James Gilmer Pergolesi with Sara Mearns and Robert Fairchild All In, with all the previous dancers plus Aran Bell, Cassandra Trenary and 6 young dancers Twyla "discovered" on the internet: Brady Farrar, Savannah Kristich, Zoe Leibold, Jaiden Galan Roman, Alycia Williams and William Woodward It's all fabulous. It was a highlight for me to see Robert Fairchild dancing again. Pergolesi was originally created for Tharp and Baryshnikov. In this case Fairchild takes Tharp's role and Mearns dances the Baryshnikov part. They are fabulous and the gender reversal adds depth to the piece; Fairchild and Mearns embodying some of the originals' characters and idiosyncracies. Did anyone else catch it?

Maybe you see a pregnancy, but I watched the clip and I don't see it. Not even a little. She does seem to be hiding her belly a bit, but who's to say why?

I have had a bad experience in these seats, orchestra S, T, U and V. Maybe the people in front of me were tall, or had long torsos, but I could not see a thing, not even the floor of the stage. I agree that row R is fine if no one is sitting in front of you. Plenty of leg room, just watch out for people walking in the aisle. In STU and V I found the sight lines so bad that I ended up standing near the side doors in the orchestra. Wear flat shoes. I love sitting in the first and second ring. There's more of a slope and no such problems.

Olivia MacKinnon posted a Behind the Scenes bit of Nutcracker rehearsal on IG dancing SPF with Davide Riccardo as her cavalier. You can only see their legs, but it looks good!

I was there. I enjoyed it. It was very celebratory and the audience was very much in that celebratory mood.

I'd love to see it too, but I don't see NYCB casting any women in Diamonds who aren't tall and leggy, it's their pattern. A lot of people here seem to prefer tall women as Terpsichore in Apollo and in other roles, as well. Just look through the posts.

Thank you @Drew. That's exactly what I was referencing. One well constructed study proved that washing hands made a difference, saving women's lives, and the male doctors STILL wouldn't do it. Thank you for the link, too. I look forward to reading it.

I saw Gillian Murphy dance Swan Lake a few years ago. I was moved beyond belief. I find her to be a true artist and her appeal, for me, has nothing to do with her technical mastery. If I want pyrotechnical physical feats I can watch teenage ballet students all over Youtube. Gillian Murphy can tell a story through dance and make you feel what the character feels.

I really enjoyed Fall for Dance this year. I saw opening night (program 1), with Elizabeth Streb, Kyle Abraham's beautiful piece to Nina Simone recordings. and Sweet Gwen Suite with Georgina Pazcoquin (very sassy), program 2 with Stephen Petronio, Houston Ballet and Ephat Asherie (very charming, tap and hip hop), and Program 5 with Fandango, Justin Peck's Bloom for Tiler Peck and Herman Cornejo (fabulous), and Ayodele Casel (great tap, with music and amazing vocals by Crystal Monee Hall. If she has a record I'm buying it) . What a lot of variety. It may have been easier to get tickets, but the audiences seemed quite full, and as enthusiastic as ever.

I'm glad to hear that some have found the article has given them food for thought. For me, the context of talking about dancers' weight should include a few facts: 1. The School of American Ballet, where all the women (and most men) at NYCB get their start, is incredibly exclusive. Young dancers are chosen for their body types; smaller body types, smaller frames, and long thin limbs being preferred whatever the dancer's height, along with turn out, arched feet and musicality. Roughly 2,000 students apply each year and only 200 are chosen for the summer session. 100 for the winter session. That's a rejection rate of 90-95%. We're talking about criticizing people who made that cut, that 5%, and then the subsequent yearly cuts, and then also managed to have careers in ballet. We're not discussing a widely attainable physical standard. 2. Disordered eating abounds in order to achieve this "aesthetic." You can like "the look," not like it, think one dancer is too skinny and another too fat, but a very high percentage of these people are doing extreme and unhealthy things (at least at times) to attain "the look." It comes up in interviews all the time. One wanted to get pregnant, but realized she needed 6 weeks of eating disorder treatment in a facility before she could try. Another's hair started to fall out. Another didn't eat enough to make it through rehearsal. Maria Tallchief describes how she, and later Tanaquil LeClerq, would go out to dinner with Balanchine and he would bring an apple, since his wife wasn't going to eat dinner. (Yes, perhaps the meal was post-performance and the woman had already eaten something... but Tallchief writes it was common practice, and something she didn't miss when she stopped being Mrs. Balanchine.) Was it Suzanne Farrell who wrote she ate just the foam from a cappucino? These women were gorgeous, fantastic, legendary ballerinas, but those are not healthy eating habits! 3. Women's size, shape, and condition is often criticized by men to exert control over women. It's a part of our society, from corsets, girdles, brassieres, panty hose and bikinis to indecency laws (historically, only women seem to get arrested for swimwear), the fight for birth control, gynecology, (including gynecologists that wash their hands), and reproductive freedoms. Men have a long history of telling women how to look, how to dress and what women can and cannot do with their bodies. That is my context. I don't think it's right and I don't think bullying about weight has any place in offhand remarks in a ballet review, "sarcastic" or not. Are patrons going to exchange their Nutcracker tickets when they read that someone in the audience found the lead dancers “fat?” I don’t think so, and I don’t see any value in the information. I'm not interested in reading it, no matter what any audience member or critic might say at the time.

It was hard for me to get through Alistair's new piece. It was like reading Thomas Jefferson defending slavery and harping about how hard his life was when it was discovered he got Sally Hemmings pregnant those 6 times. When Alistair started mentioning the women he knew who were fat or anorexic... I just had to stop. It's not about him. His voice is not what has been missing from the conversation. He really doesn't understand. Sorry to hear you have an eating disorder @Balletwannabe and sorry for anyone else dealing with those issues. Some day I may write about my own journey with weight and eating. Do you ever write about it? Does that help?

I had plantar fascitis for several years. Sometimes I’d cry on the street, three blocks from home, unsure how I was going to get back without further injury. It’s hard to get rid of. Attendance isn’t mandatory at the farewells. Why would they all be there?

What I got from the Martins story is that he could have protected the lead dancers from the critics, and had other casting options as it was the start of the season, but he chose not to protect the dancers. For his reasons, I suppose you’d have to ask him. To me, the result seems mean spirited and punitive. Completely in keeping with the behavior Georgina Pazcoquin describes in the Midsummer Nights Dream rehearsal. But there’s no way to know if he knew what the result would be.